x0grace0x
Member
Want to see what other people are doing with there 2 and a half year olds? Thanks 
what do you do with your 2.5yo's?
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StormyMoments
Well-Known Member
very little she has walked in a circle on the lunge once a few weeks back and other then that just polishing off the basics etc
she has walked in a circle on the lunge once a few weeks back and other then that just polishing off the basics etc 
Persephone
Well-Known Member
Mine knows how to lunge, we are also doing tteam type stuff in the school. She has had one session and did really well.
Allie5
Well-Known Member
Not much! He's is handled daily and expected to have good manners for me, farrier and vet etc. Beyond that he's pretty and gives lovely cuddles! He will do more in the spring as he is showing as well as being graded next year and backed spring/summer 2013. He is still very physically immature though.
stencilface
High upon a hillside
He eats, ****s and rolls
He did some inhand showing in the summer, and in october, but otherwise he is a filthy pig and gets general handling most days, might get groomed etc on a weekend
He did some inhand showing in the summer, and in october, but otherwise he is a filthy pig and gets general handling most days, might get groomed etc on a weekend
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Capriole
Well-Known Member
nothing really. Daily handling. Some showing inhand in the summer.
Polotash
Well-Known Member
I do a fair bit with mine. I find all my youngsters start getting bored doing nothing between 2 and 3 years old... daily she just comes in and out am and pm so gets daily handling, nothing special, just enforcing good manners. Then once a week a have a little play with her, so one week she'll have tack on, another week i'll take her for a little walk, another week i'll get on her (bareback) and get off again, another week we'll walk over poles, between wings, over plastic matting etc.
She is bitted now, so at present her little sessions are a walk in the school with her bit on to do stop, start, left and right (from the ground). I do 5-10 mins max per session, so really just the start of coming in to play and then going out again.
Next step will be starting on long reins. She has done a tiny bit of "lunging" on a long rope where I hold a schooling stick, and she walks around me and does stop and start, but she won't lunge properly until she is at least 3.
She is bitted now, so at present her little sessions are a walk in the school with her bit on to do stop, start, left and right (from the ground). I do 5-10 mins max per session, so really just the start of coming in to play and then going out again.
Next step will be starting on long reins. She has done a tiny bit of "lunging" on a long rope where I hold a schooling stick, and she walks around me and does stop and start, but she won't lunge properly until she is at least 3.
scarymare
Well-Known Member
I check mine twice daily from the other side of the fence!
She's too bold and bargey anyhow so hoping winter out back to the wild will sort this.
She does lead in hand and I did rug her in the summer (not now) so I'm in a pretty good place I reckon. Not planning to break till 4 anyhow.
She's too bold and bargey anyhow so hoping winter out back to the wild will sort this.
She does lead in hand and I did rug her in the summer (not now) so I'm in a pretty good place I reckon. Not planning to break till 4 anyhow.
jendie
Well-Known Member
I have a 2.5 year old ID filly. So far she has spent most of her time outside with a herd who have taught her how to be a good horse >g< She is happy to be led, used to having a halter and being rugged, happy to have her feet picked and trimmed by the farrier. loves to be groomed. She is a just a happy, laid back baby who seems to take everything in her stride.
Elf On A Shelf
...
Mine get shown a couple of times over summer and then dumped in the field for the winter. They get checked over and shoved about every day during winter when I put the hay and food out (they are generally shetlands so knee nudging is the way forward!) They all lead, pick up their feet, stand, groom and bath etc. They don't need to know any more than that.
It's interesting, I was reading an article earlier today on breaking racehorse yearlings. THe guy that breaks all of the Aga Khans horses does it in 3 days. He prefers them to only be handled enough to be lead away from their mothers at weaning and spend the next year in a field with other yearlings, if they need moved they get herded about rather than lead. Day one he puts a head collar on them, walks them round the lunge pen once, tacks them up fully, leads them round again - or 2 or 3 times until they accept the saddle and bridle. Then they lean a human over, swing them up so they are sitting on them then take them for a walk round the pen. 10mins start to finish. Then they do the next one nd the next one and the next one. WHen they have 4 all walking they head out onto the round canter ring - a woodchip track around the lunge pen - and go for a trot. Day two they do the same but introduce canter and when they have finished that little bit of work (they go 4 or 5 times round the ring at most) the riders then stand up on them. And by stand up I mean standing on their saddles. Day 3 is a repeat of Day two and going through the starting stall is also added in and then they are ready to go into the proper training yard.
