What to look for in a 2y/o?

[dressageforever]

As title really! I am used to looking at foals and older horses but have never looked at a 2y/o before.

Are they generally in the ugly phase? I have seen foal pics which I like, breeding I like and I like the dam and sire so should I just take a punt or can I assess the walk, trot, canter at this age? Or should I just be looking for a good walk and canter or just accept they are in the fugly stage?

 

[BallyshanHorses]

I dont find that many 2 year olds are at an ugly stage this time of year but that depends on when it was born I suppose.It also depends what breed this potential two year old is as that will affect how much it has grown and possibly how much more it is going to grow.At this point you should be looking at a more immature version of what it will finish like.Conformation now is as good as it will get in most cases and all paces should be monitored as this will give a very good indication of what it will be like obviously it may not be well balanced at this point so you will have to take that into consideration and horses should improve with training but it will be invaluable to see it loose schooled at trot and canter.Assess conformation at walk and trot both towards and away from you and if in doubt bring someone experienced that may see any flaws that may be potentially harmful as a future sporthorse.

 

[henryhorn]

Our two year olds tend to look awful.
What doesn't change however is the basic shape ie are front and back equally in proportion even if not at the same height, and their paces should only improve from what you see.
The real trick is seeing past that gangly stage to what the eventual horse will be. I could show you some terrible pics then fantastic adult ones, but you will have to pm me your own email as I can't do it via here.

 

[GingerCat]

It may depend on the breed, this is my two year old Sec D, I don't think he looks too bad

 

[TarrSteps]

One trap I do see people fall into with 2 (and even 3 and 4) year olds is to innacurately estimate how heavy the horse will be when it's done. They see a "mature" looking, relatively light horse and figure it's going to stay that way, just get taller, then they're surprised when it's a moose by 5.

As above, anything significant is apparent at that age, although the parts might not fit together in the prettiest way possible. Heads, especially, can look a bit rough, especially if the neck is light, and that puts a lot of people off, when the finished article will all fit together well and look noble rather than common. I'd forgive a horse being a bit up behind or a bit narrow in the chest and SLIGHTLY toed out (so long as the leg is straight, not rotated within the limb) if it's taken in context.

My experience is horses that canter well tend to keep at least a good sense of that, although trots can come and go a bit. I'm a stickler for a good canter, though!

Also, bigger is not necessarily better. Some young horses show a huge engine but not much ability to "carry". This CAN be at least partly a stage but a flexible hock and a willingness to step under should be apparent at any age.

I wouldn't buy a horse that age without seeing it free.

 

[SuZQuzie]

In my (limited) experience, the structure of the two year old is pretty much in place. The hip might get a little longer, the withers a bit higher, but, for the most part, what you see is what you get for bone structure. As TarrSteps said, they may be slightly toed out or narrow in the chest, and that is usually forgivable if everything else is in place.

That being said, the muscling and "fill" is still to come. While the horse shouldn't be ewe-necked, a bit of a pencil neck is forgivable. Subpar hindend muscling is also very common and will change with work.

Gaits can and should be fully evaluated at this junction in their development. Jump can also be evaluated, but it is important to look for the proper hind end technique over the front end. A front end can be fixed while it is not as easy with a hind end issue. The walk should be overstepping without becoming lateral. The legs should track in a straight line both coming and going. The trot should have a slight bounce to it, indicating suspension, though a trot can (almost) always be made. The canter is crucial, though. I personally look for good articulation of the joints. Often times a baby will have a GORGEOUS trot and then a pogo stick canter with no reach or lift and stiff, straight legs. That will NOT be fun to ride!

 

[TarrSteps]

Re the lateral walk, to emphasize, especially if you're looking for a dressage horse, if the horse walks laterally naturally RUN. If you're only going to jump then perhaps not a problem - there are some very good jumpers with naturally inclined lateral walks - but it's a HUGE fault for competitive dressage. It's easy enough to make a decent walking horse lateral, don't start with one!