Horse possessive of us - how to stop?

Nugget La Poneh

Nugget La Poneh

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Nugz has developed a slightly alarming habit of being overly possessive of us (me and my OH) while we are in the paddock. He normally hangs around near us when poo-picking anyway, but if another horse dares to walk past his paddock, Nugz will charge at them in full fight mode - ears disappear, teeth bared, the works.

If I spot a horse is about the go down the walkway, I will distract nugz but if he clocks them there is nothing I can do as he's bogged off. And there are definitely some horses that get this aggression more than others, but there doesn't seem to be any correlation.

He's fine tied up outside his stable (ears back to some horses, but that's it), and when he's in the stable (same as being tied) and when being ridden.

It's only developed in the last year, and the only thing I can think that's changed is that he's got a small coloured small pony next to him, they're not the best of friends, especially when they are being watched, but they are civil.

He doesn't charge at horses when we're not around, we've hidden and watched him, and filmed him remotely. If he's at the fence, he flattens his ears but that's it.

Aside from tying up (which I admit I've not tried yet), what can I do?
 
I would remove him from the paddock while you do field chores, for your own safety as one day you might get caught in the trajectory of him getting to fence quickly and him not taking notice of you.
Either that, or one of you catch him up and treat him to a minor brushing session whilst the other carries out chores, but only this if he isn't going to pull away to make for the fence to see others off.
I had a mare in a few yrs ago who was a bit of a grump but easy enough to do, but she could on occasions be a right toad in the field if I was poo-picking, if something else came up to speak. Made it my 1st thing to do, to bring her onto yard to stand in, whilst I was out in field.
Never had a problem, but I made sure I pre-empted any potential hurts by taking her away.

Has he always had the same field? Is he on his own (or was he with a chum?)
 
It sounds as if he is alone, not keen on the only one that is within touching distance so is treating you and OH as his herd with the need to defend you from other horses who come near, unfortunately it is something that is a sign he is not that happy with just his own company, he is becoming more dependent on you and less on other horses, solitary living is not for all horses, very few are truly happy turned out on their own and will often show this by behaving in an undesirable way.
When you are not there he is accepting his situation, he has nothing to defend or take care of but that does not mean he is happy, if there is no way he can have company then you probably have to accept this will continue or bring him in before you poo pick.
 
And yet again excellent advice from be positive.

The horse needs a herd and he is improvising the best he can but for his long term mental health is be moving him to a situation where he has, ideally more than one, equine for company asap.
 
If I get him a field mate, will I transfer the possession issue to the field mate? He has horses either side of him, yes one side not the friendliest, but he then has his hareem of ladies on the other side.
He's been in the same field, same set up for the last 3 years. He's not able to go into a herd situation at the current yard as he's got to be managed for his feet and being on livery makes it more challenging.
Will look to timing paddock duties with him being ridden or walked out in the interim. Am looking to move yards anyway to give me more space, more hacking and the option of having a full sized playmate or too (would only be able to fit a little 'un in his current paddock) but as I am on a waiting list I don't know when this will be :-(
 
Just out of interest, do you feed, hay or treat him in the field? Are you a valuable resource as the provider of this and therefore something precious to covert or protect?
 
I can never understand why people poopick etc with the horse in the field. It is an accident waiting to happen, imo.
When I was first learning to ride/about horses, it was accepted that you put your own safety and that of the horse before convenience. This principle seems to have been lost in stable management, in a lot of cases in recent years
 
You don't go in the same field as your horse?!?

I really dislike mucking out with horse in stable because of tools and combined space but would hope that horse would be fine in field in general... After all I'm expecting to be able to sit on top of it!

Genuinely surprised about the idea one wouldn't be OK carrying out day to day tasks in the field with own horse there. Large herd with eg livery situation I can see more potential worries but really a small settled group... Would you not consider it a sign of some other issue if not safe to wander round field with a barrow?
 
