What do you do with your 3 yr olds?

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ScarlettLady

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What age do you back your youngsters generally?
And
What would you be doing with a 3 year old?

I've just bought my lovely new 3 year old :D who has been backed, but I'm slowing him right down as I think he's done a little too much (he's been schooled walk trot and canter, but not in an outline, and popped over cross poles) and has had 2 months off prior to me trying him. Just wondered how much I should slow it down... I've had him 2 wks, and walked him out in hand, and taken him for a look at the local indoor school as well as lots of grooming and bonding time. I'm thinking about starting to hack him in the next week, I don't want to rush him, and blow his brains/break him, but don't want to take things too slow either... :rolleyes:
 
Mine was pretty much unhandled when I got him - not wild, just a blank canvas so spent the first few weeks getting into a routine and used to each other. Now we are comfortable with each other we have moved on, he is now fully tacked, boots all round. I longrein twice a week (only done it a handful of times so still arena bound) then on the other days we will go for a walk round the fields and go watch the traffic, will also do an inhand or free arena session, walking over poles, between scary fillers, jump poles etc. he will also have a day where I do nothing bar pick his feet out and one which is just mental, putting bandages on, getting used to the hose etc. but we are at the other end of the scale to you ... I would say perhaps slowly build up to one to two days gentle hacking, one or two longreinging -forward and straight to build confidence, watching the amount of circles due to pressure on joints etc. out and about if you have the control, maybe have someone at his head to start with just in case and also in the arena, over poles round obsticles etc ..
Better too slow than too fast !
 
I am in a similar situation to you OP. I bought a 3 year old about 6 weeks ago who had been broken for about six weeks. I spent the first week getting to know him then introduced longreining and a gentle hack with another horse. The other horse then lost a shoe so we have been hacking out alone (with a walker). Getting him moving forward and most importantly getting him used to things.

He now loves going out and is more foward and resposive each time I ride him. I plan to do more groundwork, along with longreining and hacking then turn him away for the winter. Bringing him back into work in the spring.

I too don't agree with too much lunging as this is not good for babies joints.

Do you have any picutres? :)
 
Mine came to me about 3 weeks ago, just broken, schooling but very wobbly as expected!!
I'm mainly walking and trotting and lunging to get balance and just working on him from that.
 
I have backed mine and I now hack him from the yard (he's in during the day as he's a fatty) to the field which is about 1/4 mile away. I havent' schooled him at all. He walks out in traffic in longreins twice a week- we did a 2 mile walk out yesterday to meet bin lorry/cars etc etc. He has been out to 6 shows since a yearling- not many but enough to have a good experience. He is never lunged but I expect him to be comfortable with all the different aspects of life- having a bath/loading/staying in a stable even on his own/being clipped- I trimmed his legs/ears/head. He's a chiled out dude though. I will continue to hack him out to the field a few times a week and perhaps down the drive and back but then nothing over the winter then the hard work begins march next year!
 
Nothing! She was well handled as a baby but was then turned away.
She'll be in overnight this winter to get her into a routine (the out 24/7 fields are a bit of a trek from the farm) and i'll break her and work her very lightly next year.

I might be way off but to me there seems to be more and more of cases of kissing spines, leg problems, joint problems etc etc is it pure coincidence that we also have more classes for 3&4 year olds?
The spanish riding school don't break their stallions till 4-5 years old and their horses fly to demos well into their 20's.

Having had ex-racers and seeing how early some of them show their age i'm not into working young horses hard at all, i'd rather have patience now and hopefully have a horse capable of working into its 20's.
 
I walk mine out in-hand

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she is also learning to lunge (short sessions) and has worn a saddle. I'm slowly introducing her to flappy stirrups and stirrup irons. She has been leant over but that will be it until next summer when she is four. :)
 
My 3 year old has been fantastic to back and is really mature. I haven't done much work in the school with him because I want to keep it a nice experience for him at this young age. So we just go for a short poodle round the woods and roads 2/3 of times a week and he really enjoys it. This way I can also school him whilst out.
 
Mine is ridden in walk & trot, lateral work (v basic leg yeild, shoulder fore) walk squares & trot serpentines. We have just started going out (100 yards) on our own have a friend bringing her horse to hack out with us (longer hack). He will be pretty much turned away for the winter (will be ridden once or twice a week). He is taking it all in his stride it's nice to know I must have done it all right at the correct pace for him :0)
 
Maggiesmum -You raise some good comparisons regarding age and frequency of certain joint related problems. Surely this is common sense? I too have a problem with the number of young horse competitions. Such pressure on immature joints will inevitable come at a price.
I have ony just started to hack out on my 7 year old, very immature IDXTH. Prior to this most of the work was done on lines - and there is a lot that can be done this way. All classical equitation schools / practitioners would wince at the way so many horses are now forced - and who are we to question that level of knowledge? A year or 2 saved at the beginning is a year or 2 gained at the end - with less damage/ injury, vets bills and more time spent enjoying your riding! Provided you are doing the handling and working from the ground, don't rush and more particularly, don't let others convince you that you should be doing more. Take time to get to know your horse as the individual he is and work at his pace. You are obviously a person who questions things - hence this discusssion: keep doing that. If you are not sure whether you should progress/ or if something is not working always go backwards and try again - never press on regardless, that is how you start a fight that your horse will always win. Patience pays. Impatience ruins horses and benefits vets !! GOOD LUCK and don't forget to enjoy your horse - watching young horses develope and learn is fascinating and something to enjoy.
 
maggiesmum said:
I might be way off but to me there seems to be more and more of cases of kissing spines, leg problems, joint problems etc etc is it pure coincidence that we also have more classes for 3&4 year olds?
The spanish riding school don't break their stallions till 4-5 years old and their horses fly to demos well into their 20's.
Click to expand...