3 days to break a yearling for racing. As yet nothing has got stressed out, freaked, injured itself or a human other than minor cuts and bruises. The idea behind standing up on them is so that when they go into the starting stalls they will not get frightened by stall attendents standing in them where required. The guy doesn't just break them in he gives them an education. As for wanting them barely handled - he doesn't have learned bad habbits to break.
I kind of follow the same track when I break youngsters though mine have generally shown inhand before and I wait until they are 3 or 4 depending on maturity. I just tack them up, give them a quick walk then get straight on them. My theory is that if you project the idea to the horse that you expect them to know what to do they are generally quite confused by the whole idea that they just go along with it and wonder what the hell you are so confident about. By the time they realise what is going on they have no fear of being ridden and then progress quite happily.
Everyone has their own way of doing things but I really detest over handled youngsters as you create bigger problems later on. Give me a wild one anyday!
It's interesting, I was reading an article earlier today on breaking racehorse yearlings. THe guy that breaks all of the Aga Khans horses does it in 3 days. He prefers them to only be handled enough to be lead away from their mothers at weaning and spend the next year in a field with other yearlings, if they need moved they get herded about rather than lead. Day one he puts a head collar on them, walks them round the lunge pen once, tacks them up fully, leads them round again - or 2 or 3 times until they accept the saddle and bridle. Then they lean a human over, swing them up so they are sitting on them then take them for a walk round the pen. 10mins start to finish. Then they do the next one nd the next one and the next one. WHen they have 4 all walking they head out onto the round canter ring - a woodchip track around the lunge pen - and go for a trot. Day two they do the same but introduce canter and when they have finished that little bit of work (they go 4 or 5 times round the ring at most) the riders then stand up on them. And by stand up I mean standing on their saddles. Day 3 is a repeat of Day two and going through the starting stall is also added in and then they are ready to go into the proper training yard.
3 days to break a yearling for racing. As yet nothing has got stressed out, freaked, injured itself or a human other than minor cuts and bruises. The idea behind standing up on them is so that when they go into the starting stalls they will not get frightened by stall attendents standing in them where required. The guy doesn't just break them in he gives them an education. As for wanting them barely handled - he doesn't have learned bad habbits to break.
I kind of follow the same track when I break youngsters though mine have generally shown inhand before and I wait until they are 3 or 4 depending on maturity. I just tack them up, give them a quick walk then get straight on them. My theory is that if you project the idea to the horse that you expect them to know what to do they are generally quite confused by the whole idea that they just go along with it and wonder what the hell you are so confident about. By the time they realise what is going on they have no fear of being ridden and then progress quite happily.
Everyone has their own way of doing things but I really detest over handled youngsters as you create bigger problems later on. Give me a wild one anyday!
Queenbee
Well-Known Member
Ben has been bitted, worn everything but a saddle, good to handle for farrier and vet, groomed and feet picked out, (sheite to lead at the moment but this is a recent gremlin and will be dealt with ) he has started long lining, the very odd loose school session over mini jumps with his big brother Razz one of the other liveries horses, and has finally started to chill enough to enjoy a 10 min lunge session, mainly walk and a bit of trot although occasionally he will put in a circuit of cheeky canter... he does something 3 days a week 'work wise' but is stabled at night so handled daily. he is being backed in June, and hacked on from there.
) he has started long lining, the very odd loose school session over mini jumps with his big brother Razz one of the other liveries horses, and has finally started to chill enough to enjoy a 10 min lunge session, mainly walk and a bit of trot although occasionally he will put in a circuit of cheeky canter... he does something 3 days a week 'work wise' but is stabled at night so handled daily. he is being backed in June, and hacked on from there.
