A sore subject for some, backing A 2YR PONY

[Dexter]

I put 2 of mine in a 3 acre paddock last year and they were utter sods! This is what I found them doing:

Oh how I laughed at the funny sword fighting ponies. Then I realised the little sods were ripping up the neighbours fence and battering each other with it!!

The were out normally in a massive field, in a small bachelor herd, with lots of stimulus. Trees, a stream, undulating terrain, fallen logs and lots of passers by. They went straight back and were no bother at all from then on

 

[irishdraft]

I have two youngsters now rising 5 who have been lucky enough to be out 24/7 together all their lives, as yearlings thru to rising 3 year olds they did nothing but play, eat and sleep my fields looked like they had been ploughed from the amount of charging around and games they were having, so i suggest a young companion if possible for your pony, rising 2 is to young for backing.

 

[madiz123]

Hmm... I can definitely see that there are good reasons why not to do it at two - but I think it can depend on the horse..

My pony was backed at 2 - she is a cobxtb but definitely on the tb side.

She matured quickly and did a lot of gentle work from ages 2 -3 - as in walking/trotting with a light rider. By the time she was 3 she was being gently cantered every day (btw she is a polo pony so the way of riding at that stage is very relaxed anyway)

I think if she hadn't done all that she would have been a NIGHTMARE at 4.5 (when she suddenly got this rush of energy) but she had already got a calm state of mind when being ridden so it didn't affect her riding.

I'm not saying this is the right way to do it in every case - I'm just saying that it worked for her.

 

[OFG]

If she is OK to lead off another why not just taken her out hacking?

That way she gets the education of traffic and the exercise etc but with the security of another horse there for reassurance.

Also, why not just start to long rein her. That way she is learning about aids and voice training but without the extra stress on her body of having a riding on board.

Personally wouldn't go down the route of backing her just to give her something to do. There are plently of other things she could be doing (why not try in-hand showing to get her out and about and educated?)

 

[OFG]

I put 2 of mine in a 3 acre paddock last year and they were utter sods! This is what I found them doing:

Oh how I laughed at the funny sword fighting ponies. Then I realised the little sods were ripping up the neighbours fence and battering each other with it!!

 

[PolarSkye]

Sounds to me like she's trying to play with you in the field - if she doesn't have any young company out there, and your mare isn't up for playing - she's just bored and looking for someone to muck about with.

She is to young to be ridden -and I don't think a ten minute walk down the road is going to make any difference - it's a playmate she's after. She might be kept busy while you're doing stuff with her, but she's still going to be bored and up to mischief for the remaining 23h. Can you not borrow another baby to keep her occupied?

This. And chuck them both in with your older mare . . . she can play referee and the two young'uns can play.

I wouldn't be backing her . . . she's much too young and needs to grow up some more first.

P

 

[AmyMay]

Generally talking to 2 other horsey people earlier and they suggested that she could easily be sat on

Having seen photo's of her I would say she's far too immature to sit on.

And I doubt she's bored, just a healthy and exuberant 2 year old. Does she have company now??

 

[Suechoccy]

How about a few sessions in a corner of the field on the ground doing despooking, poles, trec type obstacles. All sorts of patterns of poles you could rig up on the ground or low crosspoles or crosspoles in a circle, do an s-bend on the ground and walk her through it forwards and reverse her through it, umbrellas, flags, gymballs, balloons for her to see and have around her.

There's a few books out there with groundwork exercises for youngsters (Richard Maxwell, Kelly Marks) which will give you some more ideas.

Look at BHS trec site for ideas for trec obstacles to make.

Teach her verbal commands for Back and Over (to move sideways). Teach her handsignals/body language for the same.

Basically things to keep her mind busy while allowing her body to mature.

A carrot-treat ball decahedron will amuse her too.

(I'm in similar situation to you - an old horse, a 2 year old and a small field). It's all very well people to say "put the baby in a large field with other young horses for company" but not all of us have access to a friend/acquaintance with a large field with other young horses for company, and for some of us, the enjoyment in bringing up a youngster is to have them at home. It's part of the journey.

 

[Puppy]

Sounds to me like she needs other young company.

