WWYD - Plan for youngster - I'm overthinking it!

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

So Dex is 3.5 now and a smidge over 17hh - I made the most of being on garden leave and re-backed him, having previously been briefly sat on last August across a week.

He is at the point where he is walking at the end of a lunge with a 20m circle or two of trot for 5-10 mins max, by the time I go back to work I think he will be able to independently walk and trot around the school. I don't intend, nor want to do much more than that with him in the school. Ideally I would get some more controls on him and then take him out hacking to get some straight lines and confidence and forwardness.

Now, the dilemma - I am going back to work on 19th February, so I won't be able to hack after work for a while, and I don't really want him properly 'in work' in any way until he's solidly 4yo (May) due to his size but he does need to be kept ticking along until he is 4 as I also don't want to have to re-back him again.

What do I do with him, especially considering I won't have someone to be on the ground with me? If I ride too much in the school it will likely damage him long term, if I ride a couple times a week he will likely be more spritely than desired, he's not quite ready to hack but when he is I can take him out of a weekend. Do I stick to walk and build some buttons and proprioception/postural stuff, interspersed with groundwork and long reining? Do I just sit on and do a couple cirlces for 5-10 mins just to keep it fresh in his mind?

Any thoughts appreciated. I'll include a photo below so you can guage how mature or immature he's looking as I know a lot of it depends on the horse in front of you. His low set tail makes him look like a yearling behind but he's actually built quite well for being a big 3.5yo

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Being honest I had grand plans of hacking Faran out loads in his 4yr old year, didn’t happen he pretty much got backed in 2022 then I had my spinal injury and he was put back in the field until last year his 5yr old year and that’s when we have been hacking mostly but been to clinics, done some tiny jumping etc.

Hasnt made any difference to him other than making everything a chill experience for him. He was no different to get on after 6/7 months off as he was when I backed him. I’m glad I’ve taken the time now and he hasn’t got loads of miles on the clock.

So if I were you I’d just pop him back out until the lighter days come him and he’s closer to being 4yrs old then start gently hacking and getting the stop start steer. Just my take on it from my experience. He’s a big boy and will take time to come into himself if my boy was anything to go by. He’s only just popping a wither and he will be 6 in April.

 

[ihatework]

Given it’s a WWYD question, then hack as much as possible now then lob him back out in the field until I was ready to do something consistently with him. Unless he is really tricky he shouldn’t need full rebacking. All mine have started hacking where they left off about a week after coming back in from field.

 

[SEL]

I'd probably carry on doing the groundwork that you have been doing but not worry about the riding. My friend had her gangly warmblood professionally backed - they did the basics then sent him home saying he needed to grow up. He went out for 4 months and pretty much re-started under saddle where he left off.

You've got him to keep not sell so no rush.

 

[lme]

Pretty much what everyone else said. Don't stress about 'keeping him in work'. Wait for better weather when hacking will be easier. My similarly sized Irish girl has had a decent winter holiday every years since she was 4. We just start with physio then some gentle hacking each time she comes back into work. She doesn't bat an eyelid. She didn't really go in the school until she was 5 as she was just a gangly baby.

 

[SpeedyPony]

I'd probably say hack at weekends- particularly if there's someone with a steady horse on the yard that can accompany you. A couple of nights during the week walk work in the school shouldn't be a problem for his development- you can teach useful skills that aren't too taxing on young joints while pottering about and they'll help in the summer when you're able to get out more- it's always useful to have a horse that knows how to negotiate gates/will let you take a coat off while onboard/doesn't mind you carry things while riding. Some of this can be groundwork as well- IME groundwork helps to keep them in the 'working animal' mindset almost as well as ridden work.

 

[ycbm]

I had a similar dilemma with Ludo because he was such a floppy 3 year old. I sat on him for 10 to 15 minutes every 3 to 4 days until he was 4 and stronger. It was enough to stop me worrying what he might do or he had a break until spring, and he enjoyed a bit of work.
.

 

[maya2008]

I get mine going on an everyday schedule, then drop back to 3x a week until they are 4, then 4x a week between age 4 and 5. I don’t do more than 10min in the school in a session with a 3 year old - in, practise what they know briefly, one new thing, get it, stop, praise, get off.

So I would do short hack at weekends and do something in the school on a Wednesday maybe?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Thanks all - I know that chucking him out for another 6 months is a good thing to do but both for his busy brain, and my confidence I would like to keep him ridden occasionally just so I don't feel back at square one. My yard can be a bit of a ghost town late PM when I get down, so I won't have anyone around for assistance or to keep an eye on us if I gave him a big break then brought him back into work again - hence why I capitalised on being on garden leave at the moment!

I think perhaps a good middle ground as some have said, is a light hack at the weekend and then a sit on one evening a week for a pootle in walk just as a reminder rather than any actual work, plus continuing with our ground work. I am hopeful someone will be happy to hack with us, as albeit a baby, he is 99% sensible and has been out and about in hand.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Started my 3yo early on vet advice (he was grumpy and needed a job to do).

He was long reined or did groundwork once a week and a short (30mins or so) hack once a week. This allowed him to enjoy getting out and seeing the world while not creating too much fitness we couldn't use.

A year later (we're taking it slow) and we've added in a schooling session once a week but the smallest circle he'll do is 30m and the session is usually around 15 to 20 mins. He's a big horse too.

He really enjoys his work. He loves long reining and walking through, around and over poles. We're keeping it light and fun.

 

[GreyDot]

Thanks all - I know that chucking him out for another 6 months is a good thing to do but both for his busy brain, and my confidence I would like to keep him ridden occasionally just so I don't feel back at square one. My yard can be a bit of a ghost town late PM when I get down, so I won't have anyone around for assistance or to keep an eye on us if I gave him a big break then brought him back into work again - hence why I capitalised on being on garden leave at the moment!

I think perhaps a good middle ground as some have said, is a light hack at the weekend and then a sit on one evening a week for a pootle in walk just as a reminder rather than any actual work, plus continuing with our ground work. I am hopeful someone will be happy to hack with us, as albeit a baby, he is 99% sensible and has been out and about in hand.

On the evenings when your yard is deserted, I would longline and do exactly what I would do on board, but longlining. So, waiting at the mounting block, round the school, a circle on both reins, maybe a serpentine. A little trot or trot transitions and then onto the centre line and halt.
It's all good learning experience. Poles are great too on the longline.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Started my 3yo early on vet advice (he was grumpy and needed a job to do).

He was long reined or did groundwork once a week and a short (30mins or so) hack once a week. This allowed him to enjoy getting out and seeing the world while not creating too much fitness we couldn't use.

A year later (we're taking it slow) and we've added in a schooling session once a week but the smallest circle he'll do is 30m and the session is usually around 15 to 20 mins. He's a big horse too.

He really enjoys his work. He loves long reining and walking through, around and over poles. We're keeping it light and fun.

Sounds similar to Dex, I can tell when he's bored as he starts breaking things and getting irritating to his field mate (read: hanging off the @rse of his rugs with his teeth!) That's a good point that I hadn't considered though, building fitness I can't use.. I'm going to have a google of some good long reining things to do.

On the evenings when your yard is deserted, I would longline and do exactly what I would do on board, but longlining. So, waiting at the mounting block, round the school, a circle on both reins, maybe a serpentine. A little trot or trot transitions and then onto the centre line and halt.
It's all good learning experience. Poles are great too on the longline.

I have an Apple Watch now, so should I hit the deck it will ring my emergency contact for me - so that's a bit less of a worry but I will be aiming to only get on if someone is knocking about, or YO is at home.