Aggressive Shetland By Roadside?

JoshuaR97

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Recently I've been having issues with one of my Shetlands since buying a new horse. This Shetland had started to charge and go for me. He is kept in a road side field and there isn't anywhere else he can be moved too. Today some people on bikes stopped but thankfully he didn't go over to them. What sort of sign should I be putting up to warn people? As don't want anything happening and causing me an issue if he did bite someone?
 

Overread

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There should be easy to get clear signs that have something like "Horse will bite" or "Dangerous" etc... often with a visual picture of a horse mouth making a biting motion (some will some won't - the visual picture tends to help at a distance and to reinforce the message).

You ideally want a sign clearly in view at every point along the fence line where the public come into contact with it. So every new road or path should have a sign neatly placed so that people coming fresh into contact with the field have a clear sign to see.

Depending on the size and lay out you might also put a sign at the mid-point along a walkway as it runs along the side of the field. And, again depending on size and behaviour, if there are any favoured spots the horse hangs out in; again another sign.

Basically covering yourself by providing the information as soon as people join the field; at key points along the way as a reminder; and at any favoured hot-spots of horse activity (where the horse is more active and thus increased chance of contact).



Clearly signed you should be fine; be sure to get a photo of each sign once in place (ideally dated photos) so that you can prove they are in place should anyone raise a fuss.

OF course ideally you would move and treat the situation to help cure this new behaviour; I assume the latter is already something you're working on whilst you've already stated that the former is not possible at this point in time.
 

PeterNatt

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Make quite sure that you have Third Party Public Liability Insurance with cover to no less than £10,000,000 (Ten Million Pounds) which a recent court case demonstrated was the level one should have in place. Horse owners are responsible for any accidents their horses cause even if it is not their own fault.
 

rowan

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One of my Shetlands started playing up kicking out and barging through the others to get to me when I went in the field, found out someone had been feeding them carrots over the gate, I never give them tip bits. If your field is beside the road could someone be feeding him? just a idea.
 

_HP_

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Probably people feeding him....
Run some electric with a warning sign on, a foot or so in from the boundary
 

Equi

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Is he worked? Is he possessive over the mare? Have you tried anything to sort it out so far?
 

JoshuaR97

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He's a stud with geldings but as of his size and me having 16hh+ it's not safe so he goes on his own but since I got another horse he has started to go for anything that moves and not long ago gotten hold of my arm and wouldn't let go..
 

GirlFriday

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Sorry, I don't quite follow your last post OP - are you saying that you only have one other who is 16hh and so the Shetland is kept alone?
 

popsdosh

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just put up dont feed signs . Whatever you do do not put any sign up that could be taken as you know he is a danger. You would be admitting liability before anything actually happens.
 

Dancing_Diva

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From what I gather from the last post from OP (correct me if I'm wrong) the Shetland in question is a stallion, was turned out with geldings but now because of your bigger horse the "aggressive" Shetland is now turned out alone?

If that's the case there's your problem. First geld it unless his so amazing your going to breed, second put him out with someone else so he has company and someone to play with.
 

Equi

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Again, is he working?

Geld him anyway there's enough good shetlands to keep the breed alive.
 

Auslander

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I'd geld him, and stick him out with the big horse - sounds like he isn't exactly lacking in self confidence, and a bit of a telling off might put him back in his box! Shetlands are very canny-he's not going to suffer from being out with a larger horse, and he may be happier!
 

SpringArising

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just put up dont feed signs . Whatever you do do not put any sign up that could be taken as you know he is a danger. You would be admitting liability before anything actually happens.

That's a fantastic idea. Hopefully the child he maims won't mind too much.
 

popsdosh

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That's a fantastic idea. Hopefully the child he maims won't mind too much.

Im afraid legal niceties work like that! How many children will take any notice anyhow and when they get maimed you have already admitted its your fault for not putting him out of harms way. Which is what I would be doing. Putting signs up does not make you magically not liable if an accident happens im afraid but sure as hell makes it obvious you knew there was an issue .

If it is only the gateway that they can access him fence a metre inside or another gate .
 
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pennyturner

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So, with thousands of kind, mannerly little ponies going for cat food every year, why not pts (no chance of him ever hurting anyone then) and get a sweet little Dartmoor hill pony instead?

Sorry if this seems harsh, but it's not like he's a working animal, and how many people here would do anything else if it were a vicious dog.
 

laura_nash

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What sort of sign should I be putting up to warn people? As don't want anything happening and causing me an issue if he did bite someone?

After your additional comment where you said he grabbed your arm and wouldn't let go I'm afraid I don't think just putting up signs will be enough to indemnify you if something should happen, not to mention the guilt you will be left with if he gets hold of someone even if they are ignoring signs.

I personally think you have three options:

1. Take immediate action to try and sort out the problem (e.g. geld, rehome)

2. PTS

3. Double-fence with decent electric fencing and sufficient strands, with enough of a gap that he cannot get his head through. Then put up signs.
 

Mike007

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just put up dont feed signs . Whatever you do do not put any sign up that could be taken as you know he is a danger. You would be admitting liability before anything actually happens.

The owner is automatically liable (no fault liability) so a warning sign meerley covers duty of care.
 

Merlod

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I would muzzle him, you can always cut the hole a bit bigger to allow more grass intake. Is he turned out with others and working?
 
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