TIPS ON STARTING A COLT(YEARLING)....

[EVENTINGallDAYlong]

I have just aquired my colt... from midatlantic horse rescue..
He is a TB he was born in april and he is very confirmationally correct. hes a big boy and is going to be a big boy when he grows up. he is very... very intellegent and has alot of common sense.

so my question to everyone is... where do i start? what would you recommend in training methods, have you used these training methods before or witnessed them being used and what kind of results to you see or get from the horse?

I have broke and trained horses a long time ago, in many different types of disciplines. where would you start? what would you work on with him as a yearling, two yr old, 3 yr old, and so on..

now mind you.... its been a very long time since ive started a horse from basically scratch in training. and i have never trained a horse for eventing/jumping. so this is the reason for my question.

any info is appreciated!:D

[bornfreenowexpensive]

now mind you.... its been a very long time since ive started a horse from basically scratch in training. and i have never trained a horse for eventing/jumping. so this is the reason for my question.

any info is appreciated!:D


Honestly..starting them is often very similar no matter what you ultimately plan to do with him. So don't stress that you haven't started one for eventing before.

For me. As a yearling...I don't do much with them. Basic leading, let me pick up your feet...and that is about it. Let him be a baby horse.

In their 2nd year...I like to start to pony (lead) them off a calm experienced horse on short hacks off the property. Cross water, go up/down tiny banks...maybe walk over a log. Maybe take them to a few low key shows to walk around. If I'm inspired...maybe show them in hand a little.

I might ground drive a little or let them wear tack in the fall.

I typically back them at 3.,..usually in the summer when it is stinking hot;) Get them out hacking...light light work. Still lots of leading them off another horse too.

I might pop over some little fences end of the year then give a long break. At 4--I might take them fox hunting, go to more little dressage shows and h/j shows. Maybe event a little. I really don't start focusing on eventing until they are 5---especially if it is horse I am considering keeping for myself.

So in other words....you have a lot of time to wait;)

[Auto Be A Storm]

Yearlings I like to have mine leading, standing for grooming, picking up feet and standing for the farrier. Being repectful of my space and I don't work with them very long. Their minds can only handle so much information so try to keep things short and positive, don't drill if they don't get it right. Just ask for small things and reward when you get what you like. I mostly keep my sessions shart and play with them a lot. I will sit in the field with my 4 yearlings and hang out with them. When they come up to me I don't always pet them sometimes I just let them sniff and nuzzle me. I have a jolly ball and I will kick it around and they will play with it. Mostly keep them happy babies that respect humans!!!

[joiedevie99]

Yearling (if they don't already know these things): tie, groom, lead, load on a trailer, pick up feet, move away from pressure, don't kill farriers or vets, biting mom is not tolerated, neither is kicking mom. All of this applies away from home - even at something chaotic like a show.

Two year old: all of the above is still true.

Three year old: whoa/w/t/c voice commands, wear tack, steer with reins, brief intro to lounging whoa/w/t, maybe long-line. Late in the year- accept rider, intro to whoa/w/t/c and hack out.

[FLeckenAwesome]

So... I have a question that will hopefully be useful to OP too instead of just hijacking. :)

I have a 8 month old... and I really enjoy having him!!! He seems like he gets bored, so... we've done two short walking hacks ponying him off my big horse and then took him in hand to a XC farm and let him play on the ditches, banks and start in the water. Only about 15 minutes of "work" and then we just sat and watched my friends ride while he grazed. I LOVE doing these fun things with him and watch him closely to make sure I"m not stressing his brain or body. BUT..... it seems like (from here and the breeding forum) that I might be doing too much. What is the danger of doing this?? Is it just not necessary? Or is it harming him?

OP... how old is your baby? Mine is so much fun!!! I can't wait for him to grow up but I also want to keep him little and squishable!

[FLeckenAwesome]

DOh.. just saw he was born in April. Oops!

[SonnysMom]

A friend of mine used to pony his yearling and two year old on short trail rides all the time. He broke him to drive a light cart as a late 2 year old. By the time we went to back him as a 3 year old he was great. He had already been there done that.
He never had soundness issues so I don't think it physically hurt him.
The mare he ponied from was alpha mare in the field and would go over and through anything. He wound up being great trail riding because nothing bothered him. He had already see it all including traffic.
The owner sent him to our Amish farrier to polish up the road part of the driving. He apparently did great. No problems with 18 wheelers, farm tractors, cars etc... He wound up in somebody's front yard when a horse and buggy came towards him. He had never seen one of those before.

I don't see the problem with taking a yearling or two year old places and letting them play on things like the xc course. It is probably no more physically stressful than them playing in a big field with a bunch of other weanling/yearlings/2 year olds.

I think mentally exposing them to outings like that and even horse shows is good for them. When you finally get to a show and want to ride the show atmosphere is already no big deal.

