When can you ride and work a Shire?

[Sasca]

We have just aquired a beautiful 5 month shire foal and was wondering if what people did with them at what age. We've seen them regularly worked and ridden at two and wondered if this was normal? we would like to start at two as he will get so big but we want to keep him sensitive and supple. any tips, advise?

 

[JustJas]

I thought that cold bloods mature slowly. So the longer the better before ridden I would say. I know they are big but still too much early work could cause damage on tendons and ligaments. Also the mental maturity of your horse. We have a 6 year old with a good percentage of cold blood in her and she was no way ready to be ridden before 3. Everyone told me she was older than she was- problem with that was I spent weeks anticapting her birth so I knew exactly her age. Cold bloods look more mature than they are becasuse of size but mentally they are still babies.

With any young horse it depends on the animal on the speed you do things.

 

[domane]

There was a great thread a while back ... Alfie's Slave is very knowledgeable and posted some great information. I hate to say it but two is very, VERY early to be thinking about backing.... groundwork and carrot stretches yes, but no riding at all...

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120345&highlight=shire

Best of luck with your new acquisition. Is it a boy or girl, what colour and what name? Any piccies???

 

[camel]

2 is definately to early ......

I would say just work on manners, bonding and basic groundwork at the moment .....

Good luck and we definately want pictures

xx

 

[Hero]

I have seen many young ruined shires/cobs
as they "look" mature people very often lie about thire age and over work them . 2 is just too young i think...
i went to go and buy a 7 year old who turned out to be 4 and arthritic because the owner bought him as a 6 year old and competed him...he must of actually been about 2.

 

[marsden]

my old boy was a clyesdale x, he was backed at four and turned away and basically started work at five. As his owner felt that he needed more time to develop and to be honest he was treated like a utter baby

I believe that they do need a bit longer than others but thats my own view. I had to put my loan horse to sleep when he was only 17 yrs old because he was broken far too early and got worked far far too much at such a young age! Such a waste

 

[Sexy Sietske]

If the horse is going to be large i see no problems is backing them at 2.5 and getting them use to having tack on, someone sat on their back for a walk around, then turning them away. Proper work from a young age will just ruin the horse. I have made a very wise decision to stop being so damn selfish and let Nelson be a baby and back him at 4/4.5, the only reason I would have done it sooner was so I could have a riding horse but luckily enough i have now found one.

 

[Sasca]

Dont worry, there's no way i'd rush him into anything, I would at least wait till he's three before i started to back him properley. I've been buying a few equine ad magazines and have seen Shires in there that are all described as backed and ridden away at two so i wondered whether they were more capable at two than most other horses (regardless of size).

At the moment he 5 months and all scrawny but a dope on a rope!!! he is so laid back but stands at near 14hh allready!!! he's going to be huge!!! will have some pickies soon i hope. he's a nice bay with a blaze and three white socks. He was unwanted at the horse market on friday so we snatched him up. he'ss be used as a happy hacker and showing horse.

What would you do with him at two to get him ready? he will be fully pressure trained as we cant afford to have him bolshy at 18hh but ive not had to work with anything this big, I work with things 12hh and bring them on. Ive got a while to decide what to do. With his temperament you could ride him now and go off for a hack (not that i would obviously).

 

[domane]

Just out of interest, how tall is he at 5 months? I just wondered....

 

[Sasca]

13.3hh

 

[StormyJ]

My Welsh Cob was broken at 2 and had a foal at 3 (not with me). It's not something I would do but she shows no ill effects as an 8 year old. However, she didn't do any real work except being used for sheep gathering at 3 which is day in day out gallop for a couple of weeks. They would have ridden her up and down hills if they wanted to get about too.

 

[PinkGlamourGurl]

2 is way too young. My youngster is part bred shire (eek) His bloodline is full of late maturing breeds and its really shown now. He's turned into a very sour baby unfortunately! About to spend the next 6 months in a field to be a horse...