Staring my new filly, it’s been a while

[Mrsfarmer]

My new filly has been here for a week now. she’s very quiet but very alert and reactive which I’m guessing will settle with time. Bought her a new cover yesterday, I’m sure she’s had one on before but she wasn’t overly impressed about it so she can stay in the barn with it on today and make friends with it. It’s been so long since iv done this, a good 10 years since iv started a horse under saddle and 7 years since iv ridden. After we sort out this cover dilemma I’m thinking we should then move onto a bit and roller, maybe some more hand walking and then onto some quiet lunging once we get the above established well. I think she’s been sitting in the paddock since weaning so I’m not 100% sure on her capabilities but I want to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later as she will be turned out in July for 3 or so months. I don’t have a round yard but we farm and have big calf pens/ yards in the barn for handling which im hoping will be sufficient, I just hope she behaves while lunging out in the open.
Anyway I just wanted to share my little journey, any advice tips and tricks are welcome. Our ultimate goal is to become a solid all rounder that can be hacked wherever whenever through whatever with basic flatwork and jumping established for fun only. Not too much to ask for is it ?

 

[ycbm]

If she's only 2 (your other thread) I wouldn't be doing more than getting her used to day to day handling while you wait to see what she strong enough to do at 3. I definitely wouldn't want to lunge her at that age.

I don't understand your comment about turning out for 3 months next July? Why do you feel any need to get her working before that break? Hopefully she is getting turnout now, and you mean turned away next July?

 

[Mrsfarmer]

She’s very well handled and there’s honestly not much more to do with her in that area. I work with tbs where we back as yearlings and 2yos so it’s not uncommon at all to back at this age and then put them away to think about things and mature. She won’t be “working” just getting the very basics established under saddle like walk trot canter and then come July she will have 3 months off while we are calving. Im in NZ so turnout/ turned away are the same thing. She is out on grass all day and boxed at night in a large indoor pen.

 

[emcorrie]

I don't lunge my young horses because I don't see the point. I just get on with someone holding/leading the horse after I've established stop/go/turn on the ground and then ride it around the yard myself.
I think given your desire to have a good hacking horse you could do lots of stuff in hand, going different places, having her stand next to scary things, etc. I always do my in-hand work with a bridle.
Where are you in NZ? I used to work for Jody Harstone who is amazing and very efficient at breaking in horses.

 

[ycbm]

She’s very well handled and there’s honestly not much more to do with her in that area. I work with tbs where we back as yearlings and 2yos so it’s not uncommon at all to back at this age and then put them away to think about things and mature. She won’t be “working” just getting the very basics established under saddle like walk trot canter and then come July she will have 3 months off while we are calving. Im in NZ so turnout/ turned away are the same thing. She is out on grass all day and boxed at night in a large indoor pen.

I'm sorry, but if you want her to have a long life as a hack then I would not take backing racing yearlings as my model. In the UK there is widespread unhappiness about backing at or before 2, even among some racing people.
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