How to evaluate a yearling

[NaturalSelection]

I hope this is the right forum for this subject…

I am an experienced amateur eventer, brought several OTTBs up the ranks through prelim. My DH and I finally have a 30 ac hobby farm and I finally have the space to raise a youngster. I am definitely not thinking of breeding horses myself, but I’d like to buy a yearling and have fun handling, desensitizing, starting the horse undersaddle, and get him/her out to the first clinics, schooling shows, and horse trials. I’d like to buy something that has the potential to be a re-sale amateur horse just in case the horse isn’t a great fit for me.

I’ve never purchased a yearling before…in fact, I’ve only purchased OTTBs, the youngest was a 3yo. I’m used to evaluating mature or nearly-mature horses - I’m decent at assessing conformation, movement, soundness etc. w/ horses off the track. However, yearlings are an entirely different game! How do I assess conformation for a horse that might be going through a growth spurt? What should I expect for movement - overtrack at the walk and trot, etc.?

I don’t want to invest more than $7500, what’s the best time of year to shop for a deal? I’d love to find a purpose bred WB/TBs jumper or eventer, but I’d also like pointers on how to select a yearling if I go bargain shopping from someone who might be more of a backyard breeder (and parents don’t have a great sport record).

Thanks,
Katie.

[HorseKrazy]

Yearlings can be very tough to evaluate, my best suggestion would be to take a look at older siblings and the dam and sire to see they are likely to finish. Obvious conformation faults should be readily seen in a yearling-but they can and do grow out of some things.

[fordtraktor]

I find weanlings to be much easier to evaluate than yearlings, and your price point will get a very nice one. at the yearling stage that is on the low side for quality.

I look for a horse that is balanced in three parts, a fluid mover with suspension and a nice canter. The trot can do all sorts of things over the years but I’ve never had one that cantered beautifully as a baby end up with anything but a good canter. I want natural balance and reach from the hind leg at the canter, and a nice rolling movement without looking lateral.

I am mostly a jumper person so I don’t look for the blood most eventers want. 50/50 is fine with me and it doesn’t have to be close. I don’t need a horse to gallop long distances, I won’t be doing upper levels. But I do want it to jump so I look for mare lines that have produced successful high level jumpers.

IMO backyard types are not worth the risk and the money. Even if the purchase price is low, you’ll invest enough over the years raising the baby that you might as well spend a little more and have a good chance of ending up with something stellar, not just average.

Here is the horse I bought as a weanling, this was her yesterday (she is almost 2 now): https://www.facebook.com/sarah.pojan…92618415793475

Babies are so fun. Make sure you have a herd she can be in because they also need horses willing to safely teach them horsey manners. I have a great older gelding who has raised a few now for me (the darker bay in the pic). He’s a complete sensitive spaz to ride but he has a soft spot for babies.

[MCF1991]

Try looking at weaning pics too. People say that at 6 months that is what they will like grown.

[MCF1991]

*weanling

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Movement and over-track at the walk and trot should hold pretty true, unless the horse is butt-high. It can be hard to get them to canter decently instead of running around like a deer if you put them in the arena and flag them around. Neck tie-in can be a bit goofy yearling year and length of back changes. There are old threads on here about young horses and how they matured with pictures you might try to search for.

The best thing to do is look at the parents. While I am thinking hard about selling my yearling this summer, she hasn’t gotten to a decent growth point for pictures yet (I’m not going to be marketing her as an eventer, so this isn’t an ad). I would hang on to her for another year vs. post anything online currently! I imagine others feel the same, so word-of-mouth or want ads might be a good idea too.

I would argue 3 days, 3 months and 3 years vs. six months in my experience. Mine are usually incredibly butt high at six months.

[D_BaldStockings]

For thoroughbreds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB8t6td7LF0

Just an FYI, in smaller fall TB auction mixed sales, you can find many ‘unfashionable for racing’ pedigreed foals, yearlings and some slow to mature untrained 2 yr olds being offered.

They usually go cheap.

