Those who bought a foal/yearling and brought them on...

Lippyx

Lippyx

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Hi,

My plan was to buy a backed 4 year old and bring on etc. But a friend of mine last night sent me a link to an advert for a rising 1 yr old.

Normally, I wouldn't even look at adverts for such a young horse, but this one did catch my eye.

So, can I hear of your experiences since you bought and raised your baby? I know there is a lot of work involved, and it won't be without its difficult moments. I am just interested to see what others think and whether it would even be an option for me.
 
I suppose it depends on your situation as to whether this is a viable option for you. Do you have the necessary skills to bring a baby on? Do you have access to the right facilities etc?

I am now just bitting my 3 yr old in preparation for backing him later in the year, I bought him as a weanling and have done everything myself so far although will have some help for the backing bit. It has been the most rewarding experience of my horsie life so far and really am so excited about riding him. I would have never been able to afford such a quality horse as an adult which is why I bought him at 6 mnths.

A little bit about my situation - I have my own land and yard and i have another horse that I have been riding. Not sure if I had been at livery I would have done the same thing.

I have such a strong bond with my youngster, he knows exactly what he is and isn't allowed to get away with after testing the boundaries on so many occasions. He is great to handle and easy to love. I did on purpose choose a quiet (ish) foal as this is my first horse that wasn't at least backed and ridden away

Can we have a look at the horse in question?
 
I have my own place as well, and other horses to ride in the mean time, i just love bringing on youngsters, you know every thing they have been through, they hold no baggage, they need to be handled firmly, and quietly, you develope a bond with them, when it comes to backing its so much easyer.
 
We have bought foals to bring on in replacement for old horses which have retired.
As a foal is a full faculty learner from birth, we teach them everything we can as soon as they arrive.
Often they are pretty much untouched, but within a few days we expect them to stand for a headcollar, accept being tied, hand you their feet, walk out on a leadrope.
They get ponied out on hacks.
Groundwork continues until they are backed at 4 when the groundwork skills they have are transferred to the saddle.
 
I bought a 9 month foal with the idea of bringing on and replacing my older horse in years to come as I had lots of spare time at the time and it seemed ideal.

However in the past 4 years I have moved house, left my well paid job and have had to take over, due to ill health of parent, the day to day running of the family business and I find I just dont have the time to do him justice and so am now trying with the help of a brill friend to back him and sell him so he can go and experience the big world.

I know no one can see into the future but if you think your life could change ie. married, babies etc in the next few years have a long hard think.

Have to say that my little man has bought quite a few smiles to my face over the years and it is going to be very hard to say goodbye but its the best for him :D
 
Haven't bought a foal, but rescued a TB mare who we later discovered to be in foal and Jasmine (black mare in my sig) was the happy result :)
She lost her mum at 12 weeks and was then fostered by Blaze, my cob mare (also in sig). At the time we were on DIY livery. Jas was handled and led daily from birth as we had to cross a road to get to our turnout, but other than that I let Blaze do all the teaching!
When Jas was two we moved to our own rented yard and I did some groundwork with her, based on NH techniques. I backed her at 3.5 yrs then turned her away for the winter. Brought her back into work in Spring last year. We just did lots of hacking and some schooling last summer. Now 5.5 yrs, she has just started some jumping.
Most rewarding thing I've ever done. She was my first foal, probably my only, as I'm 53 :D
Only problems I encountered were my fault - I treated her as a baby for too long and she got a bit bratty at two. Once I established boundaries we were fine. xx
 
I was bored witless waiting for my yearling to be old enough to ride and by the time I got him to 4 years old I could have bought a 4 year old just like him for less money and hassle than he had cost me. I broke him myself and he was a fantastic hunter, but it was not worth the wait.

I vowed never again to buy a horse who was not old enough to ride.
 
I am only six months down the line in doing something similar and thoroughly enjoying it. I got my lad to keep my friend's homebred company and with a view in the long run for my yearling to replace one of my other horses.

The only down side to getting such a youngster is being patient for several years doing all the prep work and hoping that they don't injury themselves between now and when they get backed.

You also need to think about their turnout arrangements - would your youngster have similar aged company?

If you don't have another horse to ride - how will you feel not riding for so long and then having to deal with backing a horse or riding a just backed horse?
 
