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T O P I C R E V I E W
Pheebs
Posted - 26 Mar 2011 : 6:26:05 PM Hi everyone- new member here!
Hope this is an okay thing to start a thread on, but just wanted to hear about your first youngster (arab or not!) what you did with them and how it turned out. I'd love to have a go one day when I have enough experience
25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Sam Hunt
Posted - 30 Mar 2011 : 5:08:09 PM Having had my Anglo (75%) mare for several years, I realised the time would one day come (but not just then) when I would have to retire her, so I decided to look for a younger horse (and this time I wanted a purebred) to run on and take over when he/she was old enough. I hadn't planned to go quite as young as I did when buying, but I ended up buying an 8 week old Crabbet/English colt foal (Flowersfield Fanfare (Pharaoh) - Tylands Blue Silvern ex Reine Blanche) - to come home after weaning. His homecoming was actually delayed by several months, because that was the year when foot and mouth was on the rampage. But home he came and was gelded at the earliest opportunity. It wasn't too difficult then to persuade my OH that it would be in Pharaoh's best interests for him to have a playmate of his own age! :-) (We rented land, so there were no extra livery costs involved), so, very soon along came my second youngster, 2 months younger, and this time a Straight Egyptian (MHS Amir El Sudan - Ibn Sudan ex BA Ameera Daleeha).
They are now both 11, Pharaoh is an advanced endurance horse, Amir at open level (hoping to get him to advanced this year) and still with me. They both have their good points, their bad points and their quirks, and I'll be the very first to admit that I've made a few mistakes along the way. But I can honestly say that I don't think that I've done too badly by them, and they are genuinely happy, healthy horses with a home for life with me.
I'm not in the market for another horse at the moment, but I know with absolute certainty, that if and when I do ever get another horse, then that too, will be a baby!
debs
Posted - 29 Mar 2011 : 9:34:58 PM On my 2nd youngster... My 1st was Sudden Flame (Sudden Fantasi/Mahrussa) decided that I was fed up with dodgy horses and bought my baby! Was very lucky, he settled in, we formed a very strong bond and I never looked back, he was truly my horse of a lifetime! He was with me from 15 months to 17 years,knew him inside out, what a genuine, happy horse with such a sense of humour! Makes me weep at my loss! Now I have Al Emeer! Lovely in his own way, much more of a challenge, whereas the bond was formed almost immediately with Giz, it took a lot longer with Als. What shoes he had to fill though.... but he too has wormed his way into my heart.... these arabians, who could have anything else?
alijo
Posted - 29 Mar 2011 : 7:49:08 PM My first youngster was Aliandro who i have had 6 months, and he is now 11 months old :)
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 9:08:49 PM Beautiful pics everyone. Garnet those pics are special
Pheebs
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 9:07:23 PM Thank you sharing your beautiful photos. It seems to me that every person on here has alot to be proud of, you've all done brilliantly, can't wait until its finally my turn!
Pheebs x
garnet
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 9:01:23 PM Hi again Pheebs, I think I've finally managed to post some pics of my three youngsters. Garnet at North Wales AHS, 2001.
Judi Kent Pyrah portrait won by Garnet at N. Wales AHS showing her from age 5 to 18. One of my most precious possessions.
April winning Part-bred Welsh championship at Shrewsbury, 1998.
Red at Towerlands, 2008.
Red at BDS Erddig, May 2009 where he won all 4 of his classes and took a championship and 2 reserves. Almost our last show before we went 'off the road' due to my illness.
garnet
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 7:50:00 PM Hi Pheebs, my first youngster was Vlacq Garnet, a newly backed 4yo PBA. I had just lost a beautiful 13yo Anglo-Arab, Autumn Light, and was looking at a 6yo Anglo when I went to Vlacq but Garnet looked over the hedge and said 'Buy me' so I did. I was very novice at that stage but we did so much together, winning in hand and ridden Anglo and PBA classes, SHP breeding, dressage to music and Roads and Tracks. She is the chestnut in my sig pics at Malvern and the Cherif and was with me until a few days before her 27th birthday. I can't believe it is almost a year since she was PTS in her field when her arthritic knees gave up.
My next youngster was Aldwych Arabesque (April) by BabsR's Sunray Scelebrity and out of a Section D, Llanarth Rosetta. She was almost 2 when I bought her and she did really well showing in hand. I did all the preparatory work myself, including a lot of ride and lead from Garnet, and then had help backing her, but due to a change of job and lack of time I couldn't do justice to both horses and sold April to a showing home.
