Tell me about your yearlings :)

[Crosshill Pacers]

I am getting my boy Jimmy ready for the trotter sale in late October. He is rugged and coming in every night to be fed. The next task on the agenda is pulling his mane and teaching him to pick up his feet (which he hates!). He has been handled since birth and is halter-broken and walks well beside me

I have just returned from a week in Scotland staying with my OH. We had a super relaxing week messing about with his horses and two dogs, particularly his yearlings Cassius, Parker and Choc. Cassius has come in for the winter to be broken in the new year, but last week we had him in the harness for the first time tied in the cross-ties. He progressed so well that by the end of the week we were walking him around the track in his harness (something that OH wouldn't normally do until the second week). Cassius dealt with it all very calmly (bar one temper tantrum when the hobbles touched his back legs and he started bucking across the yard as OH held him on the lead rope - OH's 2yo nephew said he looked like a 'wee bunny rabbit'!). He didn't mind the crupper under his tail at all despite being attacked as a foal by a Japanese Akita that nearly ripped his tail off at the base. Fortunately, due to OH taking good care of him both him and his tail are fine and as a result he now trusts OH completely around him.

The other two, Choc and Parker were moved into their winter field together with a big open-fronted shelter. So far they've steered well clear of it but we've been taking bets on which one will turn to the other first and say 'c'mon, I'm going to have a look, you coming?'! They won't be coming in until next autumn to be broken and then turned away until 3(Choc) and 4(Parker) when they'll hopefully race.

So come on, tell me what you're doing with yours right now! Pictures too would be good (I'll try and upload some tonight when I get home from work!)

 

[RealityCheck]

I bred 9, only got one left though, Coastal a WBxTB, you can see her here

I may back her next year for 2 year old under saddle classes (these classes are very low key, emphasis on a long and low frame rather than an outline) if she's mature enough, if not we'll keep doing in hand stuff.

 

[navaho]

I bred 9, only got one left though, Coastal a WBxTB, you can see her here

I may back her next year for 2 year old under saddle classes (these classes are very low key, emphasis on a long and low frame rather than an outline) if she's mature enough, if not we'll keep doing in hand stuff.

I assume you are overseas, as ive never heard of 2yr old undersaddle classes in the UK? As far as i was aware to enter a ridden class here the horse has to be over 4?

 

[RealityCheck]

I assume you are overseas, as ive never heard of 2yr old undersaddle classes in the UK? As far as i was aware to enter a ridden class here the horse has to be over 4?

Yes, USA. I've never done them personally, though youngsters I've sold have done them with their new owners. As I've said, it's only something I'll consider if she's mature enough - and I quantify that by personally thinking so, as well as having the backing of an independent vet and physio.

 

[Nannon]

Mines 2 in feb - she's a flat bred tb out of Byron. She will be in the field and coming in at nights over the winter - pretty good with her feet etc we just need to work on being tied up, somedays she's good and somedays she's a terror! Won't be doing anything work wise with her til next summer when (depending on how she matures) I might do some lunging etc maybe back her and then turn her away for winter 2013!

 

[Horlicks]

My boy is 16 months, he's well handled but spooky with new people, he's still entire at the moment so has had a mouthing bit in his mouth as I was intending to show him. He leads well and trots up in hand with a bit of encouragement. Picks his feet up and has been trimmed by the farrier. He's happy to have a fly veil on and has been rugged during the worst of the weather last week. Next step is too start introducing him to new things - dogs, the car, my horsebox. Will try and post a recent picture.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Here's some photos of my boy Jimmy back in the summer. Hopefully will get some more recent ones in the next couple of weeks:

Choc moving field:

Cassius:

Parker:

 

[dressagelove]

I have just bought one! he has been with us about 3 weeks now, he is just a star, settled in so well! He is 1yo KWPN gelding, out of Voltaire line, he is such a sweetheart, I love spending time with him, and can't wait to back him in the future!!

