What to do with new youngster.

[dippymare]

I have experience around youngsters, and I know things shouldn't be rushed and babies should have the time to be babies and grow/mature at their own pace etc

I have bought a 2yr old gelding that I have known since he was born, I have spent every day of his life with him so far. (my friend bred him and I keep my horse at her yard) We have a great bond and trust each other, even when he was poorly and required painful treatment he trusted me to touch the area and clean it etc.

My question really is this.. What if anything can I do with him at this young age to help him become a happy confident boy for the future?
I have him mastered at the art of being tied up and loading (we will be doing a few in hand shows next year to get us out and about. I'm as new to this as he is)
He trots out in hand and is not pushy, infact for a youngster he has such wonderful manners and is so sweet and gentle.

I had thought of things like sitting with him in the round pen and do silly things like put balloons and banners around it and letting him investigate them until he is comfortable with them? Plastic bags also? Maybe different sounds ie on dry days playing different music gradually building up the volume to get him used to loud busy environments?

Looking to see what people here do with their youngsters for fun and training while not overloading them, or am I being to much to quick?

Any ideas or advice but only nice stuff please as yes I know Im not the super experienced but my goal is to learn what I can as I go and build the relationship I have with this boy so he is a happy, trusting healthy boy who isn't spooky, or shy. When the time comes for him to be broken I would like him to be sane and sensible as he is now so really don't want to screw his head by overloading him.

[sarahp]

It sounds to me as if he's mastered all he needs to by this stage, so anything extra is entirely up to you.

Here I have my weaned foals in overnight through their first winter, so they learn to be caught and led at that stage, do halter work in hand to teach forwards, backwards and forehand turns both ways until very light and obedient in hand, then tie up, load in the lorry (if I remember!) and have feet trimmed. At that age they learn very quickly, some days they just go straight out if I'm busy, other days when more time I spend a few extra minutes working with them. Other stuff comes along the way - once going easily from barn to field (which is off the yard so very close) they go for walks round the garden looking at everything, and going on and off different surfaces underfoot, an important preparation for loading into a lorry. I have a narrow passage between house and garage that they learn to walk through, over manhole covers, round parked cars. Or I might put on on the bungee/pad I use for teaching tying up for a few minutes while I put a different one out, so all sorts of stuff are learned along the way. If possible I like to do a foal show or two just for their education, even one brings them on hugely for the future. Then come their yearling spring, they go out to grass and only come in for farrier/worming, or if needing vet attention, until their life changes, either sold or go to be broken. I do try to make sure they all spend some time in the fields along the drive so get used to moving traffic that way, I often stop and chat to them through the car window just to make the point.

I like to give them plenty of time to chill in the herd and be babies, once learned I find the basic stuff stays with them and does not need constant repetition. Oh, and I often give them an old feed bag to play with in the field or sometimes in the box so that they learn not to be frightened of bags, and never use them for waving at them to make them go! I think they learn to tolerate odd things best if left to sort it out in their own time and space. They are flight animals, and it seems to me that having space to retreat to their own "comfort area" instead of being forced to stay near enough to worry them gets them used to things faster in the long run.

But we'll all different and in different circumstances. I've told you what I do, it's not intended to tell you what to do. Your baby's lucky to have such a considerate owner and I'm sure he'll make you a great horse in time.

[dippymare]

Here is a wee bit more about his history up to date. (A bit of the original question but a good indicator of what he does now)

When he was born he was head collared, and led with mum in and out to the paddock, he took to this very quickly and has never pulled or twisted or planted himself when being led. He was left on mum for around 8 months or so until he was basically too big to share a box and was beginning to pester her and she wasn't allowing him to suckle as often so she had started weaning him herself.

He was weaned at the same time as a slightly younger filly who he was stabled with for company to make the process easier for him.
At approx. 10mth/1yr he was gelded which was straight forward and he never suffered any swelling etc and was able to go out shortly afterwards. He was never anything but sweet and gentle but being the right time of year with less flies around it was the sensible thing to do.

He is turned out daily and leads like a pro on his own, he stands to be rugged up when its bad weather, comes to whistle and stands at the gate to be caught etc.
If the weather is good I play with him in the field which consists of me running around the field like a loon while he trots after me and cantering around me when he's caught me.

