Where to go from here?? WWYD??

SatansLittleHelper

SatansLittleHelper

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Me again..!!
So my older boy is now up for sale and I will be left with my 16hh 3 year old ISH type boy. What do I do next?? My baby horse2was sold over a year ago as a lighlty backed and hacked 3 year old but we now know he was only 2 at the time. He came to me last September very nervous and depressed...you couldnt get near him but he is all over me like a rash these days lol. So he has now turned 3 and apart from sitting on him once at Easter I have literally just allowed him to chill out and be a baby horse. He has been tacked up a few times and seen farrier/vet/dentist/traffic but I dont know where to go from here with him.
Should I reback him and start doing some little walks out and also in hand..?? Or wait til next spring to get on him..?? I dont want to rush him in any way but Im starting to feel he needs more doing with him.
Im going to invest a fair bit of time just in lessons now to improve my confidence again, though randomly I have no confidence issues surrounding getting on this particular horse.
I could buy or loan an older allrounder/confidence giver type to play with til mine has grown up a bit more?? Im not a terrible rider or complete novice but have come back to riding after having a disabled child who relies on me for every little thing so Im nowhere near as brave as I used to be..!!! I dont have any facilities as horses are out 24/7 though very soon will have truck and trailer so will be able to get out and about.
Suggestions welcome. And many cookies for anyone who has got the patience to get this far with me..!!! :o


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Depends how physically mature he is; a 16h ISH could be a big bruiser of a thing, or a spindly little baby. How do you know he was 2 when you bought him?
 
He is passported as 2 and I had him see the vet and dentist for an accurate ageing. He is a bulky lad...in fact he looks better and more mature than the 5 year old Im selling..!!!
 
maybe take him out and about for walks in hand so that he gets used to all the funny things like traffic and leaves in the hedges and birds flying out? I've started doing that more now with my 2YO and find it really rewarding. Wear a hat and gloves and use a long line though! :)
 
Well, if you are sensible (and of course you are, or you wouldn't be asking for help), don't go mad with galloping/ jumping/hard schooling, then why not give him a whirl every now and again? I ran a large commercial stud farm for 11 years, and we always broke our 3 year olds in February and worked them 2-3 days a week for 25 - 40 mins throughout their 3 year old year. They loved it and would queue at the gate to be taken in (we worked 4 or 5 horses a day out of 10 -12 and alternated who came in). I NEVER had a lame or problem horse with this regime and consistently produced mannerly, well educated young horses for the amateur/leisure market. Most were in new homes by the time they were 3 - 5 years of age, with satisfied new owners. Just be sensible and don't over do; I think many inexperienced owners baby their young horses too much and waste a lot of time.
 
Thank you soooo much for the advice :)
If I did a little hacking 2-3 times a week with some in hand walking on other days would that be ok..?? Maybe a little long reining once a week..??
I was going to have a play with a clicker with him for some fun ground excersise. .??
 
As I said, you be the judge, don't over do and listen to your horse. You'll be doing 95% mental training VS 5% physical training in the beginning. The ratio will change as you progress and the horse understands the questions being put to him (the physical training part grows as the mental learning settles in). Clicker is more fun for the owner than the horse, IME.
 
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