Horse jumping out of field

measles

measles

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I have a lovely, long-term livery who had had her horse for about 2 years now and in the last month or so the horse has started jumping out of her field at random times of the day and jumping away from company towards the yard. There appears to be no reason to her jumping, no disturbed horses, no sudden noises, no extreme weather etc etc and the fence is a substantial height and already higher than at many yards.

There appears to be no other option now but to put up stallion fencing as I have a responsibility to everyone else on the yard that there is not a loose horse charging around. Have said to my lovely livery that she will need to pay for the extra fencing which my OH will construct and that we will need to make sure it is high enough to deter the horse and to make it visible at height again to stop her attempting it and hurting herself.

Has anyone had to do this and how high has the fence been? Your experience of field jumpers would also be appreciated incase it sheds any light on this fit, healthy, mostly content but at times unpredictable horse.
 
Hi Measles

Yes, we've got one on our yard - shares a field with mine and another. The owner's OH talked to the YO and they put 2ft extensions on every downpost and used two strands of wide electric tape evenly spaced. There are double strands over both of the gates too with gate handles.

He has got much better but he too is unpredictable, although leaving on his own without anyone in the next door field is a no-no.

He has been known to try to dive through the gap between the top of the post and rail and the lower of the strands, but seems to have decided that's not a good thing to do. He is well looked after and seems happy enough, but I don't think his owner would risk him being in a field without this.

I guess the total height of the fence is a little over 6ft.

It does make me smile when people come up to use the cross country course and see it - looks like Jurassic Park
 
No - it's a difficult problem and I think true 'jumpers' are rare (this little beggar's only about 15hh). I have followed him round the farm on one of his escapades - trotting up to big fences, then 'POP!" he's over and away, quite calmly - not like he's trying to reach anywhere or anyone....It makes you want to get down to why it's happening, but when there seems to be no rhyme or reason, it's frustrating....
 
My horse regularly jumps from field to field, including over gates, he's even jumped out of the stallion pen and the fencing for that is well over six foot!! He is a grade A showjumper though, so finds it all to easy! It does make me worry but as the height doesn't bother him there's not a lot I can do (he's done it for over 10 years). What stops him best of all is an electric fence inside the main fence, I put it so it's to wide for him to jump as a spread but not to large a gap so he can fit in more than about 2 strides, this seems to have done the trick especially around the gates.
 
That is exactly it - we really wish we knew why she does it and to help her stop but there seems to rhyme or reason... I jsut can't let her do it incase she hurts someone or another horse or indeed herself. I feel so much for her owner.
 
We tried putting electric fence at just over a reasonable spread distance away from the metal gate. He was found (unhurt, thankfully) on the other side of the metal gate which now had a belly dent in it, about 9 inches deep.

It is such a worry for all concerned. The only one who isn't at ALL worried is the monkey that does it!
 
You could try another fence within your field approx 1m within your existing fence? It worked for my friends escape artist...he couldn't make the spread and if he did get over he was trapped within the two fences so had to eat the grass until rescue arrived to let him out.
Are you sure your horse is going over, i only say this as my other friend had a horse which she thought was showing fantastic show jumping potential as it was jumping out the field until one of the grooms spotted him going threw the middle of the two lines of electric fence?!!?
My last horse rolled out under his fence...it was a one off so doesn't really help you but just goes to show they are other little monkeys out there!!!!
 
There are other little monkeys out there, indeed - or other not so little lumbering great eejits like my big old piebald who reached over the fence for some juicy grass, overbalanced (we think) and took out an entire telegraph-pole sized gatepost and a length of fencing.

He was fine. The fence was not and the YO's OH not very amused, unsurprisingly......
 
She probably has!

This lad is a jumper and proud of it! Doesn't care who sees! Mine was just a wally, though he could jump very well if he chose..... He managed to jump into a gap between two fields once - two lots of fencing, one jammed against his chest, one against his bum.... just waited patiently until I came to check him, where upon he screamed blue murder and waited for me to sort it.

YO's OH had to take the fence down behind him. ooops.:o
 
Mine has done it too for years. I have also done the leccy fencing within the proper fencing. I did have a big puddle fenced off in the field last year as she loves rolling in big deep muddy puddles, I put the fencing about 1m80 and the wind dropped it to about 1m60 and she was getting through to roll, i thought she was going between the strands until I actually saw her jump it. Cleared it with a fair bit to spare and that was wearing a 450g rug!! She has also done it if she thinks it is past her dinner time in the winter and stood outside her stable waiting to get in. She is a 20 year old ex racer :D
I fully sympathise with you as it is a constant worry. How about deer fencing? Expensive though.
 
measles said:
Chestnuttymare - you've got me scared now as I'd assumed anything over 1.40 would have def put her off! Will def go for max height after you've said that....
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well, personally I would. I got these 7' long garden poles, metal with a green plastic covering, from B&Q. Shove them into the ground and cable tie them to fence posts so they are stable and put the leccy tape around the top. Mine is a brilliant jumper and very methodical about it, checks the take off and landing spots before she tries. Only seen her once or twice as she won't do it if she thinks I am around. Usually waits til i have left.
It is certainly a cheaper option than stallion or deer fencing.
Good luck.
 
measles said:
Has anyone had to do this and how high has the fence been? Your experience of field jumpers would also be appreciated incase it sheds any light on this fit, healthy, mostly content but at times unpredictable horse.
Click to expand...

This little lady jumped out of here!

n514947497_1884348_5122.jpg


She is now in a field with 8 foot deer fencing with a strips of leccy tape at periods to keep her off the stock wire. Deer fencing is perfectly doable, safe as long as used with leccy tape and cheaper than post and rail.

This is how I have my leccy fence attached to the stock fencing

DSC02365.jpg


Deer fencing

p.jpg


Edit - there is also a double gate! Putting in 8 foot strainers though is hard work! Much easier to put a couple of strips of tape across the top (but more of a pain at turnout)
 
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What an interesting thread - I wonder are all thses horses natural, careful and 'proven' jumpers in the ring?

Our loan mare came with a warning about her jumping out as apparently she would do this regularly at home.

She has done it here now and the method is very casual and calm and requires no approach faster than a saunter. Mind you, this is only over about 1.30m.

Bit of a worry, jumping away from company, though. I's be going for extensions above the perimeter fencing - and keeping my fingers crossed. Otherwise, hobbles!
 
brighteyes said:
Bit of a worry, jumping away from company, though. I's be going for extensions above the perimeter fencing - and keeping my fingers crossed. Otherwise, hobbles!
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The little mare in my previous post jumped away from company to say hi to whoever was stabled at the time. The bizarre thing is she would then put herself back... She is talented under the saddle too and is doing Intermediate eventing now :)
 
My 13.2 once jumped over a horrible fence with barbed wire on the top, which was about 5'. he cleared it with miles to spare from little more than 2m trot up, because he wanted to get in with the mares, the sly old dog. He then spent a happy hour galloping round sniffing bottoms while we ran around trying desperately to catch him. He is a jumping pony, so yes, he is also talented under saddle :D
 
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