# A colt I couldn't help but love... what would you give?



## girl_on_black_pony (Jul 19, 2008)

Awe, sweet little thing! I'd say you got him for $500 and sold him for $800?


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

Ok, less than $500, and I did sell him for $800....


Keep guessing!


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## amy (Nov 26, 2008)

Im saying $200 when you first got him??


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

175-250 when you bought him, and then the 800 (which you posted). He's cute!


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

$40!!!!

Yes, forty dollars! 

I didn't think anyone would guess that low, and i wasn't going to keep going, lol. He was as big a baby as they come! I saddled him with a kid's vinyl saddle and he was a doll!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

May I ask how old he was in that video?

ETA - nevermind, it says on your youtube description "broke yearling stud colt" -- is that correct? If it is, I am just a little concerned about that..


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## girl_on_black_pony (Jul 19, 2008)

Wait.. broke yearling? ..And you saddled him when you first got him?


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## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

you were really breaking a yearling!!!


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## girl_on_black_pony (Jul 19, 2008)

Oookay, this is not a good thing!!

Off your youtube: 
"This is my long yearling stud colt, Axe. I am in the process of uploading another video﻿ + pictures of him being saddled and ridden. He'll be ready to work in the spring!"

This horse is a baby!! Why would you train and ride him?!

"broke yearling stud colt is led by 11 year old with 6 year old rider."

Okay, so not only is he young and "broke", an 11 year old leads him with a 6 year old rider?! Thats a whole other issue.. for DHS to deal with.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Perhaps it's time we all step back and wait for the OP to respond? We certainly don't know the whole situation. I didn't mean to open a can of worms, I was just curious as he looked really young; I know another horse on this BB looks like he's really really young (a yearling in some photos!) but he's actually aged. 

To the OP: I do hope this is all a misunderstanding on my part  If not, perhaps I might suggest reading up on the long-term effects on breaking a horse this young - it is really hard on their joints and minds.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

OK, OK, BEFORE YOU START BASHING ME:

He was a late yearling. I rescued him in June, and I sold him in November. He was breech and pulled, orphaned, and thereby stunted, but vet records show he was born in December. So he was 18mos old, and yes, I put a synthetic 12" child's saddle on him to see how he handled being cinched. That saddle weighs only 112oz (7lb) and was never used with my sister.

In the beginning of the video you can see 3/4 other people standing off in the background. My friend/trainer Barry shot another video at the same time, and his was better quality, so it would have been the same video, from a different angle of my sisters playing with him. 

I wanted to see what he was capable of, and I make sure that every single one of my horses has ground manners and at 18mos can be cinched and ponied. My little sister, who is now 8 and only weighs 48lbs. Two years ago, you're looking at about 38lbs or less. I don't feel bad for having my sisters pony him like that, as it was the first and only ride, and he wasn't "working" or being "pushed." He is sound and healthy to date, and was sold to a very responsible friend of mine, as I won't sell a rescue to just anyone.

Sorry to get everyone's panties in a wad.

Please don't bash me for being proud of the fact that this colt was quiet.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

Here he is in August. Less than a month after I brought him home. He was a little over 14hh in this picture, see the length of his tail? That alone tells you he's more than a year old.

I talked to the owner two weeks ago, and he has grown almost to 14.2 in the last year.


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## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

I dont mean for this to sound rude or offend your sister in anyway, but my cat weighs 18 pounds... theres no way she weighed only 40 pounds at the time of this video. 50 maybe.


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## Starryeyed (Oct 20, 2008)

Ya no 6 year old I know weighs 40 lbs, especially considering she looks bigger then my 8 year old sister in the video. PLUS the fact that no matter how many people are standing around watching of something went wrong that little girl could be very hurt before anyone got to her. I have an 18 month old gelding and I would NEVER put my little sister on him, and hes the most gentle, calm horse I know.


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## ilovemyPhillip (Apr 4, 2009)

_Umm, no. I was 38 pounds also when I was 6. Now - I would suggest we all stop bashing and not comment if you don't have "anything nice to say". Although in our eyes it is wrong, but obviously "the damage is done". So why bother drag it along. It's stupid._


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Starryeyed said:


> Ya no 6 year old I know weighs 40 lbs, especially considering she looks bigger then my 8 year old sister in the video. PLUS the fact that no matter how many people are standing around watching of something went wrong that little girl could be very hurt before anyone got to her. I have an 18 month old gelding and I would NEVER put my little sister on him, and hes the most gentle, calm horse I know.


