[Reinergirl23]

So I just got a new project horse!! She's a 2 year old reining bred mare and she's super sweet and really tries hard! I'm wondering where I go with her training now! I've had her for about a month now, so now she has had about 60 days on her. As of right now she walks calmly on a loose rein, guides very well at the walk and trot, backs great, fairly slow jog (I have slowed her down a lot in the last week!), She really knows the word "whoa", as soon as you say it she hits the brakes instantly! She picks up the trot as soon as you ask!

Her lope needs a lot of work, first time I loped her she tried to buck me off and about nearly did! I've loped her a few times since (no bucking) but it's been kind of scary! the only place I have to ride her at the moment is in a 60' round pen (until the big arena is finished). The last week of riding I haven't even loped her, I've been trying to concentrate on the other things! Last I loped her, she tried to take off with the bit and she wouldn't stop! What kind of excercises should I do with her to work on her lope? I was kind of wanting to wait until we were able to ride in the big arena to lope her again (the roundpen just seems so small and she wants to go fairly fast and she keeps diving into the middle of the round pen, thus making it even smaller!!) Would it be better to wait for the big arena to be finished or lope her in the round pen?

Also, I'm wondering where I go next! What would you teach your young horse next? I would like to teach her how to do a haunch turn, but I don't really know about how to go about it? Also, if she's going to be trained for reining, will teaching her a haunch turn mess up her training for doing spins? Cuz I know they are a lot different in going about teaching them!!

Sorry for the long post!!

[SuZQuzie]

I would not be backing a two year old, let alone thinking about more advanced movements. The long-term soundness of the horse is compromised by starting horses too soon. Let her be a horse for another year and try again next spring when her joints are more developed.

[Xiphias]

Originally Posted by SuZQuzie

I would not be backing a two year old, let alone thinking about more advanced movements. The long-term soundness of the horse is compromised by starting horses too soon. Let her be a horse for another year and try again next spring when her joints are more developed.

I agree! Maybe turn the horse out for a few months...I never rode my babies till they were almost 3 years, and then only walk and trot....no cantering at all till they were a solid three years old...

Cathy

[MIEventer]

Well, in my opinoin - a 2 year old should be doing short simple sessions. I don't even know if a 2 year old should be under saddle yet. They aren't even fully grown yet or bones fused to carry a rider, let along fully grown mentally.

I would imagine the reason why she bucks when you ask for a lope is because of just that. No muscles, no topline, no balance, not fully grown. I don't think she is even ready for a lope let along ready to be ridden.

You should be doing lots of ground work, and make things short and enjoyable. Just simple steady easy stuff. Don't push her - or you will break her mentally and physcially.

A 2 year old, green broke, youngin' has nothing to do these advanced moves you are asking or expecting out of her. Just work on strait forward stuff. I'd stay off of her back personally, and just play with her on the ground.

You cannot build a house without laying down a strong solid foundation underneith it first.

[Reinergirl23]

alright! Well thanks for the advice, but I didn't ask if it was ok to be riding a 2 y.o there are plenty of top trainers doing much more strenuous things with their two year olds, preparing them for the futurity!!

Any advice, other than don't ride her?

[Auzzie Honey]

I know that you didn't ask if you should be riding a 2 year old, but what age to back and ride is just another hot topic that will cause a few ears to prick up .. just like Natural horsemanship, what feed to give, and racing *hides* etc ..

First up, I agree with the others. Riding a horse at such a young age is something I am very much against [hence why I am not for racing] - basically, without getting into to much detail, doing too much with a 2 year old can lead to health problems down the track (that's why we dont lunge our yearlings ). There is too much strain on the joints, and the horse is just a bub, needs to fill out more to be able to carry the weight evenly. They're also not mentally (or physically) ready to start training .. She has her whole life ahead of her .. why rush it?

But, since you've chosen to ignore advice, and want to proceed on training the 2 year old, here are some tips.

