What do you expect from your almost yearlings?

[JenRose]

Especially around the 9 - 10 month range if that matters.

What are they doing on a daily basis? What have they learned? What is unacceptable behavior at this age? What are your immediate plans for them? Thanks so much! :)

[eqsiu]

They should lead, load, tie and pick up their feet easily. Mine have already worn saddles around at this point, just so they get used to them. I wrap their legs, flap things around them, etc. Basic ground work. Of course, they are still quite young so tantrums can be expected and you can't take too long to do things or their little brains fry.

[BeastieSlave]

I'm having a ball with my guy! He leads, loads, trailers, bathes, clips, stands for the farrier & vet. I can blanket, wrap legs, put my hands all over his body (all over and between legs, pull on ears and tail, etc.), spray him with fly spray, and pull his mane. He walks out on the trails alone or with other horses, with me on the ground beside him or ponying him from another beastie. Right now we're working on walking through puddles :rolleyes:

It sounds like I spend lots of time drilling him on lots of things, but really he only gets handled briefly at feeding time most days. On a daily basis I make sure he gets at least a basic grooming and hoof picking and then walks politely on the lead back out to the pasture.

Here's the old weaner thread: http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=124795&highlight=what+weanlings

[Reiter]

Lead, tie, stand for farrier and in general be able to stand for ministrations (is that the right word?). i.e. dewormings, etc. I haven't had any medical emergencies (knock on wood), but I make sure I can touch them all over, even the "ticklish" parts like sheaths, ears, around the eyes, etc.
Respect is a biggy for me. I won't tolerate any kind of pushy, nippy type of behavior!
I practice trailering when I have the time. I have a park with an arena around the corner that's great for the young horses and I usually take at least 2 with me. Strenght in numbers! ;)
The trailer ride is short and then they get to see lots of new and exciting stuff, like screaming kids, frisbee golfers, baseball games etc. :)

[gillenwaterfarm]

I expect the same as the other posters. I am a big stickler about working in hand, and like to school them twice or three times a week at things like walking, trotting, and stopping when I do; standing for judging, with patience; backing off my body space bubble. He is ready to show in hand on the triangle, both in a bridle and in a halter. Mine also knows how to wear a surcingle already, just to give him something to think about.

[class]

wow, it sounds like everyone is miles ahead of me. i've had my guy on a trailer twice. i haven't tried clipping him or pulling his mane. he leads reasonably well and he can stand tied for a short period. and that's about it! i only bother doing something with him for about 15 minutes once a week. the barn staff say he is no problem and they seem happy with him and that is about all i can ask right now.

[Hunter_Rider]

Mine is 11 months old and he is still a stud colt- He loads, ties, bathes, stands for farrier, jogs in hand, gets blanketed daily, loves to have his ears clipped, gets his mane pulled, wears splint boots and bell boots for turn out- I think it is very important that they get handled daily and treated like an older horse- that's how he has been handled from day 1 and I think that is the reason why he is well behaved. His first big show was 2 hours away at 5 months old- he rode in the 4 horse (head to head trailer) and spent the night for 2 nights in a strange stall, and nothing seemed to bother him- he actually behaved better than some of the older kids.

[Equilibrium]

Well my yearlings all went through a month of sales prep as one was prepping for a sale. Handled daily, walked in hand, loaded, brushed, all the daily things. However, they are now kept in a big barn together at night and go out during the day. I want any youngster to be a youngster. If that means playing hard so be it. I think they have to be horses too, actually I think that's the most important thing for them. I find any handling they have had early on does not vanish. They have respect for the things we ask of them when we ask for it. To be honest, I think that's enough at this stage.

Terri

[Commander Cody]

Wow! I agree with Equilibrium.
I handle my weanlings daily UNTIL they are weaned, then I turn them out in a group and other than basics like feet trimmed, worming, shots etc.. they are left out and left to be babies and grow up. I bring them in the spring of their 3 year old year, when they are sent off to be started US. Then I bring them in to my barn and start training them with the goal of getting them sold. They always remember all the work as babies and are friendly and easy to handle. I think it is really important to give them their growing up time.

[eqsiu]

Mine go out with friends 24/7 and play and all that too. But while they're eating grain they can learn how to be my horses. It takes 10 minutes a day. The two plans are not mutually exclusive.

[BeastieSlave]

Mine too. He's turned out 24/7 with 4 adult horses. He comes into the barn eat and get groomed. I work with him briefly every day. Some days that's no more than a swipe with the brush and hoof pick. Whatever we do, it's rarely the same thing two days in a row.

I got my colt's mom when she was three years old and 17hh. She didn't tie (still doesn't), was all in my personal space, was iffy on loading & trailering (had left the farm once in her life before coming to me), leaned on my farrier, was freaked out by fly spray, and a whole list of things that a horse that age and size should not be doing. Let me tell you, it's no picnic working on those issues with a horse that big! I swore early on in my life with her that any foal I had would learn to be a solid citizen way before it got so big that it might be dangerous.