We have a couple of 7 and 8 year old girls here, and I can carry one under each arm at the same time...they are probably around 40 lbs...it IS very well possible her sister IS that weight, or was, at that time. You people are very rude... 

And, from a trainer's perspective, if groundwork has been done properly nothing should ever go wrong on the first ride...I get on colts, and because of how much fundamentals I've put on them, their first ride is often like as if they have been ridden before, and that's without someone leading them.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

EllaEnchanted said:


> I dont mean for this to sound rude or offend your sister in anyway, but my cat weighs 18 pounds... theres no way she weighed only 40 pounds at the time of this video. 50 maybe.


Yeah, and to a 500 lb horse, that's still an after thought, so stop bashing the poster, okay? We all have different thoughts on how early a horse should carry weight, and to be honest 18 mos, is nothing compared to what the racehorse industry put's it's babies through.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

mom2pride said:


> Yeah, and to a 500 lb horse, that's still an after thought, so stop bashing the poster, okay? We all have different thoughts on how early a horse should carry weight, and to be honest 18 mos, is nothing compared to what the racehorse industry put's it's babies through.


 
Doesn't make it right.

And everyone is entitled to their own opinions and free speech.


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## Sea To Sky (Nov 29, 2009)

I dont know what all this fuss is! he was backed young yes but this is very light weight and light work which would have no effect on him anyway. Gallopers are broken at young ages and many come away 100% sound. 

The other "issue" of having a young rider on a young horse.. this means NOTHING! I had a greenbroke 3yo who was by far more laid back than my 10yo i have now and many 20yo+ i have known. You all make out you know it all yet if you knew anything it should be that any horse ANY horse can be dnagerous and as horse people thats the risk we take. 

People are trying to wrap the world in cotton wool and it is so wrong on so many levels. This post had nothing to do with commenting on age of any kind, horse or rider. keep it to yourself or start a group but keep it out of innocent posts.


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## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Again, I didn't mean for that to be offensive. I apolagize if it hurt some feelings but this is really just discusting to me. I feel bad enough starting two year olds. Again though she is a small girl and the horse was probably fine, but Ive met alot of damaged horses because of breaking too early. Its not just rough on their bodies it can really confuse them mentally aswell. Hes a nice looking colt though and congrats for making some money off him.


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## Erin_And_Jasper (Jul 5, 2008)

"Doesn't make it right.
And everyone is entitled to their own opinions and free speech."


are you part of the etiquette Pledge?


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

No, and what the heck does that have to do with it?


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

She was asking because you have the etiquette pledge badge. and she was pointing out that as an eitquette pledger a person should be aware of not being rude and/or stepping on toes. 

Although people have different opinions on when to start a horse, that is not the point of this post. It was addressed, and so saying more is redundant. She just asked people to guess the price she paid for this horse. From the looks of the horse I would say he may be older than what he was estimated at. There is a time period in which it is not very hard to think a horse is younger than they actually are by about 6 months according to their teeth.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I have a badge? Where?

I wasn't being rude. I was saying that people were entitled to their opinions, we don't need to call people down for having their own opinions. If you look back thru the thread all I said about anything was "It doesn't make it right." Saying it's not that bad since so and so does the same thing, doesn't make it right. Simple as that.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

Look under your avatar...lol. I understand what you mean. I think she was pointing out that some other people were being rude and should not post unless they had "something nice to say." I do agree that saying "that does no make it right" is not rude, but you were singled out because you had the badge.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I still don't see a badge...dang blonde hair gets me everytime!


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I see it! I use the old layout (the white and blue one) I will talk to the mod's about why I have it! I did say that I would try and be nicer (which I am) but I'm not going join a group to give up my rights!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I did not read anything that was rude here. Some of the people that are saying 'you are being rude' are being more rude than those expressing their opinions. Just because someone does not agree does not mean they are rude. This post is in the critique section of the forum. 

