Do many of you have problems turning out with other horses?

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Just wondered if any of you have problems with your horses bullying/being bullied by other horses and what you have done/would do about it.

Badger has been on his own in a field at the new yard for about a month now. It's a small paddock with other horse in paddocks around it. Anyway, he got a nice new friend yesterday which I thought would be really nice for him. However, apparently he doesn't want a friend!! He was acting all riggy and not being very nice at all to this poor little horse.

He has shown this kind of behaviour before but has also been fine when turned out with geldings that are more dominant than him..

Do you think it's best to keep him on his own or what? I'd be mortifed if he hurt someone elses horse but then again if he can't be friends with anyone he'll have to come in at night which is a pain for me!

What do you think?
 
It might be he's just trying to establish a pecking order and let the other horse know he's boss. Maybe try introducing this horse for a few hrs at a time under your watchful eye so if it does get too violent you can intervene. Or is there another paddock/area you could introduce them too each other. He might be a bit territorial. Good luck and hope he settles in with his new friend.
 
I never had a problem until I bought my WB from Germany. To begin with he was fine and went out with 6 other horses. A mix of mares and geldings. Then a girl moved on with a young gelding and he went for him. Whisk doesn't kick but he chases and bites. We had done the introduce slowly thing.
Then he started going for my old horse at which point he was only turned out with mares.
He just dominates geldings!! May be the same with your lad.
 
Mine is turned out on his own. When i first got him he was kicked and fractured his splint bone, then about 2 years ago he kicked YO's horse and broke its hock. As much as it was an accident (they were playing) i think its easier to have him on his own... he gets a bit full of himself in the field sometimes!
 
My old horse was turned out with another and they had this love/hate relationship; the other horse was definitely the boss and everything was fine as long as mine acquiesced, but on occasions when I went into the field to catch mine, the other one would come at me with ears back and pulling faces, because I'd dared to take away "his" mate and he wasn't having it (he always was a bit riggy imo); so anyway when he was in that frame of mine I just took a lunging whip in the field with me and that soon stopped that. But what we did, for ease of life really, was to divide up the field with leccy fencing so they could talk to each other across the big divide but not actually be in the same field and it worked very well: I still have a little indentation in my field where my boy used to stand and gaze across in loving adoration at the other beastie! Aw bless. They're both gone now to the Big Paddock in the Sky.

The one I have now has been turned out with a big crowd at a livery yard, and i've seen the other horses in his field chasing him away from the drinking trough, but I've also seen him stand up for himself OK, so I wasn't worried.
 
Thanks guys. I think I am just going to keep him on his own and me and the girl who owns this other horse will just have to work around each other to share the field. It's just not worth it. Shame though because it's going to be lots more hassle for me! Bloody horses, why can't he just be nice!
 
My old horse was turned out in a mixed group. Every year when we turned them all out he would pick one and attack, but was fine with all the others. He always did it straight away and he could never be turned out with that horse again. Luckily he was very good and if I shouted at him would just stand and threaten. Is there another horse you could try with him? If not you could try again under supervision of course
 
Mine hsa been on her own, with mares, or with geldings.

For a time, she was with a friends mare, who dominated her completely - I struggled to get her out of the field as the other horse wanted to go too, and would barge.

Then she went in with a gelding who is very much like her - not particularly dominant. They would move each other out of the way - my mare seemed to have the top call over the water trough, but he did over feed bowls.

Now shes out with my 2 yr old (her daughter) and they get on really well, she will put the little one in her place, and will also stand up a bit more to other horses now.
 
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