i have a horse that will b turning 2 in February. i need to know when i can ride him hes 13.3 and weighs 715 my sister rides him occasionally and she only weight 60 pounds. my old barn told me it was ok for her to walk and trot him every know and then but no the lady i have for him when he turns 2 says we should wait till hes 2 1/2 to ride him at all. help i need to know what to do

I've been breeding and starting Hanoverians (warmbloods) since 1989. Quality, not quantity is how I look at it. Anything in excess can be damaging. Because I show my horses in Hunter Breeding Classes starting as yearlings, in the early Spring I start to teach them their voice commands, to stand quietly and jog beside me with a halter and lead in the ring 2 times a week. Once they are confident and enjoying their lessons, I introduce the bridle since they have to show in a bridle. I only have them wear the bridle for short periods of time, 5-10 minutes in the beginning. After they are used to wearing their bridles I only ask them to wear them at horse shows. As two year olds I start to introduce lunging and long lining. How often I lunge them depends on how fast they catch on to their jobs. It usually only takes 2-3 lessons over a period of a week or two before they figure it out. Then I just re-affirm the lunge lesson every few weeks. I do not ask my 2 year olds to lunge in tight circles, as this can stress their joints and tendons. I follow along with them using the entire ring seeking a relaxed rthymn through walk/trot transitions. I don't canter my two year olds on the lunge line. Too much stress on their growing joints. It's OK if they pick up the canter and canter a few steps however I do not encourage them to keep cantering on the circle. Once they are confident and relaxed on the line I will introduce the saddle. I don't like the stirrups to hang down in the beginning so I wrap the stirrups so they will not come down or remove them all together. Once they are working quietly at the walk/trot with the saddle I will lower the stirrups, but I make sure they are not so long as to hit the horse in the elbows, making them uncomfortable. I'll lean on them, stand on a step ladder/mounting block next to them, put weight in the stirrups however I usually don't mount my young horses until their 3 yo year. Then it's walk, trot work under saddle for 60-90 days and then I turn them back out to grow up some more. I bring them back into full training the Winter of their 4 yo year. I'll free jump them late in their 2 yo year just to evaluate their technique. Again, quality, not quantity. I have to close by saying that because I've been handling these young horses daily since they are born I'm very familiar with their personalities and base my training time table on their mental and physical maturity. It can differ for each individual. My young horses live in a paddock where they can see the mature horses working in the ring and they actually like to hang their heads over the fence and watch me working the mature horses. It's been my experience on more than one occassion when I bring a young horse into the ring and start their lessons that they can't wait to show me what they already know because they have been observing the other horses. I'm always amazed by their intelligence and willingness to please their people. Mary Jane Todd-Day is a life long horse woman and the owner of Huntington Farm Hanoverians, breeding Hanoverian horses for hunters and jumpers outside Austin, TX. www.huntingtonfarm.us

hi my name is ashley and im new to equestrianlife.com, i have had my horse since she was 6 months old and she turned 2 in feb. i tried to line drive her today and i could not get her to walk forward no matter what i did, any advice?

I have a two year old and im riding someone elses three year old, I've been reading and I've heard you shouldn't canter the two year old while on him and you shouldnt lunge a horse in the early years or they could get joint problems...I need a professional opinion I dont want to mess up two great horses. thanks!

Hi everybody! Im new here, and i have just gotten my second 2yr old. Hes a gorgeous purebred Morgan. My first 2yr old i got was pretty easy to train because he was so willing to do new things, he is now five. Anyways I love my morgan and think he would be a great event prospect he has a natural tuck and a natural extended trot. I have free jumped him 3 ft and he loved it. My problem is I cant lunge him, he gets confused easily then he gets angry. I have even tried to get a helper with him to lead him around the circle but he gets frustrated and pulls away. What can i do? I dont have a round pen either.

I have a 2 year old Hanoverian who will be three in April. I've been leaning over him and sitting on him for breif periods in the barn when he is eating. He doesn't seem to mind my being there at all. He is a huge horse at 16.3 and growing His sire was 17.3, so I'm not sure how big he's going to be, so I want to have him accept me up there before I get too intimidated by his massive size. My question is, Is he too young for me to be on him? What is the appropriate age to really start a warmblood?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Hi! I am new to equestrian life.com. My horse isn't 2. but it feels like thats what I am working with! She is very green and hyper. I want to train her in dressage, any tips? Should I start with lunging first?

Hi there horse enthusiasts! I have two coming two year olds who have been ponied in the nicer months through fields, along roads, in water, up and down steep hills. Later this fall, they did it carrying saddles. Hopefully, when the first person climps up on their back, they will have already established that when someone says whoa, they will stop and the same with walk, trot and canter. I don't use the word lope with my horses because it sounds too much like whoa. Sometimes, they get an English saddle and sometimes a western. It is nice how they have to get used to wildlife and dogs and other horses on trailrides. We are lucky that we have places to trailride to so this, so our youngsters have this experience before anyone ever gets on. I look forward to this site as I start my two year olds. Shelley

I have a 2 year old paint, she has one eye cause she poked it when she was at the original owners house, she can see shawdows, what can i do to make her trust me with only bein able to see with one eye, also what can i do about lunging her? any suggestions and information would help

Hi all.. I love to start "babies".. Most people I know think I am crazy but there is nothing like starting with a blank slate and watching them learn and grow. I have started several horses, two are my current horses, and have just got a 6m old.. Can't wait to have Max home and start him.