|
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
 
| If you've got 25 years of horse experience and a safe, secure barn / pasture / dry lots situation, are you equipped to purchase a weanling or yearling? I am intimidated by the thought but people much less horse-inclined than me do it every day.
The wait is killer, no doubt, but is it still a worth-while undertaking? If you plan to send them off at some point, can you really screw them up too badly?
Thoughts appreciated! |
|
| |
|
  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| As long as you have a safe place to keep them, no problem at all. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 233
| Large pastures, appropriate playmates are important. Babies don't need to be handled too much, but what interactions they have need to be positive. Give them lots of time to grow. Don't feed them too much. Better weaned late than early. Basically, don't try and make them grow up to fast and you'll do fine. Too much handling at too young can make a rude, pushy, fearful and dominant horse. |
|
| |
|
 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | We sell all of ours as babies and there are many different opinions on the subject. People that are buying off us like the fact that they get them young and have THEIR hands on them the entire time and know what has been done with them rather than trying to fix a problem that was created by someone else and an old horseman once told me---if you are looking to buy---be the first there during foaling to pick your favorite rather than what is left---just a thought. |
|
| |
|
 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | I've bought most of mine over the years as weanlings/yearlings. I prefer it.... I know their personalities, and they've all been super easy to break and train. |
|
| |
|
Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | hannahbug - 2017-06-12 1:24 PM Large pastures, appropriate playmates are important. Babies don't need to be handled too much, but what interactions they have need to be positive. Give them lots of time to grow. Don't feed them too much. Better weaned late than early. Basically, don't try and make them grow up to fast and you'll do fine. Too much handling at too young can make a rude, pushy, fearful and dominant horse.
Really ???? We handle ours daily and never ran into this. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| I won't kid myself, I'd handle mine daily. They'd be stalled at night and groomed, messed with etc. Never letting them be pushy or disrespectful... I can see on a ranch setting, minimal handling but I'm a hobby farm with stalled horses. Can that work out ok too?
|
|
| |
|
 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home! |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-12 1:25 PM You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home!
thanks for the vote of confidence!! If you are talking all geldings, at what age might a baby be able to be out with the "herd"? all 2-3 of them. haha. |
|
| |
|
Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:03 PM SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-12 1:25 PM You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home! thanks for the vote of confidence!! If you are talking all geldings, at what age might a baby be able to be out with the "herd"? all 2-3 of them. haha.
Depends on the herd. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| Mighty Broke - 2017-06-12 2:26 PM star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:03 PM SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-12 1:25 PM You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home! thanks for the vote of confidence!! If you are talking all geldings, at what age might a baby be able to be out with the "herd"? all 2-3 of them. haha.
More of a wait and see situation probably. See how they adjust and go from there. That'd be doable in my place but I would worry about isolation if they didn't click as a new herd. |
|
| |
|
Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | Mine got handled daily. As far as putting them out with the others, introduce to one at a time and then turn out with the most docile, then add another, then another. They will establish the pecking order and the weanling will most likely be on the bottom, but will also learn manners. ETA... my weanling colt until he was 13 months old got turned out with the pregnant broodmares and taught very valuable manners.
Edited by TwistedK 2017-06-12 2:36 PM
|
|
| |
|
Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:34 PM Mighty Broke - 2017-06-12 2:26 PM star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:03 PM SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-12 1:25 PM You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home! thanks for the vote of confidence!! If you are talking all geldings, at what age might a baby be able to be out with the "herd"? all 2-3 of them. haha.
Simple solution---buy TWO. BOOM, problem solved, you are welcome. LOL |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| Mighty Broke - 2017-06-12 2:36 PM star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:34 PM Mighty Broke - 2017-06-12 2:26 PM star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:03 PM SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-12 1:25 PM You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home! thanks for the vote of confidence!! If you are talking all geldings, at what age might a baby be able to be out with the "herd"? all 2-3 of them. haha.
  |
|
| |
|
It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Mighty Broke - 2017-06-12 2:36 PM star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:34 PM Mighty Broke - 2017-06-12 2:26 PM star1218 - 2017-06-12 3:03 PM SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-12 1:25 PM You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home! thanks for the vote of confidence!! If you are talking all geldings, at what age might a baby be able to be out with the "herd"? all 2-3 of them. haha.
Bahaha this made me laugh 
Mine was pretty easy to introduce. She was such a confident filly and hung out by herself near my others (I had 2 geldings and 2 mares at the time) if she didn't feel welcome. |
|
| |
|
| Mighty Broke - 2017-06-12 1:05 PM hannahbug - 2017-06-12 1:24 PM Large pastures, appropriate playmates are important. Babies don't need to be handled too much, but what interactions they have need to be positive. Give them lots of time to grow. Don't feed them too much. Better weaned late than early. Basically, don't try and make them grow up to fast and you'll do fine. Too much handling at too young can make a rude, pushy, fearful and dominant horse. Really ???? We handle ours daily and never ran into this. 
