Question:
Hi!! I have a Friesian that is really a sweetie. He is 1year 4 months and already 16 hh. He is going to be really big when he is older and i don't know if I should let him be backed by a profesional or not since he has such a temper. Does a horse need to be backed or can he just be ridden if he is old enough? (and safe enough! :) )
Answer:
Fresians can be big, strong boys as youngsters and the challenge of getting them started can seem a bit daunting.
I don't like to get onto any horse's back until I am happy that they are strong enough to handle it. Neither do I like to work young horses on the lunge too much. Fresians, like Warmbloods, take time to mature and become physically ready to carry a rider, however there are a multitude of groundwork exercises that you can do with your horse to prepare him for his adult working life that will not tax his body beyond what it can handle. At such a young age, mental training takes priority, and if that is done well, the physical training becomes much easier.
I start all my horses on the lead - they need to be able to lead properly, including walking, trots, halt and rein back. They need to understand the concept of working shoulder to shoulder (theirs to mine) which is also the foundation of lunging that will come later in their training. I also like to teach them to move away from pressure. Teaching a youngster to stand quietly, be handled and accept what a human is doing is something that is often overlooked but vital! Getting them used to bright colours, dogs, people, traffic and so on is something that can be done from the ground too. Practise getting in and out of a horsebox if you have access to one (you don't have to go anywhere, just get him used to the idea of getting in and out).
I would also investigate Parelli horsemanship - this involves a number of 'games', each of which targets a specific training principle. (Go to www.parelli.com) You could try clicker training or natural horsemanship which also has a number of skills to master without actually sitting on his back.
Now is the time that you should be working on obedience, partnership and trust - all of that means that his physical size should in no way be a problem when it finally comes time to start him under saddle, as the trust and respect will be there already!
Personally, I do not like to even get on a horse's back until he is at least 4 years old, although some people will back a horse at 3. He has 20 years of ridden work ahead of him (at least) so waiting for his body to be ready is a small price to pay if it means he is going to be pain free, sound and a pleasure to ride in years to come. Fresians tend to have long backs, especially the big boys, and I have often seen Fresians that were ridden hard too early - once they hit 12 or 15, their backs become hollow, or they have become unsound.
Whether or not you should have your horse backed by a professional is a personal choice, but a very important one. The rest of your horse's riding future is quite literally in your hands, so if you are going to do it yourself, I would be very sure that you know exactly what you are doing, what your plans are for him and how you aim to achieve your riding goals once he is backed. I would still enlist the help of a qualified person, like an instructor, because there is always the chance that things could start badly, and if you are not prepared for the problems that arise, it could spoil him or you could get hurt. If you decide to send him to a professional, do your homework carefully - visit the trainer, watch them work with horses, chat to as many people as you can and make sure that you are sending him to somebody that knows what they are doing.
Showing posts with label Fresian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fresian. Show all posts
Fresian In Hand Showing
Question:
I have bought a 7 month old friesian colt and have entered him in the pta show.. the problem is i have no idea how in hand showing works! he can trot next to me reasonably well, walk and after a few seconds of tugging he does halt... has anyone got any tips on how to refine his training and advice on techniques that i can use because right now its the classic "follow the carrot" technique thats proving to be most effective but i guess the judges wont like that very much.. bottom line- what should i be training him and how?
Answer:
Congratulations on getting what I am sure is going to be a horse that will bring you plenty of pleasure and hours of fun. Having worked with many Fresians before, I have developed a bit of a soft spot for them. They are easily trained, hungry to please and they still have plenty of spunk! I have always been amazed at the types of things those horses could be taught and how easily they form strong bonds with their owners.
My worst moment with a Friesian at a showing show was when my recently backed young Friesian boy decided at his very first show that all this clean and shiny nonsense was for the birds and decided to roll in the middle of the in-hand class! I could only stand there miserably and wish the ground would swallow us whole! Fortunately, the grass was soft and green and the judges were busy with the other horses so he got up, I dusted him off and we went on to come second in that class and reserve champion for the show. What I am trying to say is that even if your worst nightmare is realized in the middle of a class, you still never know how things will go and after that you can laugh about it and never forget it! Don’t let your nerves get the better of you and enjoy it no matter what!
The way that Friesians are shown in hand in Society Fresian Classes is basically as follows:
Dress:
Neat Khaki Long pants that cover the ankle(you could wear a long khaki skirt of you wanted to – might be in the way when you run though!) with a White collar shirt and Khaki Cap. What is preferred is the official Society shirt and tie with their emblem on. You may not wear any clothes that advertise a stud, for example, and the Handler and his/her Assistant (should there be one) must be dressed the same. The emphasis must be on neatness and presenting a professional image.
Your number must be pinned neatly to your back and must be A5 sized.
Your Horse:
The focus is on a healthy, good looking individual that is a proud ambassador of the breed. Feet must be neatly trimmed, hair under the chin/jaw and excess hair under the stomach may be trimmed neatly. I have also noted that some Friesians have had their ears neatly trimmed of excess hair however the rulebook does not say anything about it being allowed or not.
