why1040
Active Member
So, I've got a beautiful 17hh 6yo ISH who is the apple of my eye. He works so well-is an absolute dream to ride, behaves impeccably despite being relatively green and we have so much fun! He's a darling to handle on the ground too.
My problem is the way he behaves in the field. We have a stable herd of 6 (himself included)-5 geldings and a mare. Two of the geldings are older and comparatively new to the yard, having only been there for a few months. Two are more established, one is the herd leader and the other is his second-in command.
My Giles will chase the mare. Constantly and without stopping. She has jumped out, run herself through wire and broken through a slip rail to get away from him. He will also chase the two elderly ones-in particular the fitter still ridden one. When he goes for any of them, it's full on, mouth wide open, ears flat back.
Splitting them up seemed to work for a while, but now he'll jump out of the split paddock into the one containing his "prey"! Or he'll just jump out even though he's first out. Or he'll walk straight through the electric fencing (whether it's on or not). He's broken through slip rails, pulled out electric fencing poles with his teeth, you name it!
It's getting to where my YO is getting really upset...and I actually can't blame her! It's driving me insane too! I don't want any of the others hurt, and it's just a huge accident waiting to happen! My YO is also a really good friend, but we're going to end up having an issue over this!
Watching him when he's out with the whole herd (he can go hours without attacking anyone and there seems to be no particular pattern), he'll grab a couple of mouthfulls of grass, then move to another spot, grab a couple more, move again, and so on. He won't settle even on knee-high grass! He'll often move others out of the way to grab a couple of mouthfulls just where they were grazing. But he never settles anywhere, unlike all the others who find a patch and graze it. He'll often be at the complete opposite end of the field to the rest of the herd and is completely unphased if the whole lot come in and he's on his own.
I'd think he had no "social skills" but I'm told he comes from a big herd in Ireland. While I have no way of knowing this for sure, the dealer who sold him to me had no reason to lie about this. Sometimes it seems he's vying for dominance, but he seems to then not care about the others at all in between.
I'm at a loss...we can't go on the way we are! I've increased his workload, I've changed his feed (increased chelated calcium, no molasses, pure forage), he has a mineral lick (which sorted out his chewing to some extent). He is being clicker trained to try to focus his considerable intelligence. He's healthy, fit and enjoys his work. He's not on restricted grazing at all, he's out for a GOOD 12 hours a day. I've had him about 16 months now, and he wasn't like this last summer. It's been getting gradually worse over the last 6 months or so.
Any ideas?
My problem is the way he behaves in the field. We have a stable herd of 6 (himself included)-5 geldings and a mare. Two of the geldings are older and comparatively new to the yard, having only been there for a few months. Two are more established, one is the herd leader and the other is his second-in command.
My Giles will chase the mare. Constantly and without stopping. She has jumped out, run herself through wire and broken through a slip rail to get away from him. He will also chase the two elderly ones-in particular the fitter still ridden one. When he goes for any of them, it's full on, mouth wide open, ears flat back.
Splitting them up seemed to work for a while, but now he'll jump out of the split paddock into the one containing his "prey"! Or he'll just jump out even though he's first out. Or he'll walk straight through the electric fencing (whether it's on or not). He's broken through slip rails, pulled out electric fencing poles with his teeth, you name it!
It's getting to where my YO is getting really upset...and I actually can't blame her! It's driving me insane too! I don't want any of the others hurt, and it's just a huge accident waiting to happen! My YO is also a really good friend, but we're going to end up having an issue over this!
Watching him when he's out with the whole herd (he can go hours without attacking anyone and there seems to be no particular pattern), he'll grab a couple of mouthfulls of grass, then move to another spot, grab a couple more, move again, and so on. He won't settle even on knee-high grass! He'll often move others out of the way to grab a couple of mouthfulls just where they were grazing. But he never settles anywhere, unlike all the others who find a patch and graze it. He'll often be at the complete opposite end of the field to the rest of the herd and is completely unphased if the whole lot come in and he's on his own.
I'd think he had no "social skills" but I'm told he comes from a big herd in Ireland. While I have no way of knowing this for sure, the dealer who sold him to me had no reason to lie about this. Sometimes it seems he's vying for dominance, but he seems to then not care about the others at all in between.
I'm at a loss...we can't go on the way we are! I've increased his workload, I've changed his feed (increased chelated calcium, no molasses, pure forage), he has a mineral lick (which sorted out his chewing to some extent). He is being clicker trained to try to focus his considerable intelligence. He's healthy, fit and enjoys his work. He's not on restricted grazing at all, he's out for a GOOD 12 hours a day. I've had him about 16 months now, and he wasn't like this last summer. It's been getting gradually worse over the last 6 months or so.
Any ideas?
so maybe get a friend to see what he is like without you around. If it really is getting bad then it's sounds mad but i'd probably get the vet out because it could be something hidden that he is trying to tell you and other horses that is making him angry? or it might just be him showing some riggy behaviours, although this doesn't account for chasing mares away.... horses ey? 
...sorry, not much help but it's all i've got 
this tickled me 
