After you thoughts regarding my 2 year old please

Lea1985

Lea1985

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I have a 2 year old traditional cob, this has been our first showing season. He has been out id say once a month since March. We have done well and qualified for Royal London and also Traditional Horse of the Year Show (TOYS)We did well at both, winning at TOYS. He loved being at the big shows and showed off beautifully. He was an angel

I decided to take him to our local show on Sunday and he was so sleepy in the ring. Wouldn't walk out and trotted really slowly (usually trots a bit too fast!)

He has seemed quiet recently, do you think he has just had enough? That was his last show of the year. He has always been very calm but I could always gee him up in the ring. He is eating, drinking and going to the toilet ok. He is he happy little self.

I am worried I have done too much with him,His usual routine is :- a walk around the village (15-20 mins) twice a week, we have done a bit of long reining and go into the school to play with parelli (the games) which he loves

Just after your thoughts please
 
I would leave him alone now for a nice long holiday. He won't forget anything you have taught him and he is only 2. They put a lot of energy into growth as well.
 
Yes, I'd say you'd done too much with him.

Turn him away now until next year. But well done with your achievements this year.
 
Thank you for your replies, yes thats been my plan. Was going to leave him for the winter now. My only worry is that he is getting tubby! He lives on fresh air, my farrior said to work him and I told him my concerns of him only being two years old. I have never had a youngster before and I want to by right by this little man!
 
He sounds like a happy well adjusted boy. That has seen the sights and sounds and as he has been to a few shows he probably just sees it as nothing to get upset or worked up about. if he goes walks round the village he may just have the been there done that attitude i know alot of cobs that just take everything in their stride hence the name bomb proof lol. I wouldnt be worried if he is acting his usual self in every other way. I have a big loan cob at the moment as i just lost my PBA and at 20 she had much more get up and go and excitibilty than the cob has. She really is unflappable and do be honest quite ploddy and the only time she gets remotley excited is dinner time. My youngster is 2 and 3/4 tb and she gets a bit too over excited at everything but had no handling until i got her at 22 months. You sound like you have done all the right things with your boy. xx
 
Maesfen said:
I agree with the others that he's done enough for now. Time to put him away, let him grow some grease in his coat and be a totally natural horse for the next six months out in the field at least.
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Thank you, hehehe yup I will do that. What about him being a fat roly poly though? :) he is in a 3 acre field, will have access to a huge woodchipped shelter in the winter. There will be hay in the field in the winter too
 
Well, I suspect the grass won't last very long with so many of them on it - especially with so much wet weather, so personally I wouldn't worry about his weight. He'll need the hay to maintain it - and with 4 other equines in the field they'll need hay to supplement them through the winter.
 
Lea1985 said:
Thank you, hehehe yup I will do that. What about him being a fat roly poly though? :) he is in a 3 acre field, will have access to a huge woodchipped shelter in the winter. There will be hay in the field in the winter too
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Yes, but remember, he is a growing baby which takes a lot out of them so will need all of that fuel.
Although mine have to be in at night, all of mine are fed ad lib haylage and I top them up last thing if they've finished. I wouldn't dream of restricting a youngster's intake of forage; hard feed, yes but not forage; they need it to keep warm and well.
 
Good, thats what I was hoping. I have another acre I can open up at the bottom. Field is on a hill so stays fairly dry. Hay will be a big round bale at a time (ad lib) in the shelter paddock which they can walk in and out of up a barked walk way. Hard to explain!
 
Be careful with haying in the shelter....unless its particularly large there is the potential for four horses and ponies to have a kicking match in a very enclosed space.
 
joeanne said:
Be careful with haying in the shelter....unless its particularly large there is the potential for four horses and ponies to have a kicking match in a very enclosed space.
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The shelter is in a 1 acre matted and barked paddock, the shelter is the size of 3 normal ones put together. The hay will be in a cattle feeder in the middle of the paddock in front of shelter if that makes sence? I also will be putting haynets up in the shelter incase :)
 
Yeah, just give him a bit of a break but I don't necessarily think you've done too much with him. Some people do a lot more. It's good to work their brains a bit. My 3 y hasn't done as much as yours and he is a fatty too at the moment but I am not too worried now going in to winter to be honest as the grass will lose it's goodness.