I bought my mare as a yearling and she is now 6. I did everything myself with her, she came to me pretty much unhandled so we started off just learning to walk in hand, lift feet etc etc. I hadn't backed a horse myself before although I had experience of bringing a youngster (4yr old) on for eventing so was used to baby tantrums and things like that. I have to say though, I think the bond and trust she had with me from bringing her on from so young helped immensely with backing as she didnt bother about any of it. I havent done much with her, last year we were concentrating on schooling and did a small amount of jumping, she has a foal this year but when thats weaned im hoping to bring her back into work and do some dressage and jumping with her until its time to back the foal :D

The only problem I had, was i'd planned to continue riding my old boy while the other one was pregnant/raising the foal and he unfortunately is no loner rideable so by the time she's ready to be brought back into work i'll have had about a year not riding which im hating!! Though, thats horses, we cant help injuries sometimes.
 
UnaB said:
I have to say though, I think the bond and trust she had with me from bringing her on from so young helped immensely with backing as she didnt bother about any of it.
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I don't doubt you had a great bond with your horse UnaB and it is the joy of buying a baby that you can develope that bond. But I have backed five horses in the week after I bought them and none of them made any fuss about it either. I did another who was completely unhandled until 3, bar being gelded (and nearly bleeding to death because they couldn't catch him to treat post operative bleeding) a month after I bought him and he was difficult with the girth but very easy to ride. It's my impression that the vast majority of horses can be backed very easily by a confident rider.
 
Thanks for your thoughts and experiences.

Here is said baby. It's an old pic apparently...

http://m.preloved.co.uk/m/showadvert/105867651/appaloosa-filly.html

The yard where I am has had plenty of foals etc from birth and brought them up to be good riding horses. There are a few youngsters there, so she'll have similar age turn out.
I was working at the yard when they had 3 mares give birth, so have experienced it, but this was 10 yrs ago. I am just playing with the idea, but it is the thought of not riding... Does that over power the pleasure and reward a baby gives you when you can say "I done that..."
 
Lippy, don't do it for your first horse, a backed and ridden away horse will be quite enough of a challenge. And you will be so impatient to start doing stuff. Give yourself chance to use all that initial enthusiasm!
 
Is this your first horse?

I would in general advise against it, it is similar to breeding one - a whole load of expense and you may not end up with what you want in the end. I work with horses so it is a bit different for me, however I have vowed never to get a young horse again unless my circumstances change so that I am not working full time. My previous horse was bought as an unbroken 5 year old when I was running my own business (breaking and reschooling problem horses), the business was dissolved due to my partner leaving me and it just being too much on my own. So said youngster came with me to a normal DIY livery yard near my new job. I had an awful time getting him ridden away and felt really isolated as there was no one really who could help at the times where really you do need an experienced person on the ground. We got there in the end but it was very traumatic, which given that at the time I was breaking in 30+ racing Arabs at work just shows how bad it was.
From experience it really does not matter whether you have had the horse from a foal/youngster as to whether they accept you easily ridden. If they trust you, then it is easy and the horses that I have broken and ridden away I have not felt closer to than the ones that were bought in. I think this is a bit of a 'fluffy' concept and reality can be very different. I feel closest to my current horse than any other and I've only had him 11 months, but we just click. He is 9 so was ready made but we've been through a lot in those 11 months and he is now doing really well, we got into Horse and Hound this week in the Dressage reports! and I see no reason why I can't look at that and say I did that, just because I did not break him in or look after him from a foal.
 
Thanks. Kat you are right. I should get a backed 4 or 5 yr old. I have ridden plenty of them recently and helped bring them on, plus my instructor says I am more than ready to take on a backed youngster.
I guess its hard to not get caught up in the "dream" of having a horse from a baby, but it is all about trust and if you click then that's what counts!

Well done and good luck to all who have foals/yearlings, I really do salute you. Think I will put all my time and effort in a backed youngster who is ready to see the world!

Lx
 
About 30 years ago I saw a foal that particularly took my eye. Although I had experience with other stock and had owned a few ponies I knew very little about breaking youngsters. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I ended up with the foal! At the time, I lived up the back of beyond so I had to work out how to break a horse for myself. No Internet in those days!

Well, the foal was an Anglo-Arab and he was a very interesting and rewarding project. In the absence of any local advice, I decided to train him as I would a dog. If he was nervous of something, I'd gradually work at it until the fear was eliminated. Sometimes I'd walk him through the washing on the line. Or walk him up to tractors, etc. The only thing he was scared of was traffic because he never saw any! My neighbour suggested putting him in her 15 acre field beside the road. Within a week he was grazing right up to the fence with heavy lorries thundering past within inches. No more problem.

I started to lunge and long rein him. Then, with the help of a couple of girls, got him backed. I finally sold him at four. The purchaser came with a trailer. The horse had never seen one before, let alone travelled, but walked straight on. The purchaser phoned later to say he'd lunged him for 20 minutes after he'd settled in and that went so well, he just got up and rode him off. So if I can do it, anyone can. It is great fun and so long as you don't do anything stupid, not that difficult.

