Best prep for a 3 year old that is already going U/S (ottb)

[Loverboy]

I did some searching on the forum, but really interested in the group’s thoughts on how to bring along a 3 year old that is already going successfully U/S from racing as a 2 y/o.

He is the coolest cucumber and doesn’t really need much in the way of routine to reinforce manners or anything, so my focus really is around creating a program to best prepare him for when he goes into more U/S work in a year or two.

He is already lunging, and I invested in a very nice leather surcingle and a few side rein options- but I’m only lunging right now a few times a week, totally naked in a bridle. I’m concerned about too many circles being hard on his ankles? Plus - I am the former owner of an OTTB that was Pessoa-system lunged to DEATH and was always jerking around, trying to find a comfy place for her head, so I’m hesitant to lunge the crap out of him, but I know this is a good way for him to establish some of the musculature he’ll need.

I’m trying to read and ask all I can, as I want to be very careful to never overwork him. He retired from racing with some “jewelry” and I want him to last FOREVERRRRR - this is my heart horse and I have the unique opportunity to plan from the literal beginning to make. him. last lol

(By the way - first post! So excited to join such a knowledgeable group of horsepeople!)

[Scribbler]

I would consider giving him some field time to mellow out. Other than that, you don’t want to longe any horse for fitness or muscles. Do it for training transitions and for evaluating his level of explosiveness on any given day :).

I would do lateral work in hand in a halter and later in a bridle. If he is calm you are also fine to get on his back and do age appropriate amounts of work especially walk trot. Get him to stretch to the bit and move over and off your leg and not be a wobbly baby noodle or a stiff board.

You could also take him for long handwalks on trails to get used to new sights, and do some obstacles like stepping on tarps and things.

[alternate_universe]

Walking and trotting under saddle will build fitness safely. Just 15 or 20 minutes if you times a week if you don’t want to go overboard. You can introduce single ground poles under saddle or while on the lunge. It keeps things interesting and gives them something to pay attention to.

[Huntin_Pony]

Building on Scribbler’s suggestions, get him as much exposure to terrain (hills, water, woods, fields, SAFE road areas, . . . ) as you can. For my three-year-olds that are good under saddle, I focus on trail riding for the entire year. You can also pony him from another horse if you have a suitable “leader.”

I would absolutely minimize longeing; I use it mainly to install verbal commands and to let them find their own balance. I can see using it to assess explosiveness when necessary.

[Loverboy]

@Scribbler

I would consider giving him some field time to mellow out. Other than that, you don’t want to longe any horse for fitness or muscles. Do it for training transitions and for evaluating his level of explosiveness on any given day :).

I’m honestly really happy to hear experienced people recommend this. We found a new boarding barn a few months ago, one of the contributing factors being old BO was concerned that I “wasn’t working him enough” and was “setting myself up for failure”.

He was evaluated before I purchased him and went over fences, even has been on an XC course, and handled all like a pro. Totally happy to turn this guy out, but want to make sure that’s the right move. Can’t exactly do this over! LOL

[Trekkie]

Think about work for the young horse as gently developing proper carriage and musculature for future harder work–and everything you do will need to build very slowly on itself without overtaxing the young horse mentally or physically. Racing is very different from being a show hunter or jumper physically, and the carriage and muscles they will need need time to develop. This will take years. Careful short longeing sessions with gentle side rein support can be helpful once a young horse understands voice commands and has basic balance at all three gaits on the circle. For your baby this might not be until next year. These should be, again, short and only once or twice in a week, in my opinion. Take care to introduce any side reins slowly and not too tight!! They should encourage the horse to work over his back in a relaxed from behind manner. The longe line, in my opinion, should not be used ever to let a horse “go wild” and play freely or to “wear them out”. It is indeed difficult on legs and joints to go in small circles, and is much harder on them physically than being ridden on the flat. Intersperse and make all your training sessions no matter what they are short and fun, don’t overdo, don’t have too much of an agenda and give days off in between work to recover. As was said before incorporate trail rides and ground work into what you do. Don’t rush and enjoy watching them mature and grow.

