Youngsters-how much would you do

[TequilaMist]

with an 3 yr old in one day?Has had a saddle/bridle on,lunged and long lined.Had a gap about 3/4 wks on this occasion due to biting problems
Random question thrown in- is it detrimental to horse to stop/start backing process?By that I mean the lungeing/saddle/long reining etc before getting on back and having gaps of weeks in between(on several occasions)
Or should it make little difference to the process?
Thanks

 

[Faithkat]

I'm working with my 3 year olds at the moment and work with them two or three times a week. [They were bitted and wore saddles as yearlings] Started with long-reining and lungeing in walk and eventually trot which I do for no moe than 5 minutes. One of them has now been backed (trying to sell him so doing a bit more with him!) but all we did to start with was lean over him for a minute or so and then get off again. Then repeat it. We did that three or four times (so we're talking about over a period of a fortnight)Then we moved on to actually sitting on him, again for a minute or so then get off and get one again, Then moved up a few steps in walk and get off. Again three or four times over a couple of weeks. When he was walking happily loose, we trotted him. Last evening we walked him out down the lane for the first time under saddle, again only for about 10-15 minutes. I also got round to leaning over the other one [once I sorted out something to stand on!!] which I did twice for only about a minute at a time. I believe in doing things slowly and have never had any dramas. They are only babies and like all babies, they only have a very short attention span!

 

[TequilaMist]

Thanks Faithcat for reply.
Its friends youngster in for about 4 hours during that time had bit in(had been having bit/bridle/muzzle issues after vet did teeth) then saddle then someone leaned over back then did join up type stuff in stable then long reined which he had a bronk at.
As don't have much experience with youngsters at that stage(we usually got them from 4 yrs old upwards)wondered if a bit much on one day.And like you say always was led to believe attention span of a youngster is very limited so keep sessions short and not to overload but thats depends on what one person sees as overload so wanted a rough idea
Thats why asked 2nd question as does doing lungeing/saddle/long reining then gap then lungeing saddle then gap of weeks etc make a difference to a youngster.
I want to help but as said have little experience of that age/level.

 

[scribble]

I have a 3 yr old who have started this yr myself. she had saddle and bridle on etc last yr and walked and trotted on lunge and long reined at end of last yr. this April she was lunged for 10-15 mins every other day max then leant over, and got on over 2-3 days, wlaked round stable etc then out in lunge pit with helper. this was firts week in May. She now gets ridden every other day for 20 mins max and has been out twice to shows to have look round and walk and trot round. she has been x-country scooling over really baby jumps and loved it. i plan to work her twice a week for 20 mins in winter. she hacks on her own now and is good in traffic, hacks out with other horses too and is a pleasure, very good at shows, loads. little every day otherwise you blow thier mind. They need time out to go and be a horse but keep them little bit occupied otherwise she is naughty if left and jumps out, injures herself, breaks fences etc.