[Smile]

Never even try. LOL

[RTF]

I look at the parents, and back into the entire pedigree. I personally like to see that at least one parent has had a show career, and that they are purpose bred to do the job I want to train them in. Temperment is very important to me, and my last guy that I bought as a very fugly weanling, was bought on pedigree and personality. I also looked at his inspection video, where he appeared very lovely. You just have to look past some of the bad times, and hope they grow back into themselves. If you are honest with your budget, sometimes breeders will make a deal for an easy sale. My guy had a small blemish as well, I doubt it will ever effect him, but I was not buying with intent to sell on. If you place a wanted add, that can help bring horses to you within your budget. Between the small blemish, and the fact the breeder was happy to sell him when he looked awful, I did get a better deal for my money. I bet I looked at 100 plus adds, and videos, narrowed it down to four, and picked him. Try to go see the youngster as well, I have bought sight unseen, and will no longer do that. Good luck

[HorseKrazy]

@RTF

I look at the parents, and back into the entire pedigree. I personally like to see that at least one parent has had a show career, and that they are purpose bred to do the job I want to train them in. Temperment is very important to me, and my last guy that I bought as a very fugly weanling, was bought on pedigree and personality. I also looked at his inspection video, where he appeared very lovely. You just have to look past some of the bad times, and hope they grow back into themselves. If you are honest with your budget, sometimes breeders will make a deal for an easy sale. My guy had a small blemish as well, I doubt it will ever effect him, but I was not buying with intent to sell on. If you place a wanted add, that can help bring horses to you within your budget. Between the small blemish, and the fact the breeder was happy to sell him when he looked awful, I did get a better deal for my money. I bet I looked at 100 plus adds, and videos, narrowed it down to four, and picked him. Try to go see the youngster as well, I have bought sight unseen, and will no longer do that. Good luck

Omg, my yearling gelding (as of 4 days ago) looks like such a yak-down to the midline hair that refuses to shed and is 2" long. His full sister is a year older and never went through a growth phase that made me want to hide her. Man I wish I had a back forty

[adelmo95]

I have only tried once and had a similar previous background of purchasing 3 - 6 year old prospects to develop. With the one I purchased there were many times he was maturing that I started to question my judgement as he went through some UGLY phases. Thankfully all turned out well and I couldn’t be happier.

I put a lot of time into reading up on what different bloodlines tended to produce as well as watching lots of video of horses by certain stallions to see which lines tended to produce what I liked (Youtube was a great resource!). After that I just kept on watching websites until I found a youngster that checked off all criteria I was looking for. To be honest I had hoped to find a 2 year old as I had to board my youngster but couldn’t find one I liked so ended up with a yearling.

I have plenty of pics I can share if you want to see how much they can change from yearling to 6 years old.

[NaturalSelection]

The advice is fantastic, thanks for the information! What should I include on a PPE?

[gumtree]

@D_BaldStockings

For thoroughbreds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB8t6td7LF0

Just an FYI, in smaller fall TB auction mixed sales, you can find many ‘unfashionable for racing’ pedigreed foals, yearlings and some slow to mature untrained 2 yr olds being offered.

They usually go cheap.

Killing some time waiting on a vet. What better way to kill some time than to check out the forum.

I think I have written a few (lol) paragraphs on this subject over the past few years. Will come back to this thread when I have some time. Anybody that has read my posts should know I am not very concise. IMO most things horse can’t be answered quickly in a sentence or 2 let along a paragraph.

But I had to comment on the link you provided because it crack me up. I have watched few of these before on the subject. A difficult subject IMO to explain well especially on a video or in a book.

So I was pleasantry surprised to see an old and dear friend. One of my best for a number of years that I haven’t seen for quite a while now. Don’t get over to that part of the horse world like I used to. We kind of drifted apart. Happens with age.

I have known John since the early 80s. We met by happen stance at the Florida 2 year old in training sales.
For what ever reason we become great, close friends quickly. We were both quite young at the time, early 20s. John did not come from a “horse family” which in England, Ireland is usually the case for people in the TB horse business. But he was born with the “gift” on a horse’s back and a top “judge” of them from the ground.

He was taken under the wing of some of the best in the business because they are a good “judge” of talent also. After serving apprenticeship he went out on his own (Bloodstock agent) at a very early age. And was a “winner” at first asking. Then and for years he has bought some of the best horses that have graced the turf in the last 30+ years.