[frugalannie]

Great posts above, and it's interesting that they're all pretty much consistent. And very good advice about using the alpha mare to lead off and teaching trailer manners.

All I can add is to make sure that he's well socialized with other horses and don't be afraid of beginning to teach him voice commands (whoa, back, and a cluck when moving forward are nice to have installed at a young age).

I do things a little differently in that I will longe a two year old very briefly, and at the end of their second summer I back them. I pony them off the alpha mare in tack until they're comfortable, and then will get on for no more than 5 minutes, 5 days in a row. By the 5th day, they generally don't need the lead mare anymore. I have to do this because most of my youngsters have been quite large and I'm very old. After this bout of education, they get the winter off except for ground manners and will be picked up again in the spring to hack out lightly with other horses. Having the winter to mull it over has generally resulted in a very pleasant reintroduction to riding in the spring.

[Blugal]

Try:
Cherry Hill's book on birth to 2 years
Reiner Klimke's Training the Young Horse
Jennie Lorriston-Clarke's The Young Horse, Breaking & Training
Pippa Funnell's young horse book

Good luck!

[MunchingonHay]

I do same as above for yearlings, but I have ponied yearlings or taken them on hand walks down trails, use clippers, mold them into solid citizens.

As 2yr olds, I like to lounge them but just for 10-15 mins total not with a bit just a lounge cavesson. Again lots of hand walking, shows, (to go and watch), play at XC courses (in hand).

Then at the end of 2 I will tack and sit, rein contact, lead around walk, trot, maybe canter.

Then that winter toss them out and let them grow. Spring, start back up low and slow.

[JER]

I do most of what others have said. Leading, handling, socializing, turnout, etc.

However, young horses have different personalities, and some like a busier life than others. One horse might like being out in a field with 6 other yearlings and little human contact for a whole year or two. Another horse might find that boring. You have to work with who they are.

My current youngster (almost 4) likes activity around him. He likes being out in the field all day for short stretches but after a couple of months, he'll start refusing to go out. He'd rather stay in and play with the wheelbarrow and fork while you struggle to clean his stall. Lately, he's been spending weekdays at a barn with an indoor and coming home on weekends. He's starting to appreciate the field a little more but the fact is, this guy is more urban than rural.

Have fun with your young one. :)

[EVENTINGallDAYlong]

this is all very helpful...

i do like the idea of taking them out and walking them down trails and taking them to xc courses and letting them see all that there is to see and experience.
i want him to be well rounded of course... lol

hes a big boy and he loves to play, but i also want him to respect my space and everyone elses at that. i dont want him to be that horse at the show or xc trial that is totally making a scene and just scared of everything.

so i think i will take him to trails and xc courses and let him know that i would never put him in harms way. also great bonding time.

thank you everyone for your post this really does help

[VCT]

1 yr on up - leading, leading through water, over tarps - whatever. loading onto the trailer. crosstie, tie, bath, clip, flyspray, basic manners with grooming and hoof picking, etc. leading over ground poles. showmanship patterns, etc. Go for walks on the leadline out on trail, hang out at shows. Lots of turnout.

2 yr old - learn to lunge, mostly at WALK, teach voice commands, move away from pressure/give to pressure. Walk over poles on lunge line. Maybe wear light saddle. Lunge work should be BRAIN work, not physically difficult. Continue practicing stuff from year one.

3 yr old - expand on lunge work - trot and canter, but again more brain work, not hard physical work - not just a lot of running around. Maybe long line. Wear saddle. Wear surcingle. Wear bridle and bit, but not for lunging. Walk next to horse with bridle and teach rein aids for steering and stopping - almost like long lining except I am just next to the horse and my hands at withers - if the horse is too tall you can do this stuff on long lines. Stand on mounting block over horse, lay over them, pull stirrups down, pat sides, top of hindquarter, flap stirrups a bit, etc.

3.5-4 Mount up. Some *light* rides. Then give winter off and start again in 4 yr old year.

4 - basic flat work

5 flat work, intro trails, intro jumping (tiny jumps)

6 full training

I go slower than most people. Did not do a lot with my Appy until last year because he was growing SO SLOWLY. Last year he was seven and it was the first year I did a lot of jumping and any showing. He won his minitrial division, pinned top 3 in all his jumper derby classes, was Jumper Horse of the Year for Erie Hunt and Saddle Club and did a series of Hunter Paces, schooled XC - banks, water, logs, etc. I'll be doing Starter with his this coming year, but he could do more with a better rider I'm sure.

[vineyridge]

You should read Auburn's synopsis of William Micklem's talk at the MSEDA meeting last Saturday. He talked about how HE starts horses. Had a lot of good things to say.

It's under my MSEDA Report, please thread.

[EVENTINGallDAYlong]

You should read Auburn's synopsis of William Micklem's talk at the MSEDA meeting last Saturday. He talked about how HE starts horses. Had a lot of good things to say.

It's under my MSEDA Report, please thread.

thanks i will.....