| A youngster is called a yearling from 1st January of | | | | them, you should be sure to complete your horse’s |
| the year after his birth. Remember therefore that he | | | | training ‘in hand’ so that he obeys voice |
| may still be very young if born late (ie November) in | | | | commands and light hand signals on the lead rein. |
| the previous year, but still called a yearling - hence their | | | | By now he should walk and trot beside you without |
| level of maturity will depend upon how much you can | | | | pulling against the rope. He should also stop when you |
| do with them. | | | | ask him to by saying ‘halt’ or ‘whoa’ |
| So, in this article we’re going to cover what you | | | | (only use one or the other of these commands, not |
| can expect from a Yearling, and to be clear I am | | | | both, otherwise you will confuse him) and should walk |
| referring to a foal that has been weaned and is | | | | on and trot on when you ask him. He should stand still |
| actually between 6-9 months old. | | | | until you ask him to move on. If you press your outside |
| A reasonably well developed, mature yearling can be | | | | hand on his flank and say ‘walk on’ he will not |
| lunged a little, although only for a few minutes on each | | | | be surprised when you use your leg aids later on to |
| rein. As the joints are not yet fully formed at this stage, | | | | give a similar signal. |
| there is an obvious risk of injury if you do too much at | | | | What you have to be aware of is that all during this |
| this stage. An experience trainer will know how much | | | | time your horse is still growing and developing. As such |
| to ask of a yearling or whether to delay the first | | | | his behavior will also change, so don’t be surprised |
| lessons on the lunge until the horse is 2 or 3 years old. | | | | if exercises and lessons he performed when he was |
| So if you are uncertain, seek advice. | | | | much younger, even suckling perhaps, no longer work. |
| Thoroughbreds destined to race on the flat are broken | | | | His rate of growth will show you how much he is |
| in during their second winter – while still yearling's. | | | | changing, and you must expect his behavior to change |
| Many of them are lunged, long reined, backed and | | | | too, which is why you must make sure that you finish |
| ridden and have started cantering before their second | | | | his hands on and voice training properly before you |
| birthday. Most horses cannot be broken as yearling's, | | | | move on to anything more complex and challenging. |
| however because they are insufficiently developed. A | | | | Remember the main schooling aim for a yearling is |
| racehorse can be reared with a view to racing at 2 | | | | primarily to establish the relationship between you and |
| years, but even then he may be too | | | | your horse. With this in mind the important thing to bear |
| ‘backward’ to be trained for racing until he is a | | | | in mind is that what you do with him is not as important |
| year older – they are all individuals and have to be | | | | as the fact that you do something with him at all - |
| treated as such. | | | | trying to do every exercise perfectly and overstraining |
| The process must be carefully planned otherwise only | | | | him to do this is not the objective - working with him |
| the really tough ones will survive hard training without | | | | gently to get him used to you and used to doing some |
| some damage. | | | | training is more important than the technicalities of how |
| All yearlings however should learn to obey your hand | | | | well he does the exercises. |
| and voice and to tie up quietly. Before going onto lunge | | | | |