How much would you do with a 2yo?

L

Lill

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 November 2005
Messages
5,673
Location
Kent
Visit site
Like desensitising to cars, scary objects?

And with tack, rugs?

smile.gif


Am just looking for some more ideas to try with Merlin, he's been brilliant with everything so far, but also want to make sure i don't push him too much.
smile.gif
 
Well, with a two year old I would introduce the saddle and bridle and if OK, put them on etc, maybe walk around in hand with them on too.
Do lots of ground work in the school - walking over poles, setting games/challenges etc. Walk out in hand (with bridle) near roads etc, with an older, confident horse etc.

With horses its all about preparing!!
 
my 2 year old is just in a field next to a road where he has got used to cars and tractors etc which he used to run away from now he isn't bothered took him for one walk when he was a yearling but now i am leaving that till next year when i get him bitted as he was fairly strong and quick lol
He has walked over tarpaulin etc haven't managed to load him as YO scared him with this so this is becoming a right pain but will hopefully beable to take him to show at end of month
He has had a sweet itch rug on all summer and will be having rugs on this winter
He has had a bridle on aswell and bathing etc
You will know if you are pushing him too far mine gets bored easily and starts getting himself into bother which is when i know i need to do something to occupy his little brain lol
 
Usual stuff, making sure they lead correctly, stand still when asked, walking through puddles, getting them used to traffic, car engines starting up, dogs, flappy plastic, scary objects for example a like a tyres lurking in the long grass, getting use to having the legs hosed down with the hose pipe, getting them used to clippers, having rugs thrown on and off, trusting you to cover the face with a towel for example.
 
Oh hose pipe is one we haven't tried yet, he has been in when other horses have been clipped but have not tried to clip him yet...

Fields next to roads are good aren't they?
smile.gif
Quite handy in a way!
 
yeah they are i took mine for one walk and we saw horses being ridden and he got all excited and did a little dance for them lol
 
[ QUOTE ]
Tie some carrier bags to your fencing/hedges and leave them there flapping - we all know how scary horse eating carrier bags are so getting him used to them is good
laugh.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Haha done this, they have a jump wing in their field, with carrier bags, plastic feed sacks and foil crisp packets tied to it
grin.gif
 
With Stinky he was used to having tack on, doing a little long reining and loose schooling - very short sessions and no tight circles. He would go over poles, between wings, was used to having dogs and kids flying round him. He had bags shaken at him, walked over plastic - basically everything I could think of likely to cause him to spook.

He had good in hand manners and was going out to shows. Would stand up, back up, walk, turn and trot on command.

He would bath, catch, load, tie up and was used to rugs and hoods. I also had him used to clippers - could trim his belly hair and head with my big old listers. He had also had then run over his body so knew how they felt.

When he was two, I started to lead him out off Cairo so he got to see tractors, combines, other horses out - he loved being led off Cairo and got to see lots of things so when he was finally hacked out ridden, I had little trouble with him finding things scarey. I also swished bushes back at him etc, again all the things that can happen hacking out to spook them.

I did four short sessions a week but he is the sort that needs something to think about to stop him being destructo pest horse.

For him doing everything early but slowly has been the key and I have always treated him like an adult and expected him to behave like one, but obviously making some exceptions for his age, ie everything done short and sweet and given him to think about what he has learnt before going onto the next thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top