Pictures Young connemara question - any advice?

[stormox]

The main block alone is a metre with a pole on, I have a set and they measure 90cm without. The white block is at least 20cm, so it's at least a 1m 20 fence, a sizeable jump for any 14.2, never mind a young green one.

Those stands are 90cm including pole on top. the block is 23cms. (according to makers spec) Makes whole jump an inviting 1.10 - hardly big for a 5yr old!

 

[ycbm]

Those stands are 90cm including pole on top. the block is 23cms. (according to makers spec) Makes whole jump an inviting 1.10 - hardly big for a 5yr old!

Well we will have to differ on whether 1m 13mm , 3ft 9 in old money that I'm used to, is or isn't a big jump for a green 5 year old 14.2 (whose backward thinking is frustrating his owners). I don't have a problem with that, people do a lot of things with young horses that I wouldn't do. It's up to them.
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[ycbm]

Hello all, thank you for all your comments. Reading through them I felt I needed to clarify we don't normally jump 120cm on a typical day! This pony was having a really good day and loving it so we put the fence up to see how he went. He does love to jump and is very scopey so whilst that is a big jump he sailed over. I think many of you are right, perhaps we have rather over done the work this summer. I think reflecting on it now my son and I used the new pony as a release from home schooling and working from home so possibly over rode him. We were lucky to have such a focus outdoors but possibly we are victims of our own enthusiasm. Point taken and with winter approaching I think that he may now be in calmer times. Saying that we recently switched him on to some liberty style free work which he really loves and works well at. I sense he is a clever pony and likes to think about stuff and likes new things, endless schooling seems to bore him (not to mention my son who hates all things dressage!). He loves hacking out and has been very responsive cubbing this season. Maybe I just need to be patient and see what next year brings....sooo hard when you have a new project.

This is a great response. I hope he turns into the pony you want, but if he doesn't he's worth a mint to a home that wants a capable steady Eddie.

I had a horse I was going to sell at four because he was so quiet. At 5 he lit up and ran away with me several times, before eventing at BE Novice risking time faults for going too fast! Yours may be the pony you want yet.
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[Mari]

The main block alone is a metre with a pole on, I have a set and they measure 90cm without. The white block is at least 20cm, so it's at least a 1m 20 fence, a sizeable jump for any 14.2, never mind a young green one.

I have a set of those jump blocks too.

 

[Upthecreek]

You will probably find that over the next 18 months it will feel like the handbrake has been released. My daughter’s connie turned 7 this year and is completely different to how he was as a 5 year old. Up until then we were in two minds over whether he would be forward thinking enough for competing to a decent level. Young horses find cantering in a consistent rhythm suitable for jumping a course of show jumps really hard.

Also you said your son hates dressage..... no matter how scopey the horse is I have yet to see one whose jump won’t be improved by improving their flat work. I’m not suggesting you bore him with endless schooling sessions, but he would benefit from some short, focussed schooling sessions with a good instructor to get him in front of the leg and improve his balance and rhythm, which will increase his speed.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Our Connie 5 tired very easily when she was 5. Her stamina is much better now, at 6. She used to be fairly steady but isn't anymore!! My Connie/Tb X is 5 now and I've not yet seen him tired. He just gains and holds fitness so much better. So don't know abut late/early maturing breeds but there are definitely breed differences in fitness and stamina I think