Trials and Tribulations of training the 4 year old!!!

[baymarewithflair]

[QUOTE=IPEsq;8896101]
Another boarder was doing some groundwork in the indoor yesterday. Waving the flag thing around. Had a blue tarp out to walk over. Too windy to be outside, so we were in there as well, under saddle. Baby horse was very fascinated by the flag and stood close by watching calmly. Tried to eat the tarp/pick it up. Then tried to stomp the tarp into a ball. Then walked over tarp.

Other boarder also had a water bottle with rocks in it as a noisemaker. Shook it across the arena from us. Baby horse spooked a little then marched right up to her to see what was up. Then it made another slight rattle, and we teleported sideways. Oh well, that one was too much for Mr. go go gadget ears!

I guess we won’t be afraid of liverpools now?[/QUOTE]

Sounds like your horse has a great mind-- such a blessing!!

[Due_s_Mom]

Today we FINALLY cantered the whole arena on the left lead. She was fairly balanced and straight although she got a bit quick at the end. I was very pleased. She isn’t quite as good to the right but we were able to canter to the right in a half arena circle. She is starting to build a bit of muscle along her topline esp her neck so am quite pleased with that

[ParadoxFarm]

Great job, Due’s Mom! I rode my 4 year old last night and we trotted our first vertical. It was just over two feet, so not huge, but he was good. Lazy even.

[Due_s_Mom]

Paradox,
Don’t you just LOVE all the firsts?!!

[ParadoxFarm]

[QUOTE=Due’s Mom;8898958]
Paradox,
Don’t you just LOVE all the firsts?!![/QUOTE]

I’ll admit, I was nervous! But he was so calm. Wiggly, but quiet. I’ll take that! Yes, it’s exciting.

[Bigbutt]

So having a bit of a struggle right now… and sorry I don’t post more often, just between work and riding I dont get the chance… But quick summary… bought her as a 3 year old Welsh/Warmblood mare last Dec and so been working with her this last year. Some months I’m lucky to get in 15 rides, some months I’m riding 5 days a week. For the most part 2 rides a week are lessons. She has great days, and then not so great and very baby days.

But here’s the thing, the horse is a mare… and I’m struggling with that bond with her. She is a great fit for me, and has helped my confidence and has great potential… but the only mares I’ve owned were broodmares (which I find are completely different) when I bred QH’s. Any riding horse I’ve owned has been a gelding… and huge personality… like enormous - quirky and comical and acted more like a dog with me, wanting my attention, calling to me, just right there… She is more quiet and internalizes things, but still a baby - just more like a cat like personality… you can look at me, but don’t expect me to do anything FOR YOU.

I wonder is this a mare thing… OR I also wonder with all my last horses, the first 2 years of their lives it was me doing all their training (good or bad, and probably more bad then good) I worked at my pace, and a lot was ground work and in the round pen… and just watching them… and then when they were ready to put those proper touches on I would go to a coach.

This is the first baby I’ve owned while under a coaches program, so even I am feeling at times, this is too much “work” and less about personality or enjoyment or just going out and hacking in the bush… And by no means am I blaming my coach, cuz she is fabulous… but its just a different program then I’ve done before with other babies.

Am I over analyzing things… cuz I’m also known to do that.

[Equitational]

Oh boy my 4 y/o learning to jump!

Pic:https://www.instagram.com/p/BMfUH8ih_9F/?taken-by=kendracourt
Video:https://www.instagram.com/p/BMfXgbNhpjp/?taken-by=kendracourt

(she makes a cute grunt noise on landing in the video :p)

[ParadoxFarm]

^^ Very nice!! Looks easy for her!

[ParadoxFarm]

My DH had a lesson on my boy this weekend. He’s still learning that pooping doesn’t mean he can stop! https://www.dropbox.com/s/s0fwazrmpl7mpv9/20161105_095801.mp4?dl=0

[IPEsq]

Last week’s evasion of the week was try to buck mom off on the left lead canter at letter P (indoor has dressage letters up), and only letter P, but every time going by the letter P. My go-to is to drive him forward, but his bucks were so high this time that I was having trouble hitting the go button while also keeping a controllable amount of daylight between my butt and the saddle. I mean, I KNEW it was coming and tried to circle or do something different and go forward, and I still got the bucks and had a hard time sticking by the end of the week. Right lead canter was super.

He had some wonkiness in his pelvis (not unusual), and I got this chiro out. Hope that helps some. At least let’s move on to a different trick that doesn’t shove my back out of whack too.

Although under saddle work ethic has stalled, I have been making good progress re-doing a lot of his basic groundwork. First, we had to re-learn personal space bubbles. Then, I started working on his anxiety issues. From just moving him around to doing things like waving a flag around. It seems to be helping him a lot. He has gotten to be skittish around the chiro/acupuncture vets. To the point where he tries to just flat out run away/run you over. Originally, he’d just get a bit nervous because he is sore and then he would relax into the treatments because he would realize it feels good after a little while. Today, he was totally relaxed and still. I am really hoping that at some point this will translate to under saddle.

