What do you need to focus on in those 3- and 4-year old years? How do you cope with the pressure to “not mess up” a young horse? What matters most in the early years for a horse?
Top British eventer Piggy March has an FEI record the length of a novel and has had many illustrious wins to her name including Badminton, Burghley, the European Eventing Championships and the World Equestrian Games, to name a few.
But she knows that there are millions of moments, steps, and decisions in a horse’s life before their name will ever be painted across a leaderboard, and she’s one of Britain’s most respected producers of young event horses.
“Try to not put too much pressure on yourself. It’s all just building blocks. Accept that those bad days will happen, and it doesn’t need to be a massive stress with young horses.” - Piggy March
Today on Equestrian Voices, Piggy joins host Caroline Culbertson to give a peek inside her program and philosophies with young horses. They discuss:
- Exactly how they go about the initial “breaking in” process at Piggy’s farm
- Assessing the potential and talent of a 3-year-old (or whether to look the other way until they’re a bit older!)
- The mindset to have as a rider and trainer of young horses
- Tack, equipment, and management tips for the young horse
- What to keep in mind when they go to their first show
- And much more.