So How Young is Too Young?!

Some people just don't seem to think horses need any time to grow up at all. Here we have a baby horse- currently aged 15 months, that's a yearling plus 3 months- hard at it in the shafts. Dragon Driving again of course.

Future stallion potential they say- I bet. He probably won't be much good for anything else in a few years time, the state those overworked developing joints will be in. He even looks like a little baby still poor soul. It boggles my mind that this happens so much and no one seems to see the problem with it!

Advert of the Day

Here's what's right with this ad.

The picture is reasonable, showing a sweet looking young mare (with growing to do!) in a relatively safe situation. She's quite nicely presented for the photo, really clean and with no tangles in her mane. Ok, not the best angle and the background could be a lot better, but hey, we've seen worse (oh boy have we seen worse).

Here's what's not right with this ad.

Um, pretty much everything else. The content:

Cheeky Girl, 16 months old pacing filly. Bred by Cheeky Chaps to full bred mare (no papers).

Been broken for 3 weeks, doing 25mph, still green. Just started with hobbles.

16 months old. Not even two. Doing 25mph- and we aren't talking light work here people. Here's an illustration of what she's doing on a regular basis on those immature legs:

 But hey. Don't panic folks. This is from a different ad! 

This mare is older! She's a whole 19 MONTHS!!

In a word, ick. 

If only Child Labor Laws Applied to Horses..

You know, I think some people consider waiting until a foal is weaned leaving their education too long.

20 months and broken to drive:

Ironically also pictured with a little girl, both looking like the babies they are...

19 months old and 'she can run'

Broken in as a yearling. Yes a YEARLING:

Done everything at 3 years old: 

The last ad boasts about how this horse has:

pulled a living wagon from Durham to Kent, 21 days.

&

The first picture (below) is him pulling across Tower Bridge, did 340 miles in 21 days. 

Well I guess these people are selling these young horses, so they don't have to deal with future possible temper tantrums and/or crippling arthritis in legs and spine caused by doing too much too soon.

I just wish people could take a step back and give their horses time. It provides for a much longer, more productive working life span, and a much happier horse mentally. Sadly on dragon driving at least, it seems taking it slow will never be the popular approach.

Advert of the Day

Electric Annie, Yearling Filly

Electric Annie, 18 month old black and white heavy stepping filly. Excellent blood lines, mother Diamond Cutter bred, grandfather is Diesel.
Very very good forward going stepping filly, will only get better with age. Mouthed and long reined, going well ready to go into cart.
Loss of grazing forces reluctant sale

Mouthed and backed- great yes? Until you see the pictures...

Perhaps they meant DE- mouthed and DE- backed?! An 18 month old little filly, being pounded around hard roads by a guy who is not small and has the balancing ability of a tortoise with an ear infection?! How can permanent damage not be done?!

I just cringed at these shots. Especially the second one- like most normal people surely would, I took one glance and said OUCH. It boggles the mind that someone looked at it and said, yeah, that's a GREAT shot to sell her with. But someone DID!

My brain may have just exploded.

Just a Suggestion- if the Saddle Blanket's too big for the Horse's Back...

Maybe you shouldn't be riding it?!

I despair sometimes- I mean this just LOOKS so wrong, how can anyone even cast a casual eye over it and say.. yeah good work!

Yes the saddle blanket is so long it practically covers this VERY YOUNG horse's rump!! Here are the close up shots...

Apparently she's a yearling- barely I'd guess, or slow to mature, she looks very babyish. I quote:

"Filly is a year old and we put the saddle on her with my five year old daughter and she did not buck."

Well that's alright then isn't it?! I mean if the horse doesn't buck that means it's A-ok, foal was born ready to be ridden and would gallop merrily off across country and into the sunset with a rider tomorrow given the right instructions!

I just don't get the point of this. I mean are you, dear reader, looking for your YEARLING to be saddled, backed and started? Wouldn't you rather have an ad telling you about it's excellent ground manners, friendly nature, ease of handling etc..? Why the rush to stick tack on and someone on her back?

This early breaking/starting/riding thing just gets more and more common... if only it got less and less frustrating!

The other big question of course being, if you are now trying to get rid of a mare and a foal, did you use enough forethought in breeding said mare in the first place? But that's a whole other headache to wind up in a future post...

Thanks to Chronicle of the Horse posters for this 'gem'.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

So I swore I wouldn't do another equine now ad so soon but this one just took the biscuit. No prizes for spotting the problems here...

So hey, does this look like a foal to anyone else? Well maybe that's because it certainly was when they began the poor soul's 'training'. At best he was a year and a little bit!

Yes that's a little girl on board, bareback, hanging on by a handful of mane with NO HELMET!

Did I mention he was lucky to be a year old when they started him by the sounds of it?

Also no shoes on child who obviously has feet impervious to being trodden on by the surprisingly tough feet of a foal... which by the way, they have been riding.

Just a heads up for any kind potential buyers; with those ribs and that round belly I'd be looking to worm this fellow ASAP.

Did you notice he's been out on trails? I think it's too much to hope someone was leading him in just a headcollar... I'd put money on him being ridden.

Quiet?! I bet he is. He probably can't get his BABY brain about what's happening to him. Would you send that little girl out to work in an office and expect her to do a half decent job and not end up stressed and resentful in a few years time? No? Why do people think horses should be any different? Where's the rush! He could have a good 30 years useful life ahead of him, given time to mature. At this rate he'll be knackered and riding to slaughter by five.

*Head-desk*

Breaking Babies

... In this case I mean literally!
Today's offerings come from Dragon Driving and the original links for each are beneath the images. A word on Dragon Driving- whilst a reputable business in itself the site does tend to attract a broad spectrum of horse sellers. Many are from the UK travelling community and whilst this population contains many knowledgeable, skilled equestrians it is true that not all prioritise good horse care and management!
Those of us who do care about our horses understand that two year old horses and ponies still have a lot of growing up to do right? Physically and mentally. They are still developing skeletally so damage done at this early stage can be serious and permanent. Such damage can arise from hard work and carrying heavy weights too soon. Obviously the people in these adverts didn't get the message...


http://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-39883.html

So what we have here is a sweet looking pony who is only 2 and already broken to ride and drive and has worked in the cart for a 'while'. Poor little mite. In the second pic she really looks like a baby. And- selling because you no longer have a small jockey for her? No kidding! BTW- open toed sandals? Are you trying to lose a toenail or two?
Newsflash- Foals and babies often seem quiet to ride and train because they are not strong and quickly tire from the mental and physical exhaustion of being asked to do much too soon- which is very little at that age. Once their bodies strengthen, if their mind is still fried, you'll get SERIOUS tantrums. I promise you! And that's never mind what shape the legs and back are in from this treatment.
Actually this ad shows another couple of pet hates of mine beautifully. Photograph your horse somewhere safe PLEASE! All I can think looking at this ad is that poor pony lives in a junkyard. And if you don't have a decent ridden shot, just stand the horse up- no one gets anything from someone oversized lolling on a horse other than poor horse!
Case in point...

 

http://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-40039.html

AAAAH!! Just when you think it can't get any worse... Seriously?! Again this two year old filly looks like a baby still- check the proportions in the right hand shot- also the worrying dip of the back. And good to catch?! I can't imagine she'll stay that way with you leaning off her mouth like this all the time!! Why anyone thought this was a good sale photo is beyond me- Although maybe he's on her to hide a knackered spine. It wouldn't surprise me!
Oh and another pet hate- riders in piccies please try and look a little professional huh? How about a hat and jodhs or something...?! You're trying to sell me a horse here remember?
till next time folks...