What do you do with your yearlings?

[Aidey]

I've seen a couple of threads on here of people with youngsters who have them walking over large plastic sheets and taking them for walks etc

Just wondering what age you start to do this? Eg introducing to traffic, walking over tarpaulin ..

Thanks

 

[Ladylina83]

I almost wish I'd done mine before winter as he is hitting terrible 2s early ! he is bitted though and has been to 3 busy shows and sees the cars going past his stable - he's fine with plastic bags being bathed the hose pipe loading and traveling the farrier the vet the hay delivery and small kids jumping running screaming cycling around him - I guess you want him to see as much as possible in his daily life with out blowing his mind - he should have time to just be a horse with as much turn out as possible...... Although when I think about it I've never asked my adult horse to walk over a tarp so I'm not sure how useful this lesson would be

I am going to wait until the weather improves and he has a little less spring in his step to leave the yard for walks - a mate of mine said the best time to do things like that is when the weather is really hot and they have been out 24/7 - I see her point

some people on our yard have a 6 month out walking every weekend which I think is a bit much really

 

[Capriole]

My long yearling, well I took him for a little walk on Sunday, and on Tuesday I walked him down to a friends yard for his vaccs, before that he hasnt been out of his field since June I think.
So I dont do much with him at all, just check him over, feed him, footcare, and brush out his tail occasionally to stop ringlets forming.
This year he will be shown in hand. So last summer I taught him to load and lead.

Thats it really, hes left alone mostly.

 

[scarymare]

Very little, they get to bold if you do to much. My vet really p*****d me off by insisting on training my 6 month old to lead when he came out to chip her. Haven't been able to get near her since - they come right in the end if you leave them in the herd. If I ever were lucky enough to breed a show quality one though it would be different I suppose.