Fence Walking

[Christsam]

My 4 year old WB boy has started fence walking. He has mostly lived on his own and at his old yard he had hedges around and whilst he could see other horses he never bothered with them as there was the hedge between. He was on his own for the first 3 years of his life and was happy to be on his own and I never had any problem. He then had to move yards last year where he spent his first 8 months with a companion in a hedged field, again no problem. Unfortunately he then moved to the winter field where there are horses all around and fenced just with electric tape and this is where the problem started. He would run like a lunatic when his companion was with him but if he was in and other horses were around then he would walk. Whilst I do not like moving him, unfortunately the yard was sold and he has now come home to my partners land behind the house. He has wirefence between him and a shetland but fence walked the two fences sides that badly that we have fenced a bit further away from the shetland. I have tried to make a zig zag line and using random poles and tape to stop him walking a straight line but he either just walks a zig zag trail or walks in a square in a space he can find big enough. The last few days though he has just walked right through some of the fence. He is going away to be broken in September (he is a very young 4.5 year old in body maturity and mind). He was being worked regularly but has been home with us for two weeks and I will be starting to work him again now. Does anyone have any ideas to help break this habit? A lot of advice says to get a pony companion but I only really want to do this as a last resort as I worry that will make the anxiety worse if I want to take him anywhere or take a pony anywhere. The grass is good so he is only on grass at the moment but I am off to get some haylage later in the hope that a haynet will occupy him for a time. He is not a particularly good doer and i also worry that the constant walking (or in the evening the mindless trotting and cantering up and down) will just take the weight back off him again.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

The only solution I have ever found is to have at least 1 companion or more, either that or turn them away where you cannot see them!

Sorry, but have sent my last (ever) livery packing as it was a fence runner.
If anything moved in nearby fields he started pacing.
If I took 1 of mine out for a ride, he started (even with a tiny left the other side of the fence)
If he was bored, he started
If he thought it was feed time, he started
When he kicked off, it started as a walk, then progressed to trotting - and then he'd be doing the wall of death at speed, slowing down to a jog again after 5 mins or so.
He could not be turned out with others as was a very large thug of a horse who was quite unpleasant to other equines when he was 'at his own free will'.

I 'coped' for just over a year, but knew he had to go so the fields could recover before next winter, as they have huge gouges out where he had paced/ran and basically the first 15 meters across each paddock he was in are bare and rutted from side to side.

Sorry, not what you wanted to hear - but I'd get him a friend asap, just to try to stop the habit from getting ingrained into him over the coming weeks.

 

[Christsam]

Thank you. Not really what I wanted to hear but thought I was going to! It is really annoying as he only started when he moved to the other yard and there was lots around. With all the rain we have had as well he has just trashed the fence line too! Then when it gets muddy he just moves in a bit. I know part of it is probably stress from him moving too but obviously once the habit sets in then itll just get worse. Unfortunately unless we can buy a ready made 6ft hedge then he will always be able to see the one next to him. Its a shame the pony is so tiny as otherwise they could have lived together but mine is 16.2 now with more to grow and he is not exactly gentle when it comes to playing!

My other half works next door to the field and my boy is quiet as anything for most of the day. I wondered whether (as we have been working on the shelter in anyother part of the field in the evening) it is because he can see me there but he is now doing most of the damage over night.

 

[HardySoul1]

I feel your pain! My sister's 22 year old pony is capable of ploughing my paddocks when she feels like it. As you say, when it gets too deep she just moves inwards, and goes round
obstacles
She responds to distraction - moving her, feeding her, more grass or hay ( or moving strip grazing) or putting her with another. She's fine in a stable. .

 

[Aarrghimpossiblepony]

Sounds like the problem is in the way he has been kept.

Was on his own, got put with other horses, then a companion, then separated, then moved ect.

There's a few months of summer left. How about a completely different approach and get him onto grass livery in an established group. Let him get to be a horse with other horses, see the horses in the field coming and going without the world ending, realise that they are quite boring 24/7, going away from them usually involves being fed by you, ect.

You've got that chance now before he is sent for breaking in September.

 

[mandwhy]

Not what you want to hear but it's quite simple really, some horses cannot tolerate individual turnout and need company actually in with them.

My horse was a terrible fence runner when she was kept on individual turnout (in between 2 and 4 horses touchable and always visible). Literally 6 feet margin of pure churned up mud either side and then untouched green! So I decided to get her a companion pony. I didn't especially want one at first as money is tight but hey ho you can't take away a horse's herd instinct. I am quite fond of said small pony now and my horse does not run the fence anymore, she is much more relaxed and easy to deal with. I cannot imagine what she would be like if I tried to keep her completely on her own, I dread to think!

Try a companion on loan, I found mine on facebook and it was the best thing I did for my horse, plus I have a cute pony to love now

 

[Christsam]

Thanks all. He was kept on his own but with others around in other fields but was separated by hedges etc. He was completely fine then. Unfortunately, he had to move and at the new place he had a companion, then she left, then he was put with another and then the girl got super friendly with another on the yard so moved her horse in with hers so, yes, I agree it is in the way he was kept. It was not the way I wanted it, i asked for the field which had hedges around as that is when he was happiest and he never fussed and for the same companion but unfortunately others were allowed to do as they wished and I had not a lot of say. That is part of the reason why I wanted him home. Had he come from his first yard straight home there would not have been a problem. We have also had problems breaking out of the electric fence this weekend too so he is not happy. However on a good note. A little dartmoor is coming either today or tomorrow for loan. He seems a super little chap and just what prince will need. I did find him on facebook too and cant wait to see how he and prince get on.