The horse is cute. The video does look like a dangerous situation to me, no matter the horses age.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Having the "badge" is just a reminder. It is not a promise to burp roses when something done with poor judgment is witnessed and remarking about it. 

I saw a member posting a picture of their horse a few months ago on a different thread. That person was showing off a piece of tack but I noticed that the bit was upside down. Are you suggesting that nothing should have been said since that wasn't the point of the post? Any situation that is a threat to the welfare of a horse or a person should be pointed out - respectfully but pointed out none the less.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

Ok, well, if you must know, my sister was 11 wks premature and weighed 3lb 2oz and spent 9wks in NICU because of a heart defect. She just didn't grow.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

mom2pride said:


> We have a couple of 7 and 8 year old girls here, and I can carry one under each arm at the same time...they are probably around 40 lbs...it IS very well possible her sister IS that weight, or was, at that time. You people are very rude...
> 
> And, from a trainer's perspective, if groundwork has been done properly nothing should ever go wrong on the first ride...I get on colts, and because of how much fundamentals I've put on them, their first ride is often like as if they have been ridden before, and that's without someone leading them.


 

Thanks for understanding! I halter begin the process of halter breaking foals at 4 weeks, and by the time they are yearlings they roundpen like a dream.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

Sea To Sky said:


> I dont know what all this fuss is! he was backed young yes but this is very light weight and light work which would have no effect on him anyway. Gallopers are broken at young ages and many come away 100% sound.
> 
> *Such is true, my husband worked at a racetrack and he told me that as soon as colts hit 1 year, they were saddled and ridden, so that by the time the VERY DAY they turn 2, they're ready to race. That's hard work, and carrying up to 150lbs. (They train with more weight to build strength and endurance for the race so it's easier to run with the jockey.) Each horse he rode EVERY DAY, HARD, for an HOUR at a time!*
> 
> ...


 
*I completely agree. 'Nuff said.*


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## fourtwentyam (Dec 5, 2009)

Since this was posted in "Horse and Riding Critique," I feel it is okay for many people to do just that... critique.

I personally feel 18 months is too young for any horse to have anything on its back, other than blankets, no matter what the weight. Just my personal opinion. Granted, if the OP's weight assumptions are correct, I doubt her sister riding resulted in any permanent injury to the yearling.

And yes, racehorses are broken far too young and far too fast, resulting in much more than half having to be put down in training due to injury. The ones that actually make it to the track, again, are usually "retired" due to injury. (I put retired in quotes because most of us know racehorses that can no longer run are rarely... retired.)

Anyway, OP, I'm happy you were able to make a little profit. That's always nice. [=


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## Sea To Sky (Nov 29, 2009)

westonsma said:


> *I completely agree. 'Nuff said.*


 hehe yea my 3yo was the same! I sold him at the start of this year as a 4yo and the lady who brought him now has her husband learning to ride on him =D I used to ride him down the main streets bareback to the beach and he had water tankers going past and he didnt batt and eye lid haha He was so much fun =D


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm more worried about a young child on a young, unbroken horse that is from questionable? origins, without a helmet or even a neck strap or anything to hold on to.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

_


wild_spot said:



I'm more worried about a young child on a young, unbroken horse that is from questionable? origins, without a helmet or even a neck strap or anything to hold on to.

Click to expand...

_*Lexi is "The Dirtbike King. Yes, King. (She) rides circles around the boys!" And I'm assuming that by questionable origins you mean linebreeding? Some of the goofiest looking horses I've been on have been the best ones. Take a look at my paint horse. He's (we're guessing) part Morgan. I would NEVER climb on a morgan knowingly. It just isn't my flavor. Know too, that I spent all day, every day, WITH this colt, and I knew him inside and out. Just because I didn't know where he came from doesn't mean that I have to take extra super caution. Horses live in the now. If they feel good, they act it. If they ARE good, the ARE it. And he IS good. I got curious and called the couple again last night, and their 9 year old is roping off of him. He's technically 3 now.*

