This time I'm writing in regards to my 6month old filly Sassy. Sassy has  gotten sooooo big now (the vet said that he would be VERY surprised if she doesnt end up  MUCH bigger than her mom!) Its amazing how quickly they grow, seems like only yesterday  she was this little tiny thing that my husband would literally pick up! 

Anyway Sassy is the  first baby I have ever had, I was very nervous about taking on the responsibility of raising a  socially acceptable and well behaved member of horse society but have found that I  absolutely ADORE this job. To get on with it Sassy yields to a fingertip of pressure, she can  back with a verbal cue, lifts all legs willingly, allows me to open her mouth and pry around in  there (I gave some special time to getting her used to that as I thought it would help her  when she needs to have her teeth floated) 

She can lead (although I still havent managed to  completely break her of rushing on the halter, the ideas that I saw on this site in response to  another readers question helped tremendously) and she yields at the poll and will drop her  head nearly to the ground with a bit of pressure on that area. Anyway every horse person  (farrier, vet, etc.) have all congratulated me on raising such a sweet well mannered filly, the  vet even went so far as to tell me that she was "the absolute best baby he has ever worked  with" (can you all tell how proud I am? LOL) 

Ok, so to get on with it my question is this I  have read numerous books on raising babies but all of them have totally different opinions  on when I should take her to another level. When do you start working on long line  manners? Is there anything that I am forgetting in attempting to make a well rounded horse?  I also do not have access to a trailer yet, but would like to begin working with the basics of  trailer loading, does anyone have any creative ideas on how to start the basics? 

She will  willingly step up onto another surface and we have made a ramp that I walk her over all the  time but any ideas on how to work on trailer loading without an actual trailer? (probaly  sounds like a very strange request but I know that horse people are very creative and was  wondering if anyone has faced my same dilemma) Anyway I am basically asking for some  advice on what my baby should and should not be learning at 6 months. Sorry I dragged it  out but I am sooo proud of my baby and she is my weak spot. (Whoa to the poor soul who  asks for pictures of her, they get bombarded by photos of her!!!) 

Thanks for any information, 

Kim

 It sounds like you have a SUPER baby horse, and that you ARE doing the right thing. I don't  think there is an age limit to when you can or can not start to teach a horse different things,  especially the kind of things that you described that you have been working on. The only  thing you need to keep in mind is that the most important thing for her to learn right now is to  be a HORSE. She needs time with other babies, and if possible horses of all ages. In the  best case scenario she should be kept with a heard at all times. 

 Especially now at this age, she is big enough to learn form other horses than her mother. 

 But I am sure that if you have the opportunity to give her this you are already doing so. 

 As for trailer loading and things you can do to prepare her, there are lots of things you can  do. The trailer has many different elements; 

 Walking on strange surface, going into something narrow, going under something, stepping  up onto something, backing DOWN a ledge, or a slant, going into a darker place, being tied  up, being closed in without mom… 

 All these things can be simulated separately without an actual trailer, in fact I think it's better  to do these tasks without involving a trailer to start with, so when you start with the actual  trailer loading, that's the easy part.. ;-) 

 Use nature! Backing out of a trailer is OFTEN one of the most difficult parts, cause the  horses never practices this on their own, you can help her with that. Stack hay bales and  make a corridor to lead her through.. start with a wide one, then make it smaller… 

 Then ad the strange ground that you already have practiced…. And maybe even a tarp over  it after a while! 

 Break every step down in tiny increments, she will learn a lot more than just the task, and it  really is the faster way to go. 

 (this goes for horses of all ages) 

 other than things like this, if you want you can put a little saddle on her.. or blankets,  bandages, in short prepare her for life as an adult horse. However always keep in mind that  she is a baby, none of these things should be presented as work, or a problem. Make this a  fun thing that you are doing together, and if it doesn't work out today you have a whole  lifetime together to figure things out. Keep sessions short and interesting, and when she  needs mom, let her go. In fact time it so you give her mom before she herself feels the  need. NEVER use punishment in training! And don't be afraid that you can give her too  much love and attention, it's not possible! 

 And 

 Have fun!!! ;-))) 

Ellen

 yes, I do know how you feel. I rose my (first) horse from when he was 3 months old. Now  he is 31/2 years and I still am absolutely in love with him and so proud!! I agree with all Ellen  wrote, I think you did a very good job. There is just one thing that Ellen did not comment on  and that I am not absolutely sure I got right: I think you asked about long line? 

If you mean  standing in the middle and letting your horse go around you on a circle, I would not do that  until your baby is 2 years (!) old, because I read it and believe it that going on the circle line  for a very young horse is a one sided burden and too hard for the still growing bones. (sorry,  no better english, I do hope you can imagin what I want to say). Anyway, I was very  surprised how fast my gelding understood what I asked him for on the long line when he  was 2 1/2. 

I only needed 3 "sessions" and he did a walk, trott and stand still, went out on the  circle line and came in whenever I asked him to (Yes I am soooo proud too). Canter took a  little longer, because the ground was not perfekt and I think he was afraid to fall, but soon he  proposed the canter himself (you will see it, I would not have believed theses things if  someone would have told me). I just want to point out that there is no need to rush and that  with a horse prepared like your Sassy obviously is, it will work out fast. 

I just would not start  now with long line because of the bones and the health of your baby. Yes I do know that  there are competitions with long line and 1-2 year old horses. But there are also  competitions with 2 year olds under saddle. I think (personally and everybody is free to  disagree) that this is much to early if you want your horse to be healthy a long life. I am  proud to say that here in germany there is a discussion going on of not alowing these  competitions because the horses are too young (among the western riding comunitiy. Of  course racing horses here also compete with 2 years, and I dont like it).UUps, a very long  answer - sorry!  Have fun, I would like to hear more from Sassy,

 Elke

for your post, and yes I did understand exactly what you were saying. It  seems I get different advice from every single person around me! Most people want to offer  their "advice" much in the same way they do when you have a newborn, much of the  "advice" is ridiculous if not downright dangerous and I am finding that no two people believe  the same. 

I was told by a "trainer" that I should begin putting my 3yr old son on my babies  back NOW. Of course that went in one ear and out the other as just dangerous and cruel, I  have total faith in Sassy but I would never put my 3yr old on her back for a first time!!  Anyway as far as the long line goes, I agree that she is much to young for the actual long  line demands, but I was wondering what an appropriate age was for a baby to begin that  type of work, thank you for answering that one! 

I am most likely being overly cautious (a trait  that I always seem to have with my animals, funny thing is that I can be on deaths door and  never go to the doctor but if one of my critters so much as sneezes I am on the phone with  the vet!! Much to my husbands chagrin, my vet bills seem enormous! LOL) I desperatly  want to do things right with this baby, her mother (Tasha) came extremely close to the  slaughter house, being bought from the "killer pen" by a good friend who does this as a  hobby. 

I am completely bewildered as to why Tasha would have been in the pen anyway as  she is a safe, quiet horse with no major issues. I suppose that is neither here nor there as  my point was that I dont want her daughter to ever come close to that same fate. At this  point of course I would never dream of selling her but the future is always an uncertain thing  and if I was ever forced to sell this baby I want her to be sure to go to a good home! Anyway  thank you all for the advice It seems I always have questions and sometimes I even hate to  post since I don't want to ask "stupid" questions or too many of them. This is my favorite  web site due to the fact that the people on this site look at horse training in very much the  same way that I do. Thanks a lot guys and until next time, bye!!

Kim