[streamline]

When I got my 3 y/o directly off the track, he had winter off to grow. I really didn’t do much with him. He grew a ton (even from 3 to 5)

We did tons of trail riding, hauling out, got exposed to cows, some hill work etc.

His biggest thing was building muscle to correctly carry himself, he likes to get heavy on the forehand (what baby Ottb doesn’t?) and getting correct bend and straightness took a while. I give him a little long line to loosen up buuut I’m not a big fan of long lining with surcingles/side reins/etc.

[JenEM]

I got a 3YO TB this spring that trained but didn’t race. Obviously the pandemic put a bit of a damper on our plans but what I did was a lot of turnout time, and a lot of basics. Loading, walks on the trail, hanging out in the ring during busy group/jumping lessons when they started up again. I’d planned to do quite a few hunter breeding classes at shows, but most of those were cancelled, so we only got to 3, but those were great for giving her a chance to see a lot of busy exciting stuff going on, learning to get all cleaned up & braided, and going on trailer trips.

As far as under saddle or real “work” I lunge rarely, because it’s hard on joints, especially still-developing ones. Going out for walks, even just in an empty pasture, will do as much good for a youngster to develop balance and fitness. She gets ridden maybe 2-3 times a week, for about 20 minutes, walk/trot, learning about contact and how to carry herself. I try to walk her over a pole or two every ride, and we’ve done a little bit of trot pole work, but very lightly. I’ve taken her in-hand over a crossrail and a few logs in the field, just to get used to the idea of going over things and it not being a big deal. We’ve done two dressage shows, at Intro, not worrying about scores but just about getting in the ring somewhere different.

Goals as a 4YO next year is to be ready for Training dressage by the end of the year, and maybe some crossrail courses by fall. Slow and steady makes for a lifetime horse, and it can be so so tempting to push the chill, smart TBs, because they look and act like adult horses, but they’re still babies that need time.

[To_the_MAX]

I bought one in April who was still technically 2. I long lined her until her 3rd birthday in mid-June and then started short rides throughout the summer about 2-4x a week depending on weather. Most rides were W/T only, lots of poles, and toward the end I started incorporating canter work.

I stopped riding her a few weeks ago and she’s getting a break to do some growing up until spring of next year.

[joiedevie99]

Trail rides and turnout! I like to give them at least 2 straight months off (usually 3-4) over the winter to grow and fill out before they turn 4. We don’t lunge much once they’re under saddle.

Field trips are great if there is somewhere you can take him just to walk around.

OTTBs can also be stiff in their bodies, so the sooner he starts doing carrot stretches, belly lifts, and whatever other stretches you want to teach him the better.

[Equkelly]

My mare’s 3 YO year was the year of trail rides. She learned that being under saddle is relaxing and fun with lots of grazing breaks in it for her. I now have a very brave, confident, willing, and relaxed 4 and a half YO. I can give her a month off and then tack up and go for a trail ride and she’ll think nothing of it.

[merrygoround]

When longing, the size of the circle and the evenness of the circle are critical. At least 20 m for a horse starting out. If you as a handler are solid in your capabilities, and can plant yourself in one spot, that will insure evenness to shape of the circle. Chasing aa horse around in a circle in counterproductive,

As said earlier, hacking out is ideal Having started many OTTB’s, the first rides can be interesting. after that, it’s Ho Hum. In hunting area some people hill top which is beneficial.

[Equibrit]

This is a GOOD source of information; https://www.abebooks.com/Lungeing-Lo…30023215751/bd

[hoopoe]

Lunging should be an educational tool . It is not a grind, it is not about LTD. It is not conditioning.

Klemkie and Lorriston-Clarke are good references.

Tons of turn out, 24/7 if possible. a lot of purposeful trail walking and eventually trotting. Build push from behind, lift of belly. Mental freshness and partnership. Bravery

Proper development of musculature will come without lunge work. Proper dressage flat work, which is gravely misunderstood in many hunter jumper circles will naturally bring the muscles you need. FIf needed, get some lessons with a good Dressage trainer who understands young horses.