*Don't even think that I'm the kind of person to put ANYONE in harm's way, let alone my own little sisters. I have a child of my own, and my husband and I do NOTHING but work with horses. That's how we make our living. And if I do say so myself, we're doing pretty well for our age, we're caretakers of a 55,000 acre spread in Montana, and have 15 horses of our own (between us) and we are working 11 horses for the gentleman who actually owns the place. We run 1800 cow/calf pairs on 27 sections of pasture, when we're working cattle, we're working horses. It's no big thing to ride 14, 15 miles at a time. 2 new loping barns, a nice stallbarn, and live in a $350,000 house on the property. Which could say something of our qualifications. *


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

Sea To Sky said:


> hehe yea my 3yo was the same! I sold him at the start of this year as a 4yo and the lady who brought him now has her husband learning to ride on him =D I used to ride him down the main streets bareback to the beach and he had water tankers going past and he didnt batt and eye lid haha He was so much fun =D


 
*Did you ever go out to TRY to get him to blow up? I would ride right up to the deer behind the golf course, and they'd jump out... wouldn't phase him. There was ONE time he got goofy, I was in the parking lot outside the college arena and my friend Drake fired up his motorcycle. I rode over to him, and told him to rev it a little. He made the engine purr a little, and Ti reached over and bit the sucker's fringe off the handlebar! That's his "freakout..." lol*


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

westonsma said:


> *And I'm assuming that by questionable origins you mean linebreeding? *


I am guessing she meant that you did not have a full history on the horse so you do not know the background.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

*Again, horses live in the now. If they feel good, they act it. If they ARE good, the ARE it. They don't have the capacity to reason. They either fear, or they don't fear. With enough work, you can assess a horse's disposition. With enough exercise, you can help to form a horse's disposition.*


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

westonsma said:


> OK, OK, BEFORE YOU START BASHING ME:
> 
> He was a late yearling. I rescued him in June, and I sold him in November. He was breech and pulled, orphaned, and thereby stunted, but vet records show he was born in December. So he was 18mos old, and yes, I put a synthetic 12" child's saddle on him to see how he handled being cinched. That saddle weighs only 112oz (7lb) and was never used with my sister.
> 
> ...


I don't see anything wrong with this situation. Good for you for rescuing him, it looks like you've got yourself a little gem, tho I suggest gelding him if it has not already been done. 

Good job on the handling. Make sure to continue working with him so he is ready to officially broke to ride when he is a year or two older.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

He's a yearling in that video???

That's insane. No horse should be ridden until they're at least three, and ideally four. He's just a little baby, for crying out loud. I'm sorry, but it gives me the heeby-jeebies when people ride babies.


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## XxHunterJumperxX (Jul 11, 2009)

Oh wow. You aren't supposed to start a horse (nicer term than break) when they are TWO! Not one! Not unless he's a racehorse, which they aren't even fully ridden then.

Also, wayy too young of people that are working on a wayy too young horse. Not very good match.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

My2Geldings said:


> I don't see anything wrong with this situation. Good for you for rescuing him, it looks like you've got yourself a little gem, tho I suggest gelding him if it has not already been done.
> 
> Good job on the handling. Make sure to continue working with him so he is ready to officially broke to ride when he is a year or two older.


Thank you! That was a term of the sale, he was to be gelded and his wolf-teeth pulled within 45 days, or I would be picking him up.

He IS officially broke now, and their 9 year old son ropes off him. (Ropes their donkey, lol, their boy's not experienced enough to hit the box yet.)


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

By four, some horses are too old to show, and too old to be proven as prospects, and when you have a horse that isn't proven, you must then fall back on names on papers to get a breeding.

I've NEVER heard of anyone starting a horse at 4. 3, occasionally, only due to injury or time restraints. My foals work the day they hit the ground. I'm a part of their lives from their very first breath.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

^ I'm starting a mare that will be 5 in January. Now you;ve heard of it :]


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm just realistic. If you have that much experience, you should know that EVERY SINGLE horse has an achilles heel, so to speak. There is SOMETHING out there that WILL spook them - And you can never be sure when it will happen. I wouldn't put ANY child on any of my horses, even the quiet ones, without a helmet and without an experienced, ADULT handler with them at all times.

