Filly went through 2 gates, sliced face open

[Mrsfarmer]

Such a stressful morning, I was laying in bed and woke to crashing at 5am. Turns out my 2yo went through 2 wooden gates and sliced her face open. It’s a fully open front barn and the pens are large with standard farm gates and same height wooden fences. I have no idea what caused her to do this, could have been rabbits getting in he back or something just startled her. The vet has been and patched her up and has said she should be fine in the barn after looking it over. Would you put her back in and carry on as normal? One would think she would use her brain and not do it again but the other part of me is quiet worried, she didn’t just charged through one gate but two wooden gates.

 

[daydreamer]

Ouch! I hope she makes a speedy recovery. Has she always seemed happy in before? Does she get turnout in a field too? Could she just have had too much energy and a hoolie went a bit wrong? Does she have company in the barn? I think I would be happy with her staying in the barn as long as she was also having as much turn out as possible, with company, and she had company in the barn, preferably an older steadying type.

 

[Gloi]

Could she have got her head stuck in the gate and then panicked? If you think it's possible cover the gates with something like plywood or even heavy tarpaulin to make sure she can't.

 

[ycbm]

Was she alone, you don't mention others escaping or being hurt?
.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Does she permanently live in a barn? Does she have the company of other horses?

2 year olds often do silly things compared to adult horses.

 

[Mrsfarmer]

Ouch! I hope she makes a speedy recovery. Has she always seemed happy in before? Does she get turnout in a field too? Could she just have had too much energy and a hoolie went a bit wrong? Does she have company in the barn? I think I would be happy with her staying in the barn as long as she was also having as much turn out as possible, with company, and she had company in the barn, preferably an older steadying type.

She’s on her own here right next to the house, we live on a farm with other livestock. Shes in the barn over night and turned out during the day, she’s only in the barn because we have our road gates open for the milk tanker who comes at 1am. She’s been really good this afternoon she refused to go back in the barn but after a little pushing she was fine and absolutely not bothered at all. I have seen her get a fright before and she’s hit the walls rather hard and dramatically though. I’ll have to cover the gates with ply like another poster suggested, they were wooden rail gates and I know she didn’t get caught in them but it could happen. I think feeling good from too much feed is a possibility, I’m trying to get some extra condition on her and while she’s only getting maintenance mix and chaff and hay it’s more than she’s had previously

 

[Mrsfarmer]

The first set of gates have 3 rails and they were broken downwards in a “V”shape like she came down on it somehow whether she was leaning over it but it should have easily been able to hold her weight the second gate was smashed to pieces like she just went straight through it at spead

 

[TheMule]

Horses need other horses for company. That is a non-negotiable.
From what you have posted so far I really feel sorry for this little filly, she doesn’t really stand much of a chance

 

[ihatework]

She is on her own?!
Poor mite.

 

[ycbm]

If she is kept alone I'm not surprised she injures herself by running into and through things, and I would expect her to continue to do so until she gets some equine company.
.

 

[ycbm]

The first set of gates have 3 rails and they were broken downwards in a “V”shape like she came down on it somehow whether she was leaning over it but it should have easily been able to hold her weight the second gate was smashed to pieces like she just went straight through it at spead

A 3 bar gate? They aren't generally available off the shelf, was it specially made?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

You have only had this filly for a very short while! She has no equine company, no idea of where she is or what the new regime is and what the feck she is supposed to be doing for heaven's sake! - And you say you work with TBs for a living - and you break them in as yearlings. Well go you girl and God help this poor little filly

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

This filly will feel very vulnerable trapped on her own in a barn. Of course, she will look for any means of escape if something alarms her. She needs equine company of her own age to play with and preferably also an older horse that she can rely on to reassure her about the world.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

So reading your other couple of threads you have basically taken a 2yo filly bred for racing, having soent her life in a herd, and put her somewhere totally and utterly on her own. Put a rug on her which she isn't used to and expected her to get on with it.

You are not being fair to this poor animal at all in the slightest! She needs company! Preferably equine but a couple of sheep or a calf would do in the mean time if nothing else is to hand!

 

[HeyMich]

A 2yr old needs company of other youngsters, to not be rugged or kept in a barn if at all possible, and be left to be a happy horse in a herd. The poor wee thing is very stressed and she's desperatley trying to tell you that. Please listen to her before you do some irrepairable damage. If you carry on as you are, a couple of broken gates will be the least of your worries. TBH I'm surprised the vet didn't say anything, did he/she not mention welfare?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

The op obviously didn't like the replies! I actually despair at how people think keeping young horses on there own is ok and then wonder why it all goes wrong

 

[AmyMay]

Because, of course, horses are not herd animals......

Bye, bye ??

 

[Rowreach]

We're not allowed to swear on here.

Even if we read a post and feel like using some exceptionally bad language, like I just did ^^^

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

[Content removed]

In that case why are you asking us?

 

[ycbm]

Ok firstly horses do not require company of another horse even this young.

I hope to god this is a windup by a "new" user and the horse does not exist.

 

[ycbm]

Mrsfarmer, I would challenge you to put this filly with another horse. I would eat my hat if she didn't develop some pretty strong separation anxiety problems if you try and take it away from her.

Just because she looks settled most of the time doesn't mean she is. I would suggest that running through not one but two gates in the middle of the night, after having previously been seen to run straight into a wall, is a pretty sure sign she is a lot more stressed than you are prepared to give her credit for.

You are right of course, most of us in the UK have VERY different methods to yours.

You asked a question, would we put the horse back in the situation in which it hurt itself. Here's my answer.

NO BLOODY WAY!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Really so horses don't need to live with other horses! What planet have you been living on.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Yawns loudly.....promptly moves on to the next most likely interesting and informative thread. Poor, poor animal - if it even exists of course