2 year old filly training

[Becca_Daisy]

In thought we had already established you can't (or won't) meet her needs.

Think what you want, but anyone who has actually met my mare knows she is perfectly happy. Now unless you have anything useful to say, good night.

 

[SpringArising]

I pity this youngster. You are ignoring her fundamental needs.

If I were you, I'd sell her to someone who can accommodate her needs.

In thought we had already established you can't (or won't) meet her needs.

Go find someone else to pick on now.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

Go find someone else to pick on now.

Is that aimed at me?

 

[SpringArising]

Is that aimed at me?

No, Becca

 

[ester]

There's only one person on this thread using bad language and being impolite, and it isn't Equidae. I never understand why people can't remain civil even if they disagree with the responses.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

There's only one person on this thread using bad language and being impolite, and it isn't Equidae. I never understand why people can't remain civil even if they disagree with the responses.

I have been VERY polite considering how some of these people have made me feel this evening. Yes I'll hold my hands up and say I made a mistake saying that some people on here can be bitches, however trying to impose a certain way of doing things onto someone, and then insulting the way they are looking after their horse, saying it should be sold etc. isn't polite either.
I have tried to be civil with the people I have disagreed with, but now some of the comments I'm recovering back are borderline abusive in my opinion.

 

[EQUIDAE]

No one can make you feel anything - we have offered advice, if that hits a nerve and pricks your concience then that is yourself, deep down agreeing that we may have a point. Just because you don't like what we have said, and the advice we have given, doesn't make it bad advice.

Eta - I would not include calling people bitches VERY polite.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

No one can make you feel anything - we have offered advice, if that hits a nerve and pricks your concience then that is yourself, deep down agreeing that we may have a point. Just because you don't like what we have said, and the advice we have given, doesn't make it bad advice.

You've slightly deterred from advice yourself by saying I can't or won't meet her needs. I politely turned down the advice the first time it was posed to me, what upset me was all of you continuing and degrading the way my horse is looking after, not me thinking that you are correct.

 

[Jnhuk]

I found this book very useful to me with my youngster

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birth-Backing-Complete-Handling-Young/dp/0715312847

Also have a look at how western horsemanship for groundwork for ideas - Buck Brannanman, Tom Dorrance are a good start to google on youtube

Like you I didn't have an ideal youngster herd for him to be with but he lived in a herd environment before he was weaned then I did the best that I could with similar aged playpal and older mare then latterly geldings but I certainly didn't do stuff everyday with them in terms of handling etc... and allowed him time to learn to be a horse and especially one of my geldings was fairly good at playing with him and yet keeping him in line. He is now five and we are having a lot of fun with him.

You will be in the best position to judge how you feel your youngster is doing in terms of mental and physical development and I am sure if you have any concerns at any point then you will deal with it and sort that out.

I am trying to remember what age I started to take my youngster out for occasional short in hand walks - think he was rising 3 - but we are lucky to have reasonably quiet roads and a local forest where we could safely go.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

I found this book very useful to me with my youngster

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Birth-Backing-Complete-Handling-Young/dp/0715312847

Also have a look at how western horsemanship for groundwork for ideas - Buck Brannanman, Tom Dorrance are a good start to google on youtube

Like you I didn't have an ideal youngster herd for him to be with but he lived in a herd environment before he was weaned then I did the best that I could with similar aged playpal and older mare then latterly geldings but I certainly didn't do stuff everyday with them in terms of handling etc... and allowed him time to learn to be a horse and especially one of my geldings was fairly good at playing with him and yet keeping him in line. He is now five and we are having a lot of fun with him.

You will be in the best position to judge how you feel your youngster is doing in terms of mental and physical development and I am sure if you have any concerns at any point then you will deal with it and sort that out.

I am trying to remember what age I started to take my youngster out for occasional short in hand walks - think he was rising 3 - but we are lucky to have reasonably quiet roads and a local forest where we could safely go.

Thank you I'll look into them and the book in the morning!

 

[justabob]

Becca, welcome to the livery yard mentality of this charming forum. You have behaved with decorum that I would have found hard to do. You asked a perfectly sensible question, and they have all followed each other in their usual pack mentality. Take not a jot of notice and carry on with your youngster as you are doing. Well done.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

Becca, welcome to the livery yard mentality of this charming forum. You have behaved with decorum that I would have found hard to do. You asked a perfectly sensible question, and they have all followed each other in their usual pack mentality. Take not a jot of notice and carry on with your youngster as you are doing. Well done.

Thank you, I've had a quite a few good ideas given to me, so I'll continue to do stuff with my mare regardless of what they think!

