Raising young horses

[Korg]

Especially regarding stables, turnout, fellow young horses et cetera. How is that typically done in the UK? Does it vary between different disciplines and breeds? What do you personally prefer?

I like to keep my young horses in a herd and outside as much as possible, preferably all the time with access to a shelter. Though that's also what I prefer with horses of all ages. And of course all horses are different, while I have not met such an individual yet, someone might do better in a stall a few hours per day. It is however fairly common to keep young ones inside much and just as any adult riding horse, except the training.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I kept mine just as I would a normal riding horse. Out 24/7 from April to October/November then stabled at night out all day for the winter.

He wasn’t kept with other youngstock either but he was kept with other horses. Tbh he played just as much with the older horses he was with and it also taught him manners I feel. He has turned out a very balanced, mannerly and good natured boy. He’s 7now and I bought him as a 6month old foal.

 

[AppyLover1996]

I keep Rabbit who is my 2.5 year old like a normal riding horse. So come the warmer months he is pretty much out 24/7 and then come October/November time he comes in for stabling overnight.

Before I brought him home, he was kept with other youngstock who were born the same year as him, but when he came down to me, his other company in the field were three other horses of varying ages but all 10 years plus. He played happily with all of them, learnt when he pushed the boundaries too far and was taught manners in bucket loads by them.

He's a lovely mannered young horse who everyone argues over about who is bringing him in, everyone at the yard adores having cuddles with him and in general he has turned out to be very well balanced.

My friend who has a few dressage horses and show jumpers has pretty much the same turnout routine as me, but they have them stabled all year round - so in the warmer months they will go out at night when there are less flies and it's cooler.

 

[ihatework]

It varies loads in the UK,
left out 24/7/365 in youngstock herds with little intervention
As above but barned during winter
smaller managed groups with some handling
people treating them like adult horses and keeping on livery (with/without producing them for showing)
with variations in between.

Personally, I want them out 24/7/365 where ever possible, but not at the expense of leaving them wallowing in a bog - I'd rather they were barned for short periods if the ground was very poor. I like them out with other youngstock but am flexible on age/sex mixes. I have no objection to unshod older horse(s) being included. They go rugless unless they aren't thriving. They get a hands on human interaction every day and are expected to catch, lead and lift feet civilly. But I don't go in for faffing around with them any more than that before they turn 3.

 

[lme]

Out with friends til 4 then lightly backed and a winter back out with friends

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Following with interest as I'm currently raising my first youngsters. (I'm not in the UK though)

Mine are kept in a small herd of 4. My foal (6 months old) and his dam, unrelated elderly auntie (ex-brood mare) and bought in 18 month old. They've lived out 24/7 pretty much all summer, with the occasional time spent in the stable (for vet, feet trimming, practice - I do want to be able to stable easily and with little stress if necessary). Now that the wet weather as arrived, they will be spending more time in. Unfortunately, my fields are spread out though the village and require leading on the roads to get back to the stables, this is doable, but not twice a day. As I don't own the winter fields, I don't want to install a man made shelter in them, though all the fields are surrounded by hedges. The plan is therefore to do what I did last year, which is to bring in a couple of nights a week when the weather is wet, so everyone can dry off and get some proper sleep. I'm in the process of turning the stables, part of my front garden and a mud controlled section of the field that is attached to the house into a run, so they can move about and decide whether they want to be in or out when we have a long spell of rain.

 

[Saela]

I can't answer for the UK since that's not where I live, but where I live it varies. Some breeds, mainly ponies, are often living outside 24/7/365 for the first few years. This is how my 1,5 year old is living, with another colt his age and two 2,5-year olds. I'm a little torn on what to do with him though, because his best friend is one of the 2,5-year-olds, and he will probably move to a grown-up herd rather soon. I want my little one to be able to live out with his mates for as long as possible, but I also want to bring him closer to home. It takes me 45 minutes one way to get to where he lives, and there are lots of facilities within 10-20 minutes from me as well. So I'm thinking about moving him, preferrably to a live-out place where he would live with mixed ages, but I'm not sure as I feel like he's still so little and I don't want to remove him from his buddies!

A few years ago there was a young horse living at the same barn as my mare. He (the young one, he lived there from age 2 I think) was poorly handled since birth, and had his own paddock so he didn't get to socialize very much with other horses (although he did see them, but couldn't interact physically with them). He was a nightmare to handle, and unfortunately became dangerous for everyone around him. I don't think that was only because how he lived, but I think it at least had a part in it. I believe if he'd been kept with other horses, and preferrably not stabled 12 hours/day all year round, he probably would have had a lot less energy bottled up and would have been less dangerous and easier to train.

All of the other young horses (honestly, mainly ponies) I've dealt with did grow up in either a herd with youngsters, or a mixed age herd, almost all of them out 24/7/365, and I firmly believe that company and room to play is the most important in bringing up young horses.

 

[JBM]

cosmo has been with me since a month old (mum too) lived out since I got him he’s 3 now
Went in a stable for the first time in this life last week chill as a cucumber and starting backing
He’s going to get a first sit then back to 24/7 out til next spring
Always been out with a few horses herd best but sometimes pairs needed for awhile
But never ever alone
Do not underestimate having an older mare to give them some manners would recommend
He will be going for a hair cut soon so he looks less boyband teen

 

[kayeandGin]

I kept mine just as I would a normal riding horse. Out 24/7 from April to October/November then stabled at night out all day for the winter.