Edited by AnotherRound 2017-06-12 4:07 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| SmokinGirlie - 2017-06-12 11:25 AM
You will be totally fine. I foaled my mare out and was terrified the entire time. My 'filly' just turned 6 this year! You are compentant enough for sure. Only thing to keep in mind is that babies sometimes don't care if there are fences....... lol!
Oh and I handled my filly every.single.day. She is SO respectful on the ground. She got treated like all my big horses (obviously minus the riding).
Don't over think it, you will give a weanling a great home!
This. Mine hurt himself once at our place because the fences were different. But he was also respectful and obedient even as a stud until we cut him at 3.5 years. The only problem was that he was totally respectful and obedient to ME, but could be pushy and studdy with others because I was the main handler and others at our stable (and hubby) were not as experienced and he took advantage of this. Even as a gelding he will try this, so I would advise if you are going to have others handling that they work with the colt too, or leave it until its older. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Weanlings and yearlings are a ton of fun. And yes, it is one way to have more thorough knowledge of their upbringing, health issues, etc. Plus the anticipation of watching them grow is so much fun. It sounds like you are perfectly equipped to try one out. But remember they are like toddlers which means scuffed knees, bruises, and falls. In horse terms, it just means they tend to get into stuff sometimes. Be prepared for some cuts and all as they learn more about their world. Keep an eye on them and don't put them in a situation that is too much for them and you will be fine. Example: We have a yearling colt. He has been handled quite a bit, very gentle, but loves his buddies. If he doesn't have someone right next to him, he will try to jump fences. We are just careful about where we place him and with who. Once we send him to the trainers and he gets accustomed to being stalled on his own more and worked on his own, he will get over this. He regularly seems to have some little cut or scrape too. They have all healed and he is growing perfectly fine. We have anywhere from 1-2 a year, some we sell and some we keep, and have done fine. We will be sale fitting for the first time this year too.
Either find someone in your area with a little experience to help you out a bit or buy from someone who will provide you tons of support. This will give you some confidence and then you will have someone to go to with your questions. Even if you have had horses for years and years, there are things about babies that can surprise and worry you. Somethings you should be worried about and others not so much. But I think you should give it a try. Babies are so much fun.
ETA: Our babies get handled regularly and are very gentle but we never overhandle them. A weanling or yearling's attention span is limited. Work with them a couple times a week on new things for 10 minutes and don't drill and drill on them. This will just give them an attitude. At the same time, they are not made of glass either. Of course it's easiest if you find one that is at least halter broke and can do a few basic things like pick up their feet for the farrier and load in the trailer. A lot of the rest of it is easier after that. Depends on your breeder. Some do this and some don't. I am a personal advocate of them having basic manners before they leave but even ones who haven't been touched hardly at all often make nice horses.
Edited by oija 2017-06-12 8:58 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida |
Sounds to me like you're set up for it and experienced - GO FOR IT!! Warning, you get REALLY attached to them when you bring them up from weanlings/yearlings! LOL
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| Thank you all for your confidence in me! :)
I've got the time and a horse Im currently running so it seems like i could go out on a limb and get the cool bloodlines that I want and have a weanie or yearling on the back burner for in a couple few years. I've also got TALL wood board fences and ability to seperate so that seems like the first important steps. I like what smokingirlie said - just treat them like any other horse, minus the riding. love on them but expect the same level of respect and manners ? I think I could do that.
Awesome. thanks!!
I"m open to hearing any other tips/ tricks / etc. Like picking one? They change so much as they grow. Any tips on what to defnitely look for or avoid? |
|
| |
|
 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Mountains of VA | As a breeder as should say "go for it and support a reputible breeding program". However, buying weanlings, yearlings and even 2yos is such a GAMBLE. Even with proper/good handling, you never really know what you have and how they will react until they start their under saddle training, I don't care how much ground work you put into them. THEN, you can only hope/pray that they do not get hurt or sick while waiting on them to grow.
Be willing to accept them for what they are...........you can not change conformation or extreme temperaments and must be willing to work with what they have to offer. Be willing to accept that your baby just got hurt running in the field and is now going to be a pasture ornament or a trail horse only.
Buying a started prospect is much safer especially when looking for a horse to do a specific job or look a certain way, etc. Buyers who complain about the cost of started horses have NO IDEA how much time, money and luck it takes to get foals on the ground, weaned, grown and in training to be sold as started 3yos.
Guess, I'm just tired of trying to sell our youngsters and riding in this heat is no fun at my age.
|
|
| |
|
 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | star1218 - 2017-06-12 1:20 PMI won't kid myself, I'd handle mine daily. They'd be stalled at night and groomed, messed with etc. Never letting them be pushy or disrespectful... I can see on a ranch setting, minimal handling but I'm a hobby farm with stalled horses. Can that work out ok too?
Can definitely work out. We handle ours and have never bad a problem with one beinvg pushy or rude.
