Youngstock turnout

[LadyGascoyne]

What sort of ages would you turn out together?

I have a thought to use my currently empty field as space for a couple of fillies, probably on a grazing agreement basis for friends, with potential to integrate one of my own.

I am thinking yearling - 2yo. Would I be best to keep them all at the same year group? Or mixed ages up to 2yo? And would you add an older mare?

They will do nothing but eat so my thought is really about having the right dynamic so they can grow up and learn together without much human interaction.

 

[ihatework]

Mixed age is fine. It’s the integration of foal/weanling into group that requires the most care. If there is an older unshod mare great (provided they aren’t too witchy).

It’s generally about having sufficient space and resources plus taking care on personalities.

Friend and I run a mixed herd. Combo of yearling/2/3yo plus often one or two broodies and/or a ridden horse on holiday. The mares with foals are kept separate. Then strategically integrated with hand picked softer yearling/2yo to wean with before going into main group. They all spend the summer together. But get split into 3 groups in winter due to grazing set up

There is nothing more lovely than watching youngstock interact.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Mixed age is fine. It’s the integration of foal/weanling into group that requires the most care. If there is an older unshod mare great (provided they aren’t too witchy).

It’s generally about having sufficient space and resources plus taking care on personalities.

Friend and I run a mixed herd. Combo of yearling/2/3yo plus often one or two broodies and/or a ridden horse on holiday. The mares with foals are kept separate. Then strategically integrated with hand picked softer yearling/2yo to wean with before going into main group. They all spend the summer together. But get split into 3 groups in winter due to grazing set up

There is nothing more lovely than watching youngstock interact.

View attachment 86167

Brilliant, this is exactly the approach I’d like to achieve - right down to the ridden horse on holiday idea. I plan to keep alternating between livery and holiday for Mim.

Everyone would be unshod, and I’d aim to have three to four horses on 8 acres, with four additional acres resting.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

My boy went out with a herd of 5 or 6 in ages from freshly weaned to retired huge warmbloods in their 20's, they all got on great & the older boys kept them in check letting them know whats acceptable etc.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I will have a better idea of things tomorrow… going to see a very, very young one. I really like her - and the dam looks lovely - but she is much younger than I’d ordinarily look for so I’m going to see how I feel when I see her in the flesh.

 

[DQ1]

Youngsters in mixed herds make much nicer older horses IMO.

 

[maya2008]

Young horses (yearlings really) benefit hugely from a ‘nanny’ to show them how to behave. I have had a few who grew up in groups of similar age from weaning, and they were rude and struggled to integrate fully with a mixed age herd later. I currently have mine grouped in size rather than age.

Our two small yearlings are out with a 20yo Shetland and a 6yo New Forest. The New Forest does most of the parenting (she rules with stern looks backed up with swift retribution if they do not listen) and the Shetland gives her a chance to sleep without the young ones running amuck. My retired TB would also make a good nanny - she’s a lot bigger though, and is less inclined to discipline them as she’s too worried about hurting them. A nanny who is bigger but not by a mile seems to work better!