I'm retired now and breed Highland ponies. I take them on so far for others to back and find it tremendously rewarding to see them go off having had a good start in life. Go for it! I'm sure you won't regret it. Plenty of advice on here if you have any queries. Yes, it is a commitment, but that's livestock.
 
You are right lippy, I know you aren't a typical first horse buyer and will cope with a youngster but you want to be able to get on and do stuff straight away really. I bought a 4 year old and I'm having a fab time but wouldn't have wanted anything younger. As it was a long summer if hacking was just what she needed and what I needed after too many years of structured riding. I'm now getting her out competing and am knuckling down to schooling.
 
I bought my cow pony at 9.5 months old. He was an unhandled colt. I have been very hands on with him from the off. I have done copious amounts of handling and ground work with him, de-sensitizing him to all sorts and giving him opportunities to be exposed to different experiences while he was young.

As soon as I was able to lead him, I made an effort each day to take him out of the herd and walk him up to the yard either in the morning or the evening - never having a set rountine of which I did. I have a barn door bateson trailer, and I purposely don't put the ramp down, for ease of use, so my horses learn to step up in the trailer. I would put his feed in the opened up trailer and he would step in and eat his feed in there. I progressed by closing all of the trailer up save only one door for him to get into the trailer.

I showed him as a yearling at a few show local shows, and unfortunately it was cut short due to me severely breaking my ankle as I was unable to walk for a year. AS a two year old he was very successfully shown all over the place at many big annual shows and qualifying and competeing at the Ultimate Show Case of Champions at Great Yorkshire show ground. As a three year old he was shown at County level.

I was never interested in showing him as showing was not something I knew anything about, nor did I want to do it as such. I initially started off just to take him out for experience and education. I thought when he was old enough to be ridden at a show, he would be level headed due to being exposed to the experience as a youngster. Anyway, after a number of red ribbons, I really got a taste for showing and got the showing bug!

I decided I would wait to have him broken as a 4 year old. However, when he was 3.5 years old I had the amazing opportunity to take him to a Monty Roberts demonstration in October last year. There Kelly Marks team backed him with the outside assistance of Monty! It was magical to watch.

I then turned him away from anything ridden, and from the November continued with a hell ish amount of long reining. I subjected him to all sorts on the long reins. I introduced him to pole work, going in and out of locks, through fillers - all sorts really. There's a caravan business ran out of a barn at our yard, and I even went into the yard car park and as caravanrs drove past us I would ask them to honk their horns at him!

In April I started to teach him to lunge and did some light lunging with him in preparation for breaking. Mid May I sent him to the breakers yard for 8 weeks. At the moment he can be mounted from the ground, walk and trot with someone on board!

I bought him thinking by the time I would be riding him, I would be retiring off my bay Sammi. It hasn't worked out like that - at 19 years of age Sammi is still going strong and competing.

It is the most truly rewarding thing I have done in my life, and I would recommend the experience to anyone. However, although I knew it would be hard work, I hadn't appreciated just HOW hard it would be. I guess it is fair to say it is as hard as I made it for myself as it was my choice to take him the path I did. I will not ever regret doing it, but it is fair to say I won't be in a rush to do it from scratch again!

Do you want to nose at some photo's? xx
 
Kat, its true. If I am honest to my self I want something I start doing local competitions with and go to clinics etc and just generally enjoy riding him or her. I can still work on groundwork and respect etc. 4 yrs is really still a baby, so can still build up that trust and bond just by enjoying "life" together. Thanks so much for your input.
 
Lippyx said:
Kat, its true. If I am honest to my self I want something I start doing local competitions with and go to clinics etc and just generally enjoy riding him or her. I can still work on groundwork and respect etc. 4 yrs is really still a baby, so can still build up that trust and bond just by enjoying "life" together. Thanks so much for your input.
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Sounds a very sensible and fun decision - enjoy horse shopping! :D
 
I got my lad as a untouched yearling last year.

Best thing ever in my life and my absolute pride and joy :) Never had my own youngster before, and so far not gone wrong with him nor had any problems. Teaches me more each day!

Easiest lad and the most trusting little soul. He goes everywhere with me and does everything I can possibly subject him to lol.

http://www.facebook.com/v/10151039797021753

http://www.facebook.com/v/10151039801021753

http://www.facebook.com/v/10150850115411753

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Lippyx said:
Rudely... Photos please :)
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Okie dokes, prepare yourself for a photo overload. I will apologise in advance, I truly have loads, but I will try do it as stages of his life so far. I think that is what I love best about having him from so young - I love going through old photo's looking at how much we have accomplished. I hope you like them. xx

As a foal still with his mum...
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As a yearling the day I bought him....
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As a yearling at his first annual show.....
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As a two year old at the Ultimate Show Case of Champions...
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Play time as a two and three year old with Sammi....
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As a three year old at Derby County...
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As a three year old at Lincolnshire County....
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De-sensitizing as a three year old....
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Currently at the breaker's yard as a 4 year old....
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Interesting thread ! I would recommend raising foals and yearlings, it can be very rewarding and very trying not always in equal measures mind. I think the bond with a horse from the beginning is special and the trust levels can be more intense.

