Taking youngsters for 'walkies'

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SpruceRI

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Took my 2yr old Welsh Cob for an in-hand walkie tonight. She was soooo well behaved.

Have had her for about 4 months and she was ever so scared of everything having never been off the stud. I've taken her round the farms fields a couple of times but she was like Scooby-do, wanting to jump on me everytime something scared her!

Noticed she was very nervous of gloopy mud - they obviously didn't have any at the stud!

Tonight took her for a walk through the small bit of woodland behind our field and couldn't believe how well behaved she was. There's tons of moss-covered logs that we have to climb over, plus leaf-litter, so ground peaty and soft. She picked her way through and was very sensible and did a beautiful jump over a fallen tree after I'd climbed over and got out of the way!

Think she enjoyed her walk!
 
Nice, got to start doing that soon with foalie thing! Acquaintance in our village has been walking her mare and foal out together since he was very young, they go into the village to see... well, not much in our little village, but it gets him out!
 
Do people think it's a good idea to take youngsters out round local fields/woods in hand, plus walk over trotting poles, plastic bags, through puddles etc? Or not bother until they're broken?

You read so many comments in H&H mag, especially in the showing section where they say their 4yr old literally left the Mountain/Moorland just 3 weeks ago, was broken and has now won the Championships.

Is this really true? In which case why doesn't the youngster totally freak out if he's never seen lorries/spectators/dogs etc.
 
I might get shot down for this but ive already had 5 month old Romi out on the road!!! There is a wide grass verge and we have been walking that, i started off with standing at the gate and letting cars pass us and she didnt bat and eyelid.

Also been teaching her to load etc, weve walked through fields and passed nasty tractors, again she didnt put a foot wrong.
 
I didn't get my boy until he was two but I took him for walkies around the roads. He was introduced to tractors, milk tankers and all kinds of traffic and farm animals. I think it did wonders for him as he was totally bomb proof after about six months. (he's fifteen now and nothing worries him) He's being a good teacher for the other youngsters.
 
Missy gets walked across the road most days over to the field , I have to say the road is quite a busy main road with plenty of traffic on it . At shows that she has been to she has been very well behaved , We have had to have started early with her as shes such a big girly (16hh and abit at the age of nearly 19mths )
I think its great to get them out and seeing things , the earlier the better .
 
why are u off work?? lucky moo!! well when ive had youngsters,they have been hacking quitely around the block at 3,or being lead with another safe horse all tacked up. Im sure it will do Lilly bum the world of good Jo!! id get her going over/past spooky things asap,all helps with the eventing when u start!!! how exciting!! wish i had the time and money for another youngster to bring on!
 
I started taking Chancer out since I got him at 15 months. He has been taken everywhere, through mud, water, forest, open fields, quiet roads and on bridleways after dark. He has had bags flapped at him, balls bounced off him, walked over bags, poles. Had my Harley Davidson ridden round him, dogs run round him, kids on bikes, screaming kids, footballs kicked under him.

I have led him out off my old horse past tractors, working combines, deer, bird scarers. I have broken branches above him and flicked them back on him.

Basically I have done everything to him that I have seen horses spook but have taken him gently through each new thing so he has not been scared.

He is now a fairly bombproof youngster and so far been good on his little hacks, though he understandably is getting used to having me onboard rather than on the ground.

It does help that he is a very brave and laid back little cob and I have spent two years building up a trust relationship with him so that if I say it is ok, it is and he goes on.

Only one problem - when he is getting into something he shouldn't you cannot yell, poke a broom at him etc as he isn't scared of much - have to go and physically remove him from what he is destroying.
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Yeah I think taking youngsters for walkies is a great idea, I take my 3yr old out 'hacking' with my sister, me walking indie, her riding her horse and she has seen so much and is happy to go alone, or with others, I think it will make life alot easier when then are being ridden rather than led!
 
I started leading mine out when he was 9months old, on the roads. Introduced him to scary things like tractors and binbags etc. As he is forest bred, he lived the first part of his life on the open forest so should be good out there already (touch wood). I will start taking him for forest walks through streams, bogs etc soon though. He even follows over jumps...although only at walk so he just kind of steps over them.
 
i started to take mine for walks(only 10mins on quiet lanes) when she was about 3-4months old with mum
shes no bothered by traffic at all.shes great.i also took her with mu hacking for 30mins round quiet villages when she was 6-9months old and she was loving it.
shes done lots already though.shes worn all tack and boots etc and isnt phased.i think with a more nervy horse i would have taken it alot slower to make sure they were ready to go a step further.shes now 18months
i dont see the point in waiting until she is 3 and then suddenly within the space of a month making her accept bits,saddles,boots and a rider.there is no reason why she cant have all her gear on now and be weel settled in it ready for light long lining and a sit on when shes 3!
 
Thanks all. Will carry on taking the girlie out and about. She was very pleased to be out which was nice. She loads and travels well already as my stables are 3/4mile from most of my grazing so she's always going up and down the road in the trailer.

Prudunce - I didn't have the day off work - I wish! Took her out for the stroll in the evening
 
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