How much to do with a 2 year old?

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roll_along

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Just wondering what other people do with their youngsters in their 2 year old year?

Is it just a case of backing up basic groundwork, manners etc that has already been taught, and doing the odd in-hand class for experience?

Or do you introduce anything new?
 
I didn't do that much with my mare when she was a 2yr old - mainly cos she went through an ugly duckling stage and looked like she was made up of 2 different horses! I'd keep doing what you've suggested and just let her be a baby - there's plenty of time for serious work later.
 
Hi there, I have a two yr old too! Great fun!
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I will just be gently introducing my baby to the sights and sounds of the big wide world. Nothing too stressful but in a controlled and safe manner I'd like to get her loading and travelling short distances, get her used to bandages on her legs and rugs (she's already had a rug on), bathing her, hearing clippers, traffic, the odd in-hand show and lots of fun groundwork games.

She already leads well, can be stabled, has her feet and teeth done, ties up fine, has been freezemarked and injected. She's learning all the time!
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There will be no bit in her mouth yet (maybe never I'll see) and no saddle yet but still so much to do! Have fun, good luck and keep us all posted!
 
Mine will be going out showing, and going for some in hand walks round the village. I may start mouthing her but will have to see. Am going to get her standing up on command properly and get her moving individual legs when asked - she picked up the basics of the last year really quickly!
Will also be doing general bombproofing
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My two are coming up for two in April...
Let them be babies and have fun! But I try and introduce something new every week and Im hoping to take them to a few in hand classes this summer.
If you have a sand school or something you can introduce new things like poles etc, practice loading on a box or trailer. Maybe loose jumping.
And loads and loads of ground work! I taught mine through Monty Roberts methods as they were untouched at 6 months and it was quite a challenge to get them to come near you! I think getting them to understand certain words like..walk, stand, trot etc is great if they can do this now it makes life easier when you back them and start riding.
Also take them out for short walks, let them see different surroundings etc.
But sometimes I think people do too much and dont let them be youngsters, they should have fun at that age as well as learning new things.
 
I don't show my horses so they don't go off the property. I don't take them on the roads even as my roads are unpaved and gritted, not good for hooves. Anyway, I live on a corner lot, most of my fields are by the road, they see vehicles, snowploughs, combines etc all the time.

A typical 2 year old here will lead at walk and trot, and by lead I mean walk beside me on a loose rope, they will go the pace I do without any cues. They'll lower their head on cue, tie, cross tie, ground tie, back up, hop in and reverse out of a trailer, walk over things, through water, up and down banks and ditches, all the usual stuff, they are also used to being syringed (I cheat and 'train' them with apple sauce) that is such a pain when you get a horse that won't do that.

I teach them to sidestep and turn on the forehand and haunches and to yield to bit pressure, if I don't then it is not unusual that they'll have their heads tied to the saddle to teach them that, that's just the way it is done by some people here.

In the summer they learn to jump without even thinking about it as I put poles in the gateways, only about 10" high, their choice if they stand on the other side, jump or step over. They will also have been rugged, bitted and saddled and will be used to wearing a harness too. I don't lunge but I do longline them.

I do handle my youngsters practically every single day, and I EXPECT them to listen to me as soon as they have a halter on and for the 20 minutes or so I work with them, they have maybe 23.5 hours left in a day to be horses and do what the heck they like, I don't think that that is asking too much of any horse. All that sounds a lot, but spread over every day of their life it is only a matter of habit to them.

I have learned that expectations of a long 2 year old in North America (especially with Western riders in my area) is very, VERY different to that in the UK. I don't sell my youngsters backed but I do sell them (when I think they are ready) hoping that they'll cope with everything thrown at them and that I've given them as good a start as I can.
 
Mine is being left to his own devices. He can lead, wear boots, have his feet and teeth done and wear a rug. He has already been mouthed as he picked up a bridle at 18months by the bit so i put it on and he loved it - strutted round like a peacock! I think he wants to be ridden like the others, he's desperate to come out and go with them. Generally i leave him to it though as he can be a bit pushy (gets bored as very smart) and he is better slightly wilder i feel as he has a very accepting nature and only needs to do something once to understand it so can get bored. What he learns in the field from his herd is more important than anything i can teach him at the moment though i know opinions vary!
 
I expect to be doing quite a bit. At 18months old he is already bitted so we will be doing more of that, lots of work in hand progressing to long reining and having a saddle on. Late in the year we may or may not hop on him, depending on how he is progressing.

then he will be left over the winter and we will restart in the spring, consolidating the work of the previous autumn and starting his proper ridden work.
 
I have 2 youngsters, when they were 2 last summer, they had all tack on, learnt to lunge in walk and trot for 5 mins,long rein around the property, travel in trailer alone and in company and also went to some inhand shows. One of them got very excited at being out in the world, as i couldnt get him to settle I left him in the field and concentrated on the other one, who was placed at every show, purebred ID. So this spring they will be backed and lightly hacked then turned away until 4 y olds.
 
It does rather depend on the horse. One of my two year old was big and strong so he was backed in the autumn of his second year (April foal) and then turned away.

Most of mine are backed in the early spring of their third year (usually just before they turn 3) and then turned away over the summer.

One was so tall but weak that we didn't back him until he was 4.

As much as possible they are left to be horses but we do insist on them having good manners when being handled.
 
I expect them to be able to do all the things an adult horse does expect the riding part!

He leads, ties up, worms, has farrier, rugged etc. He loads and travels well, goes out for little walks to see the world. He also long reins as he enjoys it (loves being in front!), has been bitted, worn and saddle and I've sat on him a couple of times whilst grooming him.
 
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