My guy will probably be as big as his mom, and he already ties better than she ever will. He's already better on trails than she'll ever be. He's better for my vet than she ever was. His manners are better and he's ahead of her in many other ways. He's a calm and sensible colt. I credit his sire with a lot of that, but I also think that his handling since birth by his breeder (thank you Andrea!) and since coming to the farm play a big part. So, while I'm careful not to overwhelm him and ask too much, I do handle him a lot!

[NancyM]

I expect mine to go where I push them. They are not halter broke, but when I get around to that, it only takes a couple of lessons, sometimes only one lesson and they have the basics of leading figured out. I expect to be able to push myself and my wheelbarrow between them, that they will step back out of my way when asked to do so. I expect them to give me their attention when I ask for it. I expect to be able to touch their hocks with the edge of the wheelbarrow (with prior warning), without eliciting a kick response. I expect them to be friendly, to accept being touched, to enjoy being touched, to want to spend time with me. I want the time I spend with them to be the highlight of their day, I don't ask much of them and keep the time short, keep them wanting more. Most will pick up feet for me, fronts and backs, no halter on them, but not all. Some are more touchy about this than others. For those who find it scarey or unnerving, they will need to wait until they yield to the halter before pursueing this training. Unless there is a specific reason/problem with a foot, mine wear their feet down OK on sand and firm footing and do not need farrier work yet. I like to be able to escape making many demands on them in terms of behaviour or specific skills. I do not expect to be bitten or kicked, and find that only the most dominant ones will even think about taking a bite at me, and they only do it the once and have little success with it. It doesn't work out as well as they had hoped, and they don't try it again, and it does not become a problem. I want to be seen as a dominant yet benevolent leader for them. Mine are currently living in groups of three, each group in a large stall with attached sand paddock for the winter.

[Royal Monaco]

My colt has learned to lead, walk in hand, give foot on demand, clip, worming, shots, bath, get groomed, stand for farrier untill he was weaned in september 2007.

He is out 24/7 with a friend and live his baby life and will do so untill he is 2.

This winter he also learned to tie.

The other thing I teach him is not to get in my bubble. he is very respectfull despite the fact that his testosterone is starting to tickle him.

I will put a surcingle on him soon this spring and start to get used to the round pen.

[Equilibrium]

Mine go out with friends 24/7 and play and all that too. But while they're eating grain they can learn how to be my horses. It takes 10 minutes a day. The two plans are not mutually exclusive.

I wasn't suggesting my plan was any better than others. I also run a full time business breaking horses from September through now so if the babies, who do still get handled, can't be mollycoddled every day so be it. We get very busy and don't have as much time to spend one on one with the babies. They are well looked after and are happy. Most importantly, they have respect and know what's expected of them. While our business was in it's infancy and I only had one foal a year, all my time was devoted to those babies. As yearlings coming 2yo's there isn't one bit of diffrence in the ones handled as I'm doing now and the babies that got all my attention. I'm a big believer in horses living in herds while they are younger. I keep the ones that work together and ones that are getting bossy and nasty get new company and so on. I don't let ones get bullied out of feed either. We expect a lot from our equine athletes as they get older, they least they can have is a couple of years getting to be horses.

Terri

[Rendaivu]

Mine leads, halts, backs up, trots in hand, ties, cross ties (we have only kept her in cross ties for 5 minutes at a time), loads, clips, picks up and holds her feet up, stands to be bandaged, wears a rain sheet (on off daily), baths, free lunges etc. She is the easiest baby I have handled. She is about 8 months now.

[krfarms]

My 8 month old colt knows how to eat, poop and stay out of the terrible weather we have been having this winter. The ground is either covered with 2 feet of snow or 6" of ice, depending where you stand. He does halter, lead, the farrier has had no problems with him. That is about all, If the weather does not break soon, I guess I will skip the HB this year!!!!

PS All the other horses are in the same boat. I cannot get my trailer out of the drifts and the last two shoeings have passed without me being on their backs!!!! PRAY FOR SUN!!!!

[Touchstone Farm]

My yearlings lead, tie, pick up their feet, behave while groomed and load. Most of the time they behave for the farrier and the vet. :-) But, that's it. They mostly get to be horses. Unacceptable behavior? Striking, rearing, bullying, biting. Really, no time for anything else...and most days, they just get led in or out. No problems when they're finally backed two years later. No time for "playing" with them -- have horses to ride and a full-time job!

[bellaalexander]

Just wondering where my boy compares to the rest. How big are your coming yearlings?

[BeastieSlave]

14.3hh at the withers and 15hh at the butt

[bellaalexander]

Beastie slave - Mine is too!! What is the breeding on your baby?

[camohn]

The colt leads, ties, grooms, is good for the farrier at 9 mos old. Later this spring will learn to do the triangle thing (in hand stuff) as I plan to show him in hand in the fall. He is an APHA colt (73% TB). He is 14.0 1/2 in front and 14.1 1/2 behind.I think he will end up about 16.2.

[BeastieSlave]

Beastie slave - Mine is too!! What is the breeding on your baby?

He's HAN by Freedom Z and out of a 1/2 TB mare by Evergreen. His mom's pushing 17.2hh so I expect him to be a big guy (though probably not that tall). His main purpose in life will be to tote me around and make me feel petite ;)