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Post by Opinions please on Aug 26, 2014 18:20:47 GMT
Hi, I have a 13hh welsh b 4 year old gelding (was 4 in June) that I'm hoping my daughter can do workers with. I just wondered what your opinions were on when is an appropriate time to start him jumping. Some friends have said do no jumping with him this year and others say crack on! I'm just interested to see what the general feeling was about jumping a 4 year old. Thanks
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Post by CarolineNelson on Aug 26, 2014 18:55:33 GMT
Here is a very brief answer, from a breeder and a trainer.
If he had been brought up in his "Native" haunts, he would have been popping streams, fallen tree-trunks, rocks ete. literally from babyhood, in order to survive and, vitally, go with the herd.
So, the answer is - if he's sufficiently mature to carry a (sensibly sized) human, then he must be sufficiently mature to have a bit of fun and do what ponies like doing best!
Just be sensible in relation to ground conditions etc. (ie: Small tight rings at smaller shows on, possibly, hard surfaces.).
So, I'm with the "crack on" brigade, providing your pony is ready, which any well developed 4yo really should be by now.
Good Luck.
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Post by Opinions please on Aug 26, 2014 20:08:08 GMT
Thank you very much Exactly why I came here to ask!
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Post by comanchediva on Aug 26, 2014 20:52:24 GMT
Totally agree with Caroline, as long as you don't ask too much from a young pony then jumping is just another part of their education and something they usually enjoy. We've just started jumping our 4 year old stallion. He very intelligent and gets bored very easily so we're trying to keep his work varied and enjoyable, we don't want him going round in circles all the time at home or at shows. He went to his first clear round on Saturday and went round with one little run out, loved every minute he was bouncing. Also put a huge smile on mine and my sister's faces. So I agree, crack on, just be careful not to overface pony or jockey (which I'm sure you won't) and enjoy
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Post by nici on Aug 28, 2014 12:24:18 GMT
Our ponies all spend some time turned out in our riding / jumping paddock (a one acre or so field with lots of jumps permanently set up) and will happily pop over the jumps if they're in their way when the ponies are playing tag together around the field. We're just starting to back our 4yo C now, still bareback as struggling to find a saddle for his slightly awkward shape, but hopefully with a saddle soon. Once he's happy with basic aids and flatwork, he will do poles and small jumps during his basic training. Hoping to get him out to a couple of hunts this autumn before turning him away for winter, but won't be expecting him to jump any hedges yet! Mind you, having escaped out of one field through a gap in the fence, he did jump the 4ft fence back into our riding paddock from a standstill when my neighbours tried to catch him, so he has plenty of scope for it...!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Aug 28, 2014 15:47:03 GMT
As a yearling colt, my daughter's admittedly up to height C jumped two 4'6" gates out of his box and into one of my D mares - I found them in together in the morning, not a scratch on him. He also jumped 4' out of the arena once when I was schooling him. I like to see them jumping by themselves, it shows they enjoy and have a talent for it. I'd be a bit wary of overdoing it with big fences, heavy riders, tricky grids and the like though too early.
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