Horses settling from changes at the yard and heard or individual turn out.

[JCbruce]

Do you think its better horses are turned out together? How many people keep there horses in individual turn out. My 5 year old WB for the past two years has been turned out in a little heard but due to several reasons and horses being sold he is now on individual turn out. His best friend was sold a few weeks ago which was very sad. He now a little unsettled since. I don’t have the option to put him out with anyone accept the unhinged ex-racer (lovely owner) who is next to him in the stable and field who I watched kick straight through a stable door when he arrived because another horse sniffed his bum so for obvious reasons, I don’t want to put them in together. This tb next to him also has severe separation anxiety as soon as someone walks in the field he goes nuts galloping up and down, fence walks until every single horse is out and goes nuts as soon as someone leaves the yard and calls for them the whole time, it’s a bit of a nightmare really. Today I left my horse and the yard managers horse out in the field opposite him an hour after everyone and the owner of the tb said mine was going nuts and hers was just calling to him but when I got the field they were both fine just waiting, he must of just had a little buck and canter then settled back down, so I am going to try and do this once a week. I really don’t want him picking up any bad habits and I’m hoping he will settle down soon as we have had basically a whole new yard of horses come in. When he was in his little heard you could take any of them away and even leave him out in the field on his own. I wouldn’t move unless I really have to as this yard is great and the only place with out restricted turn out in the area. Should I ask if my horse can be moved away from the TB, he has been here almost 6 months and just getting worse. Then again I don’t know if anyone else wants to go next to him either haha.



I know it’s a very small problem but I can see a change in my horse and I want to make sure he is happy. He's calling now to the others, walking up and down when other horses go, getting upset being ridden when the horses go out before him and really spooky. I just want him to be happy again

 

[Bellaboo18]

I hate individual turnout and your yard sounds full of horses that also hate it.
It sounds like the last yard we were on and honestly there wasn't a settled/happy horse there. One horse went in and everything else panicked.
They're herd animals and should be kept with other equine company in my opinion.
If you search the forum, the debate comes up regularly enough.

 

[JCbruce]

I hate individual turnout and your yard sounds full of horses that also hate it.
It sounds like the last yard we were on and honestly there wasn't a settled/happy horse there. One horse went in and everything else panicked.
They're herd animals and should be kept with other equine company in my opinion.
If you search the forum, the debate comes up regularly enough.

As I mentioned I no longer have the option to do heard turn out here and I don't know of anyone that offers it as livery in the area. its a shame because I love this yard

 

[Bellaboo18]

As I mentioned I no longer have the option to do heard turn out here and I don't know of anyone that offers it as livery in the area. its a shame because I love this yard

You asked is it better if horses are turned out together?
Yes it is. I'm not sure what else people can say?

 

[JCbruce]

You asked is it better if horses are turned out together?
Yes it is. I'm not sure what else people can say?

Sorry i guess I am just trying to decide if I need to try and move him and how I can make him happier. Thanks very much for your input.

 

[Zoeypxo]

I was on a yard with individual turnout it was a nightmare, everything escaped on a regular basis, broken fencing all the time, fence walking/pacing all the time. If someone got one horse in everything else lost the plot.
Wouldn't do it again.
Mine has been in a mixed herd for years now and no issues apart from the occasional bite mark, scuffed knee etc.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I'm really lucky in that my boys will go together or separately. I currently have them both in one field but separated, as I'm strip grazing. It is better for them to be turned out together. I can understand your reluctance at turning out with the tb but they might settle. Sometimes tb can be very defensive in their stables due to being kept in a lot.

 

[Fieldlife]

Lots of people on this forum keep horses in herds, equally lots of people keep them separate with neighbours. Lots of people intend their horses to be together but different calorie needs or them not getting on mean they end up side by side rather than together.

Some horses are ok with neighbours not physically in the same field and some arent.

Sometimes the same horse changes it's view depending on the location / situation / which neighbours etc.

