Yes started one year later as i am not interested in 3 Years old futurities
I still think if your young horses rides better after time off, there is a soundness issue to address.
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Some horses are just not mentally ready for every day training /riding as a 3 year old or even 4.
It is always in their best interests not to continually push them beyond what they can do( mentally or physically).
It could be a soundness or pain issue but it could also be the horse needs time to process what they are learning. Trainers ride daily because they are paid for results and most people want them in 30-60 days max.
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It’s the trainers job to access how much a horse can take every day. But a horse shouldn’t be overwhelmed by consistent work. I don’t introduce new things every day or every week. That’s what build confidence.
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I agree that is true.
Consistency and letting the horse learn something before progressing also builds confidence. I have no idea what the skill of OP’s trainer is , or what the OP is doing when riding their horse, or the skill of OP to read a young horse.
Other horses I have raised and started I rode every day no problem but their progress was really no faster than the young guy I currently choose to ride 4 days a week. It just depends on the individual horse and rider .
My horse can Cope mentally and phisically AT thé moment with 3/4 days per week, i find hé does not progress if i do more. Maybe hé IS weak, maybe hé IS still to young in his mi d
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Then I would say you are doing right by listening to him and not pushing for more. What good is it to rush them through and have to go back later and attempt to " fill in the holes" that caused?
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There was a non-scientific study, where I trainer worked some horses 5 days or so a week, and others once a week. Obviously the 5 day a week horses were fitter and learned quicker, but they didn’t forget lessons with longer breaks in between - so 25 days of training was equivalent in both cases (but 5 weeks vs 25 weeks).
So I guess it depends on your priorities. One thing I found when training, is naïve horses often learn to use the wrong muscles early on in training - training slower might allow you to give them the skills to know to use the right muscles before they really develop too much muscle memory…and once they have the skills to know how to reach, stretch and give, you can work more on muscles: it’s how I trained my personal horses.
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I’ve started and brought along three homebreds in the last 14 years, ridden exactly as you described. Sometimes more often, but probably almost never more than four times a week.
Each horse has done well, competed, stayed SOUND, good minds. They don’t have to be worked every day.
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Especially if he’s 3
