Preparing a young horse for riding. Another Approach

Preparing a young horse for riding. Another Approach

Question. I am working with my 2,5 year old mare on the ground in preparation for the ride. Now we lunge three times a week for 30-45 minutes. Isn’t that a lot? What is the best schedule for a young horse?

Response. I think this is too much for a young horse. Frequent long lunging can have a negative effect on her legs and joints, and you can put her under emotional and mental stress.

When you introduce a horse to the world of riding, there are many things that scare him and he feels insecure. She needs time to learn about the human world and what is going on around her. Once the horse is used to being groomed, cared for and comfortable with the harness, the only way to train him to carry a rider is to start riding him.

Like the saying “All roads lead to Rome”, there are many ways to work with a young horse. As for me, I have developed a so-called “two-phase” system, which I find very effective.

At the first stage, which lasts 30-60 days, I work with horses 5-6 days a week, offering them light work under the saddle. During this time, I train the horses to accept work under the rider, show what exactly awaits them in the future, but without any formal reference to a particular discipline. My goal at this stage is simply to introduce the young horse to the world around him, without forcing him to do anything.

I find it especially important to introduce a young horse to everyday things (the more the better). As soon as she gets used to the ammunition and the rider on her back, I start to go out into the open – in the field, the forest, I work in the open air. First I do it in the company of another horse. It’s amazing how quickly young horses gain confidence when led by an older, more experienced horse.

The intensity level of the training is of key importance. Young horses cannot cope with intense work if we force them to go beyond their physical, mental or emotional capabilities. But there is a difference between intensity and duration. If your young horse is relaxed and you don’t force him physically, then the duration of your sessions is not so important.

After this short training period, I send my young horses out to pasture where they are until they are 3,5 years old. Although some breeds may physically mature earlier, most horses are still quite emotionally and mentally immature up to this age. Look closely at a young horse to see if he is ready to move on. If she psychologically accepted the job earlier, then this is also not bad.

The second stage. When I bring my 3,5 year old horses back to work, I still keep the training intensity low. I work them outside for a few more months to build up their confidence and confidence in the rider. When they start to move well under the saddle, I gradually introduce them to basic arena work, taking time for them to understand my basic controls. Although my ultimate goal is to train them in dressage by working, they won’t look like dressage horses (assuming full contact with the reins) until they’ve been in the saddle for another six months.

I know it will be hard to say goodbye to a young horse, but by bringing him back to the pasture after the first few weeks in the saddle, you are doing the right thing for him. Lunge her occasionally so she can shed excess energy, but be careful not to overdo it. I never lunge horses (of any age) with side reins – I find them to make the horse passive and heavy in the hand.

Every time you interact with a young horse, be sure to insist on good manners. It is very easy to give young horses too much love and attention, causing them to develop bad habits.

Finally, if you don’t have enough experience with a young horse, I highly recommend seeking the help of a professional, especially when it comes time to train him to work under a rider. Young horses are sensitive and insecure at first and learn both good and bad very quickly! So get professional support.

Alyssa Pitts, dressage coach (source); translation by Valeria Smirnova.

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  Nebula November 4 2017 city

  Methods are not adapted to our realities. Who has the opportunity to drive a horse and send it to pasture until 3.5 years old? Stud farms almost all in 2 years call in and sell young animals. As for working on the cord, everything is also not so clear. 30 minutes on load can be very different. My 2,5 year old horse lunges 4-5 days a week for 30 minutes, but only 5-6 minutes of that is trotting. The rest is a step. How can this be considered “too much”? Answer

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  Valeria Smirnova November 16 2017 city

  if we talk about jumping horses, then it is thanks to such training that at 6-7 years old they ride up to 145 routes and do not suffer from legs. I worked at a base where top-level horses were trained. On average, horses stood from 4 to 9 years old, regular starts from 110 to 155 cm. Not a single horse’s legs were shed, they weren’t put on quilted jackets, they weren’t endlessly rubbed with ointments. The horses didn’t limp. Answer

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  Maria November 4 2017 city

  Many people have this opportunity. Why not? 🙂 In the regions, and even in the Moscow region, many KSKs provide opportunities to put the horse on pasture. There would be money, as they say. According to the cord, the author of the question in the source had in mind a full-fledged work – with three gaits. Actually, it is precisely because of the questions that arise that the article was submitted in the context of the “point of view”. Answer

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  Nebula 1th of December 2017

  Horses grazing all year round or stand knee-deep in mud in a small levada from autumn to spring?) You won’t believe it, there is money, but there is nowhere to send the horse to pick it up in a year. But of course I’m not in Russia, but in Belarus. You have more land, yes. Answer

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  Maria 1th of December 2017

  Grazing, all year round. There are places in the Stavropol Territory, near Tula, and even in the Moscow Region there are more than one (just one of those that I personally know about). This is quite a reality … Answer