Re: Youngsters...

i agree with the thoughts that it all comes down to the individual :) alhtough i think it helps if they have good basic manners at a young age as it is easy to build upon, think a lot of people let babies get away with stuff too often. I once read a quote about basset hounds saying don't let a 3 month old basset do what you wouldn't let a 3 year old basset do - i really think this relates to all animals lol think my OH nows regrets letting her on the sofa she now takes up loads of room!

Re: Youngsters...

 I got Rhodri as a 1 yr old unhandled - he was bit of a train wreck.  He doesn't do anything much at all, I've had him since April.  He's happy to be groomed all over have his feet picked out, rugs on/off go for a little walk occasionally, gives kisses for a slice of apple or banana.   I don't really plan on doing anything more than he's all ready doing for the next 12 months then I might introduce some long lineing and spook busting.  I have no intension of actually getting on him until he's 4.  He's a very quiet gentle little chap I haven't had a moments trouble from him, no kicking or rearing I guess that may be because i haven't really put any pressure on him or it might just be because he's a nice person. 

I bought Tommy as a 4 year old, the people who I bought him from bought him as a 5 year old and had him for 18 months.  Dentist came after 18 months and said he was barely 4 so he'd been jumped, schooled, hunted etc etc quite a lot before he was even 4.  I don't know if thats anything to do with the attitude he used to have because he did too much to young (unitensionally)  but I sometimes think thats why he hates schooling, he was doing dressage to music when I viewed him, I sometimes think it fried his brain and thats why he doesn't want to do it any more.  

youngsters

great topic! i have a 18 month old cob he's just been gelded and is fairly easy going and i have a plan in mind for how i would like things done i had to bit him at 12 months as he started being walked out and i needed a little more control as he was getting very strong, and next april he turns 2 so my plan is more walking and basic ground work he already wears  a rug and is happy to be groomed and have his feet done  hopefully next summer i will put a saddle on him and walk him in it but i really dont want any weight on him untill the year after i plan so send him away for breaking when he turns 3,

But ive struggled with all the advice ive been given mainly by people who i dont really know they ride past and we chat and they ahve watched him grow and they have kindly offered to help if i need it but when i said i wasnt going to have him broken in untill he is 3 she said do him at 2 turn him away and then bring him back into work at 3 hell be fine! but im really not keen on that idea he's still going to be growing and i dont want him doing to much,it's so complicated !

Re: Youngsters...

Our cob was bought by my friend and her dad at Appleby from travellers, he was four years old at the time and had already been used as a trotter/pacer.  He is now 9, from the very start he has been totally sane in traffic, has probably seen nearly everything in life, is gentle and obedient.  I'm not for one minute advocating breaking a horse when it's still very much a baby but whatever formula they've used for Sammy has probably been handed down through tradition and has produced a great horse who can be driven, ridden and enjoyed safely.  I have a 2 and a half year old filly, she was handled daily since we got her at weaning when she was 4 months old, was picking her feet up daily and hosing down her legs when coming in from the field and halter broken and leading out for walks in traffic and being exposed to as much as possible from an early age.  She was bitted with a soft bendy rubber bit before she was a year old and taught to lead in her bridle.  She actually watches our other two horses being ridden with great interest, she's really funny.  At the end of the summer we put a saddle on her to get used to it and she allowed herself to be girthed up with no fuss, probably because she'd been watching the other two and knew she wasn't about to be hurt.  My husband has gently sat on her a couple of times, mounting from both sides and then getting off again and she has not been in the least bit phased by it.  Next year after she turns 3 she will be backed for real and then left for another year before doing much more ridden work.  She did an inhand show as a yearling at a local agricultural show and was extremely well behaved and settled, and she did one recently which was a large scale event at an equestrian venue and also took it in her stride with no fuss whatsoever, she's just really interested in life and seems to thrive on new experiences rather than being nervous in any way, I think partly due to her own nature and partly due to how we've handled her and exposed her to things.  We have always taken a confident no-nonsense type approach to things rather than fussing and waffling about so that she doesn't get a chance to worry about anything.

Re: Youngsters...

I'd think she should make around 16hh.  Mine is 2 and a half and standing just shy of 16hh, she's still bum high too.  Her dad is around 16.3 and her mum was 16hh, her granny is a clydesdale and the grandad was 18hh!