When to break

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rlhnlk

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I'm just looking for some opinions here please :)

I've got a 3 yr old irsh sports horse, roughly 3/4 TB, 1/4 ID with random bits thrown in further back. So far she's mainly just walked up to the field and back, picked feet up etc. I have done some ground work with her, just walk on, stop, trot on, stop. She's had a saddle on and been sat on a couple of times, and walked around whilst sat on, she hasn't worn a bridle though as she was teething when she was doing this. She's not done much of
anything for at least a month though as I've been moving yards.

She will be going away to be started but I can't decide whether to do this now, or wait till next year. I've always planned to have her started at 3 but she's with me for keeps so there's no rush. She's had a very relaxed attitude to everything so far, but having said that she is perfectly capable of toddler tantrums every now and then. What's putting me off is 1. I think she has a lot of growing left to do, she's hit 16.1hh but it's like sitting on a fence, she really needs to fill out and 2. She's very laid back generally but not all that mature, I don't want to over-face her and 3. she's not really got the hang of coordination yet, i.e she thinks her legs are about a foot shorter than they are (she can back up and turn fine, just hasn't gotten used to how big she is).

So just looking for your thoughts really, she's my first youngster so I just want as many views and idea's as possible. Piccy of her below, mainly because I think she's pretty - even when she's scowling at her drinker.

Thanks for any replies :)

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I'd be pretty happy with whateve's doing already. I would normally do a little and chuck them back out to think about it. If you've already had a sit on and wandered about, i would be pretty pleased! I normally do abit and then give them a few, upto 6, months
 
I'd be pretty happy with what you've been doing already. I would normally do a little and chuck them back out to think about it. If you've already had a sit on and wandered about, i would be pretty pleased! I do abit and then give them a few, upto 6, months to think about life and chill out, be young and then start again, until they as an individual are ready to do more. If you are questioning if the horse is ready, well the horse is answering for you! Well done for doing so much already- and dont feel like you have to rush! :-)
 
I would agree, most of ours do a little lunging, some long reining and loose jump a few times when they are 3 (in preparation for their futurity evaluation) not much else work wise. We then bring them back into work at the beginning of their 4th year and re-back, then take it from there.
 
Sounds like you have already talked yourself out of it anyway! If you want to give her time to mature then do it, 6months or a year will fly by and it's not like she won't be handled in the mean time! You know your youngster, and from your above post your instincts are telling you to wait, it won't do any harm!
 
Thanks guys, that's helpful. I think part of my problem is people around telling me I should be cracking on with her, it gets to you after a while!
 
I also have a 3yr old. He does something work wise 3 times a week and its always something different be it loose jumping, loose schooling, trotting poles, lunging, going for walks around the farm and lanes etc. Ive sat on him 5 times now and hes a total angel, last night i rode him loose in walk and trot and he was perfectly behaved. All be it this was in the lunge arena, next week i will ride him loose in the main arena. My plan is to have him walking and trotting nicely in the arena and hacking out around the farm with another horse by the end of the summer, whilst keeping his ''work'' at only 3 days a week. Hes 16'1 aswell and is constantly having growth spurts so i am very careful what i do with him.

At the end of September i will stop doing any form of ''work'' with him and he will just come in once a week for grooming. End of Feb next year he'l be re-backed hopefully ready for the YH classes if hes mature enough, if not then he'll go out and do some light competing (Dressage) and go from there.
 
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