Our third youngster was Vlacq Redwood Reflection who was 3 when he came to us, a 16hh PBA by Vlacq Khazad and out of Vlacq Tathar. I backed him myself and did ridden showing and dressage (not too much in hand cos I couldn't keep up!) and then when he was 7 I broke him to drive and qualified him for a national championship at Towerlands at his first show. He is the bay in the sig pics.
The black lad in the sig pics is Jim the Irish Cob. He wasn't a youngster (nor an Arab!), coming to us as my OH's riding horse when he was 11 and then teaching us to drive. The photos were taken at a show only 3 weeks before we lost him following surgery for a pedunculated lipoma 21 months ago.
Having a youngster is such a satisfying experience, seeing them learning new things and making a little bit of progress every day. I certainly didn't set out to buy a youngster the first time because I didn't think I had enough experience but Garnet was kept at livery with my instructor and we were able to join in all the student rides and teaching practices.
I will try to put on some pics but will post this separately in case I muck up the lot!
Nichole Waller
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 3:33:04 PM My first youngster was a Welsh Sec D x Arab and she was 18 months old when i bought her.
She was born in a field off the North Circular with a load of other mares and foals. It took me about a month to be able to touch her and another 2 months to finally get a head collar on her . I should have known then what the days ahead would bring...
We bought her in off the field at 3 years old and did some groundwork with her and led her around the roads for a few weeks, then some very light long reining and then i sat on her. She took all of this in her stride and we had her at the yard for about 4 weeks. Then the last week i rode her in walk for half an hour each day. I was on the lead rein and was hacking out with an old wise mare. We then turned her back out to mature as she was very croup high.
Had her back in at 4.5 years and basically just long reined the first day and then sat on her. We was out hacking the next day (just in walk for first few weeks). She was a very good girl until she reach about 5, then the teenage stroppy years started and she is still a bit like this today at almost 18 years . I wouldn't part with her for all the tea in China, but she has been a challenge.
I said i'd never get another youngster, but when i started looking for my first full Arab everything i could afford was 4 years or under and not backed.
I bought Ozzy when he was 4 years old and un-backed. He was an absolute dream to work with. So keen and eager to please and didn't appear phased by anything (except puddles ). I backed him at 4.5 years and it was like he had always had a rider on board . He is 6 now and has muscled up and developed a lot since i first bought him. This year he is going to try his hoof at pony club (with a teenager who helps me with the horses). I love him to bits and am so glad i took the plunge to buy another youngster.
parkvillenerog5
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 2:10:02 PM Hi and a big welcome .
My first youngster was my pure bred welsh c, who was called Zak, a 3 year old gelding, i got him when i was 11 and had him till i was 18. My first pure bred arab youngster, i got was my boy solitaire sr, only 4 months ago, i adore him a real character, and loves humans so much Here he is
Pheebs
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 1:48:14 PM All of your lovely stories have made me very excited for the day I finally have my own youngster
I'd want to help out with some else more experienced than me first and learn all the basics though, not sure where I could do that but thats my plan!
pinkvboots
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 09:30:31 AM We bought Arabi when he was a two year old colt, he was very well behaved even back then, we had him gelded at 4 and then I backed him he was very easy to do and is still a very good boy, although he has been ill with one thing or another in the past year, we love him dearly and we are glad we bought him. I rode him out with 5 other horses on a hack yesterday only walking as he has only just come back into work in the last 2 weeks, his not been hacked out for 4 months, he was as good as gold did not put a foot wrong, even when two out of control ponies galloped past us.
Goldenmane
Posted - 28 Mar 2011 : 07:51:33 AM I answered an advert in H and H and found a 4 month old registered Arab chestnut filly in an old toilet, kept in with corrugated iron and bleeding at the knees. Bought her on the spot, never received papers (she was meant to be Rodania line) but I didn't care. This was before the days of books on Natural Horsemanship but I trained her, backed her with a headcollar and bareback, made a bitless bridle and also competed with her. The bond we had was amazing and she stayed with me for 25 years until 12 years ago PTS. Gorgeous photos Ghaleem. So glad you have Borris debsnboz
debsnboz
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 9:33:47 PM I bought Borris at 2 1/2, after just wandering about the internet (as you do), stumbling on horse and hound for sale pages, and having a quick peep at the arabs. Bearing in mind i have 3 young kids i was not looking for a horse at all - not had one for 25 years. But there he was. Just looking at his pic made me cry cos i knew i needed to have him!!! I childhood dream......
