Field management/worming advice please!

[wakijaki]

I have a 4.5 acre field and I share that with 2 others.
The 3 ponies have been together since June and before then they shared regularly so mostly all get on.
Mine is a 14.2 gelding and the others are mares - 14.2 and 13.2 who is 30 years old.
I raised concerns about the older mare as noticed she was quidding as soon as we started feeding hay for winter (October/November). Owner said she would get her done after new year as she had to get the vet out.

This mare has lost considerable condition over the winter - all bones showing. Not rugged ,not coping with the hay and no extra feed.

The owner has finally got the vet out 2 weeks ago to look at the teeth and the vet has said to her she's got missing teeth and shouldn't be on dry hay and should be on extra feed as she's so underweight.

A Couple of days later our 2 horses got in a fight while she was there and she's now saying he has been bullying her mare the whole time but she didn't want to mention it. And blaming that and my choice of hay for her mares condition.

While I can't control what my horse does when I'm not there I do drive past the field several times a day and spend a good amount of time up there daily and have never seen him being agressive. Both him and the bigger mare do move her off the hay a lot and I've mentioned this and offered to make haynets so she has constant access but she's said don't worry.

Then she's sending me a photo of her mare with all the bones showing and demanding to separate her into a part of the field that I would normally be resting now. I feel like she's trying to blame me when I've tried to suggest extra feed, extra hay and a rug would help.

I've said she can use the other part of the field for now but it won't work long term so she's done that and things have quieted down.

They were all wormed with equest in November and I generally worm autumn and spring so to my mind they are due again.
I've suggested they all need worming and shall I get that sorted again...I normally buy it and do them all and then the owners give me the money back. Least then I know it's been done and can do any clean up afterwards.
She's replied with she doesn't need worming as she's already been done and we keep the field clean. Generally we do but it's impossible to pooh pick in knee deep mud so non of it has been done since Nov/Dec

So my question was ..should I try to force the issue with worming as it also affects my horse if she doesn't worm hers? I can't believe that after everything she has been kicking off about regarding her mare condition she then thinks not to bother worming her.

 

[canteron]

Why not worm count the horses and take it from there.
I can’t remember if equest does tapeworm - but you can also test for that.
I also think you need to try and sit down and chat with the others about field management etc - get everyone to list what is important to them in their horses management and try and come to a (written?) amicable consensus before it gets too toxic.
Good luck, it’s always challenging managing people .

 

[soloequestrian]

a) if she is separated off then the worming becomes less relevant because they're not sharing grazing
b) why not do worm egg counts to decide whether you actually need to worm?
It sounds as if it would be in the old mare's best interests to be separated - then she could have a big trug of something soft to eat like well soaked sugar beet.

 

[Leam_Carrie]

I keep mine at home. We worm in autumn after first frost with equest pramox, the worm count the rest of the year - worming only if needed.

 

[Reacher]

Worm counts is a good idea. It sounds like a good idea having the old pony separated so she isn't being chased off her feed. If I understand right it is your field and they are liveries - I'd now tell the owner that vet has advised extra feed and you expect her to meet the pony' needs re feed and appropriate rug as weather requires else she can look for alternative accommodation.

 

[TheMule]

If the horse is underweight then worming needs to be done very carefully anyway, I certainly wouldn’t want to be worming someone else's old, poor horse. If it's your land then of course you can manage it how you want and if she doesn’t want to follow your maintenance then I would suggest giving her notice

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would have given her the hard word before now, tbh! The mare is better off kept separate from the others, so that she can be given a special diet that she can eat undisturbed. If your land can't support that, then you will have to ask her to remove the mare to somewhere better suited. I would want to reconfigure the arrangements and keep the mare where I could see her tbh - and then I would be insisting that she is looked after properly.

 

[wakijaki]

Good luck, it’s always challenging managing people .[/QUOTE]

Yes it definitely is. I've had her in my field a couple of times in the past but mostly during summer so this is the first winter.
My field is on a hill and gets horrendously wet and muddy and I've done my best to keep everyone happy.
We have a hard standing area for the hay and she's said at least 2x that the horses shouldn't be allowed on there as it makes it muddy for us and then needs cleaning up. I've explained it's there for the horses benefit not ours so they can get out the mud. So I've since made a separate area for us to tie horses up for riding as she said her boots were too muddy to ride in. The other 2 of us just swop from wellies to riding boots before getting on so not an issue.
She's complained the hay is too dry..it's hay..it's meant to be.
Give me horses any day over humans!