Don't lope her yet - she's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too unbalanced for that kind of work. Would you lope a 10 yr old that wasn't balanced? No. You'd work gentley on the walk, then proceed into the trot.

Last I loped her, she tried to take off with the bit and she wouldn't stop! What kind of excercises should I do with her to work on her lope?

Ofcoarse she took off, she's only a baby, and doesn't understand.. Don't expect too much too soon. TBH, if you want to be training a horse more, buy yourself an older horse, say 3-5 years. They're still green and need plenty of training.

Would it be better to wait for the big arena to be finished or lope her in the round pen?

Before chucking her into the round pen, think for a minuet. Would you train your child, at 5 years old, to start weight lifting? Would they even be interested in it? No, not really. They want to play, have fun, explore the world. If you started heavy training at this age, you will more than likely cause physical probs down the track. Yes, I know thats a vast comparison, but I'm trying to alow you to understand what kind of damage can be caused. A round pen is Bl***y hard work for any horse, and the younger the horse, the more you wear and damage the joints. I wouldn't be lunging her in canter .. I'd only JUST be starting to introduce long lining

What would you teach your young horse next?

Throw her out for a year, let her think over what she's already learnt. After a year, she'll be more filled out, and ready for more training You could bring her in after a year, do some more ground work and see how she is - has she filled out more, how she's going etc.. then start her from there.

I do appologise if I come across harsh in my post, but I've seen too many horses run down from being broken early that it's a very touchy subject. I've given some of my opinions, take of it what you will. But I am sure others will post that you shouldn't be riding a 2 year old .. just be careful with her.

[gluey33]

Sounds like she is having major balance problems. Is she still a bit clumsy and awkward? What about going back to a little groundwork and teaching her to yield front end and back end properly. A little work here makes the riding job much easier. When you do get on, at the walk and a little at the jog start asking her to yield this way and that, slowly develop her muscles and teach her to carry herself. keep your sessions short, even only 15 or 20 minutes and only 2 or 3 times a week. On the other days (sigh) more groundwork. If you can keep youself to this, in a few months you'll have a very balanced soft horse who'll be ready to start some real work. Try not to lope until you can control her shoulders a little more and then give her some space (the new arena) to do it in. Asking her in a round yard at this stage will put some really bad stress on her joints. I also found with my young horse that he found doing things easier out off the sand on firmer footing. Hes just three now and looking good and I've just got to get motivated to start really working him.

[dotgotcalm]

Personally, I'd already have her out of the round pen and out into the open since I don't like riding a 2 year old in small circles. She's probably unbalanced enough at the lope to scare herself a little, thus the bucks and the bolt. Waiting until you can get her in a larger area is a good idea.

I'm assuming that you'll be sending her to a reining trainer soon, correct? If so, don't sweat body control, ie turn on the haunches too much. Most trainers I know would rather have a young horse come in knowing only how to walk, jog, lope, and whoa. With anything else you teach her you run the risk of starting a bad habit that the trainer will only have to fix before he can train her his way. Just get her guiding and doing her gaits when asked and you should be good. If you already have a trainer picked out you might give him a call and ask what else he'd like her to know before she arrives. He should be more than willing to tell you.

If I were you I'd be mostly concentrating on exposing her to different things that she'll likely encounter down the road. If you can get her used to working in a pen with other horses while staying calm and focused on you that would be great. She'll have to have her feet and legs handled a lot, for those boots and shoes, so getting her used to that would be helpful as well. Get her used to being hosed off too. Just getting her out for some slow trail rides would help build her stamina as well as her coordination and confidence. Good luck!

[Buckshot]

She's probably not ready to be loping in the roundpen.

I'd continue what you're doing - she's only two - and work on gently building up the intensity of the workout. But don't do ANYTHING too drastic!

As far as loping, don't do it in the roundpen. I don't think she's ready to be loped yet personally, but if you are going to lope, work on straight lines in the arena once it's built.

[2spotslast]

You ask where do you go next? Turn that baby out until spring when she's a three year old. Let her grow up before you start asking her to work like a physically and mentally mature horse.