What to reasonably expect of a 4 year old

It depends on what discipline the horse is beng aimed for, its breeding and level of maturity, who has backed & ridden it and the owners aspirations. I have seen far too many youngsters pushed far too hard only to turn sour with lameness problems later in life. Personally I would look at the horse as an individual for what its reasonable to expect. A bit vague - sorry!
 
Quite, I would expect no more than a happy, forward going horse, off the leg and with a grasp of the basic aids, enjoying hacking out and happy to be handled from the ground. However, I was somewhere over the weekend (buying a quad in fact) and there was a woman who was very proud of the pics on her notice board of her 16 year old daughter jumping a 4 year old horse (so she said) over a very serious looking crss country obstacle. Personaly, I consider this unacceptable.
 
Well i event and aim to have my 4yr olds going over small XC and showjumping course and doing a reasonable dressage test. Of course it all depends on the horses mental and physical maturity as to how much it does as a 4yr old.
 
Hi, I agree its an indivual thing. My Anglo Arab - 4 yo is being ridden away nicely. He's starting a few dressage tests (the 1st not bing done nicely
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) he is popping over some tiny jumps, hacking out alone and in company. Having said all that he is a chilled character and at no point have I pushed him. When I backed him last year, it was all done slowly - would have cost me a fortune for a pro to do it, I took months! This was done intentionally as I wanted to learn how to back him myself, properly and safely (with my brill instuctor).

A friend has a warmblood - same age but was turned away last winter after backing - the best thing that could have happened as she was finding the whole ordeal a little too much. She's back in work now and really starting to come good. Some brains just work different to others
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There is nothing to be gained from being impatient and your pony will thank you for it in years to come.
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Quite, I would expect no more than a happy, forward going horse, off the leg and with a grasp of the basic aids, enjoying hacking out and happy to be handled from the ground.

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This is the sort of thing i would expect although it really does depend on many things - maturity, size, breeding, long and short term goals, temperament etc etc

I would expect them to be relaxed and on the aids when ridden, be hacking in company and maybe some pole work or jumping. I would expect them to be very good on the floor by this point. I judge this on my horse though who is slower to mature than say my sisters horse who is mature enough to do more.
 
I expected mine to be getting his paces established, and working in an outline and through and getting started on lateral work (leg yield and shoulder fore). Hacking happily in company and alone, responsive and obedient on board and on the ground. Jumping I wanted to get him happily going round a 2 foot 6 course, and jumping through grids confidently. He took all of this in his stride bless him. I had hoped to take him XC schooling but had no transport so didn't manage it. He's a TB ex-racer and I think they are mentally mature quite young, especially compared to warmbloods and larger horses.
 
I boughtmine years ago as a 4 yo in I think it was Apr/May time. He'd been brought back into work having had the winter off after being broken, he was well schooled (not OTT just going nicely and forwards) and had started BSJA in the march and already won money. I carried on with BSJA and was jumping Disc and introduced him to XC from what I remember. He was very bold though and confident but v v laid back also, so i think it does depend on the horse not only physically but mentally what they can cope with.
 
There's quite a difference between show jumps and X country jumps though - the latter is totally unforgiving, and this was no small obstacle in the photo. Apart from anything else, what is the rush??? I knew of someone who was jumping their TB over pretty big jumps at four, and he was quite happy about it, but three years later he was crippled with a bone spavin and had to be PTS. I can just about see why at Pro level they may rush them through a bit, although of course they also have the benefit of the best vet care, trainers, knowledge base etc. But at amateur level we really do have the luxury of time on our side/no pressure to win, so I don't see why we don't use it?
 
I think alot of 4yo's are pushed too hard at a much too young age and some turn sour and others lose the plot.
Some people have a tendency to believe that horses are over the hill at 10/11/12 years old.
My mare as a 4yo, was mentally immature.
The more I did the more she lost the plot.
It wasn't until she was about 8 1/2 she was ready to be pushed.
And now at rising ten she's truely in her prime and I can push her and do as much with her as I want- 4yo's should enjoy being babies for a bit longer- they've got years of work ahead of them!
 
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