Did i lose this morning?? - Archie Update

B

Blondie1

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 May 2009
Messages
164
Visit site
Or was he trying to tell me he's had enough of living out 24/7?

Following on from my post about Archie rearing when being led to and from field.

Up until Sunday he has been pretty much living out 24/7 and just coming in to be exercised or to have an hour or so break in his stable. Overnight he would be in one field with his field buddy and then during the day i would move Archie to another patch in field with more grass and field buddy would come in during the day as he's on a diet ish lol.

Anyway, It had been chucking it down all night Saturday and was still raining sunday so i brought Archie in for the day with no rearing : ) Monday morning comes and its drizzling, headcollar on and go to lead him away from the gate towards his daytime patch. His ears go flat back and he turns to go towards gate, I turn him back agin towards direction of his patch and he turns again. I then give in on the assumption that he wants to go in to his stable for the day. So lead him in with no rearing : )
Now this morning went to lead him to his daytime patch being quite assertive knowing that this would be changing his routine. He rears right up, then on landing turns towards gate. Try again and same thing happens. So yet again i (feeling like he's won) lead him to his stable for the day with no rearing whilst being led again : )

So did i lose this morning? Did i read his signals correct that he has just had enough of living out or do you think something else.

I'm beating myself up here thinking that he has been dominant over me and got his own way.

xxx
 
Maybe a little. But most horses rear because they are in pain/scared. There isn't likely to be anything that painful about being led (assuming healthy horse on reasonable going) but he could well be letting you know that as a herd animal he believes he is vulnerable when turned out alone. If there is no one else for the wolves to eat they'll eat him first! Can he be turned out with a non-dieting horse during the day? or moved to a place where he can at least see the other(s)?

ETS: then you'll find out after a few days if it is the company/wanting to be in thing. If you need him to be able to be turned out alone you can start working on that once you know it is the issue, plenty of threads on here abt it.
 
From reading your post it sounds more like to me that he is missing his field buddy and wanting to stay with them if the buddy is going in but he is being moved to another field. I wonder if his buddy went to the other field with him he would still want to come in.....
With regards to whether you lost, probably.... as he reared and got his own way... twice. I would perhaps make a point of putting him out next time, make sure you are well prepared with helpers, hat, gloves etc to ensure that he does as you ask, and maybe once you have established that doing it your way is easier then bring him in if he is going to pace around and not settle in the field on his own.

However he is trying to tell you something so you may just need to look at bit closer at what that is!
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your replies. I will get some help tomorrow morning and lead both of them to his patch and see how he reacts. Then take field buddy into stable afterwards. Archie has been going into his daytime patch and field buddy coming in for almost a month now and it only the last few days that Archie seems to be objecting to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top