TelH
Well-Known Member
I lead my filly out for short walks round the village but she doesn't do a lot else apart from basic handling. She is going in the show ring next season then next winter I will start long reining etc and she will be backed early in her 4yo year.
lialls
Well-Known Member
Boots is 2.5 and currently in at night, out in the day so i expect her to lead, tie up, be groomed and have feet picked out without a problem. She can also long rein, is happy with the farrier and to wear a bridle and roller, will load and travel in a trailer nicely and goes for short walks alone. I would like to try some inhand showing with her next summer but thats all i expect her to do for the mo. I've not really had any problems with her but i dont leave anything to chance and don't give her the chance to misbehave.
Holly Hocks
Well-Known Member
Mine knows how to lunge and now that she does it will only be for 10 minutes once a week. She knows commands for trot, walk and stand. I have started leading her out on the roads as I want her to see as much as possible before she is broken in. She lives out during the day with the other mares and comes in at night. She can get a bit bolshy, but no more so than any other baby. When I go back to work in the New Year she will be handled daily to and from the field, but will only be "worked" at weekends until she is ready to be backed properly.
bugbee717
Well-Known Member
Not much really all of mine have been out showing in the summer, the odd groom, but no work at all not until they are 4.
becca1305
Well-Known Member
just handling really. She is rugged, has her feet picked out and trimmed, and I expect her to lead well and quietly and generally just be a nice monster she's 17hh already and a big girl so even more vital that she has good manners as don't fancy being squashed by her! She will be having the dentist soon, and has had the vet for her jabs and was good as gold. she's gone for a potter in the manege on a long lead rein and been asked to walk a few small circles around me and taught to halt in her own space. She has also had a bridle on once to check that wasn't going to be a major issue and she took to it like a pro . She's so laid back I try to take opportunities to do small new things to build up trust, for example when the yard partly flooded quite deeply and was murky so you couldn't see the bottom I asked her to walk through it with me and she pottered straight in after one little snort and got a lot of fuss
For the near future I hope to take her for little tootles down the lane before everything starts getting icy and then leave well alone until spring when she will go for a few more potters and maybe go on the lorry again to a show venue 15mins up the road if Im just doing a single class on one of the others to get her used to it and standing still in it for a short period.
I agree with the straightforward approach, I got my big ginger all but unhandled and have just cracked on quietly not making a big deal out of rugs, head collaring, tying up, feet picking out etc and so far she's not made a big deal out of anything either. She will probably be leant over/sat on once or twice when she's 3 1/2 before winter but then left until 4 for any more and then not actually worked in any sense until the spring of her 5th birthday on account of her breed and her being such a big lady rather than mental maturity.
she's 17hh already and a big girl so even more vital that she has good manners as don't fancy being squashed by her! She will be having the dentist soon, and has had the vet for her jabs and was good as gold. she's gone for a potter in the manege on a long lead rein and been asked to walk a few small circles around me and taught to halt in her own space. She has also had a bridle on once to check that wasn't going to be a major issue and she took to it like a pro . She's so laid back I try to take opportunities to do small new things to build up trust, for example when the yard partly flooded quite deeply and was murky so you couldn't see the bottom I asked her to walk through it with me and she pottered straight in after one little snort and got a lot of fuss For the near future I hope to take her for little tootles down the lane before everything starts getting icy and then leave well alone until spring when she will go for a few more potters and maybe go on the lorry again to a show venue 15mins up the road if Im just doing a single class on one of the others to get her used to it and standing still in it for a short period.
I agree with the straightforward approach, I got my big ginger all but unhandled and have just cracked on quietly not making a big deal out of rugs, head collaring, tying up, feet picking out etc and so far she's not made a big deal out of anything either
. She will probably be leant over/sat on once or twice when she's 3 1/2 before winter but then left until 4 for any more and then not actually worked in any sense until the spring of her 5th birthday on account of her breed and her being such a big lady rather than mental maturity.
Bikerchickone
Well-Known Member
My ID x WB filly got very bored around the age of 2 so I started some long reining, which she didn't really like much, kept turning around to come back to me! So we tried walking out in hand and it went really well. Luckily she's always been amazing with traffic so never had any problems there, and she's a nosy sort so she enjoyed having a good look around! I also expected her to tie up, stand quietly to be groomed, have her feet picked out and generally have nice manners as I agree with the last post that You don't want a 16hh+ youngster with no manners, could be painful!
