Help needed with training plan for 4.5 year old well-started Friesian sport horse!

[outerbanks77]

I tend to work in 5-6 minute blocks with walk breaks in between. With a young horse, the first block might just be some walking and trotting, changing direction to warm up. Then the next one could add in some lateral work and more transitions, and the third one adds some canter, and then you’re done and cool down. So that is like 15-18 minutes of “real work” with about an equal amount of walking on a free rein interspersed. The walk breaks can be used to see how he is breathing, what his general expression is like. The BO at my stable is an FEI rider and has been training for several decades, and always says she thinks they get mentally tired before they get physically tired, and I think that’s right. The walk breaks can allow them to regroup and settle mentally just as much as catching their breath and giving the muscles a break.

ETA: If I’m introducing something new of course I don’t drill on it for six minutes, I’ll just slip it in with easier work, or touch on it for 1-2 minutes and then give a walk break.

Of course, working muscles in new ways results in soreness, which is totally normal. Learning some basic bodywork like Masterson is really useful to just check in with your horse and how they’re feeling to assess when the training might require some adjustments or they might just need an extra day off.

[Artistinnature]

Good stuff!! thank you!

[PREs_Rock]

for ideas/concepts to focus on in your schooling program. You can find good pictures/explanations by googling it.

[Artistinnature]

@Paisley_Pony

My DD, who trained working Malinois, said you might also like Dressage School by Britta Schoffmann.

I love a recommendation like this, since I own and train working-line GSDs for dog agility! I will check it out - thank you!

[blue_heron]

Yes, this. Don’t make problems you don’t want to fix later. It is much easier to do it right the first time then change your expectations for them.

[eightpondfarm]

i would xray his later-developing growth plates then i’d make decisions about his saddle training accordingly.

[Long_Time_Lurker]

Even though I agree that it’s best to only “work” him 4-5 days a week, a young horse in his first winter of “school” needs to get out of his stall and have the opportunity to move around EVERY day. At some boarding barns this can be a problem if turnout is weather dependent. If he has to just stand in his stall on days off, especially several in a row, this is when you can get a lot of tension building up. Even just hand walking in the indoor ring allows the horse to get out of the stall.
It sounds like you are already planning for variety in activities, but you can also include some play with obstacles (ground poles, walking over a tarp, playing with a big ball, etc.) on a hand walking day. This will not add much to his physical workload but will help alleviate mental boredom if there are no-turn-out days. I am not a fan of the Parelli work…it emphasizes a lot of tight circles and fast starts and stops which can be hard on young bodies. It also emphasizes sales of their merchandise. You might want to look at the Linda Tellington-Jones books and videos though. Many people also like Clinton Anderson.
I would wait until next summer to try bareback, after you have known him at least 6 months and have an idea of his range of behavior on good days and bad days.

[Angela_Freda]

One of my favorite training books is Lessons with Lendon. There are usually copies on thriftbooks dot com.

As for this :

@Artistinnature

I guess I’m just anxious about being able to ‘read’ his mental and physical state

My advice is give him time.
Time when he arrives to acclimate to the new place, people and routine.

Imo people do not give their animals enough time to just be and decompress when so much in their young lives change in an instant.
Use the first few weeks to get to know and observe him, and help him understand the basic expectations.

[Artistinnature]

Thank you for the good suggestions!! He’s in a big paddock with two other horses and room to move around, thankfully (he showed off his lovely trot and canter yesterday when first released). I am not a fan of horses in stalls; they evolved to move, not to stand still.

And I plan on doing stuff at liberty (essentially, trick training – useful tricks, like targeting, or your excellent suggestion of play with a big ball) to help build our relationship and his desire to learn and Do Things. Having raised a bunch of working-line puppies over the years, I can’t imagine not doing this sort of brain training.

[Artistinnature]

@Angela_Freda

My advice is give him time.
Time when he arrives to acclimate to the new place, people and routine.

Imo people do not give their animals enough time to just be and decompress when so much in their young lives change in an instant.
Use the first few weeks to get to know and observe him, and help him understand the basic expectations.

Thank you! Good advice!

[luvmyhackney]

Look up some of Warwick Schiller’s relationship videos on YouTube. Would be a good way to bond with him.

[Jenerationx]

We need more pictures of this lovely boy.