 

[MileAMinute]

Maybe aim to take her to some inhand shows? You can practise in the field beforehand. Good experience for her and gets her used to a show environment.
I didn't do a lot with my gelding at 2, he came in for a brush and a token feed and we practised picking feet up (he was mollycoddled by previous owner and had no concept of personal space or basic handling). He spent 30 mins out of the field 4 or 5 times a week. Once he was 3 we went to a few shows which really boosted his confidence in loading, travelling and the show field.
He grew up to be an absolute gentleman and my best friend. I had to sell him when I had my daughter and I regret it every day. Sadly my hands were tied.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

Maybe aim to take her to some inhand shows? You can practise in the field beforehand. Good experience for her and gets her used to a show environment.
I didn't do a lot with my gelding at 2, he came in for a brush and a token feed and we practised picking feet up (he was mollycoddled by previous owner and had no concept of personal space or basic handling). He spent 30 mins out of the field 4 or 5 times a week. Once he was 3 we went to a few shows which really boosted his confidence in loading, travelling and the show field.
He grew up to be an absolute gentleman and my best friend. I had to sell him when I had my daughter and I regret it every day. Sadly my hands were tied.

Yeah I'm thinking about inhand shows, how did you get yours used to loading?

 

[ester]

Just because people agree does not mean they have some sort of pack mentality, they just happen to agree with each other. At other times, shock horror, they disagree with each other on things :eek3:

Of course you will continue, people make suggestions all the time, they are suggestions/what they would do in the same situation they don't/can't/wouldn't expect everyone to follow them.

It addition to the can't/won't difference it always riles me when people pick and choose who they are polite to based on their answers, or get irritated at answers they deem different to the question - this is a forum, on a forum threads often start to deviate from the initial question this often isn't a bad thing as it opens a wider discussion on a topic.
People know that we can't always provide what might be deemed 'perfect' situations for our horses as we live with yard constraints etc. But usually it helps if there is some sort of acceptance of that and that you are trying to make the best of the situation you have/what can you do to improve it rather than stamping your feet and saying it's perfectly fine (having said the mare was climbing out the field which obviously didn't sound like a nice happy settled youngster to most) and can't possibly change which is how it came across . People were just trying to give you alternative options other than more training and handling for a 2 year old given their experiences of over handled youngsters suggesting you need to be aware that can become a problem.

 

[Jenna1406]

I bought my (now 4 year old) when she was a yearling and she only had the company of my older mare, who wasnt very playful. I did minimal things with her like I said in my first post, took her showing, took her to the beach in hand when she was 2.

My filly is now back by myself with the help of my OH, I have no experience with youngsters and now my 4 year old will go to shows ridden with no issue, hacks out by herself and in company.

Just because a youngster wasnt turned out with other youngsters, doesnt mean they are going to be spoiled. Breagha is my pet and if she tries to over step her mark, I remind her that I am the boss.

OP just do over do things with your youngster as I only had to do things a few times. Good luck.

 

[paddi22]

Yeah I'm thinking about inhand shows, how did you get yours used to loading?

I brought two year old and other young minipony into a paddock and left the box there with the partitions out and the front and back ramp down. i'd then put treats and buckets into the box and they would potter on and off themselves. after a few days they would just go up and down the ramp themselves, and stand in the box to eat. never had hassle loading them ever since. I prefer doing it that way as they go at their own pace and work it out themselves.

 

[epeters91]

My filly was exactly the same as yours, I have a similar set up she was kept with a Shetland companion who was 6 years old so they played together and had fun. My girl would get bored being in the field all the time so I always introduced things in little amounts to keep her busy. When she was two she would walk out in hand, practiced a little walking and trotting in hand for showing, picked up all feet well, tied up well, loaded and unloaded in the trailer, had a roller on and did a tiny bit of long reining to see what she thought, lots of grooming and when we did show prep we even tried mini clippers on her for her bridlepath and fetlocks.

By introducing things little and often she enjoyed what she was doing and ended up with a super temperament, great trust in her handler because she had no bad experiences and took everything in her stride. If I felt it was too much for her I backed off and left her in the field for a bit but she never struggled or didn't enjoy what we were doing.

I have seen plenty of youngsters that have been turned out and because of lack of handling they don't have confidence in new situations or they fidget a lot and don't want to be tied up/stand still/listen to the handler.

Ultimately it depends on the horse, some need to be turned away others enjoy being handled and learning new things. Best of luck with your filly sounds like your giving her a good start to me.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

Just because people agree does not mean they have some sort of pack mentality, they just happen to agree with each other. At other times, shock horror, they disagree with each other on things :eek3:

Of course you will continue, people make suggestions all the time, they are suggestions/what they would do in the same situation they don't/can't/wouldn't expect everyone to follow them.

