anyone else have agressive horse in field/herd

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minimex2

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Ok, i do belive horses need to sort it out themselves and either stand up for themselves or get out of way, but getting concerned that my boy has been kicked twice now for no reason in few months . My boy is happy in his own space, never gets involved with 'situations'. 1 horse has kicked him twice in few months and runs him round the field. I know he needs to stand up for himself but......... heres my dilema.

Looking to move and he'd be in larger herd. (currently 6) going into 10/12. If he cant deal with small how will he cope with bigger?

Also agressive horse, doesnt really get ridden (prob once per month) or handled by owner (she pays other people to turn out bring in).

Do you think he's being nasty because he's bored / not worked / paid much attention? (our boys worked 5/6 days per week)

New herd will also be ridden / worked / handled (due to type of yard)

So suppose im asking if they are worked/handled are they less likely to be agressive to their field mates? as really worried id put him in a worse situation than he's in.

thanks all, sorry for waffling x
 
The most gentle horse I owned was retired, and had been for donkey's years. She was 2nd in command in the herd, best buddies with the 1st in command and very secure of her position. She just needed to put her ears back and the horses lower down in the herd would part like the sea to let her through.

So IME, no, it's nothing to do with being ridden, but having a stable herd (new members introduced properly - but no constant changing of horses) with well socialised horses, where they all know their place. Plus enough room for the lower ranked horses to move away when needed and enough hay feeders etc... so there are no skirmishes over food.
 
Some horses just have an attitude problem in the field. I don't think workload affects it.

I had a lovely sweet cob that all my other horses bullied for years. She used to befriend yearlings as they were the only ones that wouldn't be mean. When I sold her I warned the new owner that she is likely to get bullied and to look out for her. They tell me that she has never been a victim! It's like she got off on the wrong foot with my herd. When she joined a bigger more transient herd she seemed better able to assert herself for some reason.
 
I don't think this has anything to do with whether this horse is being worked or not.

At the end of the day it is herd dynamics, pure and simple.

I don't think not being able to cope with a herd of 6 necessarily correlates with not being able to cope with a herd of 12, the success of the arrangement will be purely down to the behaviours of individuals within that herd.

Kicked once is a horsey accident. Kicked twice by the same horse would start to concern me more - offender obviously means it and yours isn't too quick on the uptake to keep out of its way. In my mind situation likely to deteriorate more over winter when grass goes and there is more competition for food.

If you have the option to change turnout herds i would probably do it
 
You don't mention where in the herd the 'bully' ranks. Sometimes lower rankers can be worse for having an issue with another herd member than a true leader/dominant. All to do with their own status and trying to keep it. If it is a problem, move him. A bigger herd does not necessarily mean more problems.
 
Starling said:
You don't mention where in the herd the 'bully' ranks. Sometimes lower rankers can be worse for having an issue with another herd member than a true leader/dominant. All to do with their own status and trying to keep it. If it is a problem, move him. A bigger herd does not necessarily mean more problems.
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Welcome to the forum Starling :-)

I agree this this but...

I would not want my horse to stay with an unsettled herd where it was being kicked. The only way to know what the new herd is like is to go and see them. Are they a settled and established herd? Are there any big characters in the new herd? Also, check with new yard how they plan on introducing your boy to the herd.

I don't think it has much to do with workload, although you can't ever rule that out. I'd just want my horse out of there!
 
thanks all for your comments. I know he's mine, but he really is "no trouble / gentle and gets on with his own business" both with people and his field mates . To add to my confusion, hes nearly 600kg of irish muscle , and no doubt didnt have a pampered life over there and prob in a massive herd so why wont he defend himself....

He's also been in this herd for nearly a year and we have had a few new ones join over the past few months so as you say the dynamics could be changing.

The "bully" isnt head of herd prob high/middle.

New yard is "completely new opening" so no herd established. YO has the right idea about integrating slowly, quiet ones first etc to get to know fence line and grazing is much bigger.

if anyone knows where you can buy cotton wall rolls big enough to wrap around a horse please let me know! xx

thanks
 
My horse IS a field bully - is worked reasonably hard, he's just a grumpy git with other horses. He's happiest with one companion who will back down every time, then all hell do is ears back or chase a few strides when they get close - a horse who will stand up for himself just gets endlessly picked on as Geoff wants to be completely the boss. He is the boss horse is every field arrangement I've had him in in two different yards so not because he's insecure.

He is just a thug. I do warn people of that though when herds are being changed - mentioning that he will shred rugs as well as fight like a stallion with front legs and teeth to withers as well as kicking soon gets people rethinking. I do worry though that he might hurt someone else's horse if they don't take my warning seriously!
 
My cob is very dominant in the field, especially in winter at bringing in/feed times, and don't trust him not to lift a foot to another horse whilst waiting at the gate. Therefore he has his own section in the communal field so has adjacent company, but can't bully the other horses.

However I am on my own yard and land, so my rules! Also his behaviour is the same whatever work he is in, and he is very polite for humans to handle, so just manage him accordingly.

I assume there are no other grazing options available at the new yard?
 
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