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

[IPEsq]

I’m not nearly as brave as I used to be, but what keeps me going with this horse is that I don’t get the sense that he is trying to put me in the dirt. Not that everyone could stay on his moves, but he certainly could try harder if his goal was to dump me versus just try getting out of work. He’s also not the type to put himself on the ground or through a fence…I don’t mess with horses who have no self-preservation. I’m ok with calling him on his B.S., although it’s not my favorite training problem to deal with.

At least he seems to be feeling good!

[Xanthoria]

[QUOTE=IPEsq;8870139]
I’m not nearly as brave as I used to be, but what keeps me going with this horse is that I don’t get the sense that he is trying to put me in the dirt. [/QUOTE]

Awww, see I would have said the same thing about my baby last week, but this week I went on a trail ride with a friend on her good steady horse. We decided to trot up a ridge of fresh mown grass a couple times and the third time he went berserk and bucked me off, then galloped around us in circles across the hillside and through the bushes for a few minutes until he was all sweaty and blowing, having sprung a shoe in the process.

:mad:

Happily I only seem to have slightly ripped my breeches, tweaked my shoulder, and I iced my hand and wrist all night that night so they seem to be OK.

[IPEsq]

[QUOTE=ParadoxFarm;8870109]
That’s funny. I just on occasion for a lesson through my Cube camera on the gate and let it fly. Well, I’m proud of you for sticking with it! I’m not all that coordinated or brave either. I wacked him once, but after that I was too worried about having both hands on the reins. :)[/QUOTE]

Dressage whip helps A LOT btw. Of course I only had the jumping bat on me today.

[ParadoxFarm]

[QUOTE=IPEsq;8870343]
Dressage whip helps A LOT btw. Of course I only had the jumping bat on me today.[/QUOTE]

I agree! Normally I do ride with one. For my lesson, however, I opted for the crop. Lesson learned. Until he stops his antics, guess I will use the whip instead.

[sandsarita]

Took my baby to the trainers today. First time she has seen her go since we tried her out in June. She was sooooo good. Brave, actually braver than my 7yo gelding who is going to the championships this winter. Big dreams for this girl.

[Pocket_Pony]

Just got back from our 5th jumping lesson. Due to various appointments, I haven’t been on her since Tuesday. It is cold and windy today.

Pony was perfect!

Jumped around like a good girl, learning to come back when I have the wherewithal to half halt and sit up. She jumped a little flower box without over-jumping, and she did a gate for the first time. We’re cantering little courses now and she lands on the correct change of lead most of the time.

I think we’re going to doing a little schooling show at the end of the month. We’ll be doing either a trot-pole class or cross rail class the first time out just to see how it all goes.

She is the nicest horse I’ve ever had. Amazing brain, athletic, smart, willing , and so much fun!

[Due_s_Mom]

Been having all kinds of problems in the last 6 weeks. My mare was in season off and on the entire month and seriously would not even walk forward from the mounting block. I would end up moving her laterally to get her to move and all and then she would freeze up like she was cramping up. In season, out of season it made no difference. It was as if an alien had taken over my sweet happy mare’s body. I had the vet out and we put her on Banamine for three days then I got on her and after a few tentative minutes she moved forward. That was yesterday. Today she was all the way back and was an absolute joy to ride. We rode out in our front arena up by the road and it was as if she had been doing it all along. I also walked her over some raised cavaletti and she never even hesitated.

So I have to get her back in some semblance of shape before we start cantering again. Hopefully her hormonal problem resolved itself until next Spring. She is such a sweetheart.

[Equitational]

I just did my first “dressage show” on my 4 y/o mare. Luckily it was held at the equestrian park where she is boarded. I warmed up in the large round pen reserved for boarders and she was perfect in the tests! She scored 63% in both Intro B (walk/trot) and Intro C (video).

https://youtu.be/_PYNglehZac

[Pocket_Pony]

Congratulations!!! She was so mellow at her first show!

[Equitational]

[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;8872688]
Congratulations!!! She was so mellow at her first show![/QUOTE]
Luckily she is boarded a couple hundred feet from those arenas, and I ride in those arenas often. Its really nice developing a young horse on a 1600 acre equestrian park…so much diversity!