In 37 years of owning horses I have only had 2 'ready made' horses. The first one when I was a teenager and was clueless, I kicked, it went sort of set up. He died out hunting and unable to afford another ready made, I bought a rising 3 yr old irish draught, looking back he was the most forgiving horse in the world, I broke him and we bumbled through life for 26 years. He taught me a lot and he tolerated even more !

When the irish horse was 6 or 7 I bought a weanling section d, realising the mistakes I had made with the other horse I enlisted help with this one, I did all the ground work but had him professionally ridden away. Twenty nine happy years with him.

When the section D was 8ish and the irish horse in his teens I bought another RID weanling, totally unhandled and weaned the day I picked him up. Despite being much more experienced myself by now I still had him professionally ridden away. He went on to be a very successful show horse but was lost at only 13.

Those 3 young unspoilt horses remained viceless and kind throughout their lives with me and I hold the view that if you have them young you can make them into what you want and if you cock it up you have only yourself to blame. BUT, you must get the appropriate help at the right time if needed and not just hope the problems will go away because 'they are your babies'.

Thirty years after buying my first made horse I bought another following the sudden loss of the show horse. An eleven year old, lovely horse but loads of baggage that took a lot of shedding. He is 19 now, I love him dearly and he has been hugely successful, but I feel I do not truly know him and he still exhibits behaviour that is a legacy of previous handling. I decided to give up after this horse but somehow, looking over the doors at the moment, is a yearling I bred and a 10 month old weanling I have just bought.

I just hope I live long enough to enjoy them.
 
OP it sounds like you have made a very sensible decision not to get a foal if you want to be out and about doing things, a just backed 4 year old will still be plenty to keep you amused. I bought 2 weanlings IDs 4.5 years ago, they are now just 5. I wouldnt change it for the world but i do have my own place with plenty of grazing and another horse to ride so the time when i wasnt doing much did go very quickly. Agree with some other posters about the backing, one of the boys was very easy to back but the other was difficult, very nervous of the rider even though he was the one i had done quite a bit of inhand showing with as a 2 year old, the other one freaked going to shows so gave up but he was easy to back. I did all the work myself, just had a girl to help jockey when they were first sat on, but this one particular horse is just a bit nervous even though he was backed at home with me there the whole time, so theres no telling how they will be even if you have had them since a foal. I have had quite a few other unbroken youngsters, usually buy rising 4 year olds and none of them had ever been as nervous as this one.
 
Badgermyer - thanks for the offer, I am sure I will be needing lots of help and advice.
I am after a small dressage horse. I dont want something big, as I feel happier on smaller horses. So 15.2hh is ideal really. I am doing so well with the client dressage that my yard organises, and I love watching it. I want to get a backed youngster, that has the basics and go for it in the dressage world. I also quite enjoy showing, so would like to give that a go. That's the plan anyway :D
 
I bought a weanling last autum and have worked with him slowly to get him to accept a headcollar lead ect. It has been extreemly rewarding and by far I gave a better bond with him than I have ever had with another horse. If finances and time allowed I would do it again in a heartbeat. On the other dude however I do sometimes wish I had bought a horse I could ride. My mare is currently poorly and Im missing riding so much atm.
 
Go for it! You sound like you have the right attitude and have plenty of help on board if you need it.

I had no choice in the matter when a mare that I brought came with a 'surprise package'.

I had no experience of foaling whatsoever. So I brought a book called' From Foal To Full Grown', did loads of research on the internet.

I nutured the mare, fed her well and was lucky to be present at the birth of the foal. I had the book mentioned above sat open on the stable wall with instructions highlighted and used it to guide me through the stages of birth.

Lucky for me and the mare, a text book birth was had and a lovely bay filly was born.

She is now rising 5 and I have just re-backed her after giving her the winter off. She is riding away very nicely and we will be going on our first mini hack next week.

I am still riding her dam, who is getting on now and starting to lose teeth, but I think she is proud of what her daughter is becoming.

There have been ups and downs, like you'd expect with any youngster, but I love my old mare and her daughter, even though they can be demanding divas at times!

I plan to do RC activities with her and turn her into a general allrounder. I'm very lucky to have this 'free' horse :)

Good luck with your venture :)
 
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