Advice needed on field management with herds

[Linzi3005]

Hi, I am after some advise on an issue on my yard at present. It doesn't really effect me but a friend but it is having an effect on the atmosphere on the yard. The geldings have just been moved to their spring fields. We have 2 herds, only small, 3 and a 3. The reason for the separation is because there is a very dominant gelding which has been witnessed to be sometimes quiet aggressive towards my friends 4 year old who thinks everyone is his friend! I've seen it with my own eyes and so have others on the yard, the attacks are out of the blue and not very nice. Now a couple of months ago a other horse was kicked in the field and was subsequently put to sleep, we don't know who did this but he also was at the bottom of the herd.

My friend doesn't want her horse in the same field as the said horse which I totally agree with, the yard owner tonight has said that from tomorrow all geldings will be together, I have no answers or suggestions and I am at a total loss as to what the solution is, what do people think? If my friend puts her horse in another field for the summer away from the herd she will have to pay more for haylage becos he will be in effect on winter grazing, I find this quite unfair, she doesn't want to risk the safety of her horse and is now faced with this. What are other peoples experiences with dominant horses on yards? I do think it's the dominent one that should b removed? Any help or advice or experiences would b gravely appreciated. Xxx

 

[be positive]

I keep mine and my liveries in small groups being careful to avoid a dominant one taking over in this way, if there has been a fatality the yard owner should in my view take steps to avoid another one.

Without knowing the exact circumstances, it may well have been a pure accident, I would remove the dominant horse from the herd or leave them as they are, if they cannot provide enough grazing maybe they should not offer grass livery or reduce numbers to be manageable.

Until recently I had a pony gelding here that had in his last home kicked a mare and broken her leg, witnessed by his then owners, I never let him go out with a mare, it was probably a one off but he was a strong personality and in my view not worth the risk, if he had kicked a livery I would have felt totally responsible.

 

[Enfys]

If I could have just two herds of mares and geldings I would love it, but I like a quiet life and I don't put up with any sort of dominating behaviour if it means that there is a chance that horses could be injured.

So I have lots of small groups. One gelding lives by himself because he is incredibly dominant - even his owner refuses to keep her mare with him

One mare and one gelding live together, because the mare was bullied in the mare herd and the gelding is with her purely for convenience because they are owned by the same person.

The colts are together, because, well, because they are colts.

The geldings are together with a couple of yearling colts.

My minis are together because they are mine and I can do what I like.

Having all these groups is a pain in the neck to be honest, takes an age to feed check etc and it means major juggling when I want to rest fields.

Seriously considering booting everything out and growing hay.

 

[Linzi3005]

Thanks peeps, if I was the yard owner I would b removing the dominent horse , but for some reason this is not happening and it's the young vulnerable one that's having to either take a risk or have no grass! Find it quite strange! Also if I was the owner of the dominent one I'd be removing him! But that also isn't happening! It's very frustrating and upsetting.

 

[pansy]

Hi I have read what others have said & agree about seperating the dominant gelding - if this cant be done , maybe have another word the yard owner & if your friend is not happy then I would consider moving yards if she is not happy with the turnout arrangements - @ the end of the day she is responsible for her own horse - I like to feel that my horses are happy & safe