Youngster

[MyBeloved]

Hey everyone

I've been around horses most of my life. I've shared and full loaned. I'm now looking to buy and considering a youngster. Am I complete mad? I like the idea of taking things slowly and producing from a blank canvas. I have support from my instructor, who produces herself.

Please give me your honest opinions.

Thank you.

It’s not a totally bonkers idea, depends a little on the type of youngster- enormous warmblood usually harder than cob etc. I did say to myself I would never buy a horse I hadn’t ridden as a young horse as you don’t really know what you are getting but have now got a yearling as we got our own land in the end and I need a third. You do need to have a strong stomach for flightness with a young horse in terms of the routine stuff, can be quite challenging getting them used to farrier/ first loading. Rearing and kicking out a little would be common. It is quite tough, so I think it depends on how young?

I got one 18 months ago & mainly no regrets. I found an excellent backer that got him going in no time. We have had a few wobbles, & I got my (male) yard owner to ride him twice a week for a couple of months, but he is coming on well, starting to come through from behind nicely (scales of training & all that). Took him to an in hand show for experience (see picture), a clinic or two.
The great thing is to know you can shape the horse, not have to correct others mistakes

I do a bit of instructing so here’s a some of the advice I’d give to clients.

Lots of varying factors here. What sort of horses have your been riding/loaning? Steady happy hacker school master types or something with a bit about it?
Also youngster is a broad brush. Do you mean unbacked, something that’s done a bit of W/T out hacking and been turned away or something that’s 5/6 and can w/t/c and popped a few piles but not established.
Then a 3year old cob is going to be different to a 3yo warm blood is going to be different to the 3yo TB that’s spent two years in Newmarket.

Unbacked is obviously the most blank canvas I think takes a certain type of rider and I’m not sure I’d recommend one for a first horse. Even if you sent them away to a good yard to be backed.
I’ve also known many a 3/4yo seem exceptionally quiet but it turns out they aren’t they just don’t know anything and want their hand held and when they hit 5/6 and are a bit stronger and more balanced and confident can turn into utter arsewipes for a bit. I had a mare who at 4 my non riding DP would be able to walk around the farm on, at 5 she went through SUCH a sharp phase and she levelled out but she’s still a fair bit hotter/forward than she was at 4.

How confident are you also? Would you be happy taking a horse out on a road alone for its first time/In an open space for the first time.
Can you sit a decent buck/spook/spin?

I’m not saying don’t do it but I think go into it with a very realistic mind. A lot of people like the idea of a project until their nerves or over estimation of their ability mean they’ve got something they can’t hack and decks them every 15 minutes.
If you haven’t had a lot of experience with younger horses I’d have a really good chat with yo instructor and get their honest option. Id happy tell a client their idea is stupid if it meant I knew they’d be safe!

Bear in mind that a 4 yo cob may be a complete angel but have an atrocious attack of the Kevin's at 5.

Some great advice here, thank you everyone.

Yes, have had a couple of younger ones in the past: one was 6 but hadn't been ridden for 2 years (and was an absolute devil) and another was 5. Both tested me. I know what you mean about being saintly, then suddenly deciding to act up. The 5 year old was a bombproof plod until one day found she enjoyed bucking and planting! Kids, eh 😳

Took the 5 year old on the road for the 1st time, but had someone else with me.

I think where I lack is knowledge of the proper way to school a youngster, but I'd look to my instructor for advice and input...

I think in your boat OP I’d go for a 5/6 year old that was w/t/c and understood the stop/go buttons and had done some hacking but was in no way an established horse rather than a real baby. Especially as you won’t have your instructor with you all the time!

Also depending on if you’d need a weight carrier or not. I’d not write off an ex racehorse. The slightly older NH types tend to be very sensible and a lot of them have seen all kinds of traffic (especially if they were ever trained in Newmarket)
My favourite ever project was a 7 year old gelding, who. Had been to Cheltenham/galway festivals etc and was completely bombproof. A real blank canvas in the school, but a lovely safe horse who all he knew how to do was try. As an ex chaser he was pretty sensible and listened to his rider. He’d get a touch forward in open spaces with company but never something a quick HH wouldn’t deal with. He’d be about 17/18 now and the lady I sold him to still has him and he’s never put a foot wrong - she fell off him once when she’d forgot to do her girth! They are lovely horses and the ex chasers often are quite sensible with some real bone as well.

I would say it depends on your your ability, confidence and support.

I bought a 2 year old 6 years ago. I hadn't ridden for 20 years, just had kids ponies. I managed to get her backed and walk and trot in the school (alone with no one on the ground) before I had issues.

I moved to a yard where yo specialised in young horses and with her help we are happy hackers and moving towards more advanced stuff now. But I absolutely wouldn't have been able to do it without help. And pre 20 years break pretty competent. And also very competent with ground work. Yo said I hadn't done anything wrong, just needed help getting to the next level.

But it has been incredibly rewarding doing it myself and I have an incredible bond with her. Which I don't think I would have with an already done horse, plus she has no bad habits etc.

I agree re help. A youngster is cheap, but then you need to spend on assistance. So I paid to get a very good backer, paid to get my YO to produce him, & now my instructor is out twice a week & is excellent at ground work.
I would do it again in a flash

Thanks again, everyone.

Think I'm going to have an honest chat with my instructor. I'm expecting her to advise me to make my life as uncomplicated as possible and go for a 10 year old instead though 😁

I doubt they do ex chasers in my preferred size unfortunately (I'm after 14.2 or less)