Discussion topic: Starting horses at two years old

[Relic]

Man some people l know can barely contain themselves getting started with the weaners..

 

[crponies]

That is really cute and funny, Relic!

 

[Fanch]

Great reading everyones posts, very neat!!

Now Im not the most experienced person out there, but have trained 2 minis myself, complete opposites. And I agree with the others who have said that, regarding starting a horse at 2, it totally depends on the horse; its mental and physical strength at that age. For instance; my first gelding could have been started in his 2nd year ground trainning, he was ready but since I was a newbie myself, I waited till his 3rd year. Hes been going for 4 years now and is a reliable driver.

My other gelding was put to the cart this August, at the age of 6. I got him when he was 3 and I can look back in horror at the thought of starting him as a 2 year old (Hes one of those extreme extroverts and ADD and was a handful and a half when I got him) Hes only really come around mentally and physically as a late 5 year old, when his harness trainning started and in the 3 months I drove him this fall he only spoked at a dog once when I was expecting a big blow out from him at some point(Im sure hes just saving it for a later date

)

I personally would wait till the horse is at least 3 years old to hitch, and even this depends fully on the horse; if their not ready for the task ahead of them its a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[REO]

That's too cute Relic!

 

[Shari]

That is adorable Relic!!

I always handle my young horses, so they are not worried about more advanced training when they are older.

Personally I would like people that want to put a 2 or even 3 year old to cart and pull weight, to have xrays done before hand, to see if the plates have closed up. Most horses..no matter the breed, plates don't close up until they are late 3 year old ..some as long as nearly 6 years old. At least in my experience, with many different breeds. Young animals might look mature enough to handle being driven.. but the Xrays show the truth.

Heck.. Edda looks very phycially mature for her age but no way would I put her into that kind of training.

 

[whitney]

There is SO MUCH you can teach a youngster, that makes the flow from ground to driving. I actually start my horses as foals, not two year olds. You can walk a weanling down the road etc. etc. etc. I think the wait til _____year is for trainers that have many horses to finish quickly.

I went back and read all the replies and Relic I've never gone that far but man you got my vote. Weaners if they trust you are willing to try just about anything without fear.

 

[RhineStone]

We once took a nine-month old colt to the Midwest Horse Fair for the mini demo. My teenage sister handled him in a halter obstacle demonstration, walking through hoops, over tarps, stuff thrown on him. He was SOOOO calm with the noisy Coliseum, the crowds, the music, etc. that we could have sold him multiple times that weekend!

I think Mom sold him before he was broke to drive, but it's that type of handling at that young age that will do them a world of good.

 

[Ferrah]

This can be a tough question...

I personally start driving horses at two years old. I start the training in the spring of their two year old year. I get the started ground driving and will drive them from the ground in a cart. I will then get in the cart maybe two or three times in the fall, usually September or October. Then the horses are not driven again until spring March or April of their three year old year where the more serious training starts. Even as three year olds I don't push them too hard or ask too much of them in the way of collection and I definitely don't check them up as hard as many people seem to do. They have their whole life to learn and I don't want to cripple them before their life has barely begun! In their four year old year and maybe even five year old year for slow maturing individuals I will start asking for collection and start teaching extension and that sort of thing.

I do not believe in checking a horse up and achieving false collection. I think that it doesn't do the horse an favors in terms of his soundness or his ability to use his back properly and really enjoy his work. That being said I also don't really care for the overcheck. I prefer a sidecheck because I think that an overcheck is counter productive to what I am asking the horse to do in terms of breaking at the poll.