What would you do with a four year old?

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Fox07

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As title really, going to view one tonight but was wondering what would be an acceptable workload for a horse this age (shire x warmblood) At the moment I jump 1/2 week, occasional endurance ride but on older horses. Would want to be jumping once/twice a week but would this be too much for a horse at this stage in his life?
 
I think we need more info Fox! What is his background and what is he doing at the moment? Can't comment much without learning more but can say that no matter how much jumping he has done so far (and it probably won't be much!) he will need still to be doing predominantly flat work at this stage.
 
Thats what I thought, the ad doesnt give a great deal away, just says hes jumped coloured and rustic fences and is ready to start his career. Just a bit concerned hes done too much for a four year old. Taking a look at him tonight, quite happy if I like him and if hes done too much to give him a break over the winter then start back with him next year.
 
It's not necessarily too much Fox but if I were looking at him I would certainly want to know what his progress has been since he has been broken. You need to see him jump so that you can assess his attitude - if he looks relaxed and happy and is jumping nicely with enthusiasm then I wouldn't be concerned. I would be concerned if he looks as though he is having any physical difficulty, looks unhappy or stressed, is being jumped very high or with tight turns or they say he is competing several times a week! Bear in mind that novice working hunters and WHPs are jumping courses, as are many other categories. Go and see him but make sure you have a long conversation with the sellers. Is there someone knowledgeable that you could take with you - ideally someone with experience of youngsters?
 
I'm not sure how to answer your question but I'll just let you have my experience of buying a 4 yr old. Mine is ID x WB so similar in breeding I suppose...
He'd been bought to jump big tracks BSJA as he had a phenomenal' loose jump, however, the lady didn't get the same feeling when she was on his back & so sold him & kept her other mare whom she thought had more talent.
After 3 months of working him he exploded, threw my niece thro a fence & stood shivering in the corner of the school - we weren't asking too much of him he was walking round the school at the time!
We susequently had various tests, physio etc on him & he ended up going to Newmarket to Sue Dyson. As luck would have it she didn't find anything physically wrong with him & concluded that it was his age & being weak still (my horse has never looked weak even as a 4yr old). So in short he had too much done with him too soon. He had 9 months off work & came back 100% stronger & more mature and able to cope with what was then asked of him (mainly hacking with short periods of schooling).
Because of his breeding he wasn't mature & has only just stopped growing & filling out (he's 8yrs now).
Personally if I ever had a similar breed again I would take it very, very slowly but that's just me...
Hope this helps you in some way?!
 
Thanks, yeah not a problem taking it slow and I realise that the mixture of breeds he is means hes going to be slow to mature. No harm in going to have look anywayI dont think.
 
No definately not - I wouldn't part with my boy for any amount of money, he's made a wonderful horse despite the problems we've had! I'm just saying to be careful - even after you get him home - cos you just never know what sort of damage has been done by someone rushing a young horse, especially one as slow to mature as this one.
Good luck & let us know what you think of him (inc piccies if poss!)
smile.gif
 
Omar who is an ID x TB wasn't broken until he was 6 as he was a slow grower.
Hovis (clydie x) was broken and backed at 4 and i got him at 4.5. In the 1.6 years i've had him he's done mainly flat work with some jumping (nothing over 65cm) both cross country and SJ - all with no pressure and xc just playing not competing. He's been hacked, taken to some baby local shows and just been taken very very slowly.
He's still growing and filling out but his love for any work is phenomonal. He enjoys all of it so it makes it a pleasure.
i wouldn't swap him for the world but do have it pointed out quite frequently i'd be a lot further on if I'd got an older horse.
 
Not a lot to go on from the info you have, but I would just take into account that he is bred from two breeds that are notorious as slow developers so may need to be taken a bit slower than say a TBx WB or similar. 5yrs old for that sort of breed is probably a more suitable age to be starting to compete, increase schooling etc. Of course, if hes quite a compact version, he could be well upto it now.
 
I have a 4 yo Friesian x tb gelding. I have had him from weaning. I broke him last February and he is now getting ridden around 3/4 times a week. He hacks out a couple of days and is schooled for 20 mins or so once or twice a week. I have just started taking him along to shows when I compete with my older horse but just to get the feel of it and learn how to behave. He is very young in his head and cannot cope with a lot. I have introduced poles and jumping (max 2ft 3) at the end of his schooling sessions and he sees that as great fun! I intend to take him to clear rounds (indoors) over the winter. Next spring I will up his work load and crack on if he is physically and mentally mature enough. My advice would be take it slow, if hes a keeper then think ahead. Good luck. xx
 
I got my horse as a 4yo, he is Conn x TB and I remember the ad saying he was jumping double clear BSJA at British Novice and had a few £s on his card. This was i think in May time so I think he was brought back into work in Jan/Feb having been broken in the previous autumn as a 3 yo and had just started going out jumping.

To be honest i probably did too much with him in theory but maybe I was damn lucky as he just wanted to do everything and he never had a bad moment and 14 years later he is still going strong and we've done a bit of everything. I jumped him up to Newcomer level when he was about 6 I think. He's done all I've ever wanted. Maybe had I wanted to compete more seriously I'd have taken things slower - I certainly would now if I did it again.

My sister's 4 yo was a completely different kettle of fish, a total blank canvas as it were and he was very weak in front so we didn't do too much with him too early. He gave himself a few months off after getting kicked in our field though! We took things fairly slowly with him but then again he just took things in his stride and wanted to please and he's always be very laid back.

I think the horse's temperament can help determine what they are ready for but also take into account the breed and development. My sister's is Andalusian x and they don't really stop developing til quite later I believe. Little and often is the key - they get physically and mentally tired when that young. I would only work mine for max 30 mins a time as a 4 yo.
 
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