2 year olds, what do you do?

[TallyHo123]

just wondering what you guys do with your two year olds?
Mine has had everything taken very slowly with her and I'm wanting to start doing a bit more now.
Just wondering what you do etc. She leads well, picks up feet, has had a pair of boots on, had a numner on her back, she's a bit spooky of rugs but will accept one.
She's very inquisitive and seems to take everything in her stride, she's very nosy and loves investigating!

Only problem is she is terrified of the farrier, my farrier is great and spends ages with her etc. Doesn't loose his temper with her but she shakes in fear of him, not the actually having the feet done just him

Thanks

 

[irish_only]

I know what you mean - I've got a 2yo and last time we measured her she was 16.3!! She looks very mature and I do keep wondering whether to mouth and long rein her at some time this year.
Re the farrier, I NEVER titbit or bribe with food, the exception being youngsters that may be a bit worried about the farrier, and I usually have a bucket with food in to distract them so it doesn't become an issue. After a couple of times they forget that they thought they were worried. It could be because they are irish tho !! lol

 

[Enfys]

just wondering what you guys do with your two year olds?
Mine has had everything taken very slowly with her and I'm wanting to start doing a bit more now.
Just wondering what you do etc.

Thanks

Everything bar having someone on their backs.

Loading, leading, long reining, spook busting, all 2 year olds are bitted and saddled, ground work (if you don't teach your horse anything else, teach her that "Whoa" means stop, right now, and DON'T move your feet and to tie up, the most important things a horse can learn) poles and small jumps, anything that I can think of. What I don't do, that I should, is take the babies to shows, even if just to look around.

Re the scared of farrier thing - is your mare handled by men at all? She may just not be used to men (mine aren't) or perhaps she doesn't like the smell of him, if he hot shoes she'll be able to smell that on him too, bit difficult to replicate that for practice though.

 

[Tempi]

I have a 2yr old and he does the same as Enfy's ones. Hes lunged (only in walk with small bursts of trot) with a roller and very very loose side reins on for about 10mins every other week, he goes out for walks around the gallops and lanes, hes been over poles, loose schooled, ties up anywhere, groomed, bitted, hes going out inhand showing a couple of times, i take him for rides out in the lorry so he gets used to it, hes had baths, mane pulled, plaited, unplaited, had clippers on him (not clipped though, just to get used to it). Think thats about all i can think of at the moment.....

 

[sammiea]

My two 2yr olds do everything bare be ridden, although my son (10mths) sits on their backs (is held on) and is led round every so often. One is slightly more advanced than the other but I've had her since a yearling so she has had more handling time, she hacks out leading from the bike, she loves to jump on the lunge, long reins, wears bridle, saddle and has been to 5 shows so far this year (did 2 last year), was fully clipped last winter (twice - she got so itchy with her thick coat vet suggested taking it off) the other one is doing all the above bar the clipping & leading from the bike as she is still to nervous on the road.