2 year olds

[frackspal]

I tragically lost my horse that was diagnosed with kissing spines in February of this year due to a broken leg. It was a hard descision, but I decided to get a 2 year old thoroughbred from a rescue In May.

Since then, she had been learning a lot, cross ties, tacked, trailers alone, has done in hand shows, started long lining, clips, mane pulled, goes for hand walks on trails, has done obstacle challenge competitions in hand, etc she’s really a very calm well tempered baby and she’s learned a lot over the last few months.

I’m planning on getting on her in March-April of next year when she’s 3, and just wanted to see what everyone else was doing with their two year olds for the coming winter and what the plans are for them next year as three year olds.

Really, just curious to see what others are doing with their young horses

[PNWjumper]

I have one who will be 3 in April 2017. Mine is semi feral right now. She lives in my mare herd and spent the summer looking like she had been groomed by a weed whacker (alpha mare = weed whacker). I brought her over from Germany right before she turned 2, so she’s been handled in that sense - though the quarantine facility called me on day one to tell me that she was difficult to manage and a biter. She must have been royally stressed, because she’s the sweetest young mare I’ve ever been around. Though I suspect she’s got a streak that will wind her up in the alpha mare position when she’s a little older and my current alpha mare tones down a bit.

Anyhow, I’ve taken her out a couple of times to work with her, and, of course, handle her when it’s time to get trimmed or vaccinated. She’s smart as a whip and picks up things instantly. And that makes me feel guilty that she’s so stinking unhandled! But this is how I do things year in and year out. My riding horses take all of my time and I spend the whole 2 year old year for each young horse I have feeling like a horrible horse person for how infrequently I work with them.

I will back her next spring - most likely March/April timeframe as I usually try to fit it in before I’m gone a bunch for horseshows. I aim to get 60-ish rides in before the end of the summer, and will aim for the last few rides to include a haul-away session at a show or clinic to do some full courses. Then she’ll get tossed back out to the field for the winter and I’ll start her again the following spring with plans to walk into the 4yo classes in May.

[gumtree]

Up until recently I always had some TB 2 year olds to work with. Some years a lot.

As is the norm with TBs my 2 years were well under saddle by now. Some had raced. Most don’t until 3. Others that I didn’t think were going to be good enough to be races horses we started and being trained in December and January. None of my horses are just trained to race. They are well schooled in more than just the basics. All go out in hunt saddles and we ride “long” by racehorse standards for a number of months.

All of my 2 years olds went on trails through our woods and popped over logs from time to time to mix things up.

3 year olds that didn’t go to the track are doing 2-6+ courses several days a week. Outside courses, logs, fences, coups etc.

None have ever been worse for wear and are sound as the dollar then and years after while I had them.

I’ve was brought up with TBs. When I read about people that work with other breeds and wait, have to wait until they are 4-5 to really start training and having fun with them. All I can think of is they have patience of a saint.

[Manni01]

I have a 2 year old which will turn 3 in July 2017. So far she has lead a pretty spoiled life out in the pasture. Most of her education happened through her mom and friend (at least I hope).
My hubby ponied her twice on a trail ride which she loved. Otherwise she got a lot of handling lately unfortunately because she developed a bad summer sore which required a lot of treatment. I guess it was good for her and its healing well now.

depending on her development I will hopefully start her next spring and then turn her out again until the fall. Thats what I did with my now 3 year old and that worked well so far.

[elizabeth_Callahan]

Mine lived out all year. Went to be backed - have 30 days under saddle and then will come home and be turned out again until late spring. She will be walking, trotting, cantering and sort of steering by then

[North_Dakota]

Mine is massive, massively massive. This summer we learned all about cross ties, bathing, hopped on and off the trailer, wearing tack and I sat on him. He lives outside with 24/7 hay, heated water and a shelter, but will come in at night when the weather is horribly awful. He comes in when I have time, and gets groomed. He’s off to my coach’s for 60 days in the spring. Previously I’ve started them myself, but for a a bunch of reasons he’s going to her. Once we have something that resembles brakes and steering after his 60 days he’ll hack a bit, go on field trips, start rails and the occasional bit of ring work. Like I said, he’s massive so we don’t want to do to much in the way of circles. By massive I mean he recently sticked at 16.2 and is 2.5. :eek:

[findeight]

We used to back them and get them started under saddle in the early fall of the two year old year W-t-c start, stop, steer. Get them out of the arena to learn to handle distraction and terrain. Maybe 30 rides. Then they went back out until, maybe, April. Seemed to get them on the right track with work ethic, manners and willingness to accept future, more challenging training.

