Despairing - horse won't stay in field. Any suggestions?

[Mithras]

You need something more substantial than electric fencing. It probably doesn't look like a worthwhile barrier to him to respect. He knows how to get over or through it. I find with mine that wooden post and rail fencing with full size electric fencing on top to make it up to about 8 feet works well, the gate also has to have electric fencing posts above it. Friends with showjumpers have something resembling deer fencing but slightly more substantial which doesn't even have to be electrified. Its awesome, although one horse still eyes it up.

 

[puss]

Hi thats no problem where did you buy yours in france i get all mine from the market i wonder if hes been though the same. Its really hard life for these type of horses as the some of french are not good to them.

 

[welshied]

One of mine is eeally bad at escaping and has even ended up knackering his pedal bone from doing it so is on 6 months rest with turnout in a small paddock he now has 5 strands of electric fencing and this is his first year without rugs and it seems to be doing the trick not ideal but better than knackering his foot even further. I agree hes proberbly best going out for a couple of hours if hws staying in rather tjan leaving him longer as ir sounds like hes getting bored which isnt unusual this time of year when there no grass

 

[Pepito]

One of mine is eeally bad at escaping and has even ended up knackering his pedal bone from doing it so is on 6 months rest with turnout in a small paddock he now has 5 strands of electric fencing and this is his first year without rugs and it seems to be doing the trick not ideal but better than knackering his foot even further. I agree hes proberbly best going out for a couple of hours if hws staying in rather tjan leaving him longer as ir sounds like hes getting bored which isnt unusual this time of year when there no grass

Yes - I think this is the way to manage it, plus we've got a new horse arriving and the owner has said she'd be happy for my boy to go in with him, so he's getting a friend. He seems quite happy in the stable just now - he's getting loads of attention from people and was a dream to ride today. Yard manager wants him kept in another two days then we'll start putting him out for a couple of hours at time.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions everyone!

 

[Pepito]

Hi thats no problem where did you buy yours in france i get all mine from the market i wonder if hes been though the same. Its really hard life for these type of horses as the some of french are not good to them.

He was bought at a dealer's yard in France and shipped over here and I shared him first then bought him from his previous owners. They don't know a lot about his history but he's got a lusitano brand and was gelded at six years old. I love him to bits but he's definitely a challenge!!!

 

[Pepito]

You need something more substantial than electric fencing. It probably doesn't look like a worthwhile barrier to him to respect. He knows how to get over or through it. I find with mine that wooden post and rail fencing with full size electric fencing on top to make it up to about 8 feet works well, the gate also has to have electric fencing posts above it. Friends with showjumpers have something resembling deer fencing but slightly more substantial which doesn't even have to be electrified. Its awesome, although one horse still eyes it up.

I totally agree and if it were my yard I'd definitely get the wooden posts - but I'm at a yard where the fencing is moved around a lot and it's not up to me unfortunately. I think we're going to put him out for a couple of hours at a time at first and build up. In the spring/summer he doesn't jump out so hopefully this is temporary. Thank you for your response!

 

[puss]

Was it from Brittany by any chance. My horses were used to mud not field of grass before I got them ready to travel to where ever their end would be. Most of mine have been walking skeletons but all of my would never go though any fenceing their faces when I put them in a big field of grass was funny. A lot of French Spanish horses are ranch bred from spain their breeding not the best hence sent to france. But the French really cant cope with how hot these horses are and they get misunderstood and some abused imo my horses like their stable because theres allways food in there and I think they get worried where their next meal will come from. All mine have prefered their stable to their field very strange one of mine point blank refused to come out of his stable for over a week I was getting very worried.