Bargey, Kicking Ponies in Field

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Mithras

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For some reason, my yard won't separate mares and geldings. So the situation I have to deal with over winter is my two geldings sharing a field with another older gelding who causes no trouble and 2 3 year old fillies, who do! Not so much in the field itself, as they are in love with one my geldings and follow him about, but getting my two in and out of the field.

They seem to have no manners and crowd me and my horses, so I'm constantly shooing them away, which they respond to in varying degrees. Unfortunately one of them is very bargey and kicky, and I've been kicked once, on the hip, by her, and narrowly missed being double barrelled in the head last night! She's very quick and is constantly squealing and then spinning to kick. One of my geldings just runs off when she comes over to avoid being kicked, so I have to trample over the field to remove his headcollar and trailing lead rope.

Its worse getting them back in the field than out, as they seem to show separation anxiety even after a short time. They just will not back off!

Any tips? I've never really had to deal with horses as badly mannered as this before.

Oh, for the time I get my own place with my own land (hopefully not long now!)
 
Take a schooling whip with you and wave it at the others, if they get close enough to get hit then they learn to stay out of your space. Don't chase after them though, just ignore them unless they get too close. March in like the leader, get your horse and march out as the leader
 
ridefast said:
Take a schooling whip with you and wave it at the others, if they get close enough to get hit then they learn to stay out of your space. Don't chase after them though, just ignore them unless they get too close. March in like the leader, get your horse and march out as the leader
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I do all that and the bargiest one just ignores me, comes into my space and then if shooed away, quickly presents the hinds and lets fly!
 
Acting like/pretending to be "leader" is no guarantee of getting good behaviour. It has to be taught, and if that is not possible, worked around. In this case, it would be a matter of discouraging barging and kicking with something like a schooling whip, as suggested, and punishing these actions if necessary - not ideal, but you need to stay safe! Changes in management, separating troublesome horses, would be better though.
 
it does not sound like it is anything to do with mares a geldings but bad mannered youngsters, do the youngsters ever come in? are they hungry?

what ever the cause I would fence off an area around the gate that is about the size of 6 (or more) stables so you can walk your boys in to it and safely remove headcollars and then open the gate and allow them through, if they are still bad when you get in maybe you could section of an area to put them in (maybe with some hay) whilst you catch yours and put them in the gate area. It is a lot off faffing but should keep you safe and everyone calm.

It is the responsibility of the yard to make sure that people are safe bringing horses in and out though so really the 2 yobs should be in a separate field
 
They do get taken out of the field every night to be fed. I don't think they are hungry.

The owner seemed annoyed when I was shooing them away and came over to "show me" how to get my horses out safely - it seemed to involve creeping along the side of the fence, retreating when her fillies came near, back and forth, and making no progress at all after 10 minutes.

I personally think 3 is a bit late to be instilling basic manners not to go into people's space, and I don't really see why I should be doing it for someone else either! They have kicked someone else at the yard too, they aren't "warning" or push type kicks, but full blown, full force kicks which could injure quite badly. They run through electric fencing, so fencing them off isn't an option either.

We have the gate area fence thing but getting them into it without the bargey ponies coming in too is just as difficult as getting them out a single gate!
 
YO needs to get a handle on the situation before someone becomes badly hurt.

Sorry nothing useful to add really, as I know you're more than capable of dealing with the situation.

But until the issue is resolved, it will continue.
 
I would be bringing a schooling/lunge whip with me. End of.

It's a dangerous situation and your YO should really do something about it if it's getting that bad. Until then, take a whip and wear a hat. I don't see how else you'll stay safe.
 
Mithras said:
They do get taken out of the field every night to be fed. I don't think they are hungry.

The owner seemed annoyed when I was shooing them away and came over to "show me" how to get my horses out safely - it seemed to involve creeping along the side of the fence, retreating when her fillies came near, back and forth, and making no progress at all after 10 minutes.

I personally think 3 is a bit late to be instilling basic manners not to go into people's space, and I don't really see why I should be doing it for someone else either! They have kicked someone else at the yard too, they aren't "warning" or push type kicks, but full blown, full force kicks which could injure quite badly. They run through electric fencing, so fencing them off isn't an option either.

We have the gate area fence thing but getting them into it without the bargey ponies coming in too is just as difficult as getting them out a single gate!
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It is NEVER too late to teach manners - it just gets more difficult, once they have learnt their own strength!!! Good luck and take all necessary precautions.
 
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