The horse may be shown in a halter if he is under 12 mo
nths, and for horses over 12 months, a bridle is used. The halter may be black, brown or white. White presents best.
Basic show turnout does apply here – things like polishing hooves, face makeup and things like that to improve the appearance of your colt.
Procedure:
Horses are judged from the moment they enter the arena. Normally, horses enter in an anti-clockwise direction at a trot and line up facing the pavilion or where the judge is standing. Normally, judges are very good at tlling you what they expect so that everyone knows what to do. What usually happens is that one by one, the competitors walk towards the judge, halt and present their horse. You will then be asked to walk away from the judge, trot in an anti-clockwise direction past the spectators and return to the line. Sometimes, a triangle is set up to help competitors, and the horse will walk and trot along the triangle. The judge will tell you what he prefers. Each horse may have a maximum of 2 handlers in the arena, although you might not need an extra handler if your colt is well schooled. If you would like to use a crop of sorts, a neat crop of approximately 1m should do.
I hope that helps you a bit. In terms of schooling, your young horse should be performing walk, trot and halt on your command. His shoulder should be in line with your shoulder and he should be able to quietly stand in the que with other horses (often the most difficult part of the class!) as the judging may take some time. Try to position yourself near the front of the que when lining up so that your horse is judged sooner as he may get difficult if he has to wait a long time and that may spoil your individual judging later on.
If you are going to be doing normal SANEF showing in –hand classes, things are a little different, so do let me know!
Also, you might want to get in touch with the friendly folks at the Society, who can direct you in terms of clothing, halters and more tips.
Call them on 051-4302456 or friesperd@studbook.co.za
My worst moment with a Friesian at a showing show was when my recently backed young Friesian boy decided at his very first show that all this clean and shiny nonsense was for the birds and decided to roll in the middle of the in-hand class! I could only stand there miserably and wish the ground would swallow us whole! Fortunately, the grass was soft and green and the judges were busy with the other horses so he got up, I dusted him off and we went on to come second in that class and reserve champion for the show. What I am trying to say is that even if your worst nightmare is realized in the middle of a class, you still never know how things will go and after that you can laugh about it and never forget it! Don’t let your nerves get the better of you and enjoy it no matter what!
The way that Friesians are shown in hand in Society Fresian Classes is basically as follows:
Dress:
Neat Khaki Long pants that cover the ankle(you could wear a long khaki skirt of you wanted to – might be in the way when you run though!) with a White collar shirt and Khaki Cap. What is preferred is the official Society shirt and tie with their emblem on. You may not wear any clothes that advertise a stud, for example, and the Handler and his/her Assistant (should there be one) must be dressed the same. The emphasis must be on neatness and presenting a professional image.
Your number must be pinned neatly to your back and must be A5 sized.
Your Horse:
The focus is on a healthy, good looking individual that is a proud ambassador of the breed. Feet must be neatly trimmed, hair under the chin/jaw and excess hair under the stomach may be trimmed neatly. I have also noted that some Friesians have had their ears neatly trimmed of excess hair however the rulebook does not say anything about it being allowed or not.
The horse may be shown in a halter if he is under 12 mo
nths, and for horses over 12 months, a bridle is used. The halter may be black, brown or white. White presents best.Basic show turnout does apply here – things like polishing hooves, face makeup and things like that to improve the appearance of your colt.
Procedure:
Horses are judged from the moment they enter the arena. Normally, horses enter in an anti-clockwise direction at a trot and line up facing the pavilion or where the judge is standing. Normally, judges are very good at tlling you what they expect so that everyone knows what to do. What usually happens is that one by one, the competitors walk towards the judge, halt and present their horse. You will then be asked to walk away from the judge, trot in an anti-clockwise direction past the spectators and return to the line. Sometimes, a triangle is set up to help competitors, and the horse will walk and trot along the triangle. The judge will tell you what he prefers. Each horse may have a maximum of 2 handlers in the arena, although you might not need an extra handler if your colt is well schooled. If you would like to use a crop of sorts, a neat crop of approximately 1m should do.
I hope that helps you a bit. In terms of schooling, your young horse should be performing walk, trot and halt on your command. His shoulder should be in line with your shoulder and he should be able to quietly stand in the que with other horses (often the most difficult part of the class!) as the judging may take some time. Try to position yourself near the front of the que when lining up so that your horse is judged sooner as he may get difficult if he has to wait a long time and that may spoil your individual judging later on.
If you are going to be doing normal SANEF showing in –hand classes, things are a little different, so do let me know!
Also, you might want to get in touch with the friendly folks at the Society, who can direct you in terms of clothing, halters and more tips.
Call them on 051-4302456 or friesperd@studbook.co.za
Clifton and Peet
My Super Sexy Husband, Clifton, and His Ex-work companion, Peet after a hard day's Work!
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