normal yearling behaviour

[embonaught]

My lovely little (gelded) boy is now a year old. As he's my first baby, it's be interesting to find out about other yearling behaviour. I. e. what do you expect of them by this age? He's pretty good in all respects (apart from being taken away from his friend - oh, and fly spray) but I wanted to start taking him to a couple of local shows, etc so the trailer is the next big step. What kind of behaviour do you expect from yours?

Thanks in advance

 

[LynneB]

as yearlings mine were both really well behaved, they lived out in a field and chilled out with their friends. I never did any shows, but I think one or two local ones a year may have been good for them. I just like them out being babies - with fly spray, I used to spray it onto my hands first and then rub it onto them as they did not like the sound of the spray near them.

I never expected them to put me first in the field, so was always on guard incase a scary leaf blew across in the background a mile or so away and they all took flight, they run and think later, it is to be expected - taught great alertness though!

Do you have any photos of him?

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

Will be interesting to see what people say on this one!
I also have a yearling and I also wonder the same!
At the moment she lives out with my two other mares, is very well behaved but does have her mad moments chasing round the field! She does also have to be reminded of my personal space occasionally as she can get over friendly.
I can rug her, spray mane and tail on her, groom her, pull her mane(seems to love this?) pick feet out, all without a headcollar in the field and was also very well behaved for the farrier.
She will come to the yard on her own but does fidget when tied up (more worried about her friends I think)but I havent pushed the issue as I havent got a secure gate on the yard at the moment. She will settle with a good scratch though

I have lead her around the menage in walk and trot but she will shoot off if something scares her but will walk on when asked. Only done this twice and was better the second time.
I am debating taking her to a show in the next couple of weeks - a local one inhand just for the experience, she has travelled in our trailer when we fetched her, was a little sweaty but was a warm day.

 

[embonaught]

I hope this turns out to be an informative thread.
My little man is happy to be tied up for short periods (although he does try and chew to freedom), have feet picked out, good to groom all over, sponge baths (not keen on the hose yet) as he gets a bit sweaty when I take my mare for a ride. He soon settles in the yard on his own but then gets a bit worked up when he hears us come back. He'll stand still while I'm chatting to people and walks out to the field quite happily with me beside him. If something scares him, he'll tend to plant rather than run, have a good look and then go and approach scary object for a closer look.
Really, the only problem I've had is when I've tried to lead him away from his friend (I couldn't catch her, so thought I'd move him out the field so she didn't have anyone to hide behind) and he reared a couple of times after a bit of a battle and buggered off with lead rope swinging! Also, he went through a stage of turning his bum on me (not lifting a leg, just trying it on, it's what my mare does to him when she doesn't want to know) - but a growl and headcollar up the arse soon nipped that one in the bud.
Oh, he's great with farrier - puts up a little protest first then totally relaxes.
Would be nice to hear others experiences just so I know whether we're on track or not. If I'm going to travel him (single trailer) apart from getting him used to going in/out trailer first, how do you think I should handle it? Just tie him up and do a short one? Any ideas very welcome.

E

Will get some pics and try to post them later in the week. He's another spotty bum.

 

[rsc]

My yearling gelding is an absoloute saint !
Loves attention, mane pulling, baths, scratching basically anything that involves him being touched !
I alternate between him having a companion in his field or next to it so he can learn a bit of independence and the same when I bring him in to the yard, sometimes their are others in sometimes their are not and he seems happy with both as long as when he is in alone he can see me, if I go in the tack room to get something I can hear him move about a bit more so I pop my head round the door and talk to him and he just stands and stares at me.
He will tie up, let me pick his feet, spray him pretty much what ever I want.
He loads brilliantly and travels well, took him on his own for the first time on Sat and other than a bit of shouting was fine when we got to the show. At his first show I took him with an old pony mare and he tied to the back of the trailer and fell asleep !!! I could not believe it.
He is fantastic, it is so much fun to be around him and do things with him, I could not ask for a sweeter boy

This is him, my little Freddie !