I have HUGE admiration for him. I had the pleasure of “working” a number of sales with him. Over “there” and here. Lots of fun times. He married and became a family man, me staying a bachelor almost 20 years after.

He is now the Queen’s Racing Manager. Not too shabby for a “Shop keeper’s son” as one of the London papers put it.

[RTF]

@HorseKrazy my once horrific looking yearling is now blooming into a gorgeous 2 yo… I almost cried he looked so bad at one point and he had fuzzy yak hair too. I think alot of buying youngsters is catching them in a good moment at that 3 days/ 3 weeks/ 3 months and then being patient for the next three years.

as far as vetting, we did a basic health exam, mild flexions, and did X-rays on his blemish. I highly recommend looking into if the sire has or had OCD, as well as if any siblings… even the dam, if the info is available. The sire of my warmblood was through Hilltop, and they gladly answered my questions on OCDs. If you plan on resale, vet them well. I passed on one that had a conformation flaw that I was not completely comfortable with, and it was pointed out to me on his vet exam.

[gumtree]

“I highly recommend looking into if the sire has or had OCD, as well as if any siblings… even the dam”

I can’t speak about other breeds but I can speak with authority on TBs. Spent more than 30 yeas looking at hundreds every year. Reviewed countless vet reports, x-rays etc. Have breed enough of my own to state that there is little to no evidence to support those who think OCDs are inherited passed on by their parents. Not saying that it can’t be just saying that I wouldn’t make such a broad statement.

The VAST majority of OCDs found in TB yearlings are of little concern. Most resolve with time. Most are taken out by the breeder as short yearlings as a matter of course not necessity. In almost all cases it is a minor procedure The majority of vets do not have enough experience “with” OCDs to make a sound judgment call on how one will effect the future viability of the horse. There are certain areas of a horse if a OCD is found is a deal breaker. But if I were using a general practitioner and I really liked the horse I would send/email the pictures/views to an expert on the subject.

[HorseKrazy]

@RTF

@HorseKrazy my once horrific looking yearling is now blooming into a gorgeous 2 yo… I almost cried he looked so bad at one point and he had fuzzy yak hair too. I think alot of buying youngsters is catching them in a good moment at that 3 days/ 3 weeks/ 3 months and then being patient for the next three years.

as far as vetting, we did a basic health exam, mild flexions, and did X-rays on his blemish. I highly recommend looking into if the sire has or had OCD, as well as if any siblings… even the dam, if the info is available. The sire of my warmblood was through Hilltop, and they gladly answered my questions on OCDs. If you plan on resale, vet them well. I passed on one that had a conformation flaw that I was not completely comfortable with, and it was pointed out to me on his vet exam.

Unfortunately, I’m not blessed in the patience department!

[Dance_To_Oblivion]

Here is an older thread with a couple thoughts of vetting youngsters: https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/sport-horse-breeding/91389-ppe-on-weanlings-and-yearlings

I wouldn’t allow flexions on a yearling, and as a buyer I wouldn’t bother with X-rays because soooo much can change over the next year or two.

In that price point you might also get an amazing deal too if you considered an in utero foal option.

As someone else mentioned I also go more by the 3 day, 3 month, 3 year guideline Good luck! I have bought a few yearling/2 yr old ugly ducklings that grew into lovely swans

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

What I’ve read is that OCD lesions can show up and then resolve on their own up to 18 months. I wouldn’t x-ray, personally.

I would never let someone flex my yearling!

Listen to the heart, check eyes, look at their bite, look for blemishes, trot them on a circle and all the other stuff you normally do, but that’s about it.

HorseKrazy–mine is a yak too. I’m glad to hear I’m not alone. And she shot up in height in the last month and is ribby all the sudden. It’s almost embarrassing. I started shaving off her 4" facial hair last night, because I couldn’t take looking at her anymore.

[NoDQhere]

Oh, yearlings are tough! I tell people it is just better to hide them through the yearling year, and some through the two year old year as well And of course it depends on how they are being raised. A barn kept, over fed, slicked up yearling is going to look great compared to a yearling being pasture raised in a group of other yearlings. My advice is look at the parents and siblings if possible and hope for the best.

[HorseKrazy]

TrotTrot, I just shaved his “belly strip” of 2"-3" long yak hair… it was the only hair still hanging on!