Buying a yearling or two yearlings?!

K

kit279

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 January 2008
Messages
3,612
Visit site
It's a possibility that I might look to be getting a yearling at point this year (nice, smart, eventing bred, the kind I couldn't afford once it was 4!) and I have been wondering whether I really ought to get two so they have some age-appropriate company.

I have two gelding currently but they are 12 and 13 years old now and one of them is very much 'boss man' and is quite strict with the other one. From a herd point of view, might it be better to get a second yearling so that they can play with one another properly? I worry that the oldest gelding would over-discipline the youngster if he was trying to play and that he might get a bit picked on. What are people's thoughts? We would likely have our own land so livery cost is not such an issue.

I also wonder whether I should put the youngsters in with the older ones so they learn about herd life or whether I should keep them separate. Does it make much difference? I am just keen to think about this in advance as it will have some impact on how I set up my paddock fencing!!!
smile.gif


Thanks for any advice.
 
I have 2 yearlings, well they will be 2 in June. I bought them both as foals as i wanted somone to keep my first foal company! They still play all day and mess about. I also have a 4yr old section a and he is still young enough that he joins in with the play. I had a 5 yr old mare in with them tooover last summer but she was far too tough on them so i took her out and put her next door. They are at home too so i can move them about as i want. I wouldn't put anything with shoes in with the babies either, but that is just my choice!
 
in an ideal world getting another youngster would be a god idea but i have had youngsters in the past that only had older horses for company and they were fine.

in fact, my grumpy old boss horse tends to be much kinder to young horses than he ever is to the older ones who he is a strict disciplinarian with!

with regards to putting them in together it really depends on your older horses.
even my grumpiest lot aren't kickers- they are good at pulling faces and nipping though!
i always had mine all together and never had any issues but i know some people don't like to do it.
 
I've got one and she's in with my older dominant mare and seems fine, she still plays and hoons around when she wants and torments the mare, but what is good is the mare is teaching her a lot of stuff about manners so I don't have to!

Due to circumstances I had to board her with some friends the first two weeks and she was out with their youngster - her behaviour and manners improved substantially when she then moved in with my mare and she actually seemed much happier and calmer with that arrangement.

Ideally I'd have a young friend for her, but she is fine without.
 
It is better to have at least 2 youngsters if you can (yep and I know where there is another one too :-)))

I have all my horses out together, the only time I split them is the first couple of weeks with newborns. I have everything from a shod 19 year old gelding to foals, yearlings, two year olds, 3year olds, brood mares ( ranging in age from 10 to 18) and a 9 year old gelding all in the same paddock. The geldings seem to take the youngsters under their wings and look after them ore than the mares!! I feel it is a good lesson in horse manners which translates to better adjusted horses.

Good luck and enjoy your youngster
grin.gif
grin.gif
 
Its always usefull to let younsters but out together and be with some older horses as well, the youngsters will play together and the older one will teach them some manners. If you get two, which would be wise please be sensible with there intordustion to the older ones.

good luck
 
However many you buy, if/when the age groups are mixed, you might want to consider removing the hind shoes of the older horses.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It is better to have at least 2 youngsters if you can (yep and I know where there is another one too :-)))



[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed - and I know where there are another 2 (or 3!)
grin.gif


I tend to run youngsters in sex/age groups - and then add an old mare if they need manners teaching. Young geldings (OR fillies) can be a bit playful and mischievous - and older horses can get pi**ed off with them.
 
I know where there are 1 or 2 for sale as well LOL

I find 2 youngsters together is great as they can play but also having an older horse into reinforce manners and herd dynamics.

At the moment I have 2 yearlings and a 2yo in together with an 18yo nanny to keep an eye on things
 
Another who has one yearling for sale but going back to the original point we run ours by age until they are two and then they get to go with the older ones when they are a bit more robust.
I have once put a bossy yearling in with older ones to take her down a peg or two but on the whole i like them to play innocently.
We have 4 yearling fillies together at the moment and they are all incredibly well behaved and polite to handle.
They do play roungh and tumble between themselves mind you.
On the whole we try and avoid putting foals/weanlings with older horses.
 
My rising 3yr old is always happier with other younger horses. He and his annoying bestest friend (same age) would spend HOURS playing together. The older geldings just weren't intersted. Said Annoying Bestest Friend has now moved to but Pipsqueak has a 7month old foal to play with. He's not quite as interested in playing anymore and she's annyoing him, so we're loooking at getting another weanling to keep her company.

We have a mixed age herd (three older geldings and the two youngster) and it works brilliantly. I would always get a similar ages youngster (pref the same sex too) for them to play with if at all possible. And at least two older horses to be boring old farts together.

Plus if you have your own land (and therefore not forking out a fortune for livery) a youngster can be quite a good investment - buy a cheap coloured cob type now for pennies and sell it on for a decent price at 4yrs old, broken and hacking out well, for a decent price. Nice and easy to train and cheap to keep.
 
OOOWWW band wagon! I have 1or2 too, they are turned out with a 13.2, 30yr old mare she is defo the boss and is the best granny ever, and the foals are very respectful!!!!! Have great manners.
wink.gif
 
My youngsters are odd! One of my yearlings (yearling this year) does not like younger horses, he doesn't like playing or anything like that and when I put him in with my other yearling who is a couple of months younger, he panicked and jumped 3 fences to get away from him. He much prefers the company of older horses.

When a foal was introduced to the herd recently, my second yearling who likes to play ignored her, if she comes anywhere near him he chases her away. She has now become attached to one of the older geldings and my yearling hangs out with the 3 year olds. My first yearling is in a different field as he kept trying to escape from the youngsters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top