Youngster rearing.....

Halfpass

Halfpass

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Have just started Alee (3 1/2 year old WB mare) hacking out once a week and 20 mins in the school once a week. I am doing the school part and a good friend the hacking at the mo.

First hack out was good with only one strop, when she wanted to go to the field and not home, and she rearedup. Once she had come back down friend pushed her into trot and she went forward nicely and we got back to the yard with no other problems.

I have been lightly lungeing her in the school but decided to get on her yesterday. The trouble is she really lacks concentration which at 3 1/2 I am not suprised about but I can only get to use the school at 3.30 4 o clock ish which is when a lot of the other liveries are geting their horses in etc and this really distracts her. I had been on her 5 mins and someone in the field next door with their dog distracted her. I let her look for a second then asked her to walk on. At this point she reared verticle and my only thought was that I was going to slide off her back ( I didn't though) I wanted to get off but YM came and helped me carry on walking her round and getting her concentration back she then did another 5 mins with no problems.

Did I do the right thing? Any advice much appreciated.
 
I would be tempted to leave her until you have more time/can get in school consistantly when its quieter. She's obviously an intelligent young horse but she's big and sounds sharp, pushing her at this stage could cause more problems later on.
Or just hack her in company for a while?
 
I would work on long reining her for a bit in the school and around and about on the yard, if she plays up you wont be in any danger, and can safetly send her on, when she is long reining perfectly, then carry on with your ridden work.
 
I'd maybe wait til next Spring to do serious work with her...maybe she's just not ready mentally.
If you do want to keep working her, I'd try to book the school to yourself...you don't want any distractions when they are that young...
I'd also be inclined to long rein her out on hacks, preferably behind an old, sensible horse...before you pop back on her again....
I'd also lunge her (big circle, gentle walk and trot) with a rider in the school again...so you both build confidence.
Hope it goes well for you.
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Thanks for the advice. After the first hacking incident she is now hacking out well with another horse for confidence.
With regards to leaving her till next spring I had initially planned to do this but she is just wanting to do something. I had turned her away but she wasn't happy with it at all!!
I have long reined her out hacking loads and she lunges and liong reins in the school relatively well. I think I may just persevere with the light hacking over the winter till she is mature enough in her mind to tackle school work.
What do you think about his?
 
Sounds like a good plan! And then you might be able to get the school to yourself in the spring...
As another point, one of mine did this (vertical rear) business...turned out her saddle was bridging...putting weight towards her loins which she couldn't cope with. I wasn't riding her long enough to see any signs of pain on her back....but she certainly felt sore....
A friend was also riding her in my saddle, and had no probs...so I discounted the saddle as the factor....it was only much later that my friend confessed she'd been riding in her own...so eureka moment...and new saddle.
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Yes and then she'll be back out 24/7 so I won't need to worry about making sure she is turned out before I ride!!!
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Saddler coming on Monday too! Thanks for your help. Its always good to bounce ideas off of others!!
 
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Yes and then she'll be back out 24/7 so I won't need to worry about making sure she is turned out before I ride!!!
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Saddler coming on Monday too! Thanks for your help. Its always good to bounce ideas off of others!!

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Just you wait til I start breaking my Shire X TB in the spring...the whole page will be my posts...begging for help.
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Sounds just like mine!! Backed her this summer, she had about 8 weeks not really doing much through Sept and Oct and then brought her back into work properly in Nov - first time I attempted to schooling in the field she did a few mini rears followed by a couple of massive bucks (and unlike you I came off!!). Hacking out she was ok but very, very forward and I was lacking control somewhat - more of a concentration and schooling problem than anything else.

First thing I did (other than have a panic attack that I was ruining my horse somehow) was to phone an intructor that I have a huge amount of confidence in and who I know is use to dealing with youngsters - particularly mares - and she came up and gave us some lessons in the school, just in walk, to re-establish the basics and assure me that it was just typical youngster behaviour and not because I was "ruining" her by doing something wrong.

As soon as we got some good work out of her we called it a day on a positive note and after 3 weeks of good behaviour I have had her shoes removed today and she will have a nice long holiday until atleast March, possibly even June (due to my exam committments).

I think much of our problems have been inconsistency - I have been unbelievably busy since september with my final year of uni and half the time mum and Kiri end up doing her which is great but they do let her manners slip (or rather mum is far too soft with her and always seems to have a packet of polos in her pocket). Since I came off we have all tried to be much more consistent and firm with her and for the 3 weeks of riding I did after coming off I made sure I was firm, kept sessions short and sweet and really worked on manners and asking her to go forwards. I also made sure that I found the time to work her 4 times a week so that she didn't have too long off between sessions. That said I know that next term my time is going to be even more limited and I think both mentally and physically she could do with a break so a holiday really does seem to be the best thing for her.

Eeek!! Sorry for the waffle - hope you can get some sense out of it!!
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Consistency and a suitable work situation are essential for making young horses properly and you have to tailor you expectations to your circumstances. You can't be rushed or stressed or have a whole bunch of limitations on you, and the horse has to have an environment where it can listen to you and easily do what you request. It sounds like you really don't have that right now but might have a better shot at it in the spring so waiting is probably the best option. Backing off for a bit and having very little input is far more sensible than having something go wrong, especially since if you do not have the time and facilities to do what you need to do now you certainly won't be in a suitable situation to fix a problem.
 
hi im back ing my 3.5 yr old belgian warmblood at the mo... yes i would think you're doing things right at this mo in time i am sympathetic if mine's scared but really do try and correct if he's naughty with an overly amount of praise when he overcomes something.

yes mine has trouble comcentrating aswell i know it's annoying.... i just ride by myself.. he always tries to look in the mirrors and can hear things from the school next door.
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It's up to you what you do about her i've seen someone else say to maybe wait a bit. If shes not all gangly in shape and is mentally not too baby ish then u might aswell carry on. ive got a very gangly belgium but im only doing light work in prep for 4yr old classes. he's having xmas off in the field and once the next seasons qualifiers are over will have a little less work until the end of the summer.

Warmbloods in general do mature quite slowly (mentally). good luck
 
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Yes they were removed when she had just turned 3

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Ah, ok. Sorry we've probably been over this ground before
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