What would YOU expect from a 4 year old??

I wouldn't expect any thing much of a 4 yr old-should be able to hack out on their own and in company, walk, trot and canter in a reasonable outline and maybe pop a small fence/poles on the floor, that sort of thing. I prefer them to be blank canvases when they are 3 and 4, I think they are still growing and maturing and it's best to save them until they are a bit older for the proper stuff, as otherwise I tend to think they may pay for it later with joint trouble/lameness issues.
 
Written this before read other posts so not to colour my judgement.

I would expect a horse usually to be backed as a 3 year old, unless advert said differently. As you say he was backed this year I'd take that at face value and expect him to be a 'just broken horse'.

Now the rest depends on his breeding and temprament. I'd expect him probably to be unbalanced, a bit sharp or jumpy when out hacking, but to be able to walk trot and canter when asked. I feel that it would be unlikely that he had started any jumping but may have done some ridden pole work etc. (I do this on the lunge anyway.)

May have gone to some shows ridden for a look but not necessarily entered in a class etc.

I'd expect that a 4 year old should be good to handle from the ground tho'... again depending on the horses personality.

HTH

Blitz
 
I think it depends on how mature said 4YO is etc.

However my 4YO, hacks out alone and in company, forward going, only the odd spook/nap. Will go over open fields and the likes, do gates etc, and although can get abit excited, 90% of the time is a real pleasure to ride with character :). He has good ground manners, can long rein and lunge. He has only just started properly schooling (however only turned for a few weeks back), we have a pretty much consistant contact in walk, and will really stretch over the back when asked, trotting isn't as consistant and still tenses hasn't quite learnt that stretching is alot nicer ;), and canter is very much a working progress. However he is expected to stretch out hacking, even if not on a contact. He has jumped a handful of times over coloured poles, and a handful of times out hacking. So for me, that is where I would want a 4YO to be, however would be nice if he stretched abit more in trot with more consistancy. Oh and he has been out to two shows, but haven't actually competed yet. Haven't had a chance to get him out as lack of transport.

However I would rather a 4YO that hasn't done much jumping.
 
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