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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

Any other youngsters beginning their ridden career in 2018?

15 replies

Pinkponiesrock · 06/01/2018 20:54

My little Connemara is now rising 4 and after a couple of months hard work is going sweetly. She’s going to have a holiday now to chill out and grow a bit more as she’s gone bum high, again!

Does anyone else have a youngster that’s coming of age this year? What are your plans for the year? I’m just nosey!

OP posts:

Greyhorses · 06/01/2018 21:16

Mines 5. Had a real easy year last year with a few inhand shows, local hacking, a small dressage outing and some general messing about in the school with lots of breaks and time off inbetween.

Hopefully planning to do a bit more this year with some dressage and local showing transport dependant!

MoonlightKissed · 09/01/2018 16:34

I have a rising four year old pony who is about to start his driving career.

He's not done much serious work, due to his age. He spent his 3rd summer showing inhand, the occasional walk out inhand in traffic, and some light long reining. So he's pretty sound about life out & about. He's been bitted for showing and long reining, and has seen traffic.

I will still take it easy with him this year, but I'm hoping to do some light competing - we won't try to be very competitive, and will 'hack' round. Then he can have a break next winter, then start again the following spring.

This is all assuming he doesn't shoot up on his bum again - as he spent much of last year doing!

Original poster

Pinkponiesrock · 09/01/2018 17:01

You guys sound very similar to me!

Planning on turning my girl away in a couple of weeks as the whole backing process has been hard work for her, mainly of her own making I’ll add!
Ever since she hit the ground as a foal she has been completely defiant, so it’s taken a lot out of her mentally to actually knuckle down, cooperate and get on with it.

We’ve had to get through things that really shouldn’t even be issues, like 5 days to actually stand still when tacked up

Hoping to do a couple of nursery novices, maybe a bit of riding club but mainly hacking.
Fingers crossed she grows up a bit during her time off but she’s not changed much in the last 4 years so I doubt it

OP posts:

Greyhorses · 09/01/2018 17:14

Mines an argumentative beast too pink

Everything's a drama with her, she is always at the centre of every fall out in the field and everything I do with her involves something that's caused a problem! She reminds me of a 13 year old stroppy teenager.

We've also had the tacking up problem,the mounting problem, the refusing to walk problem, the open mouth as wide as possible when being ridden problem. You name it we've done it and as soon as it's solved she throws us the next thing.

I do hope she grows up soon!

MoonlightKissed · 09/01/2018 17:24

Thankfully my lad can't be bothered to misbehave much - it would require far too much energy! He's so laid back, he's positively horizontal - sometimes literally so - even standing requires too much energy now & then. He's scared the vet before now, by being flat out following vaccinating.

I bought him as a foal at foot with him mum - I didn't intend to, but it was love at first sight for me. I didn't need him, and he was not at all what I would have bought if I'd set out to. But I've never ceased to be grateful for finding him - he's amazing. He makes me laugh every day.

Original poster

Pinkponiesrock · 09/01/2018 21:29

It’s a mare thing!

OP posts:

MoonlightKissed · 09/01/2018 21:34

I have a filly who is a year younger than him (rising 3) and she's pretty laid back too - her only real faults are being a bit of a diva around feed buckets, and being a little bargey & in your space. But everytime you do something new with her, it's like she's done it before. You can wind her up a bit to get her doing stuff inhand, and the minute you stop pushing her, she goes back to being easy going. She's the easiest 'big' native youngster I've ever had.

Maybe it's a native (non-welsh!) thing - these are both natives, though of different breeds.

Greyhorses · 09/01/2018 21:35

Mines dales Moonlight, did she skip the calm native memo

Original poster

Pinkponiesrock · 10/01/2018 15:00

Mine is a Connemara, and a complete drama queen although she was very good today, long may it continue!

Saying that I had another Connie filly that I bred and she was the sweetest little pony ever, nothing phased her, she just wanted to please and was just a doll. Unfortunately she only grew to about 13h on her tip toes!

OP posts:

MoonlightKissed · 10/01/2018 19:07

Greyhorses - my filly is a Fell. Maybe I ought to get her to have a word with your Dales! Is yours Dales bred? My filly is Fells bred, so I wonder if that makes a difference?

PPR - I've never got on with Connies. They're one breed I wouldn't personally have - I've always found them quite complex.

Greyhorses · 10/01/2018 21:19

Moonlight I also have a 6yo fell and she is just as fiesty! How is yours bred?
My dales is dales bred although from a not very well known breeder.

I also never manage to gel with connies, far too quick on their feet for me and usuaally too grey!

Original poster

Pinkponiesrock · 10/01/2018 21:27

I’ve had 8 connies, and they have all been such different characters. Colour wise I’ve had one bay, one chestnut, one dun, and 5 greys

I do love fells, I had a cracking little gelding for a few years and my friend has the loveliest stallion, as wide as he is tall

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Greyarabsdrinkthewind · 10/01/2018 22:01

I'm the sole rider of a young very green arab gelding. I wasn't looking for a horse when I started riding him but he's really stolen my heart, he's absolutely super. he does behave like an arab but he is also very quick to learn and is IMO very easy and every ride he gets better.
My long term plan (next year) is endurance, but this year Im looking at low level dressage; prelim and novice, getting him out and about as much a possible, loading getting out and being ridden etc and a hopefully a few intro rides; a couple of 10s and maybe 1 15 mile towards the end of the season.

DuRezidal · 19/01/2018 23:41

We have a 4 year old stallion just starting under saddle and his paternal half sister starting long lining ready for a rider next week. I love Backing the babies, I find it so rewarding. I love when I have clients horses in for backing too, it's one of the most fulfilling parts of the job.

user1488061528 · 22/04/2018 09:32

I've got an 18hh ID x TB that was 4 last week! Won't stop growing. Backed him last summer because I didn't want him getting to strong. He's extremely balanced for his type, which really helps and did really well. Hacking out on his own by the end of the summer. He has 5 months off and came back into work two weeks ago. Slightly more challenging this time, as he decided that if he was lunged and then ridden, that was two jobs in one day became stubborn and planted himself. Stood up once, so we decided, as I know him well, to ride him straight from the yard, to the school without lunging first. Completely sorted now and doing very well! It's knowing when to have the battles and keeping yourself safe. He will have to do two jobs in future, but didn't want to create a problem. Once he's established, I'm sure he will be fine. He's doing walk, trot, canter and ground poles 1-2 days a week and hacking 2 days a week. This seems to be working well for him.

Please note I've own him since he was 6 months old, so know how his mind works. He's a gentle giant but is red and Irish so has his stubborn moments!

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