Coming 2 year olds - What are you doing with yours??

[al28uva]

What is everyone doing with their coming 2 y.o. right now? Chet (she’ll be 2 April 1) is my first baby and I’m learning as I go here – just curious what other coming 2 year olds are doing right now.

[InstigatorKate]

My guy did a few in-hand shows last year. In the fall I started ponying him on short trail rides. He has the basics of lungeing down, although I don't lunge very often. In the fall I decided to see how he'd react to a saddle. He didn't. So we've saddled and girthed and walked around the farm a little. He doesn't care, so I probably won't do that anymore until I'm ready to start him. Last week I free jumped him for the first time. He's kind of a klutz, so I'd like him to get the general idea of going over stuff and getting his legs out of the way sooner rather than later. I'll probably free jump him over 2' singles once a month or so.

The plan:
When the weather gets nicer we'll probably pony out on some longer trails, maybe even trailer out to different parks. I'll try to get out to a few Future Event Horse shows as long as he's not in a horribly awkward stage. I'll keep free-jumping him once a month. If I have time and help, I may lightly back him this summer. Just getting on and maybe walking around for 5 minutes. At the end of this year we'll probably start lungeing more and introduce side reins. He'll probably be started w/t the summer he turns 3 (after I graduate and will be studying for boards and need the distraction). I like to give the horses the winter of their 3-4 year off, and then get into real work the spring of their 4yo year.

[TallyhoFarms]

Not sure about everyone else but right now my baby is sitting in a pasture with 5 feet of snow. I live in Ca, but my young horses are in Washington as it's cheaper to keep them up there while they grow. I assume most people are like me, right now the babies aren't doing anything. My baby did go to "school" last summer (as a yearling) and learned to lunge, got bathed, groomed, walked around with a barepad pad on, and participated in a halter class. This summer (when the weather improves) I am planning on another summer school session where she'll wear a bridle and saddle, learn to long line, and I'll get on her back for the first time. Everything in moderation. What works for me is to teach her these things, work on them for 1-2months, then turn her back out to grow. My "breaking" at 2yrs old simply means I get on and maybe walk around a little.
Goo luck with your youngster.
Meg

[Leena]

That is about it; halter, work in hand, grooming and be turn out with bodies.

[Daydream Believer]

I took two fillies that age to the stallion show in Raleigh last weekend. They were just like old troopers, loaded well and walked around the showgrounds quietly, and I could not have been more pleased. I have done very little with them and they live out in the pasture 24/7. Getting them clean was a challenge as both are very light colored and they had their first hot towel/listerine bath!

I just do minimal stuff usually with babies that age and lots of turnout.

[Hampton Bay]

My colt will be 2 in June, and I have been doing much of the same with him. He knows how to free lunge in a round pen, though we have only done it 3 times. He has worn a bridle just to get used to the idea. Sat a saddle on him, but no girth short enough. He has ponied a couple times, is becoming a pro with his feet, and he bathes, clips (somewhat) and knows what to do if he steps on his lead rope. He is a stallion, and he is currently turned out with my broodmare, so he is also learning how to have manners around the ladies.

If I had a trailer, I would take him for short rides. Might have to borrow one soon.

[DancingPretense]

Mine wears a bridle, saddle, ponies, can lunge (only had to do it a few times to get the hang of it and I only do it on a BIG circle). He loves to free lunge, goes overs poles, through water on the trail, over little logs. I have laid across his back. He baths, gets his mane pulled knows what clippers are and gets on the trailer. Every Monday is his lesson day so I am not over doing it. Other than that he is turned out with a herd and growing. When he is really gawky I don't do much just bring him in and groom him.

[vandenbrink]

Feed and check on them 3 times per day. That's about it!!!!!!

I freejumped them once this past September.

I don't really do much with them until they are 3 besides very basic handling.

[sixpoundfarm]

I'll have to ditto most everyone else. My guy is just hanging out, growing up with his pals. I did do some in hand work with him end of the summer, and depending on his growth stages may try to hit some shows for experience. We'll see.

[pintopiaffe]

Well, he won't be 2 until August.

And he's just hanging out in the snow, making me waste lots of time watching him. ;)

He had a hideous yearling year, where he shed his neck instead of his winter coat... he looks FABULOUS now, and I have visions of breed shows dancing in my head... but we'll see how he looks come shedding season. We all know these things are subject to change. :lol:

[SilverBalls]

I'll have to ditto most everyone else. My guy is just hanging out, growing up with his pals. I did do some in hand work with him end of the summer, and depending on his growth stages may try to hit some shows for experience. We'll see.

Ditto! :cool:

[DreamRiver]

Mine will be 2 in May. I have pretty much done what everyone else has. She was shown in hand this last year. She now is out in the pasture with the other mares or my three foals from 2007. She trailers once a month to go to an indoor to play (I live in WI) and for me to do ground work in the ring. I have not free jumped her yet, she is already 16.3 and don't want to push it.