 

[Suechoccy]

How about a few sessions in a corner of the field on the ground doing despooking, poles, trec type obstacles. All sorts of patterns of poles you could rig up on the ground or low crosspoles or crosspoles in a circle, do an s-bend on the ground and walk her through it forwards and reverse her through it, umbrellas, flags, gymballs, balloons for her to see and have around her.

There's a few books out there with groundwork exercises for youngsters (Richard Maxwell, Kelly Marks) which will give you some more ideas.

Look at BHS trec site for ideas for trec obstacles to make.

Teach her verbal commands for Back and Over (to move sideways). Teach her handsignals/body language for the same.

Basically things to keep her mind busy while allowing her body to mature.

A carrot-treat ball decahedron will amuse her too.

(I'm in similar situation to you - an old horse, a 2 year old and a small field).

 

[Nannon]

Similar situation with me too - yearlong and an 11 year old in a smallish paddock - she's fine at the moment an hopefully in the next few months they will be going to join my 2 other horses in a 30 acre field. But my other 2 horses are 15 and 19... Would another young one be the ideal situation? Or will she be ok in a mix of ages? Just asking as I would love her to have one get own age but can't see my parents agreeing

 

[walkers_dream]

i know a few people who have broken their ponies to drive for this reason, not as much strain on the body (providing they are mature enough to handle it physically)

mines 2 going on 3 now, and we have done alot of introducing to long reining, harnesses, bridles, saddles, girths, big scary plastic sheets on the floor, water, so on so 4th, just introducing them to things they would normally find too scary!

found working pirrelli helps with being bored, as join up exersises keep those little young minds ticking. And as soon as i notice my youngsters getting bored we stop, and relax with treats usually

 

[walkers_dream]

I put 2 of mine in a 3 acre paddock last year and they were utter sods! This is what I found them doing:

Oh how I laughed at the funny sword fighting ponies. Then I realised the little sods were ripping up the neighbours fence and battering each other with it!!

The were out normally in a massive field, in a small bachelor herd, with lots of stimulus. Trees, a stream, undulating terrain, fallen logs and lots of passers by. They went straight back and were no bother at all from then on

posts like this should be illigal in work hours....haha i lol'd!

 

[AdorableAlice]

I laughed at the 2 playing with the picket fencing - but - I have also seen a beautiful young horse lay on the kennel floor with a picket stake that had gone in through his brisket and out behind his elbow. It was an horrific sight.

Sorry but in my opinion, and many will not agree with me, but picket fencing has no place in fencing horses in.

Back to the subject on backing 2 year olds. I have backed and ridden in a round pen a horse that was 2 1/2 years old, so that would be late autumn of his 2nd year, (he was born 1st April) then turned him out until spring. Started him again and got him pottering about very gently under saddle through the summer/autumn of his 3rd year. Limited work in school, just halt/walk/trot transitions on straight lines and short hacks to see exciting things like tractors, pheasants etc etc. Turned out again when the clocks changed in October and got him back in spring of his 4th year.

This horse was 17h at 2 1/2 yrs old and 18h at 7 years of age and a total gentleman throughout his education and life, but had I left him until he was 4 or 5 to do the very basic work he did at 2 and 3 he would have been a huge thug to deal with.

I think you need to assess what you have got in both mental and physical ability before making any decisions.

 

[Beatrice5]

My huge filly has just turned 2 on the 16th March and while she has worn tack as she was being a pest while I was untaking her mum I used her as a saddle stand I wouldn't actually ride her. I have leant accross her and she fell asleep so I can't see it being an issue.

My Newfie we bought as a 2 yr old and he had filled out so much now as a 5 yr old you wouldn't believe. At 2 they are so weedy and immature I really can't see her being able to carry a rider unless a tiny tot.

We walked out in hand regularly and went on the hunt for bin lorries, tractors, wheely bins and every scary thing possible. I also put safe objects in the field for him to investigate such as a compost bin, flag well secured to fence but flapping in the wind, huge pilates ball, trugs to chuck about and changed the items regularly. I also built safe jumps for him to playwith and often demolish just to keep him busy.