should i take on a two year old?

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nutty mare!!

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Hi, would just like sum advice please!, thinking of taking on a two year old cobX, dont think she has really had anything done with her apart from being bought to and frow from field to stable!, ive never had anything this young before, although been around alot of young horses, i think i knw wot to excpect, jus never really handled one to one with sumthin this young, i dnt have any big dreams for her, just somthing that i can enjoy hacking on and school niceley in the future!, please all advice welcomed, ex: where to start!!!
 
Would say take it on IF....

you have a lot of time and a lot of very knowledgeable support and back up from others. ie RIs who have backed horses before and which you are happy with the resulting horses!

If not I would say it isnt something to approach alone if you havent done it before? not ideally anyway.

If you do have the support etc then it can be very rewarding. My first horse we bought as a 6yo and hes always been great but presented some continuing challenges. My second we bought at 3 unbroken but with an open wallet for knowledgeable help and an open diary for time and she has turned out fantasticly.
 
Thanks for taking the time to reply, so do you think i shud jus spend time toget to knw her and perhaps get her to lern maners when been walked in hand and obviously having her feet picked up and being happy to let you touch her all over,also what are your thoughts on feeding, at the mo think she is just on hayleage, but what about conditioners etc...?
 
I've got a 3yr old.

Basically they are boring! There is very little you can do with them until they're older. The vast majoirty is just being brought in, brushed, feed (if required) and put out again. Occasional bit of 'training' but they can't manage more than 15mins and the majoirty of training is just in the everyday handling (i.e manners).

Great if you have another horse to ride but not great if you want to ride and don't have another horse. I know a couple of people who have go fed up and sold their baby for a ridable horse.

They're not diffiuclt to deal with or look after but you do need to be confident and competant to teach them manners - not by anything 'pro-active' but just had handling them correctly every single day.

As for feeding - very few babies need more than good hay/hayledge and a mineral supplement. Filling them with conditioners just makes them grow to fast and have joint problems.
 
As said above really... with youngsters there is a lot of waiting for them to be old enough to be backed... yes, you need to teach them things but generally they learn very quickly and you're just kleft waiting! lol! My 2.5 year old is pretty much ready (in terms of his learning) to be backed but in reality I have another year to wait!

As for feding, I'd echo the advce given. Add lib hay / haylage and a general purpose vitamin and mineral supplement would be adequate.
 
Why not. My parents bought me my mare as a two year old, and I will more than likely buy a youngster when I can afford to run a second horse as I feel you can bring them on the way you want and they have not been ruined in any way potentially by someone else. Also you would expect less likelihood of previous injuries the younger you buy it and no hidden nasties hopefully

Totally second keeping feeding simple, hay and perhaps a chaff based feed like happy hoof etc
 
The other advantage you have with a youngster is you can decide whether and when to have them shod, I tried mine with being unshod and shes nearly 7 now and has never needed shoeing (most of our work is forest tracks).

At about 3 you could bit them and start long reining, better than lunging as teaches them rein aids and isnt all on a bend, you can do quite a lot with that before you ever get on their backs, gives them and you lots of confidence. Recommend kelly marks books on training young horses, very good. Also recommend Dually headcollar from Intelligent Horsemanship website when teaching manners, loading, leading and backing up.

Feed wise mine has only ever had grass, hay, and Healthy Hooves (Dengie). But prior to any work, just hay grass and pink powder plus a mineral lick in the field.
 
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