youngsters and the ‘kevin’ years

AceAmara

AceAmara

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just pondering... I’ve only ever had one youngster whom I had from a newly backed 3 year old. He was a wonderful 4 year old and then rising 5 turned into a nappy, backward thinking little turd who learned to bronc like a good-un and ditch me. Problem was the first time it happened I was taken so by surprise I had no chance and he got me off. Oh we got through it, got some help and got him going nicely again then turned away for a bit and once back into work we never looked back. Now I have the opportunity to ride a lovely 4 year old, i always said no more youngsters and I’ve heard from many people that it’s very common to be sweet as a nut as a 4 year old then hit the ’kevins’ at 5 and go though similar to what I did. My question is.. how common actually is this? Do some youngsters sail through without a ‘turd year’ ?
 
My mare is being a turd at 4 on occasion so can't help you... Having said that my last horse ( who died 3 yrs ago aged 24) was a joy in the saddle always - but would bite and kick you if he got half a chance as a 5 yr old
 
My pony went through a turd stage at 3-4 where she would kick the farrier, me and anyone else who tried to make her pick up her feet. She was definitely trying out her boundaries, 4-6 she bucked like stink, grew out of it and never bucked again in her life and I had her until she was 25. So yes, she definitely went through a Kevinette stage. A friend of mine has the most fantastic little welsh D who's rising 5 and while he's a dream under saddle is definitely getting a bit bolshy from the ground. Luckily my friend is experienced enough to deal with this but he does make us laugh at times.
 
Glad you posted as I've been thinking about this myself. Have def heard of youngsters going through teenage tantrum stage around 4/5 which could be for all manner of reasons but I do wonder if it's connected to them getting over the initial breaking phase and they start boundary testing, but also quite often when they are sold on to more amateur homes.

I've had my rising 5yo about 6 weeks now and am paranoid that he will turn into a raving loon at some point soon. Hasnt out a foot wrong so far in riding, although he is a bit babyish to handle. Fingers crossed that all it is as he's improving all the time but I'm kinda holding my breath!
 
I've had my 23 year old since he was rising five and he's never had any bad periods. Tinner I've had since a weanlings and he's now rising six and has been broken for two years, nothing yet, fingers crossed it stays this way!
 
My rising 5 mare has been going through a case of the Kevin's for about 6 months now. To ride she is great, very level headed and willing (for the most part), but on the ground she can be a monster. She has an opinion about everything and very much has 'make me' attitude. She will try and bite and or kick given the opportunity when she is lose in the field so you have to have eyes in the back on your head around her, we make sure we carry a whip when going in the field with her. Generally once she has got her head collar on she is a lamb, I think she just wants to try to push somebody around and once she realises you are in charge she gives up. Despite very firm handling and constantly setting out the boundaries for her she continues to behave like this, I am crossing every part of my body that she will eventually grow out of it!
 
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It is quite common but after recent ponderings about my horse I wonder how many pass this behaviour off as 'the Kevin's' when it is really the horse being sore somewhere.

Over the new year period my young horse started bucking and just generally being more on edge. This coincided with bad weather and a little less turnout so I initially thought it was that so upped the work but that made things worse. I had his back done, saddle sorted, teeth checked and told all was ok but still I got the unwanted behaviour. After more exploration it turned out his saddle didn't fit and was causing him some pressure points so saddle fitter and back person sacked, new saddle and different physio and we are back on track!! If I had not gone for second opinions on the back and saddle I probably would have been saying on this thread that my 6yr old was going through the Kevin's but as it happens I now know he had a sore back. That's why it's so important to check and double check, listen to your horses and not just take the word of the professionals if you think there is something out of character.
 
Mine was an angel at 3 and 4, devil at 5, nappy, bossy brat, turned 6 last weekend so am hoping we are passed that stage. Mind you he wasn't too pleased when he had a bath first thing this morning 😜
 
5 mths to 3 yrs was hard work ! tried everything we did nick name the walk from the field to the stable " the walk of death" ! but to back her & ride her she has been brilliant I never turned her away from backing at 3 yrs just continued 3 times a week gentle hacks. Yes she green but I can hack out on my own with not much bother, I have to be careful with buses and lorries tractors but I wouldn't change her for the world.
 
My 4yo was always sweet as pie and during 5 he was teething so grumpy and wouldn't work with a bit just kept walking backwards so I left him to it as I had established the training/driving and had time to wait for the teeth. Now at 6 he is fine to work again but is the grumpiest sod ever In the stable lol
 
The last youngster I had never went through the 'Kevin' stage. He would certainly have a bit of a cheeky squeak & buck, still does now - but never ever had any backwards/nappy thoughts or tantrums/no moments
 
Wheels makes an interesting point. My first youngster had a slight 'kevin' phase, but it was attached to a period of box rest for a chest injury she obtained while charging around her field in a mad 5 minutes & running smack into a downed tree(!). Boredom bred some bolshiness, but it was dealt with & otherwise, she was always very easy.

