Horse Training - What You Can Do With a Two or Three Year Old Horse

other breeds like the Icelandic Horse are traditionally left until they are five or more years old. There is less chance of making a mistake by waiting longer than starting too soon.
Breeding
Two is also the age at which horses are beginning to mature sexually although this varies between individuals. At two or younger a young stallion may be capable of breeding mares resulting in unplanned foals. If it hasnt been done before this point young stallions may be gelded. Mares too are sexually mature somewhere between their first and third year depending on their environment. Keep ungelded colts and young mares apart.
Mares and stallions should have to prove their worth before they are considered as breeding stock. Breeding stock should be carefully chosen for outstanding conformation performance temperament and absence of hereditary diseases in their bloodline. The future of offspring also needs to be carefully thought out. Having foals for the sake of having foals or because no one noticed an ungelded colt pasture breeding mares ensures a good supply of unwanted horses. At two or threeyearsold few horses have proved they are worth breeding.
A twoyearold should have excellent ground manners including loading onto a trailer whether the next step to riding or driving will be taken sooner or later. A twoyearold can be lunged ground driven round penned driven hitched to a light vehicle and at the owners discretion ridden. This is the age when they become a useful horse and learning how to carry a rider or pull
a horsedrawn vehicle.