IMO/E early, easy exposure to their job in life set them up as good, willing horses. Even if you can only do a little bit, they’ll be better for it down the road.

[whitney159]

I think you will find people all over the spectrum on this forum. There are people that ride a two year old, and others that swear you can’t get on them before 4 or 5 (and quote skeletal maturation rates until they are blue).

I love Denny Emerson’s article he wrote for COTH “From foal to performance horse: some assembly required”. I don’t know how to link it here, just do a google search.

I have a 2.5 year old ISH filly (will be three in April) who is over 16.2 right now and is just a massive tank of a horse. I’m more comfortable with any real riding happening at 3, so this year has just been prep for that. She lives out 24/7 except for coming in to eat, but she is “handled” daily, even if it’s just to run my hands over her, pick her feet, do a bit of grooming etc. She did trailer loading in September, also stands in cross ties, bathes, clips and is very used to being handled, though I need to work on getting her used to standing still for having a leg wrapped, the one thing she is awful at! She’s been out on a lunge line, she knows voice commands, but I’ve kept the lunging limited and in a big loop rather than lunging on a circle (so LOTS of walking for me). She’s had saddle and bridle put on a ton of times, and I’ve been on her about 6-7 times just for the sake of getting her used to standing for mounting, having a leg over her back, feeling my weight, and walking/stopping for about 5 minutes max, then I get off. I just want her to have the idea that this will be us moving forward.
My plan is to get her actually going in the spring, but having everything in place so it’s all no big deal.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I currently have 2 two year olds.

They are living out 24/7. They get brushed but mostly are just left alone besides the basic of getting feet done and picked, norm vet and dentist visits. I generlly just let them just be horses until closer to the end of their 3 year old year. One is a filly (well bred WB). We may start her a bit earlier and then bred her. I haven’t really decided.

They both already load on a trailer and are generally well behaved but honestly…I just don’t mess with them that much at this age. It has less with my beliefs and more just to do with time…and lack of it. I haven’t seen much difference in ones that I’ve waited to start v. started early so I just do not stress about it and we get to it when we have time.

ETA: I have a current 3 year old who I haven’t started yet. I would have liked her to have been started by now but I haven’t had time and neither have the people working for me. This filly has shown on the line (won at Dressage at Devon), been clipped, braided, trailer loads etc. I taught her to lunge and popped over a fence easily in one session. She will be EASY to start. I’m sending her south to get started soon as they can then ride her out. She will likely be sold before she comes back but if not…she will get more time off and then out showing more this summer. I don’t feel the need to even 4 year olds. But they can go on little outings…taking your time, they tend to progress just as fast.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=North Dakota;8944813]
By massive I mean he recently sticked at 16.2 and is 2.5. :eek:[/QUOTE]

My two are both bigger (over 16.3). One is a June baby so not even 2.5 yet…she is at least more refined. The other one is a Sherman tank. He likely will be a show hunter or dressage horse…too big for eventing even with a decent dosage of TB blood.

[Dance_To_Oblivion]

Mine is a Trakehner filly by Tatendrang Pb and she lives out in a herd 24/7, mostly galloping laps (literally) around her pasture mates. She is a March baby and if she hasn’t sold by spring she’ll get started then. It is hard enoug in winter with no arena to keep the ones in work going, much less start a youngster lol

[ThirdCharm]

My 2yo is about 15.3, Holsteiner/TB, has been to and won an FEH as a yearling (which was her only off-farm outing to date), leads, loads, straight ties, stands for shoes (she took a huge chunk out of one hoof and it was making her stand crooked, so she got shoes to fix), bathes, stood tied to the trailer for braiding, etc. She’s been a very sensible citizen so far. One of these days soon I’ll throw a saddle on her but no rush. I expect between now and next spring I’ll get her long-lining and next fall I’ll get on her and aim to have her ready to bop around BN when she turns four.

Jennifer

[Dutchmare433]

Was going to comment, but I do exactly as PNWjumper does with my youngsters. My 3 year old is about a week away from being turned out for the winter.

I brushed him and handled him over his 2 y/o winter, and I’ll do the same this winter. I do feel a little guilty about the lack of attention, but I doubt they care all that much. And it means I don’t have to feel really guilty about not going to the barn when it’s snowed 3ft or is 5 degrees.