Being bullied - sorry rather long

Tiffany

Tiffany

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My mare has always been a little insecure and will do anything to avoid trouble in the field. Before I bought her she'd been beaten and it took quite a while for me to gain her trust. For a couple of years she was out with just one other mare. The other mare was the boss and they both accepted that. She's been out with the same mare plus 3 more for the past two months and both me and YO noticed a few weeks ago that my girl is always on her own. (bless) When it's time to come in the others chase her away from the gate and kick out at her.
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She panics if left in field on her own and because the others keep her away from gate she sometimes jumps out before YO can get back for her. This week she's come in twice with a cut from a kick. The YO rang tonight to say she's been watching them this week and she's being bullied so she's going to split them up tomorrow. She's big enough to stand up for youself but won't! This might sound stupid but I wonder if it's making her unhappy?
 
Bless, my boy was always harrassed, had too many vet bills from bad kick injuries. Now turned out alone, but always next to others so not lonely, he seems fine. Hope it gets better for her.
 
Sorry to hear of your mare's troubles. I can only say that I have never had such problems when I have had mares and geldings together - the girls can be so bitchy on their own - is there any way you can have your mare with a gelding? I am sure this would solve her issues.
 
Five horses is a bad number for pair bonding...and yes, I would say your horse is 'unhappy' - it's a dangerous situation for any horse not to be accepted into a herd - in the wild it would mean death by predator.
You will probably find that she's much happier with just one companion...as long as they do get along.
I am lucky in that my three girls all get along well together - but this is also because one is much older (19) than the other two (4ish and 3ish).
Hope she finds a more pleasant buddy.
S
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hey, my mare got her leg broken when she was in a field with other mares, when she was better we moved her into a field with just geldings and she is so much better and loves all of the fuss she gets! i just think all girls together can get bitchy! good luck with her x
 
My gelding has always been nullied, hasn't mattered whether it;s mares or geldings or mixed herds, he's always been the one with the kicks and bites and ripped rugs.

No advice I'm afraid, it only stopped for mine when we bought our own land for just our horses.
 
Generally I think that mares are worse in a herd than geldings. I dont know if it is hormonal?? In the past I have split my girls up away from the other 2 girls in the field, as they seemed much happier and there was a lot less charging round the field.

Now I have moved to a yard where there are only my 2 so they are happy!!

I'm not really sure what you can do to solve it though......its that herd mentality isnt it? Electric fencing is a wonderful invention!
 
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Sorry to hear of your mare's troubles. I can only say that I have never had such problems when I have had mares and geldings together - the girls can be so bitchy on their own - is there any way you can have your mare with a gelding? I am sure this would solve her issues.

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The yard I'm on won't put mares and gelding together
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When I first got her she was in the field with a small pony (mare) and still ran away from that
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I don't mind her being with just my friend's mare again except last time she got very clingy.
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[ QUOTE ]
Five horses is a bad number for pair bonding...and yes, I would say your horse is 'unhappy' - it's a dangerous situation for any horse not to be accepted into a herd - in the wild it would mean death by predator.
You will probably find that she's much happier with just one companion...as long as they do get along.
I am lucky in that my three girls all get along well together - but this is also because one is much older (19) than the other two (4ish and 3ish).
Hope she finds a more pleasant buddy.
S
grin.gif


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I did wonder about there being 5 together. From tomorrow she'll just be out with my friend's mare again so no doubt she'll get really clingy again.

I wonder why they are not accepting her?

the thought of her being unhappy makes me unhappy
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After having my mare badly kicked and then the YM refusing to acknowledge what had happened (despite another livery witnessing and insisting the YM got her in before she was seriously injured) I'm really happy that our new yard has individual turnout.

They're in electric fenced pens with about a 6ft gap between and do still play with each other, even tho they can't touch - madam has bucking and squealing competitions with her field neighbour!
The only thing they miss is mutual grooming, so I spend quite a lot of time scratching her when she's having a brush and it has actually made her less ticklish about brushes.
 
Awww your poor mare! My 2 year old gelding was moved into a different field a few months ago at my old yard, before he was moved he use to be kept with a little mare you just use to let him boss her about all day. When he was moved into this other field there wos the little pony and another mare and another older and taller gelding. He constantly chased my horse away from the mares and it use to take me about a hour each night to get my horse out the field as the mares had a habit of staying at the gate and when moved they just moved back there again which werent the best of thing as everytime tried to get my horse to the gate he got charged at and kicked at.
I asked the lady whether he could move back into the other field as it really wasn't working for him and i didn't want him to get injured but her response was he would get use to it and that it would be good for him to socialise. I was completley confused by this because my idea of a horse socialising is not be charged at and kicked at.
In the end i moved Buddy to a different yard as was having problems with lady on yard and it wasn't really safe for my horse and i didn't want him to loose his confidence as he is so young.
Now he is in a bigger field with a few mares and about 10 geldings and they all get along fine.
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