I currently have a horse out solo (neighbours on three sides) who is ok like this. But 3 years ago he wasnt happy without other horses in the field. He's evolved to be more independent and confident, he has been out in a number of herds and I think progressively becamse more independent being happy to be far away from main herd.

I would LOVE him to have friends in his field as opposed to over the fence. BUT he eats a lot more than all his neighbours, and he sleeps more solo than he did in a herd. I offset the fact he can live out 24-7 with natural shelter, and well draining ground, and we have good hacking, with him being solo in his field. He does groom others over the fence, and they often all hang out together.

There is no great single answer. Horses in small herds can be chilled or can form very strong attachments leading to separation anxiety.

 

[JCbruce]

I'm really lucky in that my boys will go together or separately. I currently have them both in one field but separated, as I'm strip grazing. It is better for them to be turned out together. I can understand your reluctance at turning out with the tb but they might settle. Sometimes tb can be very defensive in their stables due to being kept in a lot.

I dont know if I want to risk a broken leg tho. He has got a full set of shoes on I don't want to use my horse as the test dummy.

 

[Fieldlife]

I dont know if I want to risk a broken leg tho. He has got a full set of shoes on I don't want to use my horse as the test dummy.

Ask the owner if she would take hinds off for a few weeks to try them out together.

I would try hacking together / having them in close proximity / hand grazing them close by etc. To get a feel for how they share space.

Though a pair bond of horses (particularly if one is anxious) isnt ideal. A group is often better.

 

[scats]

I’m not a fan of individual turnout. I think horses need interaction with others of their kind in some capacity, so I would always want at least one other horse with them.
Is getting him a tiny pony an option?

My two mares are very pair bonded, but I have successfully just introduced a tiddler into the mix.

My friend had her horse on his own for about 7 years. She then moved him to a yard with herd turnout and said the difference in him is astonishing. She thought he had been fine on his own, as he was so well behaved, but the reality is he was actually quite shut down and sad. He is a much happier horse for having a friend.

 

[stangs]

Do you think it’s better horses are turned out together?

Lots of discussion on the topic here: https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/the-rise-of-individual-turnout-musings.831502/

However, the fact of the matter is that your horse was on herd turnout, and was settled, and now is on individual turnout and is stressed and anxious. He is very clearly telling you what he wants.

 

[Palindrome]

I don't think the TB sounds bad, kicking a door and kicking other horses is different, calling is not the end of the world. But it doesn't sound like it would work with just the TB. Is the TB on his own now? If he goes with only your horse, there would be potential for the TB getting too attached/clingy.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Do you think its better horses are turned out together? How many people keep there horses in individual turn out. My 5 year old WB for the past two years has been turned out in a little heard but due to several reasons and horses being sold he is now on individual turn out. His best friend was sold a few weeks ago which was very sad. He now a little unsettled since. I don’t have the option to put him out with anyone accept the unhinged ex-racer (lovely owner) who is next to him in the stable and field who I watched kick straight through a stable door when he arrived because another horse sniffed his bum so for obvious reasons, I don’t want to put them in together. This tb next to him also has severe separation anxiety as soon as someone walks in the field he goes nuts galloping up and down, fence walks until every single horse is out and goes nuts as soon as someone leaves the yard and calls for them the whole time, it’s a bit of a nightmare really. Today I left my horse and the yard managers horse out in the field opposite him an hour after everyone and the owner of the tb said mine was going nuts and hers was just calling to him but when I got the field they were both fine just waiting, he must of just had a little buck and canter then settled back down, so I am going to try and do this once a week. I really don’t want him picking up any bad habits and I’m hoping he will settle down soon as we have had basically a whole new yard of horses come in. When he was in his little heard you could take any of them away and even leave him out in the field on his own. I wouldn’t move unless I really have to as this yard is great and the only place with out restricted turn out in the area. Should I ask if my horse can be moved away from the TB, he has been here almost 6 months and just getting worse. Then again I don’t know if anyone else wants to go next to him either haha.



