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Expert
Posts: 2685
   
| I have (2) 2yos. One is a March baby and the other an April baby. Both are broke enough to step on and go both ways. My boyfriend comes home from deployment in July. We want to go camping/trail riding the end of July. Are they too young to go on traile rides? If not, would you keep it at a certain distance/time limit each ride/ day? We will be camping/ trail riding at a lake so riding is not the sole purpose for us going, so I'm not looking to be horseback all day.
Also, I only ride these guys about once a week. Get on, and when they do what I ask, I get off. I usually don't ride for more than 30 mins. I don't really need to... should I try to get them in a little better shape to relate for a longer trail ride?
Opinions welcome.... dumb questions I know... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| Yes, IMO, its too early. Too much on their legs at that age. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | They are to young imo and Imo riding them 30 minutes is to much for a 2 yr old but to each their own.. |
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 Saint Stacey
| I feel that taking 2 year olds out on an overnight trail ride is just setting them up to fail. JMHO. |
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Veteran
Posts: 170
| I don't think it is to early, but I think they will be so green that you will have issues. If they aren't used to standing at a trailer or changes of scenery you might be chasing one down the trail. |
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 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4642
Location: Texas | I think it's too young, but I also don't ride them until they're three. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Thanks to everyone for input. They have been hauled and tied a bunch. I hauled them to rodeos and had them stand tied quite a bit last year so they are good about that. I'm just worried about physical stuff.
Thanks again y'all. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| SKM - 2017-06-12 4:52 AM
I feel that taking 2 year olds out on an overnight trail ride is just setting them up to fail. JMHO.
What do you mean? Do you mean having them stay overnight somewhere outside of home is setting them up to fail or taking a 2yo on a trail ride period? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| I would still just be ground driving a 2 year old under saddle, by fall and depending on how developed they are I would start riding lightly.
Maybe pony them on a short trail ride would be fine. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | we rode my 2 year old on the trails for about 20-30 minutes, nothing hilly. Nothing happened to her lol, but gained experience |
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Expert
Posts: 1414
| I'm the odd man out cause trail riding is mostly what I did with my 2 year olds. It got them exposed to all sorts of things, we were going in mostly straight lines, develops a steering wheel going around trees, brush rubs up against their legs and bellies, rides lasted 15-45 minutes mostly walking and some trotting.
I feel that is much better than riding circles in the arena on those babies. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Thanks everyone. I was afraid people would be worried about being flamed for giving their honest opinion. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 495
Location: Washington | hoofs_in_motion - 2017-06-12 6:20 AM
we rode my 2 year old on the trails for about 20-30 minutes, nothing hilly. Nothing happened to her lol, but gained experience
I trail rode mine, she's three this year. Short, easy rides. Absolutely nothing bothers her, great experience getting out of the arena. |
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 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | IMO---a tad too much too early. Ya want them to LOVE it----working that hard that young will create a sour horse that hates its job. |
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 That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| When I break a young horse, they maybe get their first ride or two in a round pen and then they spend the rest of their 2 & 3 yo year out in the hills. There is something that is very good for a young horse to know what's outside of the pasture and arena. Take it easy on them, and be smart. |
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 Thick and Wavy
Posts: 6102
Location: Nebraska | roanrider - 2017-06-12 8:35 AM I'm the odd man out cause trail riding is mostly what I did with my 2 year olds. It got them exposed to all sorts of things, we were going in mostly straight lines, develops a steering wheel going around trees, brush rubs up against their legs and bellies, rides lasted 15-45 minutes mostly walking and some trotting. I feel that is much better than riding circles in the arena on those babies.
I don't have an arena, so once they have a handle in the round pen where I feel like I have control we hit the trails. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Depends what your definition of "trail riding" is.
If you are going to go out for a couple hours at a walk on flat terrain, that isn't going to bother a 2-year-old a bit. If you are riding through mountains and valleys and steep drop-offs .... I wouldn't do that on a 2 yo.
I hauled my 2-year-old (at the time) with my finished horse all year long. He'd stand tied to the trailer all day long. I didn't train him to ride until later in his 2-year-old year, but then I'd hop on him and ride him around the grounds. I like to keep the work very LIGHT but the more exposure the better.
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 Regular
Posts: 73
Location: Central Texas | All I did with my coming 3 year old was "trail riding". My version of trail riding though is walking through the woods for a few miles with buddies. I feel it gets them experience while clearing their head of the arena setting. My filly was so much more willing to get back in the arena the next week and work after a weekend on the trails. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| thank you to everyone for the input.
I am going to check out the campsite and trails in a week or so to see what its all about. It is at a lake. I have heard awesome things about the trail conditions and campsite. I will definitely be looking at the hill/ drop off issue. I would not do stuff like that on them.
Thanks again everyone. |
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Saint Stacey
| RoaniePonie11 - 2017-06-12 6:05 AM
SKM - 2017-06-12 4:52 AM
I feel that taking 2 year olds out on an overnight trail ride is just setting them up to fail. JMHO.
What do you mean? Do you mean having them stay overnight somewhere outside of home is setting them up to fail or taking a 2yo on a trail ride period?
Around here, overnight trail rides usually mean you are in an area that has bears, mountain lions, moose, elk, etc. You take two green 2 year olds without the calming influence of a horse that's been there and you run the risk of them feeding off of each other's flight mechanism.
I would be ok taking them on a trail ride. It's the overnight part in a strange area with potential carnivores and their young age that would worry me. |
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