What do you think a 3yo should be doing under saddle?

[buzyizzy]

I threw every experience I could at mine at 3 years old, 20 pootle on the roads with experienced and older horse, shows in hand, travelling, bathing, feet trimming of course, basically everything I could think of for him. He didn't stop growing till 7, and he is an ID x so you have a long time to get to know each other.

 

[Rollin]

Rollin do you find the same in France re only the sales horses being aimed at the age classes or not? Do those successful in those classes go on to success?

Ester, sorry I missed your question. The answer is I don't know. On the SJ circuit almost all the horses we come across are SF but there are so many (when we compete at le Mans usually 1,000 starts over a weekend) that we don't get to know or to follow individual horses.

There are two levels of age class in France Cycle Libre, which 4 or 5 year olds can enter at 95cm. If they have not jumped at 5 years of age they cannot enter at all. Cycle Classic tends to be for Pro riders, the same applies 4, 5, and 6 year old horses but they MUST jump in their 5th year. Fences are bigger for CC they finish at 1.20M in their 6th year.

I was told that 'good' horses don't jump club, now older and wiser!! I ignore this. 'Preperatoire' classes are open to all horses aged four or over and to riders with Club or Pro licences. Our CB filly jumped Prep. last summer and to be honest I don't think I would bother with the CL or CC again. Our biggest problem is finding riders.