 

[wakijaki]

a) if she is separated off then the worming becomes less relevant because they're not sharing grazing

They might not be sharing at the moment but it will be unsubstainable for her mare to have half the field long term when she is the smallest one.
So I've now got 2 bigger ones on 2 acres and she's got the other half to herself.
Also field has taken a proper battering over the winter so I would generally be resting half of it as soon as spring hits so give it some recovery time.
This I now can't do as she has it.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'd let her use that extra bit but ask her to find somewhere else to keep her mare by end April as its obviously not working for her with the mares needs, mud etc.
You'll easily fill the space.

 

[wakijaki]

Yes I agree it's best for her old mare to be separated but have made it clear that going forward this isn't going to be a manageable long term solution and I feel like she is unfairly placing the blame on me for her mares condition when she's left her 4 or 5 months over the winter to get so bad despite my hints that she might benefit from seperate hay or extra feed or a rug!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

To add, if you are the one managing this then you really shouldn't hint, but request and then ensure things are carried out as per request.

 

[holeymoley]

I second worm counts/tapeworm testing before firing wormers down them, especially the old horse if it’s under nourished. If it’s only those 3 with no others coming and going you should be able to do minimal worming throughout the year.

However if the old horse is as bad as it is then she’s either not been caring for it particularly well or the set ups not working. Sounds like it needs multiple feeds per day of mash/whatever, and a rug. Perhaps it would be in her best interests to find elsewhere.

 

[wakijaki]

I would have given her the hard word before now, tbh!
She did suggest it was either she has her separate or she would leave so I've allowed her to use the other half of the field but made it clear it's just short term.
She's been seperated for a week now and she's not given her clean water..I've had to do it. And she's not done the hay once..I've had to do it as the mare has been left with nothing.
She's really good friends with the other mares loaner who I ride out with and she told her she was going up twice a day to check and feed her mare..I'm pretty sure she hasn't been because of how the haynets have been left.
She has now rugged her but it's like too little too late..why let her get in such a state and then send me photos as if I've starved her?

 

[wakijaki]

To add, if you are the one managing this then you really shouldn't hint, but request and then ensure things are carried out as per request.

Yes it's my field so I try to manage it..she's one of those think she's knows it all and because she's had her own field in the past she wants to question everything I do.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yes it's my field so I try to manage it..she's one of those think she's knows it all and because she's had her own field in the past she wants to question everything I do.

Then she has to shape up or ship out.
People managing is hard, particularly in the horse world but you need to dig your toes in otherwise it will become an even bigger problem.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

With all you have said about her I would have given her notice some time ago. I feel sorry for her poor horse.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Get some electric fencing and fence a smaller part off for the mare

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would get rid of her tbh, if she still isn't looking after the mare properly

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It sounds like she is not really making an effort to get weight on the horse and still causing you a problem, I would tell her to go I also find it so depressing when you are constantly having to look at someone's neglected horse everyday, when I have run yards in the past I make it clear that horses are to be looked after properly or your out.

 

[chaps89]

If you have time and inclination can you move her onto full grass livery?
Then you can be sure horse is fed, rugged and watered approproately and at least be being paid for it.
If she doesn't want full livery then I'd be giving her her notice tbh.

 

[laura_nash]

Whenever I've been on DIY with an on-site, horsey YO there's been something in the contract that if something critical isn't done, like water provision, then YO will do it and charge for it at a high rate. I think this is fairly normal. If you are giving the horse hay and clean water you should be being paid for it. If you have a contract you could look at revising it, if you don't have a contract maybe you should introduce one. If it comes into effect in a month, say, then they have a month to find an alternative if they aren't happy with the change.

I think she probably needs to leave before next winter anyway, horses will unfortunately often pick on the old and weak and just because they get on in the middle of summer doesn't mean they can co-exist happily in winter with a shared food source.

 

[wakijaki]

Yes I think she will have to move but I've tried my best to help resolve the issues as if I have 2 in the field paying that covers my field costs leaving me the money to do extra things like fencing ect. Also I do care about the mare and would hate to think of her being elsewhere neglected.
We generally do an unofficial taking turns with taking care of the horses on a day to day basis as she has a load of kids at home, I sometimes work 12 hour days and the other mares loaner lives 20 minutes drive away ...so I normally do the most as am the closest.