After having mostly broke horses my whole life, I’ve decided as a middle-aged fart that I’d like the challenge of training one up myself. I’ll be bringing home a yearling gelding of a breed known for being smart and ammy friendly the end of the month. Haven’t been around too many babies but the ones I’ve known have managed to turn into respectable horses. I may not do the breaking and initial riding myself, definitely considering shopping that out, but hoping to do all the groundwork, handling, riding prep basics myself. Any recommendations on good books to help with timing on introductions to things to turn him into a solid citizen? Or any advice or warnings from the more experienced folks on here?
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First of all congrats!! Very exciting 
I have had many yearlings/foals over the years and I keep it pretty simple for them. The most important thing for me would be for them to be separated from the herd. Nothing worse than working with a horse that calls and calls every time you take it away from its friends.
As a yearling, I keep it short and sweet. Just bring them in the barn for 5 or so minuets at a time. I start with just a tie to the wall until you can increase the time and teach them how to stand on cross ties. I give lots of treats and start to groom/pick up feet. I end it before they really notice that they are away from their friends. Then turn back out and repeat a few times a week slowly increasing the time.
I also will lead them around the property, learning to go away and back to their friends again. Keeping it low key and no big deal. Teach them the sounds of clippers, mane pulling (or raking) just so they have an idea. I teach them to trot in hand as well. The starts of whoa and walk on and trot (all in hand of course!).
I hand walk them around scary objects, walk through puddles all that fun stuff! I have a 2 year old right now and thats all he’s done so far. I have also taken him off property to some line shows just to get him out on a trailer and learn the starts of show life as my plan is for him to be a hunter pony. I’m going to teach him the idea of lunging soon and will back him in the fall for walk/trot and then turn him back out for the winter for a break. I have started older horses as 3 or 4 years olds but I do find them a bit tougher. I do like some easy work and give them an idea of a “job” as a late 2 year old but I know not everyone likes to do this. I find it has worked best for me as the older ones tend to think they should not have to work and have a little more opinion on the matter. The younger ones just seem to think its more the “norm”.
Enjoy your baby!!
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Is this yearling already trained in anything?
Yearlings that haven’t been handled regularly, ie leading, standing held, holding hooves up and picked, etc can be a real challenge.
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Number one, most important mantra for first time baby–horse owners:
If it’s not cute when my 1300lb adult horse does it, it ain’t cute when my baby horse does it.
In other words train the behaviour you want the full-grown horse to have. You should find this a bit easier to remember with a yearling (as opposed to a foal or weanling) but it’s still the thing to look out for.
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I’ve raised a couple of youngsters and I’m a huge fan of taking walks and ponying them, presuming you have a solid citizen to support this endeavor. Toppy pretends he doesn’t know how to be ridden when asked to pony anyone, so I use Chip. If you don’t have a Chip, that’s ok.
As someone else said, if it’s not cute for a grown up to do it, it’s not cute for the kid, either. Lots of in hand work and exposure to lots of stuff can make such a huge difference.
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Congrats! A few years ago, I took up the same challenge, and it has been soooo rewarding! Just one question though. Youngsters really need the company of others their age to learn proper horsey interactions - what kind of company is he going to get?
Thanks all. He’s been handled since birth, coming from a western style arabian breeding farm (he’s not an arabian) so the owner is experienced with babies.
I live on a hobby farm <10 acres. Currently have two teenaged horses who will be able to keep a yearling in line, and also hopefully rub off some sensibility on him a bit.
Thinking of getting the Klimke’s book on basic training. Has anyone given it a read and find it worthwhile?
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I think Klimkes book is very good, perhaps a bit ahead of what you need atm. If memory serves it deals with early riding. John Lyons, Bringing up Baby, hands down is the best guideline for what a yearling should know and how to teach it.
After graduating that book I like The Horse Agility Handbook, this is in hand word, not trick training, more like obstacles, which teaches a lot of obedience and develops skills for horse and handle on communicating. How to walk through a gate, through a ditch, nicely and respectfully.
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