As I said in the 1st post he was poorly this year. It started when he had been able to reach and grab the bridle hanger on the outside of his stable door, (all the stables had them and have now been removed) He had damaged his mouth in someway but the vet and dentist couldn't figure out what he had done exactly or how he managed to get stuck but he must have been stuck as he had bent the metal hook. This resulted in him loosing a lot of weight due to not being able to eat for around 2 months so he got calm and condition soaked down to liquid so he could sook the feed rather than chew.
After that he developed an abscess under his chin obviously related to the incident so back to sore mouth and not eating, he was on antibiotics and pain killers for months. This did clear up and he was back to being happy and cheeky. BUT one day when I came up to the yard he was standing at the yard gate on his own. I parked up and rushed to check on him. He had jumped the field gate and bent it! He had a small scrape on his left stifle and on his nose but was walking fine, alert and wanted his dinner. I don't know what happened in the field to make him jump the gate but he doesn't seem fazed by going back in the field.
Anyway a fortnight later he looked a bit lame on his right hind leg so brought him in and checked him over. He stayed in a couple of days thinking nothing was really untoward and he was weight bearing on it and it was only when he turned quickly it seemed to bother him. (thinking he had rolled funny in the field or twisted slightly getting up. This seemed to work as the more he moved the better he looked. Wrong... The next week as if over night he was hopping lame, a massive hard lump under his right stifle and it was red hot to touch, he lost 50% of his bodyweight and moved sideways like a crab, His spine looked twisted and arched as he stood up and we thought he had broken his hip. Dreading the worst and in tears the emergency vets were called out and we were told to give pain relief that he had pulled a muscle and he would be fine.
Thinking I was doing right by him I got the back lady out who does horse physio, she said his muscles were tight but not from a pulled muscle or broken bone, she said there was something deep seated going on that she couldn't help him with.
Both his breeder and I were distraught, we didn't know what to do so we took him to the equine specialist and hour away. he could barely stand up and every bump in the trailer was torture as I had visions of him collapsing.
We got there and he was still standing, By this time I could have been physically sick expecting to be told he wasn't going to make it home. But to my amazement the vet took one look at him and said he knew what it was. He lanced the hard lump and an egg sized lump of puss fell to the floor along with 1/5 a pint of liquid puss. He had the biggest abscess and no one had known. I was quite angry the 1st vets never noticed this but then again I suppose they cant be right all the time.
4 days of antibiotics and 3 weeks of box rest seen him able to walk enough to go out for short periods but he was on large doses of pain killers. all in all its taken him almost 3 months to recover from his ordeal and he is still a sweet natured, gentle kind boy who is currently loving life and plays with his horsey friends in the field.

He once escaped out the paddock while bringing another pony in, I panicked a bit but quickly put the other pony in her stable to go back out to find my boy standing patiently waiting for me to catch him and take him in. (I had visions of him taking off in his new found freedom around the yard and getting stuck or injured somewhere)

I want to get some more weight back on him before he does any shows as he although he is fully recovered, he is an ok summer weight but im not happy he has enough coverage for winter. He gets happy hoof, calm and condition and a bit of stud mix twice a day and his weight gain is slow. on the note I don't want him to balloon out and get ill again so im just glad its going the right direction for him.

Anyway, that's my babies story and I hope he will continue to be a happy confident baby. The only person who can change that is me so I don't want to let him down now after he's been through so much.

[zetasmum]

It sounds like your boy thinks the world of you and I know he would love to play games with you too. The bond between you will be even stronger.

If you go on facebook and look for Kara Copp you will see a video of Nibbles who is 2 years old. He does all the things you see without me teaching him anything, but you could do all those things yourself for fun. If you like the video, please share it so Nibbles has a good chance of going to an appreciative home when he is sold on the 10th of Sept at Malvern.

When teaching just remember that horses learn from release of pressure. You only stop doing something that is initially scary when they have shown that they have relaxed. Above all make it fun with lots of praise, rubs, treats etc.

I'm sure you will have a great time.

[sarahp]

You did do the right thing getting his back checked out after the first vet - and what your back lady said was all correct wasn't it? Then you took him to a vet referral place, again the right next step.

The pair of you will be fine, don't worry!

[dippymare]

Thanks, Sarahp - the back lady was right, it was an abscess in his stifle causing his pain not his back after all. He has now fully recovered and is enjoying his turnout again being a fun cheeky baby.
Zetasmum- I will have a look for your video and share it

Thank you both xx

[zetasmum]

Hi  - the video is now on the pony for sale section in the whp section under 'Dare I say bombproof' - hope you enjoy.  We had loads of fun making it.

[dippymare]

Wow nibbles is truly wonderful. I hope I can have my wee man as relaxed as this around some of his scary stuff. x

[frozzy]

Watching that pus was the grossest thing I have ever watched. Second only to the removal of the 25 year old blackhead being removed!!!