Why am I feeling nervous about my 4yo coming home

[NELSON11]

My lad has been away being backed and schooled for the last few months. I have always had lots of confidence with him and been comfortable in dealing with him. He was bred out of my mare that I owned.

Suddenly feel a bit nervous he is coming home. I think it is because he is now a riding horse as opposed to an unbroken youngster. Almost got butterflies thinking about him. And that the yard he is at has almost become my comfort blanket for the last few months.

Maybe it's the thought of all the money I have just spent at school on his education and I do not want to muck it up when he comes home. High expectations and all that from the people who have watched him grow up

Pointless post, but better out than in I think.

 

[Irishlife]

Not a pointless post at all. It is nervewracking especially with home breds - they go away babies and come back all grown up. However, it is most important to stay confident and be assertive and sympathetic also in your riding. Often the change of environment (and familiarity with their breeders) can give some sticky moments. What works for us is for any four year olds to go to "baby boot camp" once or twice a week as needed with someone on the ground to build confidence in the horse and rider so a great partnership can be nurtured. We are fortunate with the person that helps us but we also use lunging as a tool too (in the right way).

Find someone to give you confidence and a few sessions and you will be well away. We currently have two home bred 4yos under saddle and a three year old and to say its thrilling is an understatement. One 4yo came home underweight and not going awfully well in March and has ended up winning several lightweight hunter classes and reserve championship and is getting clears huntertrialling so we could not be more delighted or more pleased we put in the hours and did it the right way with plenty of time.

Good luck - you will be fine

 

[NELSON11]

Not a pointless post at all. It is nervewracking especially with home breds - they go away babies and come back all grown up. However, it is most important to stay confident and be assertive and sympathetic also in your riding. Often the change of environment (and familiarity with their breeders) can give some sticky moments. What works for us is for any four year olds to go to "baby boot camp" once or twice a week as needed with someone on the ground to build confidence in the horse and rider so a great partnership can be nurtured. We are fortunate with the person that helps us but we also use lunging as a tool too (in the right way).

Find someone to give you confidence and a few sessions and you will be well away. We currently have two home bred 4yos under saddle and a three year old and to say its thrilling is an understatement. One 4yo came home underweight and not going awfully well in March and has ended up winning several lightweight hunter classes and reserve championship and is getting clears huntertrialling so we could not be more delighted or more pleased we put in the hours and did it the right way with plenty of time.

Good luck - you will be fine

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. Feel at ease on the lad at the professionals yard where he has been produced, happy to work him in the arena/hack him there etc. I almost don't want to cut the apron strings from their support, to the point where I wanted him to stay with them.

Like you say. I will get some short sessions in and hopefully our confidence will grow at home as well also. plan is to take him to like you say baby boot camp to our local equestrian centre maybe once a week, change of scenery. They do a group lesson twice a week which he could join in with and do some of it. I have lots of patience and just want to make the best decisions for him. And as he is massive at 17.2hh will take a while for the bain to engage and he has a lot of filling out to do do no rush in the slightest.

Thank you again

 

[Irishlife]

Ours are all big lads too!! I know my daughter who is the main rider, like you was happy enough doing anything with them at the breaking yard, but it is very different at home and very easy to lose confidence or despair you aren't doing it right. Getting him out and about is the best thing ever and you will be really surprised how he will turn inside out and build up muscle once he is in a routine. I do wish you luck and PM me and let me know how you are getting on.