Edited by total performance 2017-06-14 7:59 AM
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| hotpaints - 2017-06-14 5:28 AM As a breeder as should say "go for it and support a reputible breeding program". However, buying weanlings, yearlings and even 2yos is such a GAMBLE. Even with proper/good handling, you never really know what you have and how they will react until they start their under saddle training, I don't care how much ground work you put into them. THEN, you can only hope/pray that they do not get hurt or sick while waiting on them to grow.
Be willing to accept them for what they are...........you can not change conformation or extreme temperaments and must be willing to work with what they have to offer. Be willing to accept that your baby just got hurt running in the field and is now going to be a pasture ornament or a trail horse only.
Buying a started prospect is much safer especially when looking for a horse to do a specific job or look a certain way, etc. Buyers who complain about the cost of started horses have NO IDEA how much time, money and luck it takes to get foals on the ground, weaned, grown and in training to be sold as started 3yos.
Guess, I'm just tired of trying to sell our youngsters and riding in this heat is no fun at my age.
and this is why I feel intimidated. haha
I mean, you have to at least have an IDEA what they will grow up to look like if you see the stud/dam, right? Or siblings on the same farm...?
As far as temperments, people who have bred many many babies must have some things they can see straight off the bat before they are sold I would think?
Thanks for the reply, I'd like to consider this as realistically as possible. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | star1218 - 2017-06-14 8:50 AM
hotpaints - 2017-06-14 5:28 AM As a breeder as should say "go for it and support a reputible breeding program". However, buying weanlings, yearlings and even 2yos is such a GAMBLE. Even with proper/good handling, you never really know what you have and how they will react until they start their under saddle training, I don't care how much ground work you put into them. THEN, you can only hope/pray that they do not get hurt or sick while waiting on them to grow.
Be willing to accept them for what they are...........you can not change conformation or extreme temperaments and must be willing to work with what they have to offer. Be willing to accept that your baby just got hurt running in the field and is now going to be a pasture ornament or a trail horse only.
Buying a started prospect is much safer especially when looking for a horse to do a specific job or look a certain way, etc. Buyers who complain about the cost of started horses have NO IDEA how much time, money and luck it takes to get foals on the ground, weaned, grown and in training to be sold as started 3yos.
Guess, I'm just tired of trying to sell our youngsters and riding in this heat is no fun at my age.
and this is why I feel intimidated. haha
I mean, you have to at least have an IDEA what they will grow up to look like if you see the stud/dam, right? Or siblings on the same farm...?
As far as temperments, people who have bred many many babies must have some things they can see straight off the bat before they are sold I would think?
Thanks for the reply, I'd like to consider this as realistically as possible.
It is true that you can never predict exactly how something is going to go or turn out. Your young one might be a tremendous competitor. You might buy a barrel horse and it would prefer to do hunter under saddle. Those things happen.
That being said, you CAN stack the deck in your favor with the right bloodlines. Speed itself in multiple studies has shown at least 25% heritability, quickness or fast reflexes also shows good heritability with cutting bloodlines.
Just look at how many horses at the NFR and top of the futurities have Dash ta Fame in there somewhere. Are there horses who are successful who are grade or bred to do something else? Sure. But compare the percentages of horses bred to run barrels with those who are not bred to run barrels and I think you are going to find the numbers highly favor those bred to do the job. So start there with your search.
But also look at conformation and temperament. A baby that is easy to work with is more likely to remain easier to work with. Some gentle ones do have tempers and have to learn that they don't get to be on welfare their whole lives (this may **** them off), but most of the time when taught firmly but gently that yes they have a job they are expected to do they will come around. Some people like temperaments on horses that are a little more challenging but also more likely to have a competitive spirit. They are usually for more experienced people.
In terms of conformation, babies are going to change as they grow. But look at the basic lines. Are all the bones and angles in the right places? Look at sire, dam, siblings. This will give you a good guess to what you will be working with. ALL of the babies out of one of my mares, no matter how tall the stud, have ended up around 15 hands give or take an inch. She is very consistent with this. Look for things like that and it will help you know what you are dealing with long term. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
Location: Duvall, WA | I remember hearing years ago from a performance trainer--if you want to make money in horses, your best bet is buying a long yearling. Train it, ride it, sell it. FWIW. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| You are probably right! The prices can't be beat as babies. Too bad I never sell. HahaThanks! |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 2674
Location: Silver Lake, MN | I got my first baby last year...I was a little worried at first too but I enjoy working with them. I halter broke about 4 of them for the breeder last year and it was really fun to see their different personalities and how they handled things. My yearling gets handled often, but for limited times. I understand where his mind is at mentally and work around that. But he gets treated like a big horse, I expect him to respect my space, not be pushy and be good to handle. I am loving it!! It is so fun to watch them grow and yes he has lots of boo boo's!! I have a 9yo gelding to ride and he needs my time right now so it's working out perfectly.
I'm excited to see how he turns out so far I just love him but it's also a risk. But I don't buy high dollar horses either so that way if they don't work out for what I bought them for I can resell into a discipline more suited for them. Here is a picture of him a few days old and back a couple of months ago.  
Edited by CarrieH77 2017-06-19 3:45 PM
|
|
| |
Am I nuts to consider a weanling?