[PNWjumper]

[QUOTE=IPEsq;8961455]
Today, he was totally relaxed and still. I am really hoping that at some point this will translate to under saddle.[/QUOTE]

It will, it will! You just have to have faith…IOW, the most important part of bringing up a baby

ParadoxFarm - love the video! I had one youngster that took a lo-ong time to figure out how to keep going while pooping. It was never an intentional disobedience, but it just blew his poor brain until he got older :lol:

I took my 4yo to a little winter show last weekend and he did his first 1.10m class: https://youtu.be/JZ-0MCCoJV8. Had an early rail (think he was a little surprised after such a soft fence 1 that the height went up a bit!), but handled a scary, echo-y indoor and new-to-him jumps better than I ever could have hoped! Such a super, super brain! And then this weekend I sold him. This is the first time I’ve ever been so sad to see a young horse go to a new home. It’s a fabulous home and I’m over the moon about what I’ll get to watch him do with his very own human. But now I’m afraid I’ll never have a 4yo who’s this easy again!

[IPEsq]

Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Babies! :eek: :eek: :eek:

That is all. (one of those days)

[sandsarita]

I sent my 3 coming 4yo off to the trainers about 3 weeks ago, after I got her started, which she was amazingly easy for. Well, my trainer has had only positive things to say about her so far. She is starting the lead change for her and doing some cavaletti with her. Got on her myself today and she has matured so much, and is just a horse that wants to please people. I am waiting for the backslide to happen, but so far it hasn’t.

[DoodlesMom]

We’re almost in the Terrible 5s! Hard to think he’s been under saddle for a year already. Starting to jump, lightly, and he LOVES it! Such a relief.

I found a new trainer a few months ago, and they are a match made in heaven. We now have our sights set on 2017 Congress. It’s wonderful what an effective trainer can really do.

His new thing is tempis. Because he can. He likes to swap leads just for fun, or if he thinks you’re shifting to ask for the change. One the one hand, I’m so happy his changes are natural and effortless! But on the other hand… come on dude. But, that’s what my trainer is for!

Here’s a picture!

[Due_s_Mom]

I have been dealing with hormone issues with mine. Vet and I are trying to decide her regumate protocol and it is going sloooowww. Hope to get her consistent in the next couple of months.

[baymarewithflair]

Took my guy to his first show this past weekend where he actually had to compete- despite the cold he stayed relaxed, was so proud! He’s coming along nicely but his step doesn’t seem to be that big. He’s 4, actively growing, and not strong. How early have you guys been able to tell if the horse is going to be able to get down the lines? Trainer and I discussed it, she is a little concerned but said it can be hard to tell at this age. Thoughts?

[IPEsq]

Mine could trot in a line and get the step, so I can’t help you much! We are working on getting him to slow his roll. But, if you don’t have good power and connection to the canter yet, don’t push it. Do the adds rather than make him anxious and rush.

Should have taken some video of a trainer riding last week to post as an update. We are finally on a bit of a forward trajectory again!

[ilovetheadd27]

I have a 4 yo TB who I’ve been bringing up for almost two years, and up until the last few months he’s been the kindest and easiest horse I’ve ever ridden. Pretty much bombproof, super ammy/weekend rider friendly, so willing to learn, just the nicest guy. I don’t know what’s gotten into him the last few months, (maybe teenage/hormonal years?!) but the last few months he’s found a crazy spook, he’s gotten taller/bigger and is more difficult to handle on the ground, he’s suddenly decided things are scary that he’s seen a million times. I definitely feel like he’s testing me, but it’s not as fun as it used to be b/c he’s a bit more unpredictable. Someone please tell me that I’ll get my sweet, kind, simple TB back!!! I am hoping 5 brings back his old personality… I’d love any hopeful anecdotes of your youngsters going through anything similar and coming out a nice horse!

[EmilyM]

How early have you guys been able to tell if the horse is going to be able to get down the lines?

My 17.2h A/O hunter would not always get down the lines as fast as you would think at 4, because he was “jumping” 2’6 which means he was actually cantering over the jumps, so the lines got long. Also, he wasn’t experienced enough to know to look for the second jump, i.e. land, go straight, step away and continue.

Are those factors for you not getting down the lines? once mine figured out there are two in a row, I always had to collect to fit the strides in. Moving to 3’ helped too.

[PNWjumper]

baymarewithflair - IME, most 4yos that have “enough” step have a bit too easy of a time making it down lines unless they’re really wiggly. So I can understand why your trainer is concerned. But I’ve had a few that (because of aforementioned wiggliness) struggled for exactly the reason EmilyM mentioned - they’re not straight and they’re not “looking” for the next fence. Add in an incorrect arc over the jumps where they land a little shallow, and that can add to the issue. If your horse hasn’t figured out how to go in a focused manner, then I agree with your trainer that it’s probably a little to early to make the call.

iovetheadd - Sounds like you’ve got a couple of problems. The first is developmental. I think a lot of young horses start developing strength and muscle in their 4 year old year and hit the “rebel” phase (sometimes this doesn’t happen until 5) where they start testing their limits. Usually this is a phase, not unlike the human teenage years, lol! The second problem is that it’s been so dang cold here compared to normal. All of mine have been a bit nuttier than usual because of it. My old man OTTB (15 years old and my big jumper, so trained, trained, trained, and then some!) was squealing and bolting at the jumps every time I turned out of the corner yesterday because of some neighbor kids playing on the road. I would have been really annoyed if I hadn’t been laughing so hard at his antics! Normally that wouldn’t have caused any problems at all, but with the cold snap we’ve been in he’s more than a little over-reactive.

There have been a lot of threads about those “rebel years” in young horses - search for other young horse threads and you will find a lot of stories about sweet horses disappearing and wild hoodlums taking their place for a bit. Most of mine have gone through phases like that at one point or another. And then my TB has remained “flighty” when it gets cold out for the 10 years I’ve owned him. I suspect that will never change!