But hey, that's just me. I like to make sure a kid isn't going to get their head squished on my watch. You might be different.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

A couple of years ago I started (I prefer that term to "breaking" - just a personal preference that reflects my methods more) a 6 year old mare. 
Personally, I understand the need for some horses to be broke at 2, namely show horses that are doing 3 year old futurities. 
Otherwise, I like to see a horse wait till they're 3, or 4 in some cases. Personally I never want to put a load on a young horse's back - I don't throw a saddle on until they're 2 at the earliest, and then it's a lightweight synthetic kid's saddle. Personally, I would never ask a yearling to bear weight. 
Again, just my personal thoughts and feelings.


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

Which we're all entitled to our own practice and thoughts, and someone, somewhere appreciates your concerns, as I do, but they are not the same as mine.


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## Sea To Sky (Nov 29, 2009)

westonsma said:


> *Did you ever go out to TRY to get him to blow up? I would ride right up to the deer behind the golf course, and they'd jump out... wouldn't phase him. There was ONE time he got goofy, I was in the parking lot outside the college arena and my friend Drake fired up his motorcycle. I rode over to him, and told him to rev it a little. He made the engine purr a little, and Ti reached over and bit the sucker's fringe off the handlebar! That's his "freakout..." lol*


 Hahaha Yea always used to see what i could get away with haha i used to chase peacocks on him haha it was soo fun he would like hunt them down and canter after them and front foot at them and they would freak out and flap up past his face and he just loved the game! haha I used to ride him around with cones on his butt and get him to kick barrels and stuff haha. You could ride him up to anything (Barrels, mounting blocks, walls) and halt him infront of them then squeeze him and he would put his foot up on them it was soo cute =D And i used to let him loose in the yard and he would wander into the tackroom when i wasnt looking then get stuck between the tack boxes and saddle racks and wheelbarrows and i would walk in adn be like LOTTO! and he would look at me all goofy like uh... im a bit stuck actually... haha 
And on the ground i played with him like a dog it was soo cute we would chase each other around. A good 80% of the time i rode bareback


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

The horse has been sold (months ago), so I don't see why people are still going on about it...

BTW-I like his coat


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## westonsma (May 19, 2009)

Sea To Sky said:


> Hahaha Yea always used to see what i could get away with haha i used to chase peacocks on him haha it was soo fun he would like hunt them down and canter after them and front foot at them and they would freak out and flap up past his face and he just loved the game! haha I used to ride him around with cones on his butt and get him to kick barrels and stuff haha. You could ride him up to anything (Barrels, mounting blocks, walls) and halt him infront of them then squeeze him and he would put his foot up on them it was soo cute =D And i used to let him loose in the yard and he would wander into the tackroom when i wasnt looking then get stuck between the tack boxes and saddle racks and wheelbarrows and i would walk in adn be like LOTTO! and he would look at me all goofy like uh... im a bit stuck actually... haha
> And on the ground i played with him like a dog it was soo cute we would chase each other around. A good 80% of the time i rode bareback


I had Ti for a couple years, and he'd never pulled anything sneaky. I had him in a two-stall shed, and the only thing separating the stalls was 2 pipe bars. I came in to feed one morning, and the grain tub I left full (an 80gal tub) was almost empty. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what happened, I thought someone had stolen my grain! 



On my way to feed that evening, I picked up a bag of feed. As I finished mucking and watering everyone, I caught the booger. He laid down in his stall and rolled until he got into the other stall, and got in the grain! Talk about Houdini!


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## Sea To Sky (Nov 29, 2009)

Jessabel said:


> He's a yearling in that video???
> 
> That's insane. No horse should be ridden until they're at least three, and ideally four. He's just a little baby, for crying out loud. I'm sorry, but it gives me the heeby-jeebies when people ride babies.


Different horses mature at different rates. You cant say that all horses should be broken in at that age some can safely be broken in younger and some need even more years than that.


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## Erin_And_Jasper (Jul 5, 2008)

my friend broke her drafty filly at 2 years. shes fine too we would hop on bareback and ride on trails


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## girl_on_black_pony (Jul 19, 2008)

Well either way... its a done deal, ok? Everyone does things differently, and I suppose we should just state our opinions, not FORCE them on to people. A nice discussion should be here, not a heated debate.


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