Incidentally she's 4 and a half now, is working really well and is (most of the time) a pleasure to be around. Not bad for a chesnut mare lol!
Incidentally she's 4 and a half now, is working really well and is (most of the time) a pleasure to be around. Not bad for a chesnut mare lol!
MileAMinute
Well-Known Member
He's been bitted, had a saddle on briefly and established basics of lunging.
Been out 24/7 since October, and have done nothing but drag him in for a good groom once a week then chucked back out again (obv checked everyday!).
He's got a lot of leg to grow into, he's still so gangly! As long as he respects space and can handle tack, I've got no intention of anything more til at least summer next year.
Been out 24/7 since October, and have done nothing but drag him in for a good groom once a week then chucked back out again (obv checked everyday!).
He's got a lot of leg to grow into, he's still so gangly! As long as he respects space and can handle tack, I've got no intention of anything more til at least summer next year.
Pipkin
Well-Known Member
Not much, my IDx came from sales, has been battered about a bit by previous owner, very head shy, hated people, used to charge at me in field rearing over my head and striking out. She tore her hind leg, i helped her so now I'm her "friend" but only me she will tolerate other people but if they fuss ass about they'll get a threatening nip. Have started to stop this, if she gets annoyed with other people now she just makes a face.
We go for a walk about the yard everyday, she's good with front feet not so much with back and has a mean kick on her.
I have got a lot of work to do with her, but it's a case of doing it slowly with her, she's a tempermental ginger mare and too much of a lump to mess about with. So slowly does it and she'll be backed at 4 or later.
she will tolerate other people but if they fuss ass about they'll get a threatening nip. Have started to stop this, if she gets annoyed with other people now she just makes a face.We go for a walk about the yard everyday, she's good with front feet not so much with back and has a mean kick on her.
I have got a lot of work to do with her, but it's a case of doing it slowly with her, she's a tempermental ginger mare and too much of a lump to mess about with. So slowly does it and she'll be backed at 4 or later.
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
I only check mine once - as they're 3 miles down the road - but friendly, horsey farmer whose land they're on checks them at LEAST once daily too. And of course I hurl haylage over the fence at them! And still managed to catch them for their routine trim and worm. There are 9 of them in total, so they keep each other entertained.Gracie21
Well-Known Member
Jack lives in at night and has very good manners (I think so anyway!) pretty much puts the headcollar on himself, gets heavy rugs thrown over him, will back up in the stable when I say etc etc. He ties up and is as quiet as a mouse. Recently started having is feet hosed, which he doesn't like but does stand!
He walks out down the lane next to the main road, meets cars and tractors and is very good. He's been bitted and wears a roller. Lunges well and trotted over a few coloured poles.
Mostly he loves snuggles and cuddles and I don't mind that one bit!!
He is VERY leggy, currently at 14hh and theres nothing of him atall. So there's no point me rushing him. He is a bit bored, his stable is always a state, but he has a various toys to keep him occupied!
I LOVE my baby horse!
He walks out down the lane next to the main road, meets cars and tractors and is very good. He's been bitted and wears a roller. Lunges well and trotted over a few coloured poles.
Mostly he loves snuggles and cuddles and I don't mind that one bit!!
He is VERY leggy, currently at 14hh and theres nothing of him atall. So there's no point me rushing him. He is a bit bored, his stable is always a state, but he has a various toys to keep him occupied!
I LOVE my baby horse!
Wheels
Well-Known Member
i do basic groundwork - leading and teaching him to manouvre around me when asked & just generally have manners
he's in at night out during the day so gets daily handling & has learnt that rugs, boots, rollers, headcollars etc. are not to be scared of
the real work starts in the spring so until then we just have plenty of cuddles
he's in at night out during the day so gets daily handling & has learnt that rugs, boots, rollers, headcollars etc. are not to be scared of
the real work starts in the spring so until then we just have plenty of cuddles