Somehow, somehow i managed to persuade everyone else i needed have him to so he came to live with us. I have never had my own horse as always had loans as a teenager, let alone one this young!!!!
So we spent a year walking out, doing groundwork, and getting to know each other. I backed him with help last summer, and we are now hacking out. He is AMAZING. He is bold, funny, and i trust him 200%. He even decided that going thro a river was just about ok today. I cannot imagine having that bond if you have not spent so long getting to know each other before the big asks of riding out together bring. The whole family love him, he is called the big soft donkey
GHALEEM
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 7:48:05 PM Pheebs and Honeyb, awww thanks, i think he is pretty special Michelle
MinHe
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 7:12:35 PM My first horse was a just 2yo Arab filly: as a 2yo we did a lot of walking out, with or without a bit in: I also sat on her a couple of times, and apart from encounters with road signs all went very well! I backed her myself, then sent her away to Ann Hyland for schooling as a 4yo (after she'd tanked off with me once too often - she was always a very 'forward' horse!). I eventually realised she didn't have room in her mouth for both a bit and her tongue, so we transitioned to an English hackamore and had no more problems after that. She was my best friend, and we had nearly 29 wonderful years together.
Keren
Honeyb060674
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 7:01:51 PM It's lovely to hear all these success stories with your youngsters. You never realise how rewarding it can be until you do it yourself Ghaleem, It's lovely to hear all these success stories with youngsters. You never realise how rewarding it can be until you do it yourself Ghaleem, Ruwi is getting more & more handsome!! What a stunning boy
Bonnie
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 6:30:24 PM Hi Pheebs welcome to AL.I'm one of the older members and I bred Sunny (Honeyb).He was my 5th foal and from day one he was a star! I love youngsters and the arabs are intelligent.I sold Sunny last year,Chesney who I'd had for 4yrs and broken him in ,actually I never see it as breaking them as I 've always done alot of groundwork ,leading out,loading then when old enough and strong enough start the riding.Also last year I sold another arab we'd broken with no trouble.So I downsized bought an older arab to ride who didn't gel with me .She is now sold and guess what?I have a 2yr old section d ready to work with!!I love every minute of it!Good luck with yours,and let us know how you get on.
carol B
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 6:17:51 PM I bought my first youngster 3 years ago. A 6 month old Exmoor colt, completely wild off the moors. (well you do don't you, when you've left your OH at home for the day and a nice old farmer has just bought you a pint of scrumpy. Whoops).
So I took him home...the colt, not the farmer....and he was completely unhandled and totally traumatised. Luckily I'd been on a few of the Monty Roberts courses, and I also had the support of the Moorland Mousie Trust crew. I spent the next month using IH methods and the colt slowly came round to knowing I wasn't going to eat him. But what, or should I say who, really helped was my arab gelding, to absolutely took the colt under his wing. He guarded him, slept with him, played with him, told him off when he was naughty and generally took on the role of good parent.
I now have a happy, cheeky, confident little Exmoor ready to be backed later this year...
Kharidian
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 3:08:16 PM Pheebs, My first youngster was my purebred Roger who is now 18 (first three pictures in my signature) who I decided to buy at two weeks old as we just "clicked" (I hadn't been looking for ANY horse, let alone a foal)! I backed him myself but had him sent away to be broken to harness; as you can see, he is very versatile!
My second youngster is my purebred Chips who is rising two (remaining three pictures). I had a very specific wish-list in mind when I posted a Wanted ad - Karen, his breeder, contacted me about Chips who has ticked every single one of the boxes! Dear little Chips has some big shoes to fill to be a worthy successor to Roger when he retires - but if anyone can, Chips can!
Caryn
Pheebs
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 12:07:24 PM Thanks for all your lovely replies and please do keep the pictures coming! Ghaleem your horse is absolutely stunning and you ought to be proud! Honey will defo check out the blog at some point Keep the stories coming!
