So what were/are your two year olds up to?

Girlracer

Girlracer

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Just wandering what your two year olds are up to? I've just bought my first youngster, he's three next April so 2 years 7 months old.

Currently he's not doing much, only got him on Wednesday so been settling in and getting to know each other. He comes in every day for a brush and some feed and stands tied up. I don't think he's been tied up before and is a little fidgety doing his feet. But I don't expect him to understand over night, obviously.

Have done some ground work with him once, in the school, just moving him round and asked him to walk a circle round me, which he did.

Currently don't plan to do much more, just some de-sensitising and teaching him the basics of being about the yard etc (I got him from the field he was born in!). I want to do some inhand showing in the spring so will bit him etc before then, but otherwise play it by ear and let things progress as seems fit at the time. I aim to lightly back him at the end of the summer but we will see how we go. :)

This is him -

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My two are enjoying being young and growing after a bad start in life. They live out with good shelter which they make use of and have 6acre field to move around. As curious youngsters they like to people watch over the wall at walkers on the public footpath, and come to the yard gate to investigate when they hear a car.

Daily feed, feet picked out is about all we do. They will stand tied up for blacksmith and have good stables manners. I will work on getting them to lead better in spring, but do not think they will be backed until they are four.
 
Mine is as usual chilling out with his 2 uncles and starting to get his permnant teeth, since his big op not keen on strangers coming near him, so slowly working on thaqt. :)
 
Other than eating and pooing a lot they just lead in and get tied up to have their feet done then go out again. the older ones put them in their place and they see enough that they are used to things when they do go out and about so until they start learning about work
 
Mine spends the day in the field with the other youngster and comes in overnight. She picks her feet up without fuss for me and the farrier, is in a routine of being led sensibly in and out, by different people, doing gates etc as necessary. There are horses all around her, a footpath running past her field and large, noisy vehicles and a quad bike being driven past frequently. Today she and her companion watched our tractor moving muck around until they got bored. On the yard she sees and hears tractors, dogs, cars, washing hanging up to dry, power tools, all the normal stuff on a yard. In the stable she is used to the hose-pipe filling buckets, plastic bags taking haylage into her stable, far better imo that she gets used to a wide variety of stuff and thinks its normal, than that we have to set up 'bombproofing' at some later stage.
We won't be backing her until she is 4 although a previous owner had put tack on her and we will continue with that next year.
 
I have two 2 year olds. One is a Hanoverian and the other an Oldenburg. They've not done much. They live out 24/7, are perfect to lead and love being groomed. They are pretty good for the farrier. They're both incredibly affectionate and the Hano is dying to come out the field and do something. Every time I take anyone out of her field, she's right at the gate wanting to come out too. I take them down to my arena every once in a while to give them a playtime, which the Hano, in particular, absolutely loves! I am planning to pony her out soon, probably during the winter. Might have a saddle on her by her birthday in April and keep up the ponying for a while and then I'll back her. She is destined to be shown under-saddle at an international show next year if all goes to plan so she'll need to be up and ready by the summer. The Oldenburg I might leave and just back him later in the spring. We'll see.
 
Mine just get to chill out and be baby horses. Once the basics are taught, they come in for trimming every four weeks and if I get time during a weekend we might have a groom, load on the float - I washed my current 2 YO's tail at the weekend, just so we don't get completely feral. I figure once they are started under saddle, life will get pretty busy for them, so being a paddock monster for a few years won't hurt.
 
Mine is also turned out 24/7 with my thoroughbred, who I'm sure makes sure he doesn't step out of line.

Just want him to be used to coming on the yard and being groomed etc whilst tied up, as I don't think he ever really has. He leads well enough though :)
 
Our 2 nearly 3yr old sec B is the cutest, friendliest little thing on the planet and hes just being spoilt rotten! Kids did very well doing inhand shows with him all summer in which he was absolutly faultless! He does a lot of in hand with kids and we are just getting him used to roads. We are planning to start long reining him soon before being backed in summer. Very exiting! :D
 
mines 3....but only born november so a very late one so shes more (to me)! 2.5....

shes doing nothing....leading/loads been a show - worn tack - will lunge if needby/long rein etc :)

but atm just going out and bringing in, tying up/rugs and just general baby stuff as shes incredibly bum high atm :)
 
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Sleeping and eating.

In September they were both introduced to a roller and breast girth. The black is nervous so he also learnt how to wear a summer sheet and brushing boots, he was also taught walk on and halt on the lunge in walk inside a barn. They are both good with the farrier, tie up, lead and have good ground manners.

Both will be long lined and backed in the summer as they turn 3, they will be hacked around the village a few times and turned back out. Both are powerful types so will not be left until they are four year olds.

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AdorableAlice said:
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Sleeping and eating.

In September they were both introduced to a roller and breast girth. The black is nervous so he also learnt how to wear a summer sheet and brushing boots, he was also taught walk on and halt on the lunge in walk inside a barn. They are both good with the farrier, tie up, lead and have good ground manners.

Both will be long lined and backed in the summer as they turn 3, they will be hacked around the village a few times and turned back out. Both are powerful types so will not be left until they are four year olds.

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Wow they're stunning!
 
My little lad is going to be 3 in January. I seem to have done loads more than everyone else!

He ties up (though recently has decided pulling back is 'fun'!) is fine getting his feet done, leads and stops when asked, has had a saddle & bridle on goes out hacking with me being lead by me and he's started having long reining lessons.

