Advice please for escaping horse!

[Tnavas]

Jools1234 I spent many years at a riding school where the owners daughters pony was hobbled 24/7 because it would jump out over any of the fences - and they were good solid fences too.QUOTE]

This doesn't make it the right thing to do - you have to use common sense here - not follow a bad example.
Common sense would be, if the horse jumps over a decent fence - it is still too low

Who says it's a bad example? The people who used the hobbles were far more knowledgeable than any of us are ever likely to be.

Sometimes you have to be a little less cutie about your horse or pony and do something proactive to prevent your horse from leaving the property. Horses have been hobbled for centuries - once they are aware of their limitations they don't tend to push their luck.

Another thing to consider that an insurance company is likely to refuse to pay up in the event of an accident when the horse is known to be a seriel escaper.

 

[muff747]

Who says it's a bad example? The people who used the hobbles were far more knowledgeable than any of us are ever likely to be..

Knowledge (length of time in the business) doesn't mean common sense or best practice!

Another thing to consider that an insurance company is likely to refuse to pay up in the event of an accident when the horse is known to be a seriel escaper.

And another thing ot consider is would the horse insurance pay up if it had an accident whilst hobbled??

 

[Tnavas]

Knowledge (length of time in the business) doesn't mean common sense or best practice!

And another thing ot consider is would the horse insurance pay up if it had an accident whilst hobbled??

These weren't people who had just been in business for a long time - they were very knowledgeable, internationally respected people.

The insurance company would no doubt be advised that the horse was wearing hobbles and so long as it wasn't staffed by muppets would realise the horse is far less likely to have an accident in hobbles than if left to jump fences onto the road.

 

[Polos Mum]

To keep mine in I have to double fence, so a second fence inside the main one with 3 strands of electric and extra height posts. It's several meters apart so just too wide for him to jump in one go (you may be able to do narrower as he's a big competition horse) but too close that he can't bounce them. Only issue is he has on occasion jumped the gate !

 

[Patterdale]

I am struggling to work out if you are actually being serious about tying the legs together of a horse that amuses himself by jumping out of the field, rather than just improving the fencing......

And you really can't make assumptions about how much knowledge or experience I have.....I would certainly hope I have enough to know that the above is not a good idea!

I am a BHSAI, have competed at affiliated level in the 3 main disciplines and until v recently rode and taught for a living.

But even my husband who knows sod all about horses thinks this idea is laughable.

Sorry to seem short but it worries me that younger/inexperienced forum members might read this thread and decide to try it out for themselves.

 

[Charem]

I'm rather shocked regarding the suggestion that OP should hobble her horse all day long unsupervised!
Agree that an inner fence, roughly 2 metres in, extra high fencing with several strands and a nice loop of electric tape on his rug (or no rug) should make him stay put.

 

[Irishbabygirl]

I agree too that hobbles are a bad idea - I would try the double extra high fence technique...and what's he like with a companion fenced away from him? Suppose he would jump that too?! Best of luck

 

[Patterdale]

Glad it's not just me!

 

[muff747]

or me.

 

[kellybee]

A friend of mine used the screw in fixings for electric fencing (the long ones like these; http://www.farmcareuk.com/shop/product/insulators/multi-purpose-distance-insulators ) and screwed them into the top of her fence posts. Then she has one of those high galvanised panels you see on building sites bolted onto the gate to stop him jumping it.

True story, lol. Sometimes needs must!

I'm pretty sure she uses a mains operated electric fencing pack too which gives a better shock than a battery operated one.

 

[Jools1234]

Tnavas-you keep miss-quoting people

i think hobbling is likely to invalidate your insurance and for good reason, it is not good (or safe) equine practice

i too agree its a bad idea,

 

[Tnavas]

Jools1234 _ I have not misquoted anyone.

Why should an insurance company invalidate the insurance if the horse had an accident while wearing the hobbles?

You tell me!

I would expect the insurance company to be advised that the horse was more likely to have a far more serious accident NOT wearing the hobbles when it repeatedly jumps out of the paddock

The pony I referred to wearing the hobbles wore them for over 10 years with absolutely no problems whatsover - but forget to put them on and he'd be over the fence. Nothing to do with company as he had plenty, he had plenty of food just enjoyed jumping out.

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Is the electric fence mains or battery? I found with my haff that battery operated lines just didn't pack enough punch - even with a battery for each part of the fence and an energiser designed for bulls When we gave up and changed the paddocks to be on the mains Nugz had a field day

Thankfully(!) another horse was proving to be a destructive houdini, whereas Nugz just stretched the tape and the YM upped the voltage on the mains, and combined with putting wide white tape about 8" off the floor, then a middle strand of plain wire, then another strand of tape this seems to have worked for the last year.

You mention him being a rig/riggy - is he on anything for it? If he's not, might be worth looking into, you might find he calms down in terms of trying to escape.

As for putting out forage, try an old potato box to out hay/haylage in.

 

[SpruceRI]

In the past I have nailed the 5ft plastic poly posts onto each fence post 2ft from the top and then strung another 2 or 3 strips of electric fence onto it to make the original fence higher - like 5 or 6 foot.

You do have to keep an eye on the tension as the posts tend to bend and bow over time.... but that worked for me pretty much when I was at a place with low fencing.

Agree with other people too about then running another line of electric fencing inside the perimeter fence. A good 3ft or so inside so that hopefully he won't attempt to jump either fence separately or together.

Putting your hay out in lots of different piles might help - and maybe a snack ball that he can chase round.

Are there any trees that you can hang haynets in?

Sounds like he's just bored.

 

[Kikke]

I'm rather shocked regarding the suggestion that OP should hobble her horse all day long unsupervised!
Agree that an inner fence, roughly 2 metres in, extra high fencing with several strands and a nice loop of electric tape on his rug (or no rug) should make him stay put.

Agree, and yes electric tape will work a treat!

 

[kellybee]

You mention him being a rig/riggy - is he on anything for it? If he's not, might be worth looking into, you might find he calms down in terms of trying to escape.

Gold label Oestraban sorted my riggy boy right out! He went from a crabby, mardy skittish pig to a gent in the space of a week. I give him half a little scoop in a handful of feed every day and he's a different horse. He also has half a scoop of epsom salts in his feed which is a great calmer for horses lacking in magnesium.