Training yearling

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soloequestrian

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I've been doing leading training with my baby horse, who will be one in a few weeks time. I tend to do her after feeding time, when the older horses are inside. This means that I'm taking her away from them and she can't see them. She has been really good so far - we can walk up to the top of the field, which is about 500m. Tonight I did the same, and she was a bit of a pillock - we had a big fight at one point where she managed to flick me with a cow kick, then get giddy about it (she obviously knew she'd been a bit naughty) and do some half-rears and other airs above the ground. She didn't seem particularly worried - her response was similar to how she'd act if she was naughty with one of the other horses, so I think she was just excited and playful. She didn't whinny for the others or get squitty or have any other signs of distress, and every now and then when she was not being a pillock, I could give her a scratch and she got right into that.
My question is, what do I do? Do I just have to keep doing this and ignoring the naughtiness/playfulness? In some ways it's good - she is learning that she can't get away from me, but it's not much fun - she is 14.2 already so if she does go up she is pretty tall.....
Any advice gratefully received!
 
I don't know what you should do. I do nothing like that with my yearlings. Yes they know how to lead but I never take them away from their other little friends. If I am leading them out of sight of their field then another yearling is always taken with them so there is never any naughtiness, they just walk out calmly and quietly together. They are very young at this age and unless you are planning to show her then is there a need to teach this at this age? Everyone does things differently and there's no right or wrong in doing what you're doing, it's just not something I would do with mine. Hopefully others will come along and offer advice.
 
Maybe I am trying to do to much! My worry is that I need to get the leading well established at this point because she is going to grow up to be a big girl and at the moment I can hold on to her when she is daft. It's the first time I've had one from this age. I probably wouldn't think about showing her until at least next year, and then only to get her used to going to shows - I'm not wild about showing generally.
 
I am with Spring Feather on this one set her up to succeed not to fail so either take another one with her or walk her among the other horses while they are grazing. I agree she needs to lead well but she shouldn't need to be away from the others. I also can see how her not getting away is a lesson well learned, but now it is, back off the independence bit and just keep it simple
 
soloequestrian said:
Maybe I am trying to do to much! My worry is that I need to get the leading well established at this point because she is going to grow up to be a big girl and at the moment I can hold on to her when she is daft.
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Well, yes. But presumably you are leading her every day - too and from the field when you turn out/bring in??
 
amymay said:
Well, yes. But presumably you are leading her every day - too and from the field when you turn out/bring in??
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No, they come in and go out loose - the stables are in part of the field that is sectioned off, so I just open a gate and they all troop in.
I like the idea of backing off a bit - I can definitely do some less demanding exercises.
 
I agree with Spring Feather.
My yearling (officially turned 1 last Wednesday) learnt how to lead when he was a real baby.
He's now turned out in a small herd. I was getting a bit concerned that he was getting too attached to the others. Then I remember... He's a baby! He knows the basics and won't forget them.
He doesn't need to know how to be alone yet. He needs to be with horses to teach him how to be a well rounded, mannered member of the horse world!
There's is loads of time to teaching and learning as long as the basics were covered at the start.
 
soloequestrian said:
No, they come in and go out loose - the stables are in part of the field that is sectioned off, so I just open a gate and they all troop in.
I like the idea of backing off a bit - I can definitely do some less demanding exercises.
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Ah, well in that case I can see why you're doing what you're doing.

So, how about starting to turn in and out off a headcollar?
 
I'll probably carry on doing the leading at feeding time, just not go so far and perhaps do stepping over stuff or leading around the school so there is more of a game going on. I don't think she did much as a very small baby - she came from a stud farm and I don't think they had a lot of time for individual handling. She is pretty good most of the time, and the small number of fights we've had I've won so perhaps I just need to chill a bit. My other horses are both perfect to lead, but I got them like that as adults so I've not done this bit before.
 
Mine all learn to lead as young foals and are led in and out alongside their mother. From weaning at around 6 months until we back at 3 or 4 years old they are always led with another horse - usually an old horse kept as companion for the young ones - and are never asked to go alone until we lunge and long rein as part of the backing process. Rarely have a problem and I really wonder if you may be creating a problem by taking yours so far from its friends. Horses are herd animals and youngsters do need the security of their friends. Mine are all warmbloods to make 16.2 to 17 hands plus at maturity
 
My yearling has come from a stud too with minimal handling, but I think I've been really lucky and ended up with the easiest yearling to handle ever - he leads up and down the very long track to the field perfectly (with or without company), ties up, can have a rug on, sprayed with fly spray....all learnt in the space of a week really!

One thing that seems to be a recurring theme with baby horses (I've posted a few questions about yearlings on here too) - they need to be out 24/7 ideally. Not entirely sure what your set up is, but it sounds like there is some stabling involved - probably why she is a bit full of beans and excitable. Also, are you giving her any hard feed? Again, from all the advice I've been given it seems a consensus that you shouldnt be giving the yearling anything more than grass providing they are out 24/7. Hard feed could be contributing to why she is excitable as well.

And I know this is a bit controversial, and is very much a personal opinion, but I LOATHE opening gates and mass turning out horses at the same time. I've ridden plenty of horses and some that have been turned out in this fashion, and they always end up being some of the worst mannered horses I've ever been near. Ok in some instances this cant be avoided, but generally I find the people that do this are a touch lazy and cant be bothered lead their horses out to the field, so just turn them out on mass and then it becomes a rush with the horses jostling to get out and the herd mentality takes over as soon as the gate is opened. So your yearling is already learning that as soon as a gate opens and you go 'outside', its time to be excited and rush around, perhaps protecting yourself by kicking out etc. Not saying this is necessarily the case for you, but I'd re-look at this approach if you can to see if it makes a difference for her.

My baby is more confident being led with 2 of his field-mates (he becomes a dope on a rope when his adopted mum and dad are with him!), so perhaps try leading her with a couple of sensible older horses who can set a good example.

But as others have said, dont worry too much and let her be a baby - I did a load with mine in the first week to see what he is capable of (in case I need to get the vet out, in preparation for the farrier etc) and now I'm cutting back drastically on how much I'm handling him. I'm probably going to bring him in from the field max 2 or 3 times per week for a half hour tie up/groom/check over etc, then rest of the time he'll just be in the field enjoying himself.
 
She is out 24/7 other than the 30-60 mins it takes me to feed and faff on an evening. They come and go through the gate one at a time and she will back up before going through it. She gets a supplementary feed of soya protein and minerals in accordance with the NRC nutrient requirements of horses and a forage analysis.
I struggle to do much with more than one horse at a time because I'm on my own so much, so leading does really need to be just her on her own. What sort of age do people start walking out in hand? I'd like to do a lot of that on the forest tracks around us to help develop her feet - all the barefoot stuff emphasises how far horses travel in the wild each day and how important movement over a variety of surfaces is for good hoof (and overall body) development. I was thinking of starting a little of this around harvest time ie Sept/Oct because then I can go through fields rather than along a road. Perhaps I will have to find a willing friend to walk with me and bring the old boys along too.
 
I lead my foal out twice a week from been weaned down a lane and back again meeting dogs and people and occassional car. I believe that is how you get the bond going between you and your horse and I have never had an issue with turning her away from other horses or her heard group when we go out to ride on our own. She has a very strong personaility and needed taking down a peg or two but I don't regret leading her out it was the making of her.
 
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