Whos horse is/turning 4 this year

One of my ponies is turning 4 this year :) She will do another season of in hand showing (she started showing as a 2yo) and then I plan to break her to drive over next winter. She will not be broken to ride cos she is a mini Shettie :D
 
My big lad will be 4 in May
Plan to hack him this summer really and hopefully do a few in-hand shows and maybe some intro dressage with him - Prelim by winter hopefully!
 
My boy is 4 in April. I have literally just started sitting on him the last 3 days after 5 months or so of light lunging and long reining a couple of times a week.

Will probably get him going over the next few weeks then give him a month or 3 as time out then hack over the summer.

Im planning on keeping him forever so not in a rush to get him going.
 
My Boy will be 4 in May, and had just started riding him before the weather went to hell, next week, will start lungeing him again and back riding him after that, just happy hacking to start with, and then a bit of schooling in the summer, as was already said, planning to keep him forever, so in no hurry.
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THats him last summer, (I'm not the best photographer, as you can see)!!!!
 
Our homebred girl will be 4 in May and we have led her about with a saddle on but done no more than that. She is by a 12.2hh JA pony stallion out of a 13.2hh JA pony mare and we hope she will make a jumping pony for our 7yo. He's still a bit young for her so she will have an easy year hacking, seeing the world and doing light work and perhaps a little pony club.

I have just bought a rising 4yo irish sports horse and she was backed in the spring, turned away and is now hacking out. We'll hack her here, begin some gentle schooling with lots of variety and get her out to PC and RC lessons etc before she does some baby competitions. She's very smart so we are excited :)
 
My new boy will be 4 in June! I got him at the end of October, then broke my knee (non horsey accident) 4 weeks later, so my plans for him are to be able to ride at all!!!
 
Mine turns four in May. I backed her and rode her round the block a couple of times last autumn and have left her all winter. Will start again when the nights draw out and the ground is better, then hack over the summer with maybe some little shows and funrides etc.
 
My little cob mare!
Not that I can believe it. She was a BOGOFF out of a lovely coloured lightweight sports horse. Don't know what she'd been running with but out came a monster of a black feathered cob :eek: !! ... I still think she's a yearling hehe .... 4 ack! Better get on with it!
 
A few that I ride will be four this year :) Some hopefully going to new homes to forfil their competing careers, and another i'll be getting to school, hes only just been lightly backed :)
 
My filly turns 4 in May, she has been broken to drive and very lightly backed to ride but turned away over winter, she will be backed "properly" this year and hopefully by the end of the year hacking nicely (next year will bring her on a bit more), she's a slow learner so slowly slowly is the way to go for her.
 
Bailey turns 4 in May - can barely believe it! I look up at him and sometimes think, "when did you get all the way up there?!" Seems like only yesterday he was a tiddler.

Anyway, we have been teaching him to lunge and long rein over last month and a half or so; I intend to continue doing this, leaning etc until beginning of March when my YO will begin riding him.

Plan is to mainly hack and light school work from then onwards and have lessons with YO so can make sure we can deal with any issues that may arise and continue his education.

We have just started lunging him in side reins (not on tight) so he gets used to having a contact and he has been fab so far, to the point that although he isn't in an outline (and I wouldn't expect him to be) he is already lowering his head and generally being very accepting of the contact which is good. Very pleased with him!
 
What bits are you all using? Mine was in a rubber bendy snaffle then went onto a happymouth straight bar which he seemed to lean on on the lunge, now is in a mild link jointed happymouth.

My experienced trainer came today (I rode him around alone for first time :) )
and said I'd need a stronger bit as his neck is so big...
She knows her stuff as breaks and trains dozens of new horses every year.
 
sugarlump121 said:
What bits are you all using? Mine was in a rubber bendy snaffle then went onto a happymouth straight bar which he seemed to lean on on the lunge, now is in a mild link jointed happymouth.

My experienced trainer came today (I rode him around alone for first time :) )
and said I'd need a stronger bit as his neck is so big...
She knows her stuff as breaks and trains dozens of new horses every year.
Click to expand...

Ah man I have had such dilemmas over which bit!

He is in a loose ring rubber straight bar at the mo. Having spoken to YO who will be riding him, he normally goes for a full cheek snaffle as it helps with directions etc. I am currently waiting for mine to arrive. I have found when lunging and long reining that Bailey has worked out he can grip the rubber straight bar and pull on it, so this is no longer any good!

I have had a good look at his mouth to see what kind of a bit would be ok. Luckily for me, he has quite a lot of room in his mouth so no problems with a snaffle having a nut cracker action which bruises the roof of the mouth. I did consider the french link however had heard from others that sometimes the aids can be a bit confusing for a young horse due to the double joint. After much contemplation I have also not gone for a roller in the link. A few people on here commented that it may encourage the horse to play with the bit and not actually listen to what you are asking.

It really is down to each individual horse. We have tried a full cheek snaffle briefly to see how Bailey got on with it and didn't have any issues.

Probably worth having a chat to the person who is backing if not you and see what they normally use :)
 
I'm glad to read that so many people are taking their youngsters more slowly these days :)

I was always taking mine much more slowly than everyone else as they never really mature until they are 6 plus.

But this year I am trying something different with my 4 year old (KWPN)
I broke her in, in September then turned her away for the winter.
I am bringing her back in to work next week as I am aiming her to do the BS four year old classes :) very excited and not a little scared for her.

But she is super intelligent and quick and willing to learn and please. She totally loves loose jumping and working under saddle.

Good luck to everyone with the 'toddlers' !!!
 
Fine and Dandy- mine has a bloomin small mouth! Width is an average size for his build etc its 5.5 inches but his mouth is short- so Im avoiding single joint bits his current is a roller. Will ask her tomorrow what she thinks but dont want to go too strong if its not needed... Just wana do everything right lol! Have got a full cheek which may be worth a try.


When I last had the dentist I asked her about bits and she said what I had was fine, she's due next week so will ask her again.

Horses eh?!

HKJ I agree people eem to be taking their time- I expected to be one of very few to be going at this pace and half expected other peoples rising 4 year olds to be doing so much more than mine.
Its good to see! :)
 
Mine was backed in April last year as a 3 yr old. Was ridden throughout the summer (just hacking and very very gentle schooling) and done some inhand showing. He was then given a couple of months off and then hacked once every couple of weeks 95% being walk with the odd trot and canter (turning away completely hasn't been an option as he just gets very bored and then starts breaking fences or jumping out as he just wants to do something). He'll start doing that little bit more in the next couple of weeks including re-introducing his schooling once a week(in walk and trot, getting him supple etc) and hacking twice a week. He'll eventually go on to do some Intro dressage tests once every other month and then have another break come autumn. As he's a big horse (17.2hh) , I refuse to jump him as he's a horse for life so no need to risk him at a young age. When he's 5/6 he'll do more and start his career in whichever discipline I decide then.
 
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