Those of you with weanlings/yearlings..

eirewhisper

eirewhisper

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how much training do you do with yours on a daily or weekly basis, and what do you do i.e teaching to trot in hand/loading etc. (as well as the basic leading/feet pick up etc.) ?
 
I handled every day. Picked up feet, once per foot, every day. Led in hand probably 3 times a week, practiced trotting in hand whilst bringing in and turning out. Loaded, never practiced as she loads herself (dream pony!) but she loaded every time she went showing over summer (only twice...).

I tried to do a bit every day (like backing up etc) without overdoing and letting them be babies.
 
i handle mine every day, my filly gets head collar put on and took off a few times then lead around the paddock, asking her to walk on, trot on, stop and stand, then i walk around her touching her all over and giving her a good scratch, and get her to pick her feet up. then a few steps back. once i have done that i give her a groom. two times a week i introduce her to plastic bags balloons and other monsters to get her used to them and walk her slowly round at a safe distance until we can walk right past them. also i walk her over a pole or two and some tarpin (plastic sheeting stuff lol)
i feed her then poo pick. same time evryday (near enough) so she gets into a routine) xx
i have also just started long reining her and she is doing very well, although the first time was "fun":rolleyes: xx
 
Everything, bar lunging and actually backing. I do something with them everyday, 5 or 10 minutes a day is hardly depriving them of their 'foalhood' and is little enough to ask for the other 23 odd hours when they are free to do whatever they wish.

Mine are bitted, have a saddle on them, are rugged, sacked out. Load, go through narrow gaps, water, up and down steep banks, walks through the forest over tree trunks (sort your feet out for yourself kiddo) up the road etc, etc.

They are used to quads, tractors, trailers etc at close quarters, come to call (no food otherwise) they learn that "Ho!" means stand still/stop/don't move your feet. That a rope on the floor from their heads isn't a nasty snake to run away from and that it means "Stay put", also that if they stand on it (their choice to do so or not) then they only have to put their heads down and move their feet and the pressure goes away, no stupid panicking/broken reins etc in later life. They will walk into a trailer and back out of it without fuss or bother and they'll stay tied up for as long as I want them to, without a haynet.

Having had 4 year olds in the past that have barely been halter broken and have been a right royal PITA with their attitude and hang-ups (no fault of their own) then I have a real thing about youngsters being handled from the absolute start, and continuing to be handled. Saves a lot of time and trouble, for everyone.
 
I don't do quite so much with mine at the moment, he is 19mths and I got him back in July. His previous owners had done a lot of the basic handling thou gh so he will lead, tie up and have his feet picked out. I have got him used to being rugged and he's been out for a few walks in hand (the last walk being yesterday), I have lead him through the ford near us and he couldn't care less really - he also had a good look at some overrflowing wheelie bins yesterday and doesn't seem bothered about traffic coming past. i intend to start more work with him once the evenings get lighter (I work 9 to 5 mon-fri and do not have a suitable schooling area).

My plan is to take him to the nearby yard where they have an arena, start him lungeing a bit, get him bitted so can show him in hand as I think this may be better than trying to show him in a headcollar but i shall see how he goes. I would like to finish the year having taken him to a couple of shows and have him lungeing and long reining with any luck before i turn him away in Sept/Oct time prior to starting to back him in 2012.
 
eirewhisper said:
how much training do you do with yours on a daily or weekly basis, and what do you do i.e teaching to trot in hand/loading etc. (as well as the basic leading/feet pick up etc.) ?
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We give our weanlings a concentrated session during weaning - reminding them about leading, picking feet up, nothing more. As they're in over winter, they then get led in and out every day - and we might do a BIT of general handling every few days - but very little.

We don't bother teaching them to trot up until; a week before a show - and teach them to load the day before a show (or on the morning!:D) They rarely give any trouble (other than bloody Mr Darcy who escapes EVERY day - dsespite mains-poowered electric fencing that IS working well!!:rolleyes:)

The yearlings - now officially 2 - get very little. We throw haylage at them twice a day, they come in every 8 weeks for trimming (and worming if due) - other than that they're left alone unless being prepared for a show.

I'm of the opinion that people OVER-handle youngstock - which can lead to nipping, barging etc. Let them be horses - as long as you can catch them, lead them, hose them off if needed, lift up their feet for the farrier - that's enough until they actually NEED to do more!

A lot of ours never go on a trailer until they're 3 (or 4) and about to go to their new homes. I delivered one (backed) 3 year old the other day who'd NEVER been on a trailer. We spent 5 minutes teaching her to walk on - and off - and departed! Obviously gave her the steadiest ride humanly possible - and she travelled beautifully. Strolled off the trailer at the other end - and calmly into her new stable! Job done!
 
