[drivingpairs] CDE Competition Ages

Just a note for CDE competitors, your horse is
supposed to be somewhat mature.  I think the age of
any horse in a CDE is supposed to be at LEAST 4 years
of age.  I can't lay my hands on the rule book at this
moment.

There has been a lot of ADS discussion about the age
of horses, but the rules folks feel that horses any
younger are not up to the job.  Their young bones and
untrained minds are not ready for such hard work. 
This is why Training is supposed to be easy, just
beginning to build a horse.  I may be wrong, or the
rule used to be age 5 years.  I do know there is an
age limit to prevent such hard use for babies.  This
is old school thinking that I totally agree with.

  Modern horse users follow a trend of starting horses
very young, see a great many people of all breeds
doing it.  I am sorry, but there in NO BREED, FAMILY
or STYLE of horse who is "early maturing".  The
animals fed well, may gain their height early, carry a
good load of meat over bones, but they are not mature
at three.  This is both mentally and physically. 
Bones take longer to get solid in all studies.  Back
to old style thinking of a horse being MATURE at age
of six or seven.  Big horses, 16h and up will take
longer, because bones are so much thicker.
  Dr. Deb Bennet has a good article on the
RuralHeritage site, about how horses grow and what
parts are the slowest.  I found it quite interesting.

Folks who are thinking of competing Junior might want
to check their rule book, for the details.  Breed
shows often have babies out competing in the ring,
driving, ridden.  Pleasure Driving doesn't (I think)
have age restrictions.  CDE does have age
restrictions. 

We have had much better success with our older 4-5 yr
old being able to pay attention, progressing much
faster in training.  He is able to work a little
longer with his harder bones.  Still a baby for us,
but things are just a lot easier working with them.
  Our 3yr olds have the attention of a gnat.  5
minutes is a GREAT lesson.  He just is not ready for
the work.  They are much more willing, not a trial, if
we wait a year.  I don't have any problems with easy,
moderate usage, trail riding, walks down the road.  It
is just intensity, mileage, much ring work, bending,
that are cumulative on young bones.

  Starting later also makes for a longer use horse. 
We see so many young horses, under 10 years, who have
the legs of an old Amish street horse.  Worked too
much after being broke out at two or three.  Just wore
out legs and joints.  They are not ready to die, but
pretty unusable at 10.  There are always exceptions,
but if you average them out, the longer usage horse
seems to come from them being started later or only
lightly used all those years.  We see some folks who
get a new horse every 2-3 years, trashed the previous
one.  Multiple breeds, all disciplines.

Think about what you are asking from baby, pulling
heavy loads, speed, deep going, hard turns, daily
mileage of conditioning for fitness, practice
dressage.  Going in a frame is very hard work, to
bones not conditioned by only doing a level a year. 
It can add up to a great deal of work, stress on those
young bones.

Kathy Robertson


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