I have experience with horses age 4 and up- but I’m wondering about temperament- specifically going from a yearling to a mature horse- age 5 and up. I generally see the 4 year olds get more mellow with age, they usually have some sort of slightly more angsty period but normally they seem to keep the same personality. Is this generally the case with yearlings, or is it totally random? Is a calm yearling just as liable to turn into a hot wild thing when it turns 3 (and let’s assume geldings and mares vs stallions) as it is to stay chill? Is the wild 2 year old just as liable to turn into a lazy bum at 8?
The horses handling and experience with the world can do a lot to shape their behavior later in life. That said, I think you can tell a lot from a young age about how they will react to new situations. If a yearling consistently runs to escape a perceived threat, I would count on that horse being a bit more of a spook than the yearling that sees the lawn mower for the first time and tries to put it in his mouth.
Still though, a young horse that is consistently handled by quiet mannered, assertive humans is more likely to develop into a confident relaxed adult than one who’s raised as a pet by nervous, reactive people. At a year old, very little is set in stone.
If I’m looking at a young horse, I look at movement and athleticism (although yearlings are NOTORIOUSLY hard to judge. There are a bunch of posts on here about the yearling ugly’s). Becoming a solid citizen is up to the handling and training. That said, if they knock the fly spray off the shelf, snort at it, then try to eat it, that’s a big ol’ plus sign because that’s a personality I LIKE. Just not something I have to have.
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IMO - 50+ years as a horse trainer/rider/breeder…there is no such thing as any youngster who is too quiet!! I love the sane, sweet, “attentive” but non-reactive young horses who seem to stay that way into maturity. The foolish, flighty, spooky, reactive ones “can” be improved upon, but rarely become truly “solid citizens”! In my old age and with the buyers in the market changing…we now focus our breeding on brains and temperament…in athletic, pretty, good conformation bodies!! I believe you can improve a lot to make a good/better, athlete, but you can’t really train/handle out foolishness!! JMO!!
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