Young horses (long sorry)

[shadowboy]

A new work friend has asked me to help her look for a horse. I was very suprised to be asked, yet quite pleased that she valued my opinion esp as ive only known her for 2 1/2 months! She wants something fairly young as she feels shes ready to bring one on. ( Im in two minds on this as shes got a school master at the moment that 15 years old and had a schoolmaster before that, yet ive seen her ride and her flat work is very good, and she is a very quiet rider.) Anyway, what concerns me is the number of young horses out there for sale that are broken in and in work, some are even competing. Often warmbloods are not fully grown till 6 so to see a 3yr 2 month old warmblood on a x-counrty horse is quite upsetting to me. The problem is that these are the ones who look talented in videos and pictures and have atracted my colegues attention- im trying to put her off as i feel that these horses are too young and need some play time. I'm not against low level 'work' such as the odd hack or a play in the school for 10-15 min but dressage comps and x-country seems too much for a 3 year old. (and ive even seen some 2 year old for sale in work)
This is probably going to be a contraversial post as there are many of you out there with race horses etc, but having a warmblood myself i know how slowly they mature. How can i put across my opinion without spoiling her excitement of looking for a horse- she is a lovely lady with a warm heart but i think shes getting carried away with seeing all these pictures of beautiful youngsters (she has £8000 to spend)i dont want her to think im jealous of the money she has to spend etc as im not (i have a lovely youngster and a tb schoolmaster so am happy with my lot) or perhaps you guys think that its ok, i may well be wrong and over-reacting. I await your opinions. Feel free to tell me im wrong!

 

[Jemayni]

I brought both my horses as youngsters. One was 4 when I got him, I was extremely novice so in the first year we both mastered the arts of transitions and a little hacking, yr 2 was foot and mouth, then since then he has competed from low Rc to affiliated dressage and hunting. He has never had a lame day in his life.
My other horse I brought as a 3yo, by the time he was four he had done the basics but not left the yeard, then by the time he was 5 he was doing hunting, dressage and SJ at a low level. He is now 6 and has just 6 months off with lmaeness problems. I don't think he was excessively worked as a youngster and there are obv other factors that resulted in his lameness (part-bred, so conf isnt brill.)

I am really not a fan of over-competing young horses as it often appears to cause lameness problems in some cases. And physically no matter how much work you do with a horse its fitness cannot progress to a level where it can compete to a high standard anyway.

I finbd it bizaar that she is interested in youngsters thast have already comp

 

[Jemayni]

I brought both my horses as youngsters. One was 4 when I got him, I was extremely novice so in the first year we both mastered the art of transitions and a little hacking; yr 2 was foot and mouth (did nothing), then since then he has competed from low Rc to affiliated dressage and hunting. He has never had a lame day in his life.
My other horse I brought as a 3yo, by the time he was four he had done the basics but not left the yard, then by the time he was 5 he was doing hunting, dressage and SJ at a low level. He is now 6 and has just 6 months off with lmaeness problems. I don't think he was excessively worked as a youngster and there are obv other factors that resulted in his lameness (part-bred, so conf isnt brill.) But I do think the work he has done before he was fully matured has had an effect on his soundness

I am really not a fan of over-competing young horses as it often appears to cause lameness problems in some cases. And physically no matter how much work you do with a horse its fitness cannot progress to a level where it can compete to a high standard anyway.

I find it bizaar that she is interested in youngsters that have already competed, for me that is the best part, having new experiences with them - it is so rewarding and creates such a good bond; maybe you could suggest this to her? Also you could remind her that great 4yos are not necessarily great 10 yos

 

[siennamum]

Why don't you suggest visiting a couple of studs to see what youngstock they have available, it could be proposed as a fun day out, also as a way of clarifying the breeding she wants. You'll also be able to show her young horses, hopefully doing what they should be doing best, growing up in a field. It might delay her making a rash purchase whilst you look for something with a little more mileage. For that money she could buy a fantastic horse, which can still be quite young. A well produced 5 or 6 year old rather than a 3 year old.
Alternatively let her go any try a few 3 yr olds, may scare her to death and persuade her to try something a little older.

 

[shadowboy]

I had not thought of those ideas, i shall ask on monday when i see her next. Thank you- i hope they work!

 

[Maesfen]

I hope those ideas work cos I find it very sad that so much is asked of babies too. It's so un necessary and all boils down to greed in my view. Where is the sense in battering (as in working hard, not with a cosh!) a youngster that is not fit enough physically let alone mentally to do all that. I'm sorry, it's a big no-no for me and I do hope you can persuade her to find something a little older or else to be disciplined enough to give it another year to grow before she asks anything of it. Good luck, - but what a nice compliment too!

Just the other day I saw a big gangly three year old by Arko being loose schooled until it threw in the towel and made a hash of things by being too tired to think let alone where to put his feet, not a good note to end on I wouldn't have thought cos now his impression could be, 'not going to do that, it hurt' and could you blame him? It's an old saying but 'why ask a boy to do a man's job?' and it's very true of horses I feel.

 

[mrdarcy]

If she's competent then taking on a 3yo warmblood shouldn't be a problem. It's standard practice for them to be broken and starting low level dressage at that age ready to get out to do some prelims and young horse classes at 4yo. I don't see too much problem with that as long as its not over done and once you've got the horse home you can do as little or as much with it as you like. Pros want to sell at 3yo to make their money, hence they get them 'performing' to tempt buyers. I know quite a few dressage people round me who got 3yos who are now at 5/6yo and doing very nicely.

 

[amandaco2]

its a common issue alot of people cram things into the first few years of the horses life and then its left to those who buy them to unpick all the things causing tensiona nd resistance and go back to re train them.
the stud my filly sire is at went backt o basics when they got him as a 6yo, he had been rushed into a double bridle, pushed(and preformed-pavo cup for 6yolds) so they took himback to a more basic level and did things correctly and took a little time for him and now reaping the rewards as he is an international PSG dressage horse.
i agree why not go to stud and see some youngsters, esp if her hrose is only 15 and probably has a good few years competition left to go, esp as she is a sympathetic rider.she could buy a young unbroken horse with huge potential for 8k, provided she feels she has enough experience and wants the challenge!

 

[not_with_it]

This is also something I have noticed and experienced. People have asked me why I dont compete my mare at a higher level, my responce has always been because she isnt ready. They just dont understand that because she can do it at home it doesnt mean she can do it at a comp. I like to feel that the horse is ready to do what I ask and I dont want to make a fool of myself.
My instructor is the same, she has a big warmblood who has taken years to develop and only now at 8 she feels she has the control to take him out to compete him.

I have seen so many people rush and ask their horses to do something they are not ready for and the horse has always let them know he isnt ready. It has always created so many problems.

Some horses can cope, some cant but I dont see the need to rush.