*nervous wave* please dont eat me!

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Cedars

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Hello =]

I was wondering whether you guys could give me some advice on whether or not we should take an 8 month old that is on offer to us. I'm aware that taking on a youngster is a massive investment, but she is EVERYTHING I have ever wanted in a horse, and would ever try to breed myself - skewbald, will make 15'2, typical gypsy cob.

My OH is much, much more knowledgable than I am, but we have two horses (one gelding and one mare). We originally started looking for another as a companion for our mare who suffers really badly with separation anxiety, so foalie would go in with our mare. Our gelding is a massive softie but doesn't cope overly well with other horses (he wasnt socialised properly as a youngster) so they'll be separated (he's not violent, just likes to nip other horses - although he is fine with our mare so they might settle).

We have two very large foaling boxes (bought one box, added another of same size to match), a hugeee field shelter that they have access to at all times, and obv a tack room etc. We will be putting in a third, smaller stable over the summer so that next winter we could box them all if needed (our fields get really muddy, so we bring them in at night just to give the fields a rest!).

SO what I would love from you guys is a HOW TO GUIDE on everything I need to know about an 8 month old, expenses that are different to fully growns, equipment I might need, anything to expect - and most importantly whether you think its a good idea!

PLEASE DONT BITE MY HEAD OFF! If we think there is any chance we couldn't do right by her, we wouldn't get her, but we have a huge support network around us (including my best friend who has a rising two at the moment), so we're not going in to this lightly. Everyone has to start somewhere, but please be honest (but don't eat me!)

Thanks guys! I'm going to go back to looking at the pictures of your gorgeous youngsters now =]

Hannah xxxx
 
How would your mare cope when she is taken away from her? You dont want to risk her becoming very attached. Youngsters need handling on a regular basis and interaction with other youngsters IMO is important. They need to be able to play. It really depends what you would want to do with her, but you would need the facilities to be able to start her off properly - lunging/getting used to other horses in an arena/loose jumping/in hand work/eventually breaking and schooling? IMO inhand work needs to be started from an early age and on a regular basis - tieing up/feet done/grooming etc - she needs to learn to respect you aswell.

At the end of the day it is entirely up to you as only you know how well you would be able to cope with and acquire for a youngster
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Good luck on whatever you decide, youngsters are fun, i have a rising 2yr old i bred myself and i love him to bits
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The idea with having three is that there would always be two left behind - and Dotty is absolutely fine so long as she can see the others, so if we took foalie away for handling (which we do with all of them regularly, picking feet out, grooming etc) she's fine - she just stresses herself out when they go away.

We live two seconds away from a school that we can use whenever we want (within reason, but so long as we're there before 8 or after 6, we have it all the time), so facilities for lunging etc would not be a problem at all.

She wouldn't be with any other youngsters - but she isn't kept with any now? Do you think that'd be an issue? xxxxx
 
Hmm ye I see what you mean. Not sure how I could create that for her though =[ well, apart from buying another youngster but I think one is enough for our first time
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haha! xxxx
 
Go for it! Its such a rewarding experience.
I'll be honest though it'll be 2 steps forward and 1 back for quite a while. But when you get results, its brilliant.
One thing id mention is, dont make the same mistake i did! If this is a gypsy cob baby, dont for the love of god put a rug on it!! Not only do that type not need them, she'll be growing out of them so fast you'll spend hundreds and kick yourself for putting a rug on her in the first place! hehe
Just make sure baby has as much turnout as possible, plenty of good quality forage, plenty of regular handling and other horses for company
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You mention lunging... i wouldnt even think about that til shes 3.
Other than that, good luck and have fun
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x
 
Toast - Thanks, I did mean when shes 3/4 but just thinking ahead =]

Had no intentions of putting a rug on her, shes not had one on this winter and shes like a yak! Honestly its incredible how much hair their is on one baby lol xxxx
 
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