I say, that must be coincidence, surely no professional would ever do something like that could harm the horse long term :eek: (To be read with heavy sarcastic intent)

I was sharing a lesson last night with a three year old who was being jumped over small courses, worked in a (false, heavy on the forehand) outline, by a clearly novice rider who repeatedly socked him in the mouth. Needless to say, I'm not taking my 5 year old anywhere near that instructor ever again...
 
Dont ask me - My 5 year old is being lightly backed this summer - and Will be turned away in the winter! :rolleyes:

If he has already been backed - some light hacking 'education' wouldnt go a miss = then mid sept when it starts getting snotty and windy (the weather, not the horse ;) ) - turn away for a long Holiday till spring - then enjoy your calm sensible thing ready to learn some new dressage tricks!
 
Mine is 3yrs and 2 monts now and will be going to school soon to start some long reining etc.
Already had a roller on and bridle on and not a problem so far.
He's still growing but a couple of weeks at school will give him something to think about over the winter, before going back to school in the spring.
If he is still growing (already around the 16.1hh mark) then he will be turned away again.
I want to give him something to think about without pushing him too far too quickly and doing any damage.
I hate the thought of too much too soon, they are still babies at the end of the day.
 
i have broken my 3 yo over the summer. She walks, trots & canters, hacks alone & in company, is excellent in traffic, goes off the leg, stops, starts and turns :) Cant ask for anymore so have turned her away now until next year.
Chuffed to bits with her especially as I have had her since she was a foal :)
 
Our lad was a late foal so is 3 next month. He has been long reined a few times, can lunge (walk and trot for a couple of minutes each rein), good for farrier, vet and to catch etc. He has his feet picked out without any head collar in the field and is good with rugs, a roller, a bridle etc. He is a darling to groom and is polite in a stable. He has not been sat on and will not be until next spring/summer when he will be lightly backed.. He will be turned away next autumn and start school in spring 2013 when he will be 4 and a half. I think it depends on the horse and what you want from him. Ours is a keeper so there is no rush. If we wanted to sell him things might be different.
 
My just turned 3yr old is played with - short walks in hand, learning to be tied up, goes on trips in the truck, is groomed, mane pulled, she's been clipped as a yearling for shows. She will sooon start lunging once the rains have eased and the ground has dried up.

She gets her feet handled and stands - most of the time - for the farrier. He attention span is short but she is a quiet gentle soul. At nearly 17hh she will head off to the breakers around Xmas time. She is also shown inhand.
 
My 3 yr old has shown inhand, good with farrier for his trim. He will let me trim his legs/bridle path and withers with mains clippers :) we are going for gentle hacks round the woods, he has short canters and is learning to wait until he is told he can follow his friends so he doesnt roar up other horses bottoms! He will continue to hack, do a couple more shows then see hounds on a couple of quiet Mondays in the autumn before turning away for the winter :D
 
Mine is being lightly shown so is very used to being handled, travelling etc. She's a large native and quite well grown so will start some ground work in the Autumn and depending on how she looks will back her next Spring. If I don't think she's ready in mind and body then I'll wait.

I think you've got to look at each horse/pony and decide if you think they're ready or not, although I don't back mine before 4. With our warmblood we waited until he was 5 and have taken it very slowly with him, giving him time off when he goes through a growth spurt.
 
Mine is staying with his breeders until next year to keep him from tempting me...he has been backed, ridden twice, will be rode by me for a brief ride in a month or so's time and then turned away until next spring when he will come to me after re-backing. I plan light work and some in hand shows next year, he will start competitive long distance and maybe some dressage as a 5 year old.
 
We got a cob that had been worked since two!!!! He was 4 in April and hes just coming back into work now. He has basically had November through to now off and its done him the world of good.

He is a driving cob though although I have sat on him a couple of times and hacked him out last summer.
 
Ours is a late starter, but immature. he's 5 more like 3 just backed and ridden away.

Each is different and I think can only tailor to their needs once you understand what they can mentally and physically cope with.

Our newest here almost 2 week, we've lead him out inhand in ALL weather conditions, including a very windy day, we've done some inhand work and tacked him up.
But he is a quiet worrier, he doesn't explode, just goes abit stiff and looks terrified, so we're not pushing.
Physically he's now mature for work, but mentally still needs time.

So, rather than pushing to prelim him end of year, we've put any such thoughts out the window and just enjoying building the bond now.

I see it in terms of; if I rush him now I'll spoil his future.
Knowing when to push on with stuff, your horse will let you know.

I set tiny goals for each session, based upon how I find his reaction.

e.g. long reining tonight - I'd like him to soften his back and see some relaxation of the jaw.
If he does that in 5mins then we finish, so it's a positive if he takes a while longer than so be it, I have patience and value his well being.

I've left ridden work for now, until I see this tension disappearing, otherwise I'm potentially magnifying his tension by getting on board.

The lovely and exciting thing about youngsters is that they are all different - I love this aspect!
 
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My 3 year olds are out in the field playing and being 3 year olds. They get plenty of handling and will not be backed till ready physically and mentally. This will not be before they are 4, or even 5 or 6. Arabs are slower to mature than many other breeds so I will not rush or force them. We backed a 4 year old and a 5 year old a few weeks ago and both have been perfect, very trusting and willing to do what is asked.
 
Thanks for your responses, they're just what I was thinking! If he'd been mine younger I probably wouldn't have been backing him till later...
Thank you :)
 
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