Endless round and round in the ring is not the answer. Focused ring work and focused work in the environment. Eventually a nice trot and canter in the woods gives the horse a physical and mental treat.

I think there is too much pu$h to get into the show ring and training programs. Too many horses treated like tools or machines. Too many shortcuts

Use your horsemanship and experiences. Listen to your trainer but also listen to your own wisdom.

Good luck with your young friend. You are thinking clearly, this horse has already spent half its life in work. It is a long journey and I hope you have a great time together

[ParadoxFarm]

Some good advice already. Just wanted to say welcome to the forum.

[Janet]

It is not clear if you are currently RIDING him. If so, long walks and short trots, in the ring. out in the field, or on trail, are much more educational than lunging.

Also, if you have access to a horse you can use to pony from, that adds a level of safety, while giving him exposure.

[dynamite0319]

I bought my OTTB in January when he turned 3, so he was very freshly 3. He raced twice in November of his 2yo year, so pretty fresh off the track. I bought my guy to foxhunt and maybe show hunters. His entire 3yo year we just hacked and went on trail rides. I lunged him a handful of times, but he’s super mellow and didn’t ever need to get wiggles out so I stopped lunging him (I got more of a workout just trying to make him go than he got!).

Every horse is different, so listen to what the horse tells you. If he’s really stiff on one side, do lots of slow work to loosen him up on that side. If he’s really spooky, get out and trail ride with a dependable buddy to give him confidence. I rode Simon 2-4 times per week and he got 12 hours of turnout every day. When he was 4 I started working more on getting leads, collecting and lengthening and generally just a bit more advanced stuff, more frequently and for longer duration.

Simon went to his first foxhunt the fall of his 4yo year and he was a perfect gentleman. My home hunt is very slow so I wasn’t worried about jumping and galloping. We whipped in that whole season and the season after. Now he’s 6yo and has traveled to Montana, Nebraska and Kansas to hunt first flight. I get regular lessons on him with my show hunter trainer and will eventually show him in the hunters in addition to foxhunting. Taking my time and not pushing things has made Simon into a very chill and dependable horse. Granted a lot of that is just his brain, but his program for the 3 years I’ve had him has worked well for him.

[kashmere]

From a long term soundness perspective, I think the very very best thing you can do right now is evaluate hoof health, ensure you have a horse that is landing solidly on its heels (and if you don’t - address that ASAP), and then do as much low-impact work in straight lines over as much varied terrain as you possibly can. Three is young enough that you still have a lot of influence over the robustness and resilience of the soft tissues of the foot (particularly digital cushion and lateral cartilages), and doing your utmost to maximize healthy function there when they are young will pay you dividends as he grows up

[Mac123]

So I think longeing can get a bad rap. It’s all about how you do it. 20 minutes of quiet walk, trot, and maybe a little canter (naked or in some sort of sidereins or rig) can be so beneficial for their mind and body. That same 20 minutes spent with the horse running and bucking and flying around like an idiot is really hard on their body. I personally love longeing for building strength and a work ethic and body awareness. That in combination with groundwork (yielding, backing, bending, etc) and trail rides are a great way to leg up a youngster with their soundness in mind.

I think that doing too little can be just as harmful to soundness as doing too much. Conditioning and strengthening work is so important for injury prevention. You need to find the right balance of proper work designed to strengthen slowly and consistently in conjunction with making sure other things like proper nutrition, farrier and veterinary care are in place. In my opinion that’s the best recipe for long term soundness.

[Loverboy]

@Janet

It is not clear if you are currently RIDING him. If so, long walks and short trots, in the ring. out in the field, or on trail, are much more educational than lunging.

Also, if you have access to a horse you can use to pony from, that adds a level of safety, while giving him exposure.

The extent of my riding him (other than when I first got him to evaluate our fit) is what I fondly refer to as “dinking around” in a bareback pad or my super sticky AP saddle with a long rein, moseying up and down the paths in between fields. Basically a long, un-assisted adult pony ride