1) he is still a bay 3yrs ol no matter what breed is not old enough to be on the back.

2) he is 3yrs old and still growing. 17.2 is large for any breed of hore are you sure not mismeasured?  Even if someone did do you remember what it was like when you went through your  largest growth spurt? Hard time walking straight line  let alone carrying someone on your back.. Try to be balanced when you dont know where your own feet are 1/2 the time.

3) hes 3 yrs old and apparnetly even if he were  old enough to be brok to ride  someone didnt do it correctly. Balance is something taught  from ground work up to w/t/c/ etc. with out balance  there is no safe ride.

4) he is 3 yrs old  throw him back out to the field for another yrs or so and odnt gie me that ' well he is X breed and they mature faster so it is ok to ride them at 2, yrlings, etc.". You cant change anamoity and physiology  because someone want to just cant be done. assuming he was a long 2yrold when broke  guessing he might still b sound enough to ride at 10...


If ponies were human.. most would be in prison.

Mrs. Smith COTH

Society does not need more children; but it does need more loved children. Quite literally, we cannot afford unloved children - but we pay heavily for them every day. There should not be the slightest communal concern when a woman elects to destroy the life of her thousandth-of-an-ounce embryo. But all society should rise up in alarm when it hears that a baby that is not wanted is about to be born. ~Garrett Hardin

Ther are certian segments of hte horse population that will argue that  the horses are mature enough at 2 or that X breed matures faster than Y or Z breed so it is ok to ride them at 2. I am not eeven going into hte racing world just he  riding one.

A horse is matured enough when their knees are closed. Now granted on occasion like 1 out of 1000000 a fluke will occure and yo will have a horse whos knees have closed by that age but the other 9999... horses  the knees are no where nearr being closed.

The vet etc uses the knees as the indicator of structural maturity because they are the best to measure track etc. The spine, and hte other jionts are just not as easy to scan and track. And the educated in this by vet area can watc their horses knees closing so it is easy for joe horseowner to see with out expensive equipment..

Most horses  with the exception of those flukes mentiond above  are mature enough to ride  closer to 4 than 3. And believe it or not  this is mentally as well.

Imnsho the advent of riding horses to young is a result of  certian groups making it finiancially adventagious for  owners to do so. Ie the 1,2,3yr old feturities(sp) big $$$ will make some people do stupid things..

But on the flip side I have seen horse who were broke to early become beautiful pasture puffs at an early age like 8 or 9.. If person has waited barring accident, freak of nature etc horses broke after knees are closed tend to have longevity undersaddle...


If ponies were human.. most would be in prison.

Mrs. Smith COTH

Its possible that he is doing his own thing and calling his own shots.      

I feel, he is lacking the right leadership that can reach his mind and correct those unwanted behaviors. This is not a put down on you, because you are here on the forum, seeking answers or tips on how to address these issues and you're not alone.

There are alot of horses and owners, which has this same problem. The most effective way to resolve his issues would be to turn him over to a competent, well experienced indivdual and then allow them enough time to correct those problems and later work with you where they could be there and could explain what going on and how to interpret the horse's actions, reactions, where the horse's wrong doings could be counter with a corrective measure and where you could learn alot from this person. 

I hope this insight helps

Bruce.

http://discoveressentialhorsemanship.com