2012 Spring Routine

I'm already beginning to think about what rider I will use next year for breaking the three year olds in the spring.
I really put a lot of thought into who rides the young ones. They are all different and need the "right rider" I manage all the ground work and stay on the ground throughout each ride, but i have someone younger and braver actually sit in the saddle.
It's imperative that the first rider be very  confident in their ability to ride forward and with giving hands
It is not necessary at all for a 3 year old to have an advanced rider or one with a large show career, however the first rider must have great balance, giving hands, ability to ride forward and not complicate things when the babies are trotting and cantering.
I also like a rider who can help me with the lunging . I train all the three year olds to lunge with a second person helping me.
Unless you have a round pen teaching a horse to lunge alone can often create bad habits such as the horse staying on to small a circle.
My 2 year olds have already had the saddle and bridle on and became familiar with free jumping. They will complete their training at the end of October and then have November-March completely off in the field.
As 3 year olds they will re-enter the main barn for work about 4 days a week and refresh their skills on ground work and begin learning to lunge. Depending on the horse we'll be on their back by May 1st. some go faster some go slower but they need to be very well mannered and secure before we mount them and very good on the lunge line.
This does not take more than 30 days if you have 2 people working with them at the same time.
The most important thing to remember is that horses are creatures of  habit and learn the good with the bad, so we try and make sure every experience is a positive one and a good one.
By the end of their 3 year old year they should really enjoy going to the ring and be very bonded with people. The 3  year old should learn to look for his or  her handler and rider for instruction and confidence.
I keep the 3 year olds in the indoor where i can use the walls and keep the environment safe and quiet until we they know how to go forward and stop. The 3 year olds are rarely in the ring more than 30 minutes which is about how long they are able to focus. Keep it short and keep it fun.

Yealing by Kevekko

When we school the yearlings and 2 year olds we loose lunge them in the indoor. What that means is that we command them to walk trot or canter and dictate which way they go, but we allow them the full use of the arena. they are not restricted by a lunge line. I don't like to lunge them until they are 3 years old as the circle can be hard on their legs and I can teach them a lot with out the lunge line.

We have become a bit relaxed about shutting all the doors since our kick board doors are 5' high and no one has ever tried to jump out.
Well on Saturday our yearling Francesca decided to jump out of the arena. She just leaped around the turn as if she was circling half the arena and made the most beautiful jump out. She was just cantering, not galloping so it really surprised me.
She was very calm and easy to catch. She just walked back into the barn.
we then shut all the doors and allowed her to go around again to make sure she was really confident and she was fine.

needless to say we'll be shutting the doors every time from now on. I haven't had a horse like that in a long time but if they know they can jump they don't think anything of jumping out of a ring or paddock.
I think she is quite athletic. 

Babies

We will be working babies tomorrow, free jumping the two year olds and taking photos and video.
Hopefully will have some new coverage of these horses ready for viewing next week.
Also we'll add some conformation photos to web site.