He's very bright (don't all mothers say that?!) and loves to learn. I'm hoping to back him in the spring and I'm really excited about it. :)
 
Mines in a stable at the moment due to lack of grazing, however he is allowed out in the 'play pen' when its not waterlogged (not an ideal situation I know... not many liveries round here do winter turnout either so moving isnt an option) But over summer he has been to many shows and winning plenty of rosettes :) (Proud mum) and over winter I will be lunging him ready to be backed come spring if it all plans out and my savings grow.

Hes been really well behaved to say hes in a stable majority of the day, and most of the time he just sleeps, and if hes not sleeping, hes eating.. or not eating hes rying to chew me, as his teeth are popping out now... hoping to find a few.

New year will be better, will have hopefully found a decent livery yard with proper turn out ready for him to progress. But untill then hes coping :)
 
Gorgeous youngsters! Mine is 2.5, saddlebred x section d (dam and grandam same colour as girlracers)! She's quite a hot little thing so just been keeping things light and fun, building up her confidence and spook busting and introducing equipment although not bitting for a while yet, daily handling and she loves going out for walks, recently been out of the farm on the drive way to see traffic etc and neighbouring horses. Funny how the first time I took her out of the farm (a new way she hasn't seen before) she was forward going ears forward and then didn't want to go back in her field after, she is so inquisitive but that's great that's plenty to work with! I'm saving long lining until next summer before lightly backing all being well.









 
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GeorgeyGal said:
Gorgeous youngsters! Mine is 2.5, saddlebred x section d (dam and grandam same colour as girlracers)! She's quite a hot little thing so just been keeping things light and fun, building up her confidence and spook busting and introducing equipment although not bitting for a while yet, daily handling and she loves going out for walks, recently been out of the farm on the drive way to see traffic etc and neighbouring horses. Funny how the first time I took her out of the farm (a new way she hasn't seen before) she was forward going ears forward and then didn't want to go back in her field after, she is so inquisitive but that's great that's plenty to work with! I'm saving long lining until next summer before lightly backing all being well.









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She's gorgeous :)
 
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my two year old is the same age as yours girlracer (and yours is gorgeous btw!!)

he lives out with my older boy, husbands horse and our retired shetland.

He comes in happily by himself for grooming and handling, and leads well. hes worn a bridle for in hand showing and about once a month or so i take him for a little walk round our farm which he loves as hes very inquisitive and interested in things. im really proud of him actually, we took him to a winter foal show just yesterday, he loaded and travelled quietly on his own and as our class was delayed stood quietly on the box for an hour with a haynet. he didnt lose his cool in a very very busy class where ponies were pratically nose to tail! husband shows him and said he rested a leg in the line up, closed his eyes and then had a big wee :D hes a very chilled out chap! praying this lasts!!!!

this is him yesterday

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The spotty one will be three in April - he's Knabstrupper x Hannoverian/ISH, lives out 24/7 with my two other boys, wears a rug, stands nicely for the farrier, leads politely, has never worn tack or a bit, is very curious of things but a bit of a scaredy cat. He'll be going for light backing in the spring - he was up for sale last year but no interest so we'll try again once he's under saddle - he's a Marmite horse, you either love or hate all those spots!
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Lots! A few examples below...

We have done learning about roads and traffic -
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Bathing, pulling and trimming -
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Showing in the Summer -
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Playing and making friends -
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Being spoilt with a better wardrobe than me-
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And last, but most importantly, lots of this!!!
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Mine turned 2 in October (another late one!) but incredibly chilled out for his age. He was out 24/7 in the summer when I got him and is now coming in overnight and seems to have coped well with the change. He was out with a 3 year old he often was seen playing with but I also have a 19 year old gelding that keeps him in check.

At the moment he does very little, I work on leading him as he has a tendency to barge, but he's great in his stable, (won't barge there!) having his feet done, will tie up quietly and good with the farrier, dentist and vet. I did a 'little' show with him that ended up having 19 other horses and he was good as gold! I've also done a groundwork clinic with him to desensitise him and do some despooking and he took to it really well. He wasn't the least bit bothered about flapping flags or walking over tarpaulin.

I will probably aim to do a couple more groundwork clinics next year and introducing the bridle so we can do the odd in hand show for experience, and possibly some long lining, but I don't plan to back him til Spring 2015 at least.
 
Spot_the_Risk said:
The spotty one will be three in April - he's Knabstrupper x Hannoverian/ISH, lives out 24/7 with my two other boys, wears a rug, stands nicely for the farrier, leads politely, has never worn tack or a bit, is very curious of things but a bit of a scaredy cat. He'll be going for light backing in the spring - he was up for sale last year but no interest so we'll try again once he's under saddle - he's a Marmite horse, you either love or hate all those spots!
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Personally I love love love him :) wish I had the time for 1 more! :)
 
Well mine is almost 2 but will be in the field enjoying being a little boy for a long while yet. He leads beautifully has manners of an angle. Backs up, ties up great with his feet. Has been for a little walk down the road unfazed by traffic, trackers, other horses, cones and cows etc. My brave boy! He is a bit bored but I'm holding off doing anything with him for a while.
 
My big lad will be 3 in May. He is out 24/7 with a herd most of the year. They will be in a barn for a couple of months soon so it will be a good time to do abit of roller training and start long lining. He has already been led out in traffic when moving fields. Still pondering over when to back him as he is 16.2 at the moment and built like a tank.
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