Turning away - advice and ideas please!!

K

kikiD

New Member
Dec 18, 2007
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Doncaster
Hey
I realise I don’t post here very regularly, if at all but could really use some advice.

I was wondering whether you consider turning away a youngster after backing to be a necessity?
I was planning on turning my horse away from the end of September until around March time but I have encountered a slight problem and am now at a loss as to what to do.

I realise none of you know my backstory so here it is in brief: 3 and half year old section D, lightly backed over the summer, currently ridden 3 times a week for about 15mins, other days consist of longreining and other groundwork exercises such as clicker training or inhand walks.
The problem is that he suffers from a locking stifle that I have noticed mainly seems to lock after a few days off work, if he is worked every day even just by being led for a brisk walk up the lane this seems to prevent it from happening.
Therefore, I feel that turning him away may not be an option if I want to keep it from locking on a regular basis.

So the question is what do I do?
 
all ours are turned away as youngsters (from been weaned until been broken) then turned back out after been broken.
broken early spring ridden all summer and back out over winter until next spring to clear their heads and grow up again (3 1/2 is young especially for a welshie IMO thats what ours are)

they grow out of a locking stifle usually, its better to let him mature and grow naturally and become stronger over time. if the field is big enough and he is in a decent herd size they will wander anyway and play around together.

personally chuck him out :)
 
Thats the problem though, he already lives out 24/7 in a large herd in the hilliest field on the yard in the hope that this will help build his muscles but it still locks, and even though it doesnt overly bother him it distresses me when i see him staggering down the field.
 
My youngster had a locking stifle aged 3. He was turned away after his first summer n I have not had a problem with it since. I think he matured and became stronger over the winter as he naturally physically developed? I say chuck him out n let him mature n think about what he's learnt:D
 
have you had the vet asses the stifle issue? speak to loopslou, she had her youngster, amber's, stifle operated on as it was still locking after backing. i'm in the process of backing my 4 year old and he won't be getting turned away (as we are about 6 months behind schedule due to him deciding people on his back was just too scary!). Mine also has been seen with a locked stifle. If it were bothering him in the field i'd be getting the vet into asses it. sounds like it may need further attention.
 
Thanks for your replies. I'll talk to my vet about the issue, although when i discussed it with him after the first time it happened his opinion was to just up the workload, which my horse strongly objected to so needless to say we didnt follow that advice for very long.
Maybe if I just give him a break from ridden work but go on regular inhand walks?
I guess there's going to be no easy answer, and im reluctant to go down the operation route at the moment as I hope that as he matures the problem will correct itself.
 
yes. definitely a vet discussion job. you don't want to risk souring him, 3 is early for a native pony for backing anyway and i strongly believe that at that age they benefit enormously from time off.

relatedly, there really can't be a 'schedule' for backing, they're ready when they're ready and there is no rushing it. also i find the ones who have been worried about it are the ones who benefit most from being completely turned away and left to think it all over and absorb it. the ones who find it easy mentally can often cope better with staying in work.
 
we have a youngster with a badly locking stifle when we got her aged 18 months. she was turned out on a field with a big hill 24/7 and in a few months it stopped completely and never bothered her again.

take the vet's advice but might be worth leaving alone for a year till in serious work and see if that sorts it out
 
at the moment he definately seems to enjoy his work and has taken everything in his stride but I was worried about him becoming sour which is why im keen to turn him away if possible.
I'll get onto my vets this week and see what they suggest.
 
Ernie Pants said:
My youngster had a locking stifle aged 3. He was turned away after his first summer n I have not had a problem with it since. I think he matured and became stronger over the winter as he naturally physically developed? I say chuck him out n let him mature n think about what he's learnt:D
Click to expand...

My section D was exactly the same :rolleyes:, I even called the Vet to check out the stifle. He grew out of it and we started schooling him after a few months off when he was a four year old (he was backed at three too).

Tbh he was very immature until he was at least five so I think it did him good being turned away. He has never had a locking stifle since.

Good luck with him :)
 
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