At the moment I don't do much with mine at all as she has been turned away with a herd for the Winter. Some may disagree with this but within the first week I could see a massive improvement in her, she had become 'Alpha Mare' before I turned her away and she became a bit pushy, as soon as I put her out with the herd she changed her attitude and is now back to being a lovely, friendly 2 year old that now respects my personal space.
 
Santa's Little Helper said:
At the moment I don't do much with mine at all as she has been turned away with a herd for the Winter. Some may disagree with this but within the first week I could see a massive improvement in her, she had become 'Alpha Mare' before I turned her away and she became a bit pushy, as soon as I put her out with the herd she changed her attitude and is now back to being a lovely, friendly 2 year old that now respects my personal space.
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Agree wholeheartedly!! I obviously have numbers of youngsters, and every year, the 2 year olds (starting to get bitchy and bargy with each other) are turned out with a VERY bossy (but not violent) 23 year old TB mare. By next morning, I have VERY polite youngsters who wait for their feed and don't try knocking each other off it!
 
I do as little as possible with them, but they have to have manners when I do something with them. To be honest , 'well handled' is not a selling point for me as it usually seems to mean no respect and manners at all.
I have a couple of oldies who put the young ones in their place and also I think the fact that the field boss has respect for you helps establish the rules.
 
Lol JG, I was just going to quote this part of your post to back up what I had posted -

JanetGeorge said:
The yearlings - now officially 2 - get very little. We throw haylage at them twice a day, they come in every 8 weeks for trimming (and worming if due) - other than that they're left alone unless being prepared for a show.

I'm of the opinion that people OVER-handle youngstock - which can lead to nipping, barging etc. Let them be horses - as long as you can catch them, lead them, hose them off if needed, lift up their feet for the farrier - that's enough until they actually NEED to do more!
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He's out 24/7 with his baby friends and our dominant 25yo TB (and his henchman). I check him over and give him a quick grope every day, catch him up for farrier/vet/etc, and every once in a while I'll catch him up and do a bit of leading/bombproofing practice. He's 2 this year.

I probably did more handling with him over his first winter when he was coming in every night but for now he's just being a babypony.

The oldies are very good with them. It's quite funny to watch:
"Think about it, juvenile, what does this mean-face mean?"
: pause :
"Think about it......"
"All right, all right, I'm getting out of your way, I'm only a baby....."
 
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JanetGeorge said:
PLEASE don't!! Lunging babies is a recipe for hock problems (and worse!) They are still growing and working on a circle (even a big one) puts a LOT of strain on young joints!!
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JG - don't worry I have no intention of lungeing him in the proper sense - ie I shall not be asking him to trot round and round in circles. I have been practising some groundwork techniques to teach him to stand, walk on etc etc as he is quite a bolshy fellow and likes to try the odd nip as well as fidgeting about etc. I have also been given some tips to help him improve his balance which in turn should help stop him biting when being lead (he tends to bite if he starts rushing or has to walk downhill as he gets on the forehand and loses balance a little).

My 'lungeing' is going to be extremely basic - more getting him used to a long line and to move away from me when asked etc etc. I would like to progress him to long reining but need to first practice with a long line as he can and has 'objected' to seeing ropes swinging near him etc. I think he has got over that now but, before I start any sort of long reining i would prefer to practice in a secure area which we do not have. At present he has the life of riley out in his herd doing sweet FA other than coming in for the odd groom and feet picking out and seeing the farrier. He seems to like attention though and doing stuff so i am looking forward to seeing how he progresses.
 
Thanks for the replies all :D

I have an 8 month old colt and was worried I wasnt doing enough with him but sounds like the less the better at the moment-just as he's leading nicely and his manners in general are good-i'll just let him learn to be a horse first :)
 
My weanling has his feet picked up and is is led for a short walk in a headcollar and leadrope once a day.

My 2.5yo isnt doing much atm, but i'll start him this coming autumn. He was fully halter broken by about 6 or 7 months, could tie up and pick up all feet.
x
 
My colt who is officially a yearling though actually only 7months was lightly shown as a foal with his mother so walks, trots up, has had his white sock washed etc. He weaned like a dream and is now at the stud who will stand him as a stallion if he is good enough at inspections as a 3yrold. If we have any doubts before then we will take semen and freeze (just incase) and cut him. He is being handled daily and joining a group in the next few weeks. They were all in seperately due to the snow/ice for a couple of weeks but with nosetonose contact! He is a big boy and a bit cheeky but knows his manners. The night we brought him to the stud was his first time in the box alone and travelled like a dream, sauntered off in his new home and figured out very quickly that no Mammy means the stuff in the feed pot is all for him! I don't like over humanising them young as they have to learn to be a horse but equally like them to learn respect.
 
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