what do you do with your 2yr old horses??

I am just starting to show mine, get him walking over tarpauling, use to umbrellas, plastic bags basically just bombproofing games to stop him from getting bored
 
pat them and tell them how pretty they are
(they don't want to get a complex by hearing how much they look like dinosaurs/giraffes etc...)
 
He's been lead, shown traffic, squirty bottles ie fly spray, sun block which he hates, normal stuff like farrier, wormed, I've just started bitting him but his favourite thing though is just to hang out with his friends.
 
Desensitise them from everything scary - hosepipes, sprays, plastic bags etc. Take them for walks to get them used to traffic, let them have a look at the trailer if you haven't already done so. There's loads you can do but they're only babies so just a little bit every day.
I had mine from when she was 7 months and she's 3 now. I loved doing all the ground work. Have fun!
 
My gypsy cob at two was mature for his age and needed plenty of thinking stuff to do. He was at 2, bitted, long reined, had a saddle on, led out off my old clydesdale to see life.

I showed him in hand and spent ages doing lots of stuff involving bags, tarps, poles, loud motorcycles, screaming kids, dogs - all things to have been prepared for the chaos of life.

He was sat on at 2 1/2 - and I mean sat on not worked - I am only small and we did things like leg ups, mounts from blocks, adjusting girth and stirrups etc. Also did a little walk, turn and halt. After a couple of months teeth fell out and he went very bum up so was left with just ground work until 3.

Not all 2 year olds are able to cope with this, some are better just handled and left in the field to grow more, but mine needed to be doing something.
 
Going by what everyone is saying does it mean I am doing too much with Bella? She is 10 months old and has been out for walks and seen a bit of traffic. She is used to the farrier and being groomed etc
 
In-hand walkies, farrier, picking out feet, grooming, lots of plastic bag rustling etc...
I bitted my horse and put a saddle/roller on him etc, and sat on him just before his 3rd birthday.
Probably like Theresa's boy he was physically strong and actually enjoyed having something to do other than eating!
 
No, I don't think by the sounds of it you are doing too much with her. Different horses go at different rates - if she is coping well with walks, traffic etc etc I don't think there's any reason not to do these things. The key is little and often as they will tire quite quickly. Also, if she seems like she is over-fazed, take it back a step.

We've had our yearling and 2yo doing all sorts - obstacle courses, walking, tarp, umbrellas etc.. the yearling is actually less bothered than the 2yo half the time..

Have fun!
 
At 2 1/2 timmy was sent away with his older brother to be started in harness. He's a big chap (pure percheron) and was bolshy back then so it was thought better to have him doing something before he got really big. Plus his brother was already going and it worked out cheaper (terrible reason really) He was broken as a pair though with a big strong shire who did most of the work. He got used to going forward and we got some breaks and steering installed and he was less of a tank to lead after that, he was just confused we think. Then he did the normal bombproofing and little to no work. Used him for harnessing demonstrations a lot too. He's now just turned 4 and is about to start giving carriage rides propper thank god as we desperatly need a non broken horses! He's the only healthy one of the bunch now... out of 4 we have one p*ssed off 20yr old with a touch of arthritus, a suspected broken hiped 4yr old and another 4yr old shiverer who's back legs are locking up more and more..... Oh the joys of working with horses
 
Oh yes, without four short sessions a week, from 16 months Mr Stinky was a true horrible pest, destroying everything in the way of his pointy teeth and feet or being a bargy little git. Even when out 24 x 7, he must do something to keep his mind ticking over. Our clydesdale who is the same age (5) is totally different, happy to stay out eating and very relaxed.

I started at 16 months - 5 mins at a time and very slowly built up. We still only do 4 sessions a week as a rule but now up to 2 hours if hacking or 45 mins if schooling - for him that is plenty in the school or he gets bored and turns off.

I have spent three years doing what some people do in under six months.

We did our first hack at 3, first short canter in school at 3 1/2, first show rising 4, affiliated shows at 4 1/2 and county show and a tiny bit of jumping have just started now he is 5. Hopefully our first tiny SJ class will be in the autumn.

I have found starting early and doing everything very slowly for my chap has been the key. He has never been stressed or needed time off as he has had lots of time to think about and take in the whole process of his education.

I have had the luxury of doing him at the yard with lots of professional help which not everyone can do though.

When I bought him as a yearling he knew how to tie up, load, pick out feet and generally nice to handle. The breeder starts them almost from birth on handling so they never have time to be wild and they are all very chilled and lovely babies - particularly to their breed and being so well handled and never stressed.
 
Our 2 1/2 year old has just been lunged, bitted and very lightly backed in walk and trot, he is 16.2 already with a very grown up head on his shoulders so we thought it best to lay a few ground rules before he grows any more!!

He met the farrier and had all feet picked up as a foal still with Mum, and since weaning has always gone for walks, seen traffic farm machinery etc. Loaded and travelled.

Has plodded through streams and met scary dogs, sheep etc.

And now leads off of one of the old broodmares for a short walk down the lane and back.
 
Saddle, bridle, walks, poles, most of my gates have poles in front of them if they want to come out they walk over them, loading, spooky things, long reining, teaching to Whoa, walk and trot (and jolly well do it) when they are asked etc, etc, etc, all the normal stuff. Depending on the individual I may back them too.
For 23.5 hours of their day is their own, more, because I don't do them everyday.
 
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