He comes in every few days, gets a lead round, groom, feet picked out and a feed, he is a very good boy. This is he:

 

[haras]

My homebred arab yearling is 16 months now. Shes been to a few shows including county level, leads nicely, picks her feet up, ties up, loads, stands quietly on the trailer, is rugged, has her legs hosed down and stable bandage applied when needed, has had her bridle bath cut using clippers, walks past all manner of scary things as yard owner is building a house and we also have peacocks, is stabled, has been bathed with a hose, and we are currently doing puddle training.... Other than that shes just being allowed to be a baby and will be for at least 2 years yet. Very proud of my baby.

Here she is.....

 

[Asha]

My yearling is out in the field with her friends being a baby. She will lead, travel have rugs on and is good with the farrier.

I found the photo of the yearling with all the gear on terribly sad.

 

[Capriole]

They are out in the field doing nothing much apart from growing, they will pretty much come out for vet/farrier is all. One is going up for sale, the other yearling will be out doing a bit of showing/the futurity next season.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

The photos are great I love seeing what everyone else is up to with their babies, because obviously I'm only involved in harness racing so I only get to see one small area. I appreciate everyone does everything differently

Update on Jimmy, he's been crosstied this morning and now has a very smart mane we've also managed to handle his front legs quite a lot today because he was so relaxed from being groomed. We're not rushing things (plus I had more of a task on my hands sorting Big Mama's mane out!).

 

[navaho]

Weve got 2 yearlings, a section A & a section C, both are spending the winter out doing baby things & having fun, along with our 2yr old Section D (all i need is a B & ill have the set lol).

 

[ItsJem]

Navaho, you can have my B if you like . Complete the collection!

 

[navaho]

Navaho, you can have my B if you like . Complete the collection!

Lol dont tempt me, i saw a lovely pali section B yearling at Llanybydder sales on Thursday & was very tempted, he only went for 60gn....think my otherhalf would have killed me if id bought another pony home though

 

[Nudibranch]

Mine is nearly 18 months and is good with feet, loves a groom, has had heels trimmed with clippers, didn't fuss at all. Even stood fairly well for his freezemark. He's learnt all about sheep and cows now, having been turned out with them for 6 months; he used to have a complete tantrum if he so much as looked at a sheep. He will load and tie and rug, and wears a rubber bit.

However the most we do is the odd walk in hand, and look at the traffic over on the main road. I can't imagine working him at his age, he really is a baby. A very big baby (should make between 16.2 and 17hh) but nevertheless very immature. He won't even see "real" tack until he's well past two. I'm not having a go but those photos concerned me a little - if he is cross tied, shouldn't there be a quick break somewhere? It looked like he was chained either side of a nylon headcollar without any quick release...

 

[Jnhuk]

I have had my lad from six months old almost a year ago now which I cannot believe.

He is out in the field (unrugged) with other youngsters learning to be a horse. Occasionally comes in for some handling/leading work like when we were going to take him to his first show.

Is now good for the farrier despite the fact that when we first got him, he didn't like his legs or feet being touched. Has learnt that load and unloading from a trailer and horsebox is not big deal. Travels well and attended his first show - a very low key riding club show where we were the only one in our class.

Photos below from our show prep in the school and to the actual show (hope they come out okay!) and yes they are my own photos

There is also a short video on youtube from last winter when he got told off by one of the stable cats for snuffling too close!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdPO7ZaDG5c&feature=plcp

 

[Toast]

Have to agree with Asha. My yearnings were out being babies, not trussed up like a Christmas turkey. Poor wee Ned.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Hi. I understand people's comments about Cassius, but I know everyone does everything differently. We didn't do anything to upset him at all, all the time in the world will be taken with the breaking process. He won't see a jogging cart until next year but instead of rushing the process of having the harness about his body and risk making mistakes that can't be resolved further down the line, OH is teaching him about it all slowly. He won't progress from being led for at least a month, and then he'll be long reined for another month. After that he'll be turned out in the paddock in the day and in at night until February.

If at any point he doesn't seem to be happy with pacing in his hobbles/isn't maturing well enough he'll be turned out until 3.

Like I said, we all do things differently. I can vouch for my OH though in saying that he is very fond of Cassius and his education now will stand him in good stead for when he's sold as an older horse (nobody will struggle getting him to do his job)