It addition to the can't/won't difference it always riles me when people pick and choose who they are polite to based on their answers, or get irritated at answers they deem different to the question - this is a forum, on a forum threads often start to deviate from the initial question this often isn't a bad thing as it opens a wider discussion on a topic.
People know that we can't always provide what might be deemed 'perfect' situations for our horses as we live with yard constraints etc. But usually it helps if there is some sort of acceptance of that and that you are trying to make the best of the situation you have/what can you do to improve it rather than stamping your feet and saying it's perfectly fine (having said the mare was climbing out the field which obviously didn't sound like a nice happy settled youngster to most) and can't possibly change which is how it came across . People were just trying to give you alternative options other than more training and handling for a 2 year old given their experiences of over handled youngsters suggesting you need to be aware that can become a problem.

The first time it was mentioned I politely told the poster that it isn't a possibility for me, and it soon moved from alternative suggestions to becoming insulting in the way at which my horse is kept, and my knowledge of horses. If people are aware that you can't always have the perfect setup, they would have been able to suggest something else, instead of just repeating the same point over and over again.

 

[Becca_Daisy]

My filly was exactly the same as yours, I have a similar set up she was kept with a Shetland companion who was 6 years old so they played together and had fun. My girl would get bored being in the field all the time so I always introduced things in little amounts to keep her busy. When she was two she would walk out in hand, practiced a little walking and trotting in hand for showing, picked up all feet well, tied up well, loaded and unloaded in the trailer, had a roller on and did a tiny bit of long reining to see what she thought, lots of grooming and when we did show prep we even tried mini clippers on her for her bridlepath and fetlocks.

By introducing things little and often she enjoyed what she was doing and ended up with a super temperament, great trust in her handler because she had no bad experiences and took everything in her stride. If I felt it was too much for her I backed off and left her in the field for a bit but she never struggled or didn't enjoy what we were doing.

I have seen plenty of youngsters that have been turned out and because of lack of handling they don't have confidence in new situations or they fidget a lot and don't want to be tied up/stand still/listen to the handler.

Ultimately it depends on the horse, some need to be turned away others enjoy being handled and learning new things. Best of luck with your filly sounds like your giving her a good start to me.

Thank you, she loves to do things and every new thing we've tried with her she takes in her stride also.

 

[Holly7]

Wow what a lengthy post with all sorts of responses !!!!

I will add my ten pence worth .......... I raised a welsh cob from 6 months old to 18 (when sadly PTS). 6 months to 11 months she was stabled most of the time, as my yard was unsuitable for youngsters. I moved her and my older mare to a more suitable yard for them both, although I lost my wonderful hacking! But there lives were better, being able to live out 24/7. The baby lived out with another youngster from then until 2. She was checked daily and came in on the odd occasion for grooming etc but came in regularly for her feet to be trimmed. During her 2-3 year she was shown in hand. She lived out all summer but I stabled her overnight over the winter (as felt really bad having seen her the previous winter soaking wet etc! - field was next to the driveway!). She learnt to bath, be trimmed, walk in hand correctly and politely and learnt to load. I started long reining her at 3 with a roller on. (She had already been bitted due to inhand showing). She also learnt what cars were about. She did little more than that. She was separated from her young field mate that year as he had turned 4 and was taken for backing, so she was only then with my older mare. At 4 she was backed. She was the easiest horse I have ever backed - I just jumped on her bareback! (other ground work had been completed prior to this - I'm not a total looney!!!) At 5 the older mare died beside her in the field from a heart attack. It was hard but she got to say goodbye her own way, so she knew she was gone (happened in front of me on morning turnout).

To this day I would say that she was the most loving, genuine horse in the world. She was a tom-boy and hated too much canoodling but my god she had so much love to give.

I bred a beautiful filly from her (having moved yards). Her up bringing was different though. She lived with a similar age foal at weaning. Stabled at night and out to play in the day. They were out together for the next summer but that winter they were separated as the field mate kept getting abscesses etc. so I turned her back out with her mother. A week later her mother kicked her and broke her splint bone !!! so she spent most her time stabled until the injury was mended. She was handled a hell of a lot due this. When fully mended she was turned out by herself next to her mother as there was nothing else available to me at that time to accommodate her. She was backed at 3 and half then turned away until her 4th year. Now she was even politer than her mother in day to day situations. Nothing at all fazed her. When she was backed the first thing she did was frog march me down the road totally by herself as if to say "come on, lets explore the world together"......so so brave. I sadly had to her put to sleep with her mother at the age of 6 (extremely long heart breaking story).

I have just purchased the half sister of my welsh cob mare that I so dearly loved, from the same breeder. She is 2 years old. She has been left in field most of her life with two other youngsters. She has had minimal handling. She is another loving horse, that wants to learn new things and takes everything in her stride, although I am lucky though to be able to turn her out with another youngster.

I guess what I'm saying is, my homebred and extremely well handled horses have never ever been bolshy or hard work as others have suggested. Both were easy to back and both were scoring over 70% UA when competed, but we all have our backing ways. Currently at my yard there is a herd of youngsters that are not handled (bar injections & the odd feet trim) and I can say is : ALL of them are rude and bolshy as they are not handled enough IMO. God help the people who end up backing them !