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be positive said:
It sounds as if he is alone, not keen on the only one that is within touching distance so is treating you and OH as his herd with the need to defend you from other horses who come near, unfortunately it is something that is a sign he is not that happy with just his own company, he is becoming more dependent on you and less on other horses, solitary living is not for all horses, very few are truly happy turned out on their own and will often show this by behaving in an undesirable way.
When you are not there he is accepting his situation, he has nothing to defend or take care of but that does not mean he is happy, if there is no way he can have company then you probably have to accept this will continue or bring him in before you poo pick.
Click to expand...

As always, be positive has very good advice. I can't stand this new trend for individual turnout, most horses really don't like it but they put up with it quietly.

ThursdayNext said:
You don't go in the same field as your horse?!?

I really dislike mucking out with horse in stable because of tools and combined space but would hope that horse would be fine in field in general... After all I'm expecting to be able to sit on top of it!

Genuinely surprised about the idea one wouldn't be OK carrying out day to day tasks in the field with own horse there. Large herd with eg livery situation I can see more potential worries but really a small settled group... Would you not consider it a sign of some other issue if not safe to wander round field with a barrow?
Click to expand...

Agree completely, I wouldn't dream of taking the horses out of the field before poo-picking unless there were a specific behaviour problem as mentioned.
 
Achinghips said:
Just out of interest, do you feed, hay or treat him in the field? Are you a valuable resource as the provider of this and therefore something precious to covert or protect?
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Yes, he is out 24/7. But he's not done it when others have made eyes at his food from the other end if the paddock. It's always when he's just been mooching by our side while we poopick or move fencing etc.
 
Mine was a bit like this but not the aggressive part when he was in individual turnout. He was depressed and was so happy to see someone he would be all over them. He isn't as bad anymore since he is in a big herd and so much happier.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I can never understand why people poopick etc with the horse in the field. It is an accident waiting to happen, imo.
When I was first learning to ride/about horses, it was accepted that you put your own safety and that of the horse before convenience. This principle seems to have been lost in stable management, in a lot of cases in recent years
Click to expand...
My horse experience comes from a commercial setting, as in riding schools and livery yards where you poo picked round the horses as it just wasn't possible or feasible to catch horses just to poopick or run the Kubota round each day. I did my BHS exams and the one thing that always stuck was the need to tie a horse up at all times. So for both my 2 and 3 I was walking into a small stable, with a large unknown horse bum in the doorway. Never saw how that was safe.
Not all of us have the luxury to be able to fetch in a horse before doing chores. However I will now tie up nugz, in the paddock out of the way, to see if that changes things.
 
I have taken on board about the individual turnout. Currently, at the livery yard I am on at the moment. This is not going to change, unless I get a Shetland or small companion to go out with him which I am looking into, but I am concerned that the possessiveness will potentially get transferred to the companion?
 
I am looking to move yards, but the one that will be best for him has a waiting list. He's been fine for the last 6 years, and always been in the same set up, albeit in different parts of the country. (bar one interim yard when first moved up here where he escaped every other day to be on his own). Individual field/paddock with horses either side.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I can never understand why people poopick etc with the horse in the field. It is an accident waiting to happen, imo.
When I was first learning to ride/about horses, it was accepted that you put your own safety and that of the horse before convenience. This principle seems to have been lost in stable management, in a lot of cases in recent years
Click to expand...

Actually, it is a good opportunity to teach correct behaviour, join up, appropriate space and manners in a herd situation ..... and a nice time for bonding.
 
ThursdayNext said:
You don't go in the same field as your horse?!? [..] Genuinely surprised about the idea one wouldn't be OK carrying out day to day tasks in the field with own horse there. Large herd with eg livery situation I can see more potential worries but really a small settled group... Would you not consider it a sign of some other issue if not safe to wander round field with a barrow?
Click to expand...

Agreed! I would consider something to be very wrong if I couldn't go into the field anytime I wanted to do chores, poo pick, change rugs, fix fencing etc. In fact there are very few jobs I would consider necessary to bring in and tie up for. As you say, in a large livery where you don't know the other horses its different.