 

[rubyrumba]

Snap rsc, my yearling, 11 months is an absolute angel, i can literally do anything with him. He'll come away from his friends and he too spends time in the field alone with next door company to get him used to being alone. Anything i ask him to do, he will do it, no questions asked. I bought him at weaning and for the first two months we did have a few small battles but he's over that now! Show on sunday and i'm expecting him to be just fine, he puts a LOT of trust in me. I could not wish for anything else!

 

[Ellies_mum2]

Bella is 10 months old and was an absolute star for the farrier today. Stood with a loose lead rope while she had her feet trimmed and rasped. Previous to that she had stood tied up for a good hour with grass for company.

Have been out for walks to see traffic which went better some days than others so I'm putting it down to her being a baby

 

[shadowboy]

Mine is like an adult - he can be rugged up, picked feet out, fly sprayed, sun creamed without a headcollar. He comes to call and will stand to have his headcollar on. He goes for 10/15 min walks with me and the dog evey now and again and is as happy as larry. He loads and travels like a pro. He has been bathed and again very well behaved. His only downside is he nips when you lead him. But he stands to be groomed, backs up for his feed in the stable and is fine with tarpaulins, plastic bags, dogs, cars etc and is very very laid back- will let you fly spray him while hes lay down in the field. I have never pushed him, or forced him to do anything- he is just very willing- oh and hes still entire.

 

[Vickijay]

Hi,

Both of my yearlings are angels. They are just like little grown up horses! They lead, alone, with each other or as a 3 with my 17hh TB! They are happy staying apart (altho they always whinney hello when they see each other again!) You can brush them, wash them, plait them, tie them up (altho it is on a bungie thing) they are tractor, dog, bike, cow, goat, geese proof, they trot up (altho can be a bit excited about that some times) they have been out to a few parties and thought it was super fun making new friends! Going in the truck is very old hat, totally ok with that. They have tried on brushing boots (altho they did take them off again!!)

When I wrote all that it seems there quite well educated but most of it just happens living on a farm!!!

All in all they are little lovelies, they wander around after me and have cuddles. They dont bite or kick or anything nasty. It will probably change when they grow up tho!!!!

 

[the watcher]

They can all be different.

Mine is fine out with company or alone, happy in a stable, even with no other horses in, will tie up, I can groom him and pick out his feet without tying him up. He can be a bit naughty for the farrier to start with as he is very bonded to me and my son.

We haven't tried loading and travelling yet but need to start that as we should be going to a show next month and I haven't started thinning his mane yet for plaiting as I reckon he is using it to keep the flies off!

 

[CBFan]

Do everything with your yearling that you would expect of him as an adult because believe me, the bigger they get, the harder it is to teach them! says the girl who has just had her arm broken by her 21 month old that wasn't handled til 16 m/o... my filly would never have dreamt of fighting me having been handled since 5m/o.

 

[JanetGeorge]

[ QUOTE ]
Do everything with your yearling that you would expect of him as an adult because believe me, the bigger they get, the harder it is to teach them!

[/ QUOTE ]

Except ride them of course!

Although I confess we are currently backing a 3 year old colt that I first 'sat on' when he was a yearling (he was lying down at the time and I kept 95% of my weight off him.) He has been an absolute doddle to back!

I have 9 yearlings this year - in 3 groups. 6 fillies, 3 geldings, 2 colts. They are all good to catch, lead, wash and groom. All good with the farrier. That's about all I ask of them at this stage.

 

[CBFan]

Oh yes JG, sorry, forgot that bit for any numpties reading! although, like you, I cant see any harm in leaning over them once or twice. i'd recomend introducing them to rugs if they havent already too - start with a towel and than a lightweight fleece. my 21month old has worn an elastic surcingle and will wear a roller and a saddle a bit later in the year - at 15.3hh already, he's gonna be a big boy so i want to get him used to it all while he's 'small' ;o)