Does anyone else feel like this? (RE: Youngsters)

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Cedars

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Argh. Just being silly so feel free to ignore if you want.

Does anyone with youngsters sometimes just feel like its an ongoing battle, a new problem every day!?

I love Puzzle with all my heart and I wouldn't change her for the world, honestly, but every single day she's got a new trick at the moment! Last week it was rearing and refusing to lead properly, this week its been biting, nipping, rearing at her door, and today, barging through the tape to get out.

Every time I correct her, make her do some ground work if necessary, and that particular problem doesn't occur again. But its like she spends her nights sat in her box thinking of ways to drive me mad the next day!!!

Anyone else?

Hannah xx
 
G's stablemate isn't a youngster but he has episodes of naughtiness.

As the weathers getting better could you not stick her out 24/7 - obviously if you have the facilities to turn out all the time - as that really helps keep ours calm, he can just mooch around and stay level headed rather than as you stated 'sit in box' and scheme!
 
Shes out from 7 til 6 every day now its dried up a bit, she can't be out any longer but she's doing fine with that I think. I'm sure that its just the terrible twos but I find particularly when I'm on my own it gets me down. Its silly I know!
 
Aww the joys of babies! Stick with it. She WILL get better. I dispaired of mine but now she's rising four she's [fairly] civilised (well, most of the time :D).

Honestly, at times I thought I'd bred a M O N S T E R. You wont be alone at feeling aggravated by your 2 year olds antics! Honestly you wont. Keep being firm but kind, and you'll both get through it :)
 
My 3.5 year old will still pull out old tricks from her yearling days, but it's a case of re-reminding them what is right and what is wrong!

Yes, it can feel like you take one step forward and two steps back, but one day you will crack it, and have the most loveliest horse and look back and have a giggle about the old days!.

This is what makes youngsters so rewarding, and even better when you are keeping them for life and not selling them on.

I always think, i will be an OAP in 30 years time, and my filly will be too :)
 
Yes I do :D

Mine dements me sometimes, she's not only young (22 months) but also a Welsh cob - enough said :(

She's a complete horror some days, others she's like a total angel and I know she's just luring me into a false sense of security.
She's got a stinking attitude, challenges me constantly, and I threaten her with the sausage factory several times a week :D

On a positive note, she's also very sweet and affectionate, intelligent, brave and bold.
My horse of a lifetime, if I survive the next 2 years that is :)
 
No, I've been lucky enough to get two absolute angels (they're 4 this year and are currently being backed)! But my very first foal who was a surprise from a mare I had on load was a right little cowbag who spent all her time looking for trouble, so you have my sympathy!
 
ha ha, I know just what you mean, It always reminds me of the film jurassic park where they explain how canny the velocerapters are in that they are constantly testing the electric fence although never test the same place twice!

With regards to stabling I always buy a net of sweedes because my chap is currently nibbling everything including the new stables which daddy brought and daddy was none too pleased when he found out!! I religeously chuck a whole sweede in and he spends the night chasing it round the stable, helps to give him something to do, on top of that he always has a molasses vitamin lick or a salt lick, this usually works for him :)
 
The terrible two's.......... say no more! :D

My 2 2yr olds are v.good at the moment. However tonight I was dragged down the field by the yearling & kicked when she bucked with excitement. She bites me all the time. Paws me when I'm mucking out, follows me around like a dog, steals things I put down, sneaks into the feed room, chews her rug, thinks I'm a horse & tries to 'play' with me ........ need I go on!

She does my head in! I've only had her a few weeks though so she hasn't quite got used to my rules yet. She has been threatened with the old Pedigree Chum line a few times already! All said, She is absolutely lovely - once she drops the attitude! :rolleyes:
 
Some photos of the troublebum:

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Thanks guys. Its just about fixing them one step at a time but its so frustrating!!
 
God yes i felt like that. There was always something to try and get over. But now my boy is nearly 4 and we are just embarking on rebacking him and man does it make up for all the stuff we have been through.

I found all that stuff brought us closer and formed more of a bond. It helped me understand how he felt and showed me to progress with him.
 
when I read your post it was as if I'd written it myself - I have a 2 year filly very feisty but gorgeous - just before xmas she shied into me and broke and dislocated my shoulder - I'm still recovering - although it was not her fault just a freak accident I have lost confidence with her and have comtemplated selling her as a result. However, I have made a plan and will take each day as it comes. She has been well handled up till xmas and is out now 24/7 so I am going to give her and myself a break and plan to start again with help in April - I think alot of us with youngsters put our selves under pressure to keep doing new things with them but I don't think a month here and there left in the field does any harm at all. Please don't give up - but don't beat yourself up either. Stick at it and you will be rewarded in the end - thats what I keep telling myself anyway lol!! Just remember you are not alone. All the best with your baby!!
 
My filly's nick name is Miss Pushy Pants. ;) Can you guess why? :p

She has tested every boundry in every way she can think of and not just with me, but with the mares as well. I am often entertained by my chestnut telling her off by ejecting her from the herd. I never knew that horses could do a 'peed off' expression, yet they really can! :D

Said filly is not nasty at all and once she has learnt what is OK and not OK, she does remember but blimey... she's still coming up with new ways to test me.
 