Also, I clicked your name to find your other thread and see if you had gotten a saddle sorted out and checked out your website. I LOVE YOUR ART!!! If I ever win the lottery, I’m going to need one in every room. Tatanka Blue #2 is mesmerizing.

[Artistinnature]

@Jenerationx

We need more pictures of this lovely boy.

Also, I clicked your name to find your other thread and see if you had gotten a saddle sorted out and checked out your website. I LOVE YOUR ART!!! If I ever win the lottery, I’m going to need one in every room. Tatanka Blue #2 is mesmerizing.

I love every bit of this — thank you!

I agree about the photos! The only new shots I have of him are crummy ones taken while tied in the indoor arena (dark, too close, etc). I need some w/o blanket in the sunshine, but it’s been really COLD here. So I plead extenuating circumstances. I have my marching orders, clearly .

[2DogsFarm]

I too peeked at your site & WOW!
And I say this as a (dropout) student of The Art Institute of Chgo

Would you consider commissioned portraits of COTH horses?

[Artistinnature]

@2DogsFarm

I too peeked at your site & WOW!
And I say this as a (dropout) student of The Art Institute of Chgo

Would you consider commissioned portraits of COTH horses?

What a lovely, wonderful note! I envy those who attended art school - always wondered how much further ahead I might be if I’d done that, instead of spending 18 years working in high tech…ah well!

I would consider commissions, though I’m a bit behind right now on existing commissions and gallery requests…and my technique works better with larger (more $$$$) pieces. I’m doing a 12x16 right now for friends, and it’s a struggle to work that small – only doing it because dear friends / Christmas/birthday present / etc…

[2DogsFarm]

Don’t wonder.
My most talented artist friend was also an Art School dropout. And worked his whole life in various Art Director positions, as well as creating personal works.

How small would you consider too small for a commissioned work?
Are we talking pricing in $100s? $1000s?
Consider a steady income stream from we COTH equinophiles

[Artistinnature]

So I’ve done some charcoal drawings in my ‘disrupted realism’ style, and those are $500ish for 11x14 or so (unframed). Paintings are $1000s; if you poke around my website you can get a feel for pricing (I always feel bad saying that, but things are selling almost faster than I can keep up.)

I’ve probably done more commissions of horses than anything else.

[Hilary]

Here’s what I’m doing with my 4 1/2 year old - he’s an oversized GRP who interestingly (Ha) is going through the same issues an extra big horse goes through in terms of body awareness. His genes say he should have been 14.2 but he’s 15.2 and some days coordination is a struggle. His goal is FEI dressage with me, his ammy owner .

He works 3-4 days a week and I mix it up with ring work trail rides and lunge sessions with belly bands over cavaletti so he can work without me on his back.

I work regularly with a trainer to make sure we don’t go too far down any bad habit rabbit holes.

Getting to know your new guy can include all of that plus grooming, trailering, field trips to a friend’s house either just to hang out in the barn or go for a ride with friends. As an Amish bred/brought along he may not be used to people being snuggly. He had a job. Make use of that with the ground manners but he may take longer to be a love if he’s not been interacting with people in that way before.

As for riding bareback? I would wait until he’s really developed more mature musculature - as a young horse he’s struggling to carry you correctly at all, nevermind without the support of a saddle. Especially if you think he’s inclined to drop his back. Put your hands under your seat bones while sitting in a chair. It’s not friendly. And I don’t know about you but getting bucked off is way low on my agenda - I want my saddle when they are this age.

[Artistinnature]

Thank you for sharing your experience and advice! they’re greatly appreciated. (I really enjoy reading others’ lived experiences). – Some of those things aren’t very feasible right now due to winter - too much snow and ice everywhere, so no trail riding, and trailering is limited to ‘necessity only’…I look forward to them come spring. And yes, I’ve decided no bareback for now.

I’m trying to picture the “lungeing with belly bands” thing – this is new to me.

[Hilary]

Google “Equiband” - which is the ready made version - I made my own with black PT stretchy bands, some clip things from bed bath and beyond, and a saddle pad I didn’t care if I cut slits in it. It helps them engage their belly muscles to lift the back. There’s one that goes around their gaskins too but I generally stick with the belly band. It gives them a big workout in a short amount of time too.

Winter is frustrating with the young ones - you don’t want to ride them too much in bad footing and cold + baby horse = antics. Also it’s dark before and after work . Cut yourself some slack.