So Becca, do what you think is right and try new things that you want to. You will learn what your baby wants to do, what it doesn't like and what might need working on more etc.

In an ideal world none of us would own horses as they would all be running wild being left to their own devices with no human intervention!!! but here we all are, loving our horses in our own ways and trying our best to provide and educate them to the best of our abilities.

Good luck and love every single minute of it!

 

[Becca_Daisy]

Wow what a lengthy post with all sorts of responses !!!!

I will add my ten pence worth .......... I raised a welsh cob from 6 months old to 18 (when sadly PTS). 6 months to 11 months she was stabled most of the time, as my yard was unsuitable for youngsters. I moved her and my older mare to a more suitable yard for them both, although I lost my wonderful hacking! But there lives were better, being able to live out 24/7. The baby lived out with another youngster from then until 2. She was checked daily and came in on the odd occasion for grooming etc but came in regularly for her feet to be trimmed. During her 2-3 year she was shown in hand. She lived out all summer but I stabled her overnight over the winter (as felt really bad having seen her the previous winter soaking wet etc! - field was next to the driveway!). She learnt to bath, be trimmed, walk in hand correctly and politely and learnt to load. I started long reining her at 3 with a roller on. (She had already been bitted due to inhand showing). She also learnt what cars were about. She did little more than that. She was separated from her young field mate that year as he had turned 4 and was taken for backing, so she was only then with my older mare. At 4 she was backed. She was the easiest horse I have ever backed - I just jumped on her bareback! (other ground work had been completed prior to this - I'm not a total looney!!!) At 5 the older mare died beside her in the field from a heart attack. It was hard but she got to say goodbye her own way, so she knew she was gone (happened in front of me on morning turnout).

To this day I would say that she was the most loving, genuine horse in the world. She was a tom-boy and hated too much canoodling but my god she had so much love to give.

I bred a beautiful filly from her (having moved yards). Her up bringing was different though. She lived with a similar age foal at weaning. Stabled at night and out to play in the day. They were out together for the next summer but that winter they were separated as the field mate kept getting abscesses etc. so I turned her back out with her mother. A week later her mother kicked her and broke her splint bone !!! so she spent most her time stabled until the injury was mended. She was handled a hell of a lot due this. When fully mended she was turned out by herself next to her mother as there was nothing else available to me at that time to accommodate her. She was backed at 3 and half then turned away until her 4th year. Now she was even politer than her mother in day to day situations. Nothing at all fazed her. When she was backed the first thing she did was frog march me down the road totally by herself as if to say "come on, lets explore the world together"......so so brave. I sadly had to her put to sleep with her mother at the age of 6 (extremely long heart breaking story).

I have just purchased the half sister of my welsh cob mare that I so dearly loved, from the same breeder. She is 2 years old. She has been left in field most of her life with two other youngsters. She has had minimal handling. She is another loving horse, that wants to learn new things and takes everything in her stride, although I am lucky though to be able to turn her out with another youngster.

I guess what I'm saying is, my homebred and extremely well handled horses have never ever been bolshy or hard work as others have suggested. Both were easy to back and both were scoring over 70% UA when competed, but we all have our backing ways. Currently at my yard there is a herd of youngsters that are not handled (bar injections & the odd feet trim) and I can say is : ALL of them are rude and bolshy as they are not handled enough IMO. God help the people who end up backing them !

So Becca, do what you think is right and try new things that you want to. You will learn what your baby wants to do, what it doesn't like and what might need working on more etc.

In an ideal world none of us would own horses as they would all be running wild being left to their own devices with no human intervention!!! but here we all are, loving our horses in our own ways and trying our best to provide and educate them to the best of our abilities.

Good luck and love every single minute of it!

Thank you very much! So sorry to hear about yours being put to sleep �� I'd love for her to be in with another youngster, but the Colt on our yard hasn't been cut yet which is a definite no go for me! She's a very loving horse, who at times can be bolshy but she is fully aware of her place. I think it's just a case of whatever is most suitable for the youngster in question! Lovely to hear your view on it.

 

[Moomin1]

Maybe aim to take her to some inhand shows? You can practise in the field beforehand. Good experience for her and gets her used to a show environment.
I didn't do a lot with my gelding at 2, he came in for a brush and a token feed and we practised picking feet up (he was mollycoddled by previous owner and had no concept of personal space or basic handling). He spent 30 mins out of the field 4 or 5 times a week. Once he was 3 we went to a few shows which really boosted his confidence in loading, travelling and the show field.
He grew up to be an absolute gentleman and my best friend. I had to sell him when I had my daughter and I regret it every day. Sadly my hands were tied.

Get him back. Last I saw he was for sale the other week