Well, mine (2 in May) is out 24/7 and I actually think maybe this is key to them - let them be a horse as much as possible. Mine was handled a lot before i got him in July which was great as he is a pretty nice chap - he does have a tendency to bite though! To be honest over the winter I have hardly done anything with him other than a bit of a chat and pat at feed time and bringing him in on occasion for a quick groom/to have his feet picked out etc. He seems to really like coming in and we now have a problem where he doens't want to go back out! Maybe less is more sometimes - just do the minimum with them, don't fuss over them too much. It's a lot for them to remember (all this ground work etc) so maybe just give her a little break for a while?

You may find she is better once she can have more turnout as well. For a young horse a stable must be ever so boring really!!!
 
Yep there's always something new to battle with/argue over and keep you on your toes plus you (or just me) balance that with doing the right thing for said youngster and wanting to do them justice/bring out potential.... Cross that with loving their nature and newness to the world and on somedays them trying it on cos they think they can = the reason why we got them ;)

Tisn't always easy but we see them grow and turn into lovely horses/ponies that we don't fight with anymore (or maybe thats just what I tell myself!) :)
 
I hear you!

It does get better honestly.

My bargy opinionated 3 year old that used to think leading pah I'll just drag its easier has turned into a 5 year old who is as light as a feather to lead and whilst he will very occasionally try it on (normally if it is windy or raining he hates the rain) all that is needed now is a low growled "hey" for him to go "whoops" and revert to being his normal beautifully behaved self.

I look back at the photo's of my gangly baby horse with the huge head and realise he has grown up and is on his way to becomming my horse of a lifetime. My trainer says he has never known a horse that so desperatly wants to get it right and who is so fiercely loyal he keeps saying "that horse would bring you home you know"

Like kids they grow up so quickly although yesterday when I was poo picking and himself grabbed the front of the barrow when my back was turned and threw it over, then stood staring at me like butter wouldn't melt was a complete revert to being a baby again:-)
 
Love the photos, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth !
When I read your post, I thought, oh yup. That's just like my youngster, then I remembered he's nearly 6 now.
He s a tb, so maybe hes a late developer? or maybe that's his character now ? LOL
Kx
 
My lad is rising 2 and is just the same, he can be a complete angel one day and a total .... the next day! he's just like 'kevin' stamping his feet, bucking and throwing a paddy just cos I ask him to walk across the field. Sigh.

My old girl just looks at him with this expression on her face like "mum he is a total imbecile" lol.
 
By groundwork I mean I expect her to stop. Walk on. Go back. Without booting me in the face!!!! Haha.

It won't be long I hope til they're out full time. Fingers crossed anyway. I do love her to pieces just particularly when I'm on my own I could throttle the little bugger!!!
 
In reply to OP - nope, I've had a good many youngsters and apart from one, 7/8 TB who spent about 18 months on his hindlegs but grew out of it, I can honestly say I've never had any problems. They've all had their individual characters of course, but they always remembered their manners and I have received many compliments regarding how good/easy they are from people who have bought them and I've had lots of different types ranging from Welsh A to thumping great Dutch WB.
 
Faithkat said:
In reply to OP - nope, I've had a good many youngsters and apart from one, 7/8 TB who spent about 18 months on his hindlegs but grew out of it, I can honestly say I've never had any problems. They've all had their individual characters of course, but they always remembered their manners and I have received many compliments regarding how good/easy they are from people who have bought them and I've had lots of different types ranging from Welsh A to thumping great Dutch WB.
Click to expand...

Lucky you! :rolleyes:
 
Yes!! My rising 4 year old has had countless idiot and annoying moments from the day I got him, at 2 and a half.

I always think he's matured and I've cracked his silly ways until the following week he starts something new.

I was away and didn't groom him once for one week. He acted as though he was wild and had never had a brush touch him before. Flinching, trying to run away, couldn't touch the top of his neck or head. I know he's putting it on. One day he will lead like a donkey. The next day he will be threatening to go up, bouncing all over the place and terrified of everything he sees!

Whereas my pony who is a year younger then him is as good as gold and a joy to handle and do everything with! Bless him.
 
****Last week it was rearing and refusing to lead properly******

Going through this now with our rising 2yo she has takne a liking to the gelding in the next paddock and has decided that staying out and flirting with him is much more fun!! so if i rear and spin about with mummy and YO they will leave me out :(

We have had the nipping that seems to have stopped for how long i don't know ?

But yes everyday is a challange why do we do it ? :p
 
My mare and her boyfriend have a 2 year old in the field with them and they are teaching her what is acceptable behaviour.

The youngster isn't stabled at all and is very relaxed and good to handle as a result of this I believe.
 
I feel your pain, My youngster from 8 months old was a little demon, was thinking of having 666 freezemarked on his back and renaming him Damien.

But 4 years down the line, we have a nicely balanced albeit sharp young man who is taking to his ridden work well.

Hang in there, lots of hair dye for the grey hairs and Gin and Tonic works wonders.

It will all settle down, that's kids for you

xx
 
Every year i feel like that, and each year i always say my god i dont remember the others being this naughty, but they were i just forget as they grow up and find new things to torment me with.
Enjoy it, it is all part of them growing up and finding their boundaries, they are not younsters for long so let them have a bit of fun with solid set boundaries
 
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