Baby horse musings

[sarahann1]

I'm pondering, randomly, how much time do you think, realistically, you need to spend each day/week with a baby horse to get it going well? As in good to handle, shoe, install good manners, happy with tack on (no rider obv) etc etc

Say it was a 2 year old.....

Or is it really a question of 'how long is a piece of string'?

Just random musings really, I realise I prob don't have the time for a baby, but then sometimes I wonder.....I defo don't have the pennies just now, but who knows whats round the corner (fingers crossed for the Euromillions tonight!).

 

[CBFan]

How long is a piece of string?!

I spend 3 hours a day at the yard (doing jobs) and sometimes there isn't enough time to do everything!

My boy is 4 now and going through a rebellious stage so I'm having to spend more time with him now than I did 2 years ago!

 

[Benlot]

I do think that when you have not had a baby horse for a while you do tend to forget how much time and patience they need to develop correct basic manners. I have worked with a lot of youngsters over the years then got a 'proper' job so it has been a few years since I got my last horse as a baby, then 3 years ago found my gorgeous baby horse and had to have him - as i say i had completely forgotten how time consuming thay can be!!!! Well worth it though.

 

[madhoss]

Completely depends on age and the animal. You could buy something untouched at 2yo and have to spend hours getting a headcollar on or something the same age which has been handled well.

I had my girlie at six months. I had two weeks off work doing nothing but bonding and basics with her.

Now at rising two I do very little with her (and at her age prefer doing too little as opposed to too much!). Bring her in probably once a week for a groom. I'm very lucky that she is very laid back, learns quickly and remembers everything! I'm also lucky that my two older mares do a fab job with keeping her (kindly) in line so she is very well mannered without me having to keep on top of her.

My kind of plan is that once she's two/two and a half I'll start bringing her in during the day in summer and over night in winter and do little bits daily, say 15-30 mins max.

Buying her has been one of the best decisions I've made and although sometimes she is time consuming she's so worth it!

 

[sychnant]

I got my baby a couple of weeks ago, at 6 months old. He leads and has feet picked out, can be touched almost all over, and will also tie up (supervised closely of course) and is happy to have rugs put on and taken off. Oh, and he loads into a trailer beautifully.

He comes in every night with my others, so is handled every day. Unless we find any problems he won't be doing much more than that until spring, when he may go for a tiny walk up the road, and will be taught to trot in-hand ready for shows over the summer.

If I keep him entire he will be bitted at around 2 for showing purposes.

He won't be doing much more than that until he's around 3, when I will start introducing tack and doing very short longlining sessions in preparation for backing, hopefully, as a 4 year old.

This is roughly what I did with my last youngster, I believe in just doing the very basics unless you have good reason to do more - but if I'm missing anything, ideas are welcome. I do think it depends a lot on the individual horse though, as others have said

 

[indiat]

I bought my boy as a two year old and I was very lucky in that his breeder had done all the groundwork with him. He went to shows with her so he had to have very good in hand manners. I really just had to reinforce them so I did a bit every day. I spent about an hour every day leading him, picking up feet, grooming, making him back up for his feed etc. He is a cheeky boy but has a gentle, easy going temprement so it hasn't been to onorous (sp?).

 

[BonneMaman]

I believe that the pure basics of bringing in, feeding, grooming, rugging, picking up feet at night then in the morning the same and turning out every day does wonders for youngsters. They love routine and it is amazing how much of this type of groundwork all helps later on.

If you throw them in a field and do the grooming basics it all takes a lot longer to bond etc.

 

[poacher82]

I believe that the pure basics of bringing in, feeding, grooming, rugging, picking up feet at night then in the morning the same and turning out every day does wonders for youngsters.

I agree - I got my youngster as a yearling in May, well handled, halter broken etc, and he lived out 24/7 until 3 weeks ago. Only bringing him in because my horse comes in at nights, not because he needs to, but hey ho!

Suffice to say that his general manners have improved so much without any concerted effort on my part, just through generally being around each other more. For e.g. whereas he was very bargy in the field at feed time, he will now back away politely from the stable door and wait for his bucket, that sort of thing. He's also generally much more friendly as we are getting to know each other better.

 

[Aidey]

Just as others have already said really, I recently bought a 10 month old colt, he is stabled over night but turned out during the day, has feet picked out, groomed and we're just getting to know eachother at the minute

Don't mean to hijack the thread..

Unless we find any problems he won't be doing much more than that until spring, when he may go for a tiny walk up the road, and will be taught to trot in-hand ready for shows over the summer.

If I keep him entire he will be bitted at around 2 for showing purposes.

Sychnant - I am planning on showing my colt next year who will then be 1 year old. Nothing much, just the inhand youngstock at our local show once a month. I was told as a colt he had to be bitted, does this only apply once he has turned 2 years of age? I thought he had to be bitted regardless. Will check with our shows rules to be sure

 

[sychnant]

Aidey, mine is a Section C, and showing guidelines state that

"Colts & Stallions Two years old or over, should be suitably bitted. The use of stallion Show Tack is optional."

Shows may have their own rules of course, but I'm planning on following the above guidelines unless they state otherwise on their schedules

Sorry for hijacking op

 

[Clodagh]

I am in the minority. My yearling lives out 24/7. I pick his feet out once a week and he comes in every six weeks for the farrrier (more this last month as the hunt are about). He is good to tie up, lead, rug, pick feet up and groom, although I do it very, very rarely!
Next winter, when he is two, I plan to bring him in overnight and do more with him. I think you get more problems with over handled youngsters than under handled. He is very respectful of me - except when I'm poo picking, that wheelbarrow is more than a boy can bear! I spend time with him every day loose in the field, having a scratch and a chat.

 

[Aidey]

Sychnant, Ah I didn't think of different breeds! Mine is a ISH x TB so will just check with local show. Thanks for your reply

OP, apologies again for hijacking your thread

 

[sarahann1]

Thanks for the replies folks Thats sort of along the lines of what I thought. Its the satisfaction of it all which attracts me to thinking about it. Plus I have contacts who might loan/sell me a baby if I asked, I don't have the money to have a 3rd just now, but one day I will have a new horse and its very tempting to get a baby, even though I'd more than likely need to get it professionally broken in when the time came.