Graduating from "Green"

[TightHairnet]

We are not talking about green eligibility for showing. At what point in a horse’s training/experience do you consider it graduated from being “green” under saddle? Is there an interim stage between “green” and “made”?

Curious to hear the thoughts of the hive.

[Trekkie]

A horse may have been under saddle for a few years but may still be moving up in levels or new to a higher level of competition and therefore still be green to that level. Higher levels of education like upper level dressage horses, upper level jumpers and equitation horses and even upper level event horses are often not “made” until they reach the ages of 9-11 even if they were started at 3-4 as per normal. It seriously takes years to truly develop and educate the horse mentally and physically. So there is the “30-60 days under saddle” green (barely broke) and then there is the continuing process of developing the strength, fitness and exposure to different environments and competitions that takes many years when done correctly. This is something I feel many inexperienced horse people don’t understand–the length of time and work it takes to develop a truly well rounded and educated animal with the strength and fitness to make it capable of doing its job happily and comfortably. In todays market of high costs and moving horses quickly many many prospects in the ages of 4-7 or even older are still green and often unsuitable for inexperienced riders.

[trakehners]

To me they stop being green and are “made” when they know their job and don’t need to be taught how to do it anymore. This isn’t to say that a made horse will just cart you around while you do nothing, but in my mind they can do what is expected of them with a competent partner (read: not a sack of potatoes) and without having to be micromanaged the whole way around.

With this as my definition there really isn’t a time frame on when it happens and a horse can be both green and made at the same time depending on what you’re talking about. I come from eventing world so my points of reference are a little different, but for example, my horse is a “made” Starter horse but still green at Beginner Novice as an 8yo (courtesy of some lameness issues that have held us back for most of the last five years). By the end of next show season he’ll ideally be a made BN horse and will be green at Novice, then made at Novice the following season and green at Training, etc. etc. etc. As Trekkie said, an UL event horse may take 5-8 years to be “made” at whichever level they’re topping out at. To me it’s only tied to age insofar as there’s a minimum amount of time required to reach that point for whichever level and you just cannot feasibly get there any sooner.