What Should I Do With Her Now??

tonitot

tonitot

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I was wondering what you guys thought I should do with Ethel now, regarding her workload. She's 3 and for the past two weeks has been being ridden on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. We do schooling for about half an hour working mainly in walk and trot with a bit of canter and she has done a few teeny tiny jumps but we don't do that often. We also go on hacks with another pony for about 30-45mins mainly in walk mabe with a few short trots, shes very brave on the roads when with company ... our little lead pony spends most of his time trying to keep up with her while she walks like shes on a mission and even had to lead him past something scary.

My plan is to carry on doing this until about October time, then give her a break until about March next year then bring her back in slowly until she turns 4 in April and then find someone to school her properly. I was wondering if you all think this is a good or bad idea? I've never had a horse this young before, so just doing what I think is right but I thought I should also get some advice and then maybe rethink my plan depending on the comments I get.

So ... give me your thoughts :D
 
Hi, my filly was 3 in May, she was backed in July and ridden once/twice a week in walk and very occasional trot, but mainly just teaching her to stand, walk on, and turn each way etc, she had a couple of walks down our local lane with my son on board but meon the end of a lead rein, this was done until about a week ago, now she will be turned away until next yeart and bought back in as a 4 year old to bring on.

Personally I wouldn't be doing any jumping with her yet, but am happy to stand corrected.

Good luck with her.
 
thats pretty much what I was doing with my ex racer who 3.5 years as well. We tended to do hacking twice a week and about 20 mins in the school once a week.
 
Thank you :)

devilwoman - I understand people have their own ways of backing youngsters and your way was how I planned to do Ethel but she got so bored with it I decided to add a bit more variety which she now enjoys. We don't jump often at all, I think in the time I've been riding her we've jumped 3 times over the small cross pole in my siggy, and I'm not planning to do any more than that with her this year, it was just to see how she took to it and as she isn't the slightest bit bothered I'm leaving it on that good note :)
 
I think you are doing well. My plan for my 3yo was to back next week and hack out/light schooling until end of October then turn away til end of January with the aim of being ready to do an unaffiliated dressage class in March at some point. However pony has turned out to be a 2yo not a 3yo (she had a 5 stage vetting!) so is now turned away as from now until this time next year.
 
I think you're doing the right thing. My horse was broken at three and ridden more regularly (not under my ownership; I would have done things differently). I bought him at four and he seemed to go backwards for a while. But he was fine and sound and lived until he was 24, when arthritis got the better of him.

But Glenruby, I think you're being extremely ambitious to bring a youngster (had it been three, as you thought) in in January and compete in March. In fact, most shows say minimum age of four.

I think the key thing with youngsters is not to rush them and to give them time. Professional horsemen/women with an expensive horse bred for the job, lots of experience etc etc, may start competing at four, but for us plebs, I think that's really asking a lot. However, horses do mature at different speeds and you may be lucky.
 
She would be (well would have been ) a 4yo - Im not talking about competing a 3yo. And im talking about doing an unaffiliated prelim test - approx 8wks after reintroducing to work, it would not be asking too much of many youngsters if they are being ridden consistently, but of course - many people prefer to work at slower paces. I broke many many horses as a teenager - from shojumpers to riding ponies and racehorses - so am basing my predictions more on the format/timeframe that a professional rider would use as my horse was intended as a project not a horse for life.And yes, its always important not to rush them, some will learn quickly others might require far more time.
 
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