Have put my shettie in with my mare.......

[Field04]

So....I put my new shetland in with my mare on Thursday. It went pretty well, my mare was not chasing the shetland around anymore. She is a bit bossy with her ears back and turning her back on her etc, but she was not charging or being aggressive. I then took them both out on a hack on Friday and they were great together, had them both tied up being brushed and they were both lovely and calm out and about.

However, today my mare seems have become more aggressive. The two of them have been running around farting and bucking. It looked like it was just playing. But then my mare started chasing the shettie away when she was coming over to see me and my girls. I then had to go over and check their water bucket as usual and just as I had walked half way across the field and was nearing the bucket my mare turned and ran towards me with her ears back. She stopped but it was very out of character for her, then she started chasing the shettie again.

So apart from that, it seemed to be going well. But I am not sure whether to seperate them again or leave them to settle in together. Also think my mare may have come into season, as there is a lot of squirting going on.

Any ideas or advice would be great. Thanks

 

[Field04]

Bump....

 

[juliette]

Can you section of an area of the paddock for the shetland so they are together but separate so they can get to know each other through the fence for a while? I'd be worried the shetland was going to get injured.

 

[Field04]

Yes I can do. Its what I had done in the first place, but wasn't sure whether to do it again or leave them to it.

 

[nicelittle]

We have a small shetland area with electric fence that the shetland can get under, she can retreat to it if she feels she needs!

 

[SpruceRI]

We have a small shetland area with electric fence that the shetland can get under, she can retreat to it if she feels she needs!

I used to do this with mine when my 3rd horse annoyed the shettie. Provided him with a 'bolt-hole' - electric fenced corner that he could get under and into and the annoying horse couldn't (annoying horse wasn't into jumping over leccie fence either which was good!)

 

[Rose Folly]

Early days! I think you will find they'll settle together OK after initial pecking-order disputes - and it may well be the sheltie who comes out on top!

Before Christmas, to help out a friend, her two miniature shelties started to come to us by day, sharing the pasture with a 17.2 steeplechaser, a 15.3 pushy cob and an opinionated Welsh Section C. Sheltie 1 is so alpha. The big horses are all very courteous to her, and the other day, when one of them (inadvertently) did something Madam didn't like, she reversed into her and double-barrelled her with her Size 0 little unshod feet, while still chewing her hay. Sheltie 2, who is much more retiring, has been adopted by the steeplechase (interestingly they are identical in colour) so she trips along at his side all day like a little foal. He is besotted, and kisses her goodnight when she goes home at 4.30.

Just keep ana eye on your big girl. She is probably a tad jealous and the new arrival will have upset the current pecking order if there are several horses in the field.

 

[Field04]

We have a small shetland area with electric fence that the shetland can get under, she can retreat to it if she feels she needs!

I like this idea, and will give it a go. Although not sure she would use it as she is such a sweet little thing she still follows my mare around, just at a distance!!

 

[Field04]

Early days! I think you will find they'll settle together OK after initial pecking-order disputes - and it may well be the sheltie who comes out on top!

Before Christmas, to help out a friend, her two miniature shelties started to come to us by day, sharing the pasture with a 17.2 steeplechaser, a 15.3 pushy cob and an opinionated Welsh Section C. Sheltie 1 is so alpha. The big horses are all very courteous to her, and the other day, when one of them (inadvertently) did something Madam didn't like, she reversed into her and double-barrelled her with her Size 0 little unshod feet, while still chewing her hay. Sheltie 2, who is much more retiring, has been adopted by the steeplechase (interestingly they are identical in colour) so she trips along at his side all day like a little foal. He is besotted, and kisses her goodnight when she goes home at 4.30.

Just keep ana eye on your big girl. She is probably a tad jealous and the new arrival will have upset the current pecking order if there are several horses in the field.

She is coming across as very jealous, which I am quite surprised by. A bit of history: I brought my mare a year ago, she stayed for a couple of months at the local livery and then she came back to mine where she was alone in the field apart from the neighbours sheep. She stayed over the summer and then went back. She was not happy with just the sheep for company and I knew I wanted her back at mine full time, hence buying the shettie. She also spent a couple of months at a friend of mine where we had no problems with her and the others as she always seemed so happy to have company. This is why I am quite surprised by her behaviour, but I guess it was her field and she is showing who is boss. Also quite taken aback that she is jealous of the shettie being with me as never felt like she had bonded much with me. Obviously I was wrong.

 

[Gwena]

We have a small shetland area with electric fence that the shetland can get under, she can retreat to it if she feels she needs!

^^^ this works a treat.

 

[supaspot]

Ive known several minis getting killed by bigger horses , even a playful kick can break their legs , my friends TB mare accidently laid on her mini stallion while trying to allow him to cover her , he was badly hurt and left crippled

 

[ridefast]

My mare has a tendency to get possessive over me, I don't allow it, when I'm in the field I'm in charge and I will speak with whichever horse I choose. I don't mind her sharing me but if she starts to make faces she is sent away

 

[joeanne]

Some horses really dislike smaller ponies.....in fact Enfys has a photograph that totally sums up why some horses should never be allowed to paddock share with anything small.
You should pm her and ask her too see it.