2 yr old went nuts today!

[Pennyhp]

I have a 2 yr old quarter horse x Apaloosa mare boarding (livery) at my yard.
Her owners know nothing and have owned her since she was born.
She came to my yard a couple of months ago. Up until that time she had done very little. Gone for a few walks and been lighty groomed but thats about all.
At two she is 15.2 HH and strong.
She is very sweet usually but has no manners.
While she has been with me I have taught her to stand to have her headcollar put on and to lead nicely in and out of the field etc but thats it.

We have a round pen so I thought I would help the girls who own her to get her leading in hand properly and do just a little lunging and loose schooling.
Nothing much as she is still young. But she is well grown and level so I thought it would be good for her manners and education.
I am quite out of practice as I havn't had horses for about 10 yrs.
We have had severel really good sessions and she has been responding well to the voice comands.
we have only worked in walk and transitions to halt.
She is however really unresponsive, almost retarded in her responses. Most 2 yr olds will go forward only too willingly, whereas I was thinking I needed a rocket up her backside to get her walking out.
Today I decided to try loose schooling her after I had done a little walking in hand and she went a little crazy.
I asked her to "walk on" and sent her forward and she went off in trot. this is unusual for her. then she went into canter and I made soothing slowing noises to calm her, but she got really wound up and started coming in at me and kicking out.
There was actually some real intent in her manner.
I left the round pen and calmed her down from the outside where it was safe. then I took her back to her stall and she walked back ok.

Later I noticed that she was acting like she might be in season.

What do you think?
Could being in season elicit such a response?

I also think that as she has done so little, she is balking at the idea of being asked to do something.
I have noticed when I have been picking out her feet (another thing she wasn't used to) that she can get like a petulant child. She is definately not frightened, its just obvious that she is being made to do something that she doesn't want to.

I am a bit unsure about how to proceed with her.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Penny

 

[Tia]

2 year olds loose in round pens for the first time are a law unto themselves unless they have had a fair amount of lead training first.

The initial couple of times I allow my yearlings freedom in the round pen, they go in alone. They generally get excited and work off a bit of steam and once they are calm that is when I go in and do some easy and fun work with them.

Sounds like an absolutely text book case of a 1 or 2 year old going out for their first time loose in a round pen.

My guys have all finished their seasons for the winter however we are perhaps chillier than you out in the Maritimes.

If she was mine, I'd do a lot more on a lead before letting her have free rein in there right now. I'd certainly make sure her manners are more advanced than what she sounds like at present. Once she is proficient on the lead line then I would do join up with her when she goes in there loose - that should have her working on your level fairly quickly.

Have fun but keep safe!

 

[Pennyhp]

Thanks Chrisitiamas

I will work on her manners in the stable and do a lot more in hand work when I get the time.

The trouble is none of this is really my job. I just provide board for her. For $200 a month training is not included.
I did explain from the start that I wasn't intending to train horses here.
I have trained them in the past, but have worked mainly with ponies. At 44 I don't want to be backing horses and doing all the early stuff really. Especially as I have no experienced help on the ground.

the girls who own her are only 14 and 16 and the parents know nothing at all.

My advice to them has been from the start that they should sell her and get something older that is trained.

Even if they send this horse away next year to be trained it is going to be very green and only at the very begining of her education.
they will be in no position to bring her on.

We have no indoor facility for riding so soon we will have no place to work when the weather gets too cold.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Tia]

Totally understand - it's the same here, however I'm a bit luckier in that all of my boarders are mature people so they tend to have a bit more gumption and of course they are bigger and more capable.

One thought - I have a horse boarding here. He came last year as a 2 year old; very bolshy and bargy - got on my nerves actually! Anyway he was on indoor board and was becoming more bolshy every day I turned him out into his small herd of horses under him. Anyway I suggested to the owner that he be turned out 24/7 in my roughty-toughty herd of boys. I thought that they would help him with his tank-like mentality. It worked a treat! They taught him far more, much quicker, than I could have done in that time-frame. He's now rising 4 and is a really nicely behaved horse on the ground.

$200 a month for indoor board??? That is VERY cheap.

 

[Pennyhp]

There is not a lot of money in the greater Moncton area.
There are also a lot of cheap places to keep a horse.
Many are fairly substandard in their care though.
I am charging $200 a month and include hay and bedding. Hard feed is extra. And worming is also extra.
People are also a bit surprised when I present them with an agreement to sign before I take their horses. Not something thats done round here.
My facilities are not great at the moment. Iv'e only had the place since May, but my board will increase as the place improves.
I don't stable every night, only when the weather warrants it.

We have a good run in shelter so that should minimize my mucking out.

Last night we had the tale end of hurricane Noel so they were all in for the night though.