I'll be off to Uni in September so will be parting ways with my lovely Arab who I have on loan then. I hope they'll be oppotunities to remain horsey while I'm away (moving from Cornwall to Bristol) and then hopefully once I'm out of Uni I'll be able to gather some more experience and see where we go from there... I also have an Irish Gypsy Cob named Billy (not quite an Arab haha!) who is also a complete star
Pheebs x
GHALEEM
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 11:47:29 AM Hi and welcome, I bought Ruwi as a six month old and he is now rising five. It has been a wonderful experience and i love him to bits. I have done loads with him getting him out and about and trying to experience as many new things as possible. I have just started riding him properly although as he a late developer and has loads of growing to do i wont start doing anything too taxing until he is ready. I hope we will have a go at everything but i think endurance is going to be his thing.
Hope you dont mind a photo overload but i am so proud of him
Here he is the day after i got him at six months
A couple of weeks later on one of his walks
First show when he was one
First time in the sea at two
First halloween party
First ride when he was three
First jump
Having a go at horse agility as a four year old
Second show and second in the handy arab class
Last weekend and all grown up on a hack to beach
misterei
Posted - 27 Mar 2011 : 10:40:09 AM Our first youngster was a three year old, who we backed ourselves and she won her first novice show three years ago, first time out. Shs is lovely, but exhibits some behaviours that were passed on from previous owners which we would rather she didn't, and some where we messed up. Nevertheless, love her to bits...
Our next two were about 18 months old when they came to us, have had more shape put into them by us in terms of the consistency of handling and were slightly younger so we had more of a forming relationship, which has resulted in two additional lovely mares. Both have also been very successful in ridden showing, which they started last year. You will hopefully see more of them this year.
Our youngest filly was the first we bred ourselves, (with a bit of help from Shahi and Ivan). Having her from day 1 and being the only 'baby in the village', she has really formed a strong relationship with us, and is the next level on from the others. My limited experience leads me to believe that the younger you get them, the stronger the bond, and maybe, just maybe, the more successful you will be in what you choose to use them for, as we have such a trusting relationship with each other, such a strong understanding of her questioning and so far, she has been magnificent in doing everything asked of her. The slightly older ones (when we got them) have delivered the same end result, but required more patience and sympatheic handling.
We learnt a lot in a short space of time with our others, and have addressed almost every issue with this baby, so she should be rock solid when she goes out, (but life is not that simple, I expect all the same teenage tantrums and fear of show grounds when she gets there - but at the moment it is almost a honeymoon period, if you get my drift).
We are breeding another soon for next year, which is also very exciting, so now very much bitten by the bug.
Honeyb060674
Posted - 26 Mar 2011 : 10:28:01 PM Hi Pheebs & welcome to AL I bought Sunny my first youngster last year as a rising 3 year old. Had him for almost a year now & we've learnt loads together...sometime I think he's taught me more than I have him I've really enjoyed the whole process, with lots of groundwork, long reining, lunging & getting out & about seeing things. We've had a go at clicker training which he loves & responds really well to. I decided there was no rush so we've had a ball just being together. He'll be backed and started soon, before his 4th birthday so we have all summer to have fun! We've got a blog of our exploits if you fancy a laugh, its in my signature
Vik1
Posted - 26 Mar 2011 : 8:32:49 PM Welcome...Im still quite new here too.
My first youngster was a Hannoverian x TB by Demonstrator out of my mare (the chestnut in my sig). I still have her, shes now 23. Her foal is the black bay in the far right in my sig. He was about 4 months then. He was a nightmare!! He was the most coltish colt Ive ever had dealings with and was hard work from the moment he was born. Couldnt wait for him to get the chop. Sadly things werent to be and he developed DJD. It was just too bad and he was pts at 9 months. I honestly cant describe how devastated I was. I had huge plans for him as I was very ambitious back then. I didnt breed from my mare again after that cos I feared it was hereditary as he was certainly not overfed. Her hormones went haywire too after the foaling and havent been right since, so another reason for not breeding from her. I have had dealing with other peoples youngsters over the years tho but not the same as having your own.
I'm one of the older members and I bred Sunny (Honeyb).He was my 5th foal and from day one he was a star! I love youngsters and the arabs are intelligent.I sold Sunny last year,Chesney who I'd had for 4yrs and broken him in ,actually I never see it as breaking them as I 've always done alot of groundwork ,leading out,loading then when old enough and strong enough start the riding.Also last year I sold another arab we'd broken with no trouble.So I downsized bought an older arab to ride who didn't gel with me .She is now sold and guess what?I have a 2yr old section d ready to work with!!I love every minute of it!Good luck with yours,and let us know how you get on.