I know it’s a very small problem but I can see a change in my horse and I want to make sure he is happy. He's calling now to the others, walking up and down when other horses go, getting upset being ridden when the horses go out before him and really spooky. I just want him to be happy again

Personally unless I had a kicker or elderly frail horse or one who gets injured , I would not keep it on individual. Horses are social animals and need to be among their own kind.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Lots of people on this forum keep horses in herds, equally lots of people keep them separate with neighbours. Lots of people intend their horses to be together but different calorie needs or them not getting on mean they end up side by side rather than together.

Some horses are ok with neighbours not physically in the same field and some arent.

Sometimes the same horse changes it's view depending on the location / situation / which neighbours etc.

I currently have a horse out solo (neighbours on three sides) who is ok like this. But 3 years ago he wasnt happy without other horses in the field. He's evolved to be more independent and confident, he has been out in a number of herds and I think progressively becamse more independent being happy to be far away from main herd.

I would LOVE him to have friends in his field as opposed to over the fence. BUT he eats a lot more than all his neighbours, and he sleeps more solo than he did in a herd. I offset the fact he can live out 24-7 with natural shelter, and well draining ground, and we have good hacking, with him being solo in his field. He does groom others over the fence, and they often all hang out together.

There is no great single answer. Horses in small herds can be chilled or can form very strong attachments leading to separation anxiety.

This is very well put. Generally, for most horses I think herd turn out is preferable most of the time but both my current and previous horses have done individual and herd turn out at various times.

Previous horse preferred individual turn out.

Current horse would prefer herd turn out but individual turn out is forced upon for some of the year as he's metabolically challenged but doesn't tolerate muzzles very well.

He's mainly solo strip grazed (with neighbours in different. fields) at this time of year and then joins the herd for an hour to half a day daily (depending upon weather) but if grass very potent he might stay in the strip for a day or two.

I wouldn't want to keep a retired horse this way but he's sound (wouldn't be in a big field of grass with horsey friends ...), ridden daily, has great hacking, varied work and see's a fair amount of life and can live out 24/7 over summer.

He is back our with the herd full time over late Autumn/Winter.

 

[shortstuff99]

After having something around £30k in vet fees caused by other people's horses to mine in herd turnout I will NEVER turn mine out with other people's horses again, so I can see why you don't want to do it.

Will have to do what I did and just buy more horses

 

[Pinkvboots]

I much prefer company turnout and in all the years I've run yards I've only had very few horses that are not suited to it normally because of unexplained aggression.

I've normally always managed to pair or put horses together in a herd and it's worked out most of the time.

I think with your horses behaviour change he needs company and by restricting it can cause more issues so I would try and change it now.

 

[starbucker]

The change in my horse going from often out on own/ 1 other to constant company in a large herd and has been a real positive (yard move) She is no longer bargey at the gate nor escaping, happy to come and go. Previously she would want to be in, plant to go to out the field, running about like a looney. Cons - a gelding has mounted her once or twice which has caused concern and left bites on her neck - she was in season and encouraging him so hoping this settles down soon as he was new to the herd and young. So increased risk of physical injury

 

[Lucky Snowball]

There is one here who is awful in the stable. Attacks anything within range, however when out in the herd he’s bottom of the pecking order and sweet to handle.

 

[Tarragon]

I sadly lost my pony to a broken leg as a result of a kick in a herd turnout situation.
I remedied this by owning two ponies going forward so that I had my own little herd, and it really didn't matter then what anyone else did with their horses.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Buy a little companion pony to keep with your boy…

 

[SEL]

I'm another who bought the companion!

The Appy was nasty to humans when I first met her so was kept on her own in a diet field. The Ardennes was bought by the RS and was obese so he went in with her. They fell in love. I bought him. The change in her attitude once she had a friend was incredible.

Most people buy Shetlands - he was just a slightly bigger version (& we miss him loads)