5 month Colt

[Jess1994PM]

There are 12 hours in that time in fact sometimes less as she comes in later on weekends and she’s pretty happy to come in she enjoys laying flat out in her bed and she has her feed and net the fields are substituted with a big bale of haylege weekly and she has a lush life - some foals live out 24/7 where I am rains constantly and they are all stood at the gate looking miserable

 

[ycbm]

I'm afraid I don't like nets at the best of times, (and neither do a lot of physios), but if you have a weanling eating from a net, which is an unnaturally high head position and requires a sideways or upwards jerk of the neck to free a bit of hay, I would be very, very concerned what that is doing to a very immature neck.

Come back when she's 4 and in work and tell us how she's getting on.
.

 

[Jess1994PM]

Sh

I'm afraid I don't like nets at the best of times, (and neither do a lot of physios), but if you have a weanling eating from a net, which is an unnaturally high head position and requires a sideways or upwards jerk of the neck to free a bit of hay, I would be very, very concerned what that is doing to a very immature neck.

Come back when she's 4 and in work and tell us how she's getting on.
.

e has a pony hay bar none of my horses have actual nets never used them but thanks again

 

[honetpot]

You have obviously been lucky I have seen a few yearling colts try and jump a 5 bar gate to get out of the field to get to mares, I've worked at a few breeding yards as well and most years you always get at least delinquent ?

You will always get one, but fillies be trouble, and mares can be wicked, I had one who could reverse at trot speed kicking out with every step.
Its the idea that colts are a problem and filly are not, where as if they are kept in a situation that is suitable for their development they are no more trouble than fillies. This hysteria actually works for me as I buy them cheaper at eight months to a year, for less what they were originally sold for, because their owners haven't really realised what their needs are. They are because they are a 'problem', when really they are just a normal young equine, whose needs have not been met, or they have got over confident and a bit pushy.

 

[Orangehorse]

There are books to read and videos to watch, and I've known people take on a young horse with little experience and progress, with the book in one hand!

What experience tells you is how to avoid situations that lead to trouble/accident/wrong outcome and this experience is hard earned sometimes.

So with a very young horse you need to look at what it needs, so the first thing is company, otherwise the youngster will see the human as its playmate which leads to all sorts of unwanted behaviour which may be sweet in a foal, but not in a strapping 4 year old. A horse has to learn to be a horse and that is best learned in a herd situation where it will understand horse language and be accepted as part of the crowd.

Then facilites - good fences and somewhere secure.

Then knowledge of what the youngster should be doing/progressing at any age.

Some animals turn out fine, despite the experience of their owners, for others the outcome can be terrible and there is unhappiness all round.

Also taking on a very young horse is never a cheap option!

 

[Winters100]

some foals live out 24/7 where I am rains constantly and they are all stood at the gate looking miserable

If mine were constantly standing around the gate I would question whether my turn out was good enough. Adequate forage and shelter? If it is satisfactory they will only be standing around the gate when they anticipate something happening.

Mine do indeed come to the gate when they see / hear me, but if I park round the side of the barn and observe them through the windows I see that they are perfectly happy and not waiting by the gate.

I am always a bit surprised when people refer to turned out horses 'looking miserable'. When people have said the same about mine they are usually just snoozing, or standing with their buts to the wind, which is entirely sensible.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Yes mine hang out at the gate after they've had their bucket feeds, watching me and my partner muck out stables and feed livestock. They're nosey little monkeys! They've got hay in the field, but just hanging out seeing what's going on!. I go over and let them blow kisses, well cold kisses on my face and warm up my hands scratching their necks, they soon get bored and go off for a quick charge about!

 

[Abi90]

There are 12 hours in that time in fact sometimes less as she comes in later on weekends and she’s pretty happy to come in she enjoys laying flat out in her bed and she has her feed and net the fields are substituted with a big bale of haylege weekly and she has a lush life - some foals live out 24/7 where I am rains constantly and they are all stood at the gate looking miserable

My mare lives out and people say she looks miserable… but she’s just at the gate when people get to the yard because that’s when I go down to hay and she’s expecting something.

My 18 month old colt spent all last winter living out, no rug on, in a 15 acre field with another colt and some sheep. He was fine. He’s now on youngstock livery in a herd of colts and geldings, out in the day and in a barn at night. I’m happier with him being able to play with his friends.

Having said this, one youngstock livery I looked at had their youngsters in pairs in crew barns all winter with no turnout at all. That was their standard practise. They do tend to produce highly strung youngsters though but they feel it works for them.