My cob becomes possesive of me when he is hungry, even though I never hand feed.
 
Only reason I don't like poo picking in the same field is if the beggars tip over the barrow. They're so annoying, mainly I avoid poo picking!
 
Achinghips said:
Actually, it is a good opportunity to teach correct behaviour, join up, appropriate space and manners in a herd situation ..... and a nice time for bonding.
Click to expand...

I agree. It's time spent with my retired horse, if I chucked him in a stable every time I did a field visit it would detract from our relationship a lot. He hangs out with me while I poo pick!!
 
It's good that you are looking at moving yards to one that has, I assume, group turnout. You may well find that he gets separation anxiety at first when he is introduced to groups - it is very common to see this in horses kept alone for long periods of time and often debunks the "oh but he's fine on his own" theory. As long as you are prepared for the first few weeks where he may be quite challenging, I'm sure the transition will eventually run very smoothly.

ETA - the poster that wouldn't poo pick with the horses present - I'd be interested to find out why you think it is so dangerous? I agree that the OP could find herself being trampled in this situation, but the vast majority of horses should be well behaved in the field. Mine will occasionally follow me around the field when they want another scratch, but they are all well mannered and relaxed.
 
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He's not technically alone. Yes he's not in a herd, but he has horses either side of him. He's been in small group turnout when he goes to my instructor for his 6 week summer bootcamp.
I am wondering if it's also if he's bored so have enlisted the help of a friend to ride him as I've been grounded for next couple of weeks.

I can have group turnout now, but it means putting his physical health in jeopardy with his feet and his breathing - the groups of horses that I know he'd settle with all come in at night, he can't. Currently all the group fields are a thick carpet of clover so will send his feet to pot and risk lami.

The new place will give him the chance to have a full sized playmate, plus more horses surrounding him, rather than on just the 2 sides. Better grass quality for him at new place. Have texted to see if any news on a space.
 
Alone in his field is still alone. Agree not as bad as if couldn't see others but is still alone.

There was a poster on here the other day with a horse falling over because it was so tired from not getting to sleep due to no herd. :-( Yours may be avoiding that problem due to having horses visible around but it isn't great.

Are there any fatties where you are who might be pleased to share with yours for a while? Had assumed it was all individual on the yard but you might find someone already in a group also pleased to get off the clover?
 
Thought I'd update this, just in case anyone was curious :)

It turns out he only goes for particular horses/owners. One horse that is walked past every now and again, and for some reason an owner - where it doesn't matter which of the many of combinations of her 4 horses she brings in and he does it to a smaller degree when we're not around. We sat in OH's work car and watched him of an evening (he seems to recognise our normal car), and then watched him while in the paddock.

He doesn't do it to any others that we saw, not even the little cow pony that lives next door to him. WE've asked most of the owners that walk past if they've had problems, and they've all said no, but named the owner as having had a run-in with, in similar situations. I have a feeling it's as much to do with her insisting on bringing in 3 horses at once, so once is invariably encroaching on 'personal' space up the track.

His hay feeding points have moved to inside the paddock now, and when the middle is closed off, they will be along the back fence so he's not 'ready' for action so to speak.

Taking him out for little potters in-hand as well seems to have helped. And he took himself in tonight pretty much as weather suddenly cold and wet, so will get him in overnight a couple of nights a week.

So, I guess what I am trying to say, is I'm now not quite so concerned. He's on a busy section of the yard, with constant traffic of horses during the day. If he's only gripeing at a couple of horses out of the 40 or so that walk past, I'm not going to fret too much now!

ETA: He sleeps in his field overnight. Completely flat out. Not fun at 5.30am in the pitch dark when you're calling him and there is no response, even when you're at the gate with the feed bucket. He normally surfaces looking all innocent at the point I've called my OH to say he's not waking up :D
 
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