[Hocus Focus]

I forget what my two year old looks like. It has been that long. I haven't seen him in sometime now. He is living and growing up on a farm where he gets the best of care. I get reports. He is handled lightly on a regular basis. Leads well, good with farrier, cross ties, likes being groomed, not bad with vet and generally a pretty decent all around sort. He regular handler is a teenager under mom's supervision who loves him dearly. He is just having fun. Growing and enjoying life with another colt for a pasture mate, same age. He will begin basic education this summer and hopefully will make it to a breed show or two. Nothing too heavy.

[welshcob]

I want to get everything DancingPretense has done by the end of the summer!! My guy at 20 mos clips, trailers (not enthusiastically ....) works well in hand, leads around the farm by his mane, great for hoof care, is fine solo out of sight of herd for a while... : )))

This spring we will ground drive, light lunging, free jumping a time or two per month and hopefully pony if I can convince my TB mare it's ok !!! I plan to get on him to walk and perhaps jog on occasional trail rides and teach him the routine for horseback archery - at the walk for this season!!

I'd like to ride him in a hackamore for this year, we'll ground drive in a snaffle.

[camohn]

She cross ties and gets brushed at present! I will get a bridle on her and teach her to walk/trot in hand this summer and take her to the USEA in hand FEH show(s) in late summer/fall. I don't ride 2 YOs here......so that's all.

[al28uva]

Glad to hear I'm not too far behind - I keep wondering if I need to be doing more, but sounds like she's right on track.

The last couple times I've worked with her, I've been trying to convince her to go into the wash rack without any major drama. At least last night she stuck her nose in there and looked around, but she wasn't about to step in there! I'm not really sure why she's so scared of it, but she seems to think it's the scariest place she's ever seen - I mean I got her to load herself up on the step up trailer on the second day, but I can't get her to step in the wash rack.... weird.

[Bensmom]

For a minute there, I was beginning to think we were waywayway behind! :D

She gets fed, checked on, and handled a bit. Right now, she is good for the farrier and loves being brushed. I need to lead her enough that she gets good enough to pony by this summer -- I want her to start going along on trail rides. Need to teach clippers . . .

She'll be two in May.

libby & Shiraz, aka the Princess (one girl, 9 geldings and she's the boss! :lol: )

[tri]

My colt will be 2yrs in April. He trailers like a pro, clips, has worn a bridle, walks/stands/trots in-hand, cross ties, bathes, we free-jumped him once. He is still whole and he is out with pregnant broodies who have taught him to be a gentleman.

[Overo]

Mine will be 2 in early March. She did 3 shows last summer - just to get out and about - and did very well. Baths, clipping, trailering and new environments don't seem to worry her. I started her doing some showmanship in the fall as well as the start of learning to drive (full harness & line driving). She's had a saddle on and occasionally gives my 4YO niece a bareback pony ride on the way to or from her field. Right now she's turned out to grow and play. We won't do much with her again until late March or early April.

[AppJumpr08]

Mine is hanging out with the boys - he gets handled every day, and other then that it's his job to be a horse! :)

Even if I wanted to do more with him I wouldn't dare to - he's growing so freakin' fast that his butt is about 3" taller then his front right now.. he's so goofy and unbalanced that I wouldn't want to push anything physical.

[tarragon]

Mine is pretty much hanging out, eating and growing. I put her in the cross-ties a couple of times a week and groom her, and occasionally we go for a walk through the woods. She stands for the farrier, clippers and bathing and loads and ties quite nicely.

Mainly though, she does this...

[LockeMeadows]

We having a coming 2yo filly by Small Land Movie Maker that I hope to have shown on the line. She won't be ready for the early shows, but she's nice enough to go to Upperville. Right now, we're working on leading and basic ground manners. Shortly, I would like to get her off the farm so she can see what life is about.

[sonata]

My 1/2 welsh/ warmblood cross will be 2 in May. She clips, ties, stands pretty good for the farrier. has gone for a trailer ride by herself. She is wearing her bridle now and seems fine with it. I have put a surcingle on and she just looked at it and went back to eating. We are taking walks in the ring wearing both her bridle and surcingle, around and over obsticles. I plan to ground drive and do some round pen work with her in the near future. In March she is going to the trainers to be lightly started so that I can get her on the trails. She is growing, but very slowly now and is almost even. She is a little over 14.1 and I think she may go up another inch to be hony sized which is perfect for me.

[amdfarm]

Well... I have five that are 2yo (April-September) and they are all pretty much hanging out in the pasture, eating, growing and being horses. They all are broke to lead and tie and have been trailered a couple times.