He wasn’t kept with other youngstock either but he was kept with other horses. Tbh he played just as much with the older horses he was with and it also taught him manners I feel. He has turned out a very balanced, mannerly and good natured boy. He’s 7now and I bought him as a 6month old foal.

this is what i want to do but both mine hate being stabled

 

[honetpot]

Especially regarding stables, turnout, fellow young horses et cetera. How is that typically done in the UK? Does it vary between different disciplines and breeds? What do you personally prefer?

I like to keep my young horses in a herd and outside as much as possible, preferably all the time with access to a shelter. Though that's also what I prefer with horses of all ages. And of course all horses are different, while I have not met such an individual yet, someone might do better in a stall a few hours per day. It is however fairly common to keep young ones inside much and just as any adult riding horse, except the training.

This is very much how I look after mine, what ever the breeding. I often buy in mishandled youngsters and I pair them up with an old pony before they join a group.The only come in as a pair for feet, worming and routine vet treatment unless I want to take them to a show as a youngster and they will come in more often as a pair. When they get older anything sensible will do because they have outgrown their nanny.
I am lucky I have lucky I have agricultural sheds that I can give them access to from the field in winter, so they are basically kept like cattle.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

this is what i want to do but both mine hate being stabled

They only get used to being stabled by being stabled. It’s wonderful being able to say that your horses live out all the time etc but the reality is that not a lot of yards have the ground for it.

I believe in setting my youngsters/horses up to be sellable. I never plan on selling Faran. He’s to be my last if he stays sound into old age like Kia did. However life has taught me that what I want and what happens are two totally different things.

Not being able to be stabled is not going to get your horse a good home in the event something happens. So if I were you I’d just work on getting them used to it.

 

[Asha]

I prefer them to be out 24/7. But even though ive invested in some hardstanding and field shelters im still bringing them in during the day for a few hours at the moment. Just to make sure they do get a chance to completely dry out. I was putting hay in hayfeeder for them, but found they where just standing and not moving . Greedy things would just stand with the head in the bale and eat. at the moment we have 2 broodies out with 3 young ones. Works well, the mares put manners into the young ones

If the weather goes colder and the ground hardens back up they will be out 24/7 again. But this wet weather is just horrid

 

[Korg]

They only get used to being stabled by being stabled. It’s wonderful being able to say that your horses live out all the time etc but the reality is that not a lot of yards have the ground for it.

I believe in setting my youngsters/horses up to be sellable. I never plan on selling Faran. He’s to be my last if he stays sound into old age like Kia did. However life has taught me that what I want and what happens are two totally different things.

Not being able to be stabled is not going to get your horse a good home in the event something happens. So if I were you I’d just work on getting them used to it.

I'll have to agree with this. Though I don't want to keep horses stabled unnecessarily, it's very good to have them used to it. Not only is there a risk you have to sell them, there are also injuries and treatments that require rest inside. Or really bad weather, making it necessary to keep them inside to protect the paddock from turning into a mud field.

I don't have the opportunity to do that here, and I don't think it'll cause any major issues for my youngsters. They're okay with pretty much anything. I'd still keep them stabled occasionally, if that was possible.

 

[mariew]

They only get used to being stabled by being stabled. It’s wonderful being able to say that your horses live out all the time etc but the reality is that not a lot of yards have the ground for it.

I believe in setting my youngsters/horses up to be sellable. I never plan on selling Faran. He’s to be my last if he stays sound into old age like Kia did. However life has taught me that what I want and what happens are two totally different things.

Not being able to be stabled is not going to get your horse a good home in the event something happens. So if I were you I’d just work on getting them used to it.

Love this! and I think the stuff they learn to be pleasant horses once sold is so important. I bought a 7 year old from a breeder who had never had a rug on (unknowingly). 3 years and 100s of rug changes later she is still petrified of a rain sheet....

I think we need to be prepared to pay for well handled youngsters though as it makes a huge difference to buy a youngster used to dogs, vehicles, every day stuff like vets, farriers, leading etc.

 

[Korg]

Love this! and I think the stuff they learn to be pleasant horses once sold is so important. I bought a 7 year old from a breeder who had never had a rug on (unknowingly). 3 years and 100s of rug changes later she is still petrified of a rain sheet....

I think we need to be prepared to pay for well handled youngsters though as it makes a huge difference to buy a youngster used to dogs, vehicles, every day stuff like vets, farriers, leading etc.

Thanks for the reminder, will find some old blanket and go bully the children later today. They're used to having bags of hay thrown up on them so I think at least two of them will be fine with it. But practice is good.

 

[kayeandGin]

They only get used to being stabled by being stabled. It’s wonderful being able to say that your horses live out all the time etc but the reality is that not a lot of yards have the ground for it.

I believe in setting my youngsters/horses up to be sellable. I never plan on selling Faran. He’s to be my last if he stays sound into old age like Kia did. However life has taught me that what I want and what happens are two totally different things.

Not being able to be stabled is not going to get your horse a good home in the event something happens. So if I were you I’d just work on getting them used to it.

Hello, thank you for this reply, I agree completely. My only issue is, on another post I have made, someone made the point that too much stress could cause laminitis and I have a lot of grass where they currently are (strip grazing). I lost my last horse to laminitis (she had it when i got her) and i don't want my new horse or the pony to get it so im jus trying to build a routine thats i their best interests and works for me and them.