I do find moine gets quite brain-tired as i am backing him at the moment andeven after quite a short time of having to concentrate I can see he looks a little weary. it doesn't take much with a young brain learning new things. If you're like the rest of us anyway, you end up with less time in the dark days of winter to do so much with them anyway so naturally the work eases up for them over the next few months.
 
amymay said:
Constantly showing a youngster can make them very stale, and really switch them off.
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This is what I tried to make sure I didnt do :) I go most weeks to watch or am working on the photography at other shows and I see the same youngsters are there week in week out. Xander did one in March, One may, two june, one July, two in August (one was a weekend one at RL) one in September (weekend at TOYS) and one in October
 
amymay said:
That's quite a lot in my book.

But I appreciate that's not the reason for your post.
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It looks alot now I have written it :( Ive been to see him at lunch and promised him he will have the most fun time this winter being a baby pone :) Thank you for your advice amymay :)
 
amymay said:
Don't be :( about it. You were only out and about having a bit of fun - and by all accounts your little horse has enjoyed himself, and is now heading for a well deserved break:D
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Thats true :) So you would do nothing with him apart from brushing and bringing in to feed etc? just to clarify! :o
 
IMO I don't think he has done "too much" but he certainly deserves a good rest now and I would be turning him away for the winter. Agree that youngsters can go very stale with too much showing and usually find a way of making sure you know when that time has come.

I showed my 3yo welsh a in hand all 2011 summer and he too eventually fell asleep in the ring - I wasn't at all bothered by it though as I had achieved my goal of a quiet LR pony this year! ;-)
 
Lea1985 said:
Thats true :) So you would do nothing with him apart from brushing and bringing in to feed etc? just to clarify! :o
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No I wouldn't brush - he's wintering out.

Daily checks, and whatever feed (if any given you are concerned about his weight), farrier for trims, worming etc. And that would be it for me.

Others may disagree, however.
 
Lea1985 said:
Thats true :) So you would do nothing with him apart from brushing and bringing in to feed etc? just to clarify! :o
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TBH, if he's living out then he doesn't need any brushing at all, he needs the oils in his coat which will increase the grease which will keep him warm. Other than a check over every day he shouldn't need anything at all in the grooming department unless you have the farrier of course when he'll need his feet drying and brushing off. He might look scruffy to you from his summer showiness but all youngsters (and others too) need their down time where they don't get pestered by us. You'll be surprised next year when you bring him back how much he will have matured and bulked out by being able to relax and have fun.
 
OH MY DAYS!!!! okies no brushing, BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT I have to pig oil his feathers every 2 weeks or else he gets bogged burnt :( quick pig oil then turn out, if fact I could pig oil in the field! Even better :)
 
I actually don't think that is loads but then i suppose it may depen how long you spend at the events and how many classes you've been doing. I took mine as a 2 yo to just a couple of shows but then TBH I am not heavily in to showing (I find it boring) but wanted to get him otu and about for some life experience. I did another couple of bigger shows this year with him as a 3 yo but mainly just did generaly handling and reminding of manners with him in the interim.

All horses are different though and you have to work within what you feel they are capable of. I would be delighted if mine went to a show and was really laid back (he's pretty good and isn't naughty but still finds it very very exciting!!).

As i said though I think you'll naturally give him a break though in line with the weather etc so yeah just do what is necessary. I don't handle my horses every day at all - in fact in the winter I only see them in the daylight at weekends!!! :( As long as they are sound, have no injuries and look well then I am happy (and they seem to be too!!!)
 
Well done this season! I'd advise you to just let him be a baby this winter, he's earned it! There's babies out showing more than that, if he likes it carry on next year, if he doesn't cut down. Simples :)
 
Thank you every one. I have decided to turn him away (will look after feathers and mane and tail) until March! Bring on a muddy baby trad!! :-)
 
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