Teenage Training Advice
• Keep training and handling sessions short to keep your yearling's attention.
• Let your youngster investigate new stuff at his own pace to avoid frightening him.
• Babying can create bad habits, so treat your yearling like an adult horse.
• Get your yearling out and about, since the more he sees, the more confident he'll become.
• Make sure your yearling is up-to-date on vaccinations before hauling to new places.
8. Tackle In-Hand Trail Obstacles
Keeley showed J.R. anything that came to mind-tarps, bags, sprinklers, an exercise stability ball ("It wasn't getting any use anyway," she says)-all of which prepared him for future trail classes and basically just got him used to seeing strange things. "Now, when he sees something new, he's like, 'No big deal.' Nothing bothers him," she says.
To keep your yearling-and you-interested, create a short in-hand "trail" course to work through. Walk over poles, bridges and sheets of plywood. Trot around cones, figure eight around barrels, open mailboxes and carry bags full of noisy trash. "Pick up a coat hanging on the fence," Keeley says. Do anything your yearling might find strange or curious, and give him time to mentally process what's in front of him. With patience on your part, your yearling will learn that there's no reason to be afraid of new things.
9. Let Him Learn Social Skills
Pasture turnout with "big boy" horses is a great way for your yearling to stretch his legs and learn to socialize with his own kind. Curmudgeonly old geldings or strict broodmares are usually great etiquette teachers, as long as they aren't known kickers. Pinned ears, bared teeth and swishing tails go a long way in disciplining youngsters. Living with older, more experienced horses will help your yearling discover his place in the pecking order. Those manners carry over into your yearling's interactions with humans as well as with horses.
10. Practice for Your Farrier
This is a great time to get your yearling ready for his future farrier work. Whenever you get him out, pick up your yearlings feet and hold them, making sure he doesn't rest his weight on you or stomp his feet down. As you pick up his feet, set him up for success by making sure his weight is evenly distributed over all of his legs. Pick up a leg when he's straddled out, and he could lose his balance, as well as his hoof-handling confidence. Consistently use a verbal cue, such as "hoof up," and pretty soon you'll find that your yearling will pick up his feet on command.
As you release his hoof, gently guide it to the ground, teaching him patience and that his hooves are handled on human terms, not his.
Once your yearling is comfortable having his feet picked up, practice gently banging on them with the handle of a hoof pick to simulate having shoes nailed on. Doing so will get him used to the sound and sensation of hammering on his hooves. Your farrier will appreciate your hard work when your yearling proves himself as a practiced partner.
11. Enter a Yearling Futurity
Yearling futurities are a fun way to get your youngster out and show him off to your friends. It will also get him used to going new places. With frequent traveling, he'll figure out that unloading in a new place is no big deal, focusing on you rather than his insecurities.
Just remember, yearlings are susceptible to lots of different viruses, such as rhino and flu, so make sure he's in robust health and well vaccinated before taking him off your property.
Many futurities held by local saddle clubs include several components: halter (judging conformation), longe-line (movement), showmanship (manners) and in-hand trail. Preparing for these classes can give you and your yearling a goal to work toward. But don't rush your yearling into a show if he's not mentally or physically ready. "There's no reason to get in a hurry," Keeley says.