My current youngster was a demon-brat from the get-go. I bought her at 2. She'd been very badly handled & was explosive & defensive, with a default response of vertical rearing. Fast forward 3 years, backed & riding away, she suddenly went up under saddle. Everyone told me it was the Kevins. X-ray showed major KS. 10 months later, post surgery, she's just coming back to work & is much much easier to deal with. In hindsight, I think she is a lot more genuine than I'd appreciated before!

Having worked with other youngsters over the years, I think most have a boundary testing phase. But I'd hesitate to just write off poor behaviour to 'the Kevins' without a) checking my approach & b) checking for pain.
 
my mare was a Kevin at 4 and 5 then after being off of 5/6months beginning of last year she turned into a lovely 6 yo, still with a few blips but on the whole 100x better! she's been lovely as a 7yo despite us having lots of trouble with ulcers and the like!
 
My gelding was a star from a yearling-4, then he started being mouthy and generally a bit silly. Tried the odd legs in the air manoeuvre. I sent him off for breaking and he's been good as gold ever since! I have to say he's been even better since I got his blind wolf tooth taken out. I'm hoping 4 was his 'kevin' year and 5 will be better!
 
my anglo went through his Kevin stage at 3- 3.5 yrs when my perfect angel turned into a complete sporn of satan, luckily it didnt last too long as i quickly learned his fight instict was waaaay higher than his flight instinct and jst ignored his bratty behaviour and my angel returned. Im praying my yearling cob jst skips the kevin stage as shes already ridiculously strong and ide hate to be on the recieving end if she decided to throw her weight around!
 
Our two 5 year olds at work both went through the kevins but in very different ways. One was a very good 4 year old, ahead of his age, very smooth sailing...then as he turned 5 he just lost his mojo and turned into a slug! Still did everything, but zero effort went into it! He's been sold now so I don't know how he's getting on. The other one is a super super horse, very talented and should be something special, but he was a very complex 4 year old, very difficult to back and bring on. As a 5 year old he is still prone to strops and he has got quite a rear in him if he's full of beans, especially when hacking or at competitions. His favourite trick when hacking is the rear and spin, but he doesn't buck or bolt and although his rears can be quite big he is never near the vertical. I'd rather what he does than bucking or running away tbh. He can be tricky on the ground too, especially with strangers or people he doesn't like. Rising 5 he developed a new "trick", which is if he doesn't want to leave his stable he will turn his bum on you as though he will kick. He never has, but I think that's because people usually leave the stable pronto! Myself and the other home groom have a LOT of patience for this horse though, and we quickly figured out that he soon gives up if you hold onto his rug and turn with him. He might spin a few times, but he soon stops. He never turns his bum on either of us anymore, I think partly because he knows it won't work but also because we both have a very good bond with him. He likes being baby talked, he's a big softy really. My boss still struggles to get him out of the stable at times and his GF hasn't a hope in hell as the horse just doesn't seem to like her - I think because all they do with the horses is work them, they don't have a lot of time for fussing them, and this horse loves cuddles! He got spooked by the wind today when I brought him in and he towed me down the yard at a high stepping trot but I just laughed at him and we soon sorted himself out. He's a good horse really and he has a really nice attitude if you work with him rather than against him.
 
Mine has been a Kevin for about a month now, and he'll be 5 in June. He has suddenly started the "make me" about everything, even loading, so i'm looking foward to having my nice horse back when he's finished being stroppy!
 
i have had half a dozen youngsters and taken them from babies through to adults. My current one is three and a half and was started at Christmas.

Every one of them, usually about 12 months after they have been broken in have had a "Kevin" year. I regularly check for soreness so it isn't that, IMO they suddenly have a degree of confidence they didn't have when they were first under saddle, and are starting to push a few boundries.

It's a bit like being the parent of a teenager I think - grit teeth, keep calm, ride forward and it will all will out. So far.
 
My boy is rising 6 and didn't really have the Kevins. He did get a bit more spooky last summer than when he was four but he's coping better now that he's another year older.
 
My mare is 17 now. Had her 17 years and she never had a 'bad year'. Stages where her training needed taking to the next level yes but nothing other than that.
 
My lad Moses is currently mid "Kevin" ......sigh!!!!!............ He was really good in his first ridden year but last year he really gained some attitude under saddle. It was kinda like he was trying to entertain himself. He is six this month so I am hoping we are on the path out of the woods. His Kevin moments are different to those times he has been sore, so it has been possible to tell. He has napped, spun, buggered off and generally has been a twit. I have managed to sit through it all and keep going and I used my instructor and a professional rider to help out. In his defence he has also travelled to shows on his own, done well at Intro dressage and done well at in hand showing. As I have to do shows on my own it also a relief that he loads, travels so well and then behaves when there. He is funny because he will be twitting about in the ring, hear the bell and in seconds turn in to the " professional" , he is the same when a car comes past!! This is what gives me hope really..................
 
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