[IPEsq]

After Friday’s excitement, my boy was feeling a bit tired over the weekend. So, good time to trot some cavaletti / small Xs. First day, X was 12" high in the center. He jumps it 4’ in the air and lands like we just broke through the gates at the rodeo. Starts to come down a little in height after, but tends to rush the base. Gets better off the left rein. Move onto the right approach, and we start all over again with the 4’ jump.

He’s been through a lot but he was able to jump around a 2’ course a year ago with some range of normal jump height and calmness. This weekend actually marked a year since his layup for tendon injury started.

Sunday, ok, I think we will set an X at 6" and then a 12" vertical cavaletti with the goal to eventually do the 2 as a line, trotting both. I hand walk him over the 6" X. Come at it from a trot under saddle, and it’s another HUGE jump and explosion. IT IS SIX INCHES TALL!!!

Eventually, he trots both obstacles calmly both directions, canters away calmly, does his lead changes in the corners if asked. I can even add a little leg at the base because he’s waiting nicely for me to tell him when to leave the ground. And then… he knocks down said 6 inch X.

Babies.

[ParadoxFarm]

IPEsq, too funny. He was scared to death, then he was okay, then he was bored. Yeah, babies. haa. Good job, though!

[IPEsq]

Went for a flat in the indoor last night. This is not the first time horse has been in this arena with the lights on and it being dark outside. In fact, we did this (among other times) the evening before. The arena door has windows on it, and sometimes, he gets a little boogery at the reflection of the lights or seeing his own reflection. Although we have mirrors in the indoor, and he is fine with those.

He is ok going around to the left. We then go around to the right where he’s got a full-on view of the door all the way down the long side. Starts boogering so ok, let’s go have a closer look (as we have done many times). He gets very, very tall. Stands like a statue. Um, ok, time to move along now, horse. He rears straight up then goes back to the tall stare. This is the first ever shove your face in the mane kind of rear he’s ever done with me on his back.

Ok…now what??? Don’t want to get off, even though he’s fine in hand by the door usually, because if he goes up again that high, I may not be able to hold onto the reins. What to do…what to do…

Reach into pocket for peppermint. Crinkle wrapper. Ears move. Ask him to turn around to his shoulder and hold it for a few seconds to get the peppermint. Now, his brain is back on planet Earth, and we can move right along.

[ParadoxFarm]

IPEsq, that’s funny! Well, scary first, but funny in the end. Good job sticking to it, though.

I had my first REALLY good lesson (or ride, period) with my guy yesterday. He’s the one that tends to buck after about 20 minutes of riding when he feels he’s entitled to quit working. haa. He was a pretty good boy! We even ended the lesson with some jumping, trotting and cantering some crossrails. I called it a success.

[SouthernYankee]

Took my guy to his first hunter pace last weekend and we ended up third (only 5 seconds out of second place) in the largest division of the day!! He was a superstar and foot perfect, even jumping a few baby logs!!

[IPEsq]

Yeah I ended yesterday starting to think about doing half pass. But boy what an exciting start!

[baymarewithflair]

Hi everyone- I just joined the four year old club and enjoyed reading through this thread. Bringing a baby along is a bit of a roller coaster ride, but ultimately so rewarding. Luckily for me my horse seems to have a good brain, just needs time and miles. Just wondering, how many days a week does everyone ride their four year old? He is growing like a weed and I am limiting his jumping to once a week, but how much is too much for hacking? Recently with the change in weather he was up this week and a friend suggested he be ridden 6 days a week. Seems like too much for a growing youngster.

[IPEsq]

I think you can do 4-5 days with a mixture of what you do.

[Xanthoria]

No more than once a week jumping for a 4 yr old, and one day per year of age of work total (i.e. 4 days a week) is the conventional wisdom I have always stuck with.

[Dutchmare433]

[QUOTE=baymarewithflair;8882142]
Hi everyone- I just joined the four year old club and enjoyed reading through this thread. Bringing a baby along is a bit of a roller coaster ride, but ultimately so rewarding. Luckily for me my horse seems to have a good brain, just needs time and miles. Just wondering, how many days a week does everyone ride their four year old? He is growing like a weed and I am limiting his jumping to once a week, but how much is too much for hacking? Recently with the change in weather he was up this week and a friend suggested he be ridden 6 days a week. Seems like too much for a growing youngster.[/QUOTE]

I follow the number of rides per week is equal to years of age guideline as well. I also tend to give them a month or 2 off during the winter of their 4-5 y/o year. If you can time the time off with a really growthy stage, all the better.