Working a 4 year old over winter and not turning away.

[JCbruce]

I turned 4 year old WB away over three weeks ago and I’m wondering if it was the wrong decision. He is 4 years old started ridden life in the spring taken very easy and was just hacking in walk 90% of the time with a couple of mini breaks in between. He grew really big and his saddle stopped fitting so I decided it was a good time to turn him away with the idea of it being 5-6 months.
He is still an angel to handle but is starting to have some suicidal tendencies in the form of self injuries and injuries to his friends. His zoomies resulted in him squashing his little friend recently. He also had several stints of box rest last winter from different field injuries.
I wanted to give him the time off to let him grow and rest however I am now wondering if there is going to be a difference between saving his legs and having any leg left at all

Thoughts and past experiences are welcomed

I was thinking weekends he can hack or long reign and twice a week do ground work over winter.

 

[ihatework]

5-6 months is quite long for a 4 coming 5 year old. Which doesn’t mean you can’t/shouldn’t but personally I’d do it differently.

For a growth spurt I’d give 6 weeks.

Maybe get him back in mid September, work until Christmas then give Jan/Feb off and do light stuff March/April before upping the game. Could be a bit fluid around the worst of the weather.

I assume he is turned out properly rather than in a paddock with all the usual comings and goings?

 

[JCbruce]

5-6 months is quite long for a 4 coming 5 year old. Which doesn’t mean you can’t/shouldn’t but personally I’d do it differently.

For a growth spurt I’d give 6 weeks.

Maybe get him back in mid September, work until Christmas then give Jan/Feb off and do light stuff March/April before upping the game. Could be a bit fluid around the worst of the weather.

I assume he is turned out properly rather than in a paddock with all the usual comings and goings?

No unfortunately he cant be turned out properly 24/7 as i Have to do the yard livery routine currently out at night and keep him out all weekends if I can borrow someone to keep him company. Come winter he will be in at night and out in the day. He is extremely settled at this yard and we have loads of fields and no restrictions of winter turn out so I wouldnt consider moving him

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would keep his brain engaged and in work

 

[ihatework]

No unfortunately he cant be turned out properly 24/7 as i Have to do the yard livery routine currently out at night and keep him out all weekends if I can borrow someone to keep him company. Come winter he will be in at night and out in the day. He is extremely settled at this yard and we have loads of fields and no restrictions of winter turn out so I wouldnt consider moving him

I think you will end up having to work him then if you don’t have facilities to turn him away

 

[Cortez]

I've never done the whole "turning away" thing, I always keep young horses in regular light work, usually 2 to 3 days a week. Intensity sort of naturally wanes or increases according to the circumstances and schedule, and there will be longer breaks over the winter because of weather, ground conditions and shortening days anyway.

 

[LEC]

Mine will stay in work. They only stop if they go wonky in their growth as I personally think this is detrimental to them as carrying weight while uneven. I don’t have decent turn out in winter to turn away really.

They don’t work tremendously hard and will just be kept going as I have time which will probably be 3/4 days a week which I don’t see as very onerous as most of that is hacking.

One has just had a 3 month holiday to help his body fill out and mature. The other had a months holiday. They don’t work particularly hard now though are in work 5 days a week on average.

 

[Chiffy]

Much better to keep his mind occupied and doing a little work. Most warmbloods are amazingly mature at 4 and are better worked before they get too big for their own good. You don’t have to work him hard and he will be better behaved when turned out.
There is a thread in Tack Room at the moment on the advantages and disadvantages of turning youngsters away.

 

[millitiger]

As he's not really roughed off, I would probably keep him in light work.

 

[sportsmansB]

If he's not 'out out' I'd keep working him lightly to be honest. The half way house doesn't work for lots of smart young horses, they get a bit fresh and full of themselves with not enough to do but time inside to build up energy. I'd be trying to hack whenever possible daylight depending and keep arena work to a min unless you have an enormous one
Good chance to maybe do a few arena hires and farm / xc rides, or hunt rides, box up and hack in a forest, beach etc.

 

[Honey08]

I never turn away after breaking. I just spend the first year doing gentle hacks and very occasional school sessions. They’re only ridden a couple of times a week. It just keeps them ticking over and learning. I’ve never seen the point in breaking them in, teaching them so much, then letting it all get forgotten for six months.

 

[SEL]

Last winter I popped Baby cob's shoes off at the end of October (he was 4) with the plan of doing not a lot over winter. He was a horror and found his own entertainment unless I took him out a few times a week. He didn't need to do much but he did need to do something even if it was only the 30 minute short hack round the next door bridleway.

Both my mares were so grateful every time I took him out you could pretty much see the look of relief on their faces. I think all the neighbouring horses who hack past my winter field were also relieved because otherwise he would try and persuade them to race him along the hedge line.

He's done a lot of different things this summer and I will keep him ticking along over winter (with or without shoes - not sure yet) so that his brain is engaged without over working his body. Given the UK weather he'll probably end up with downtime purely because the world will be frozen or waterlogged at some point so at least if he's ticking over a few weeks off shouldn't cause him to be a total PITA (or my little mare will leave home)

 

[Alibear]

I'm another who would keep them in work over winter, You can increase/decrease as weather and yard situation suits, but I think it is really helpful to keep up the work, both for physical muscle strength etc., and to keep their minds occupied. They're like a sponge at this age and keen to learn, so it makes sense to make the most of that.

 

[maya2008]

You were doing very little as it was, no real need to give a break unless he is unbalanced through growth. I would get the saddle sorted and continue going for nice hacks 3x a week or so.

My 4 year olds like to go out and have fun. 30-40min hacks with a canter or two and some trotting suits them fine. In the summer we do some schooling or the odd competition, in winter mostly hacking as the world freezes. Next year when they are 5 we will up the intensity and length. For now, we have fun when they are up for it; stop when they are tired. They love their work and let themselves into the catching pen when it is their turn, so I really don’t think it’s too much!!

 

[TheMule]

No unfortunately he cant be turned out properly 24/7 as i Have to do the yard livery routine currently out at night and keep him out all weekends if I can borrow someone to keep him company. Come winter he will be in at night and out in the day. He is extremely settled at this yard and we have loads of fields and no restrictions of winter turn out so I wouldnt consider moving him

He's not likely to have enough exercise to keep him stimulated in that situation. I would keep him in some kind of work, or find somewhere to turn him out properly