[RC] riding a downhill four year old - RHONDA LEVINSON
I have a four year old gelding that I'd like to start riding. I started him lightly last fall, just wearing a saddle, learning to lunge, standing for mounting, giving to pressure kind of stuff. I was hoping that he would be less gangly and ackward this year, but he isn't. He is downhill, and then he's even, and then he's downhill again. I've started riding him lightly in my yard and he's doing amazing well in terms of being very smart, willing, easy to train, and doing everything I ask him to do (turn, back, whoa, walk on, etc.) But, right now, he's significantly downhill again and bit clutzy. However, he loves to worked with and comes to the gate nickering when he sees me come out with a saddle.
I lost the six year old mare that I had been riding, so if I want to ride with daughter (instead of just commandering her horse), I need to get him going. I don't, however, want to do anything to hurt him. I know there are people out there actually competing on four year olds, right? But, he looks so gawky that I'm hesitant to do too much too soon withhim. Any thoughts on whether it's okay to ride a growthy four year old colt, and if so, how much? Right now I'm riding about half an hour at a time, but I'd like to ride him around the block (four miles) and build to riding the 12 or 15 mile circuit on the roads that we have mapped out.
