How do you cope with geldings who are bossy in the field?

[cabbagepatch88]

Hi all,

Just wanted to pick your brains...

I've got a 15.2 cob gelding who is the most well mannered horse in the world with people but is a complete kn*b with other horses in the field and last year I ended up having to leave 2 yards because of his unruly behavior. At the moment he's living in a field on his own which he doesn't mind at all as he has human visits at least 4 times a day as he lives behind a house.
Over time I believe as long as the grass is thick he's far too interested in that. However, if he gets left permanently with one other or if a new horse comes into the herd he chases them at a full gallop and if he catches up with them he bites their bum.
At one yard I went to I arrived in the afternoon to find him flat out in the field and he could hardly get up because he was so exhausted from having been chasing his field mate round all day.
I tried him with a mare who he was respectful of but he ended up mounting her and screaming for her so had to stop that.
My other issue is that he suffers with arthiritic hocks so I can't stable him much, if at all.
At the moment he's quite content but I worry for the future, its a very lonely existence!
Ive tried rig calm, if anything it made him worse.
Has anyone else had a horse like this that they have successfully been able to manage? I know the obvious answer is individual turnout but would like to know if anyone has had any miracle answers or success with a horse like this in a herd.

 

[Honey08]

My gelding can be a pain chasing and biting others. We found the answer with him was to put a grazing muzzle on and spoil his fun. He doesn't mount other horses though. I would be inclined to muzzle him and only put him out with geldings, see how that goes. You can always make the hole bigger if he struggles to eat hay/winter grass..

 

[kellybee]

Sounds exactly like my boy - riggy!!

I give him a scoop of oestraban every day and he's a completely different horse. He is still teeth and claws when hungry, but he's stopped mounting, screaming and bullying. Saying that, today he put my 15hh cob through a post and rail fence, but he was wet and cold and it was feed time. It's a rare occasion he behaves so out of turn these days. He's still the boss and he's grumpy but not as aggressive.

Oestraban changed my relationship with him completely.

 

[cabbagepatch88]

What is it, feed, medication?

 

[toffeeyummy]

I shall be watching this thread, I too have a very bossy pony who is all teeth at feed time unless you just stand your ground then he gives up.

 

[harveysmom]

It takes two to fight we dont know what they are saying to each other, however saying that we have a gelding at our yard that tries to kick you with his front feet just for walking past his paddock, this has caused him some problems he is always pulling the electric rope off the posts {its only a matter of time before he gets caught up}
Also his owner keeps allowing him to graze on the walkways between the paddocks and the yard this is fenced with sheep netting and he has aready put his foot through and got caught and ripped his shoe off, so he does risk injuring himself
Dont jump to the conclusion that he is lonely, lots of stallions live on their own, he maybe happier that way than chasing other horses off his space all the time.Get him some toys

 

[ladyt25]

How long have you left him with another horse for at any one time?

I have had my 'riggy' pony for 18 years now. He is the smallest of the herd of 5 and he's 27 years old but he is most definitely the boss. He can be very stallion like in his behaviour, if he's fallen out with any of his field buddies then blimey, do we know it! He too has the most impeccable manners as far as handling is concerned.

We have alarge field (12 acres split in to two fields) with 5 horses on. Most of the time everything is fine and calm but, if he has a moment then he does flip out and will try and exclude the horse who's upset him! Whenever a new horse is ever introduced, it takes WEEKS to settle them in. However, my pony does not usually put him self in danger - he just shows the right body language, noise etc and most horses fully understand and, as long as they keep out of his personal space he is fine.

We did have a VERY riggy welsh cob years back and he would chase a horse in to the grounf if he could - it was terrifying. He would have actually killed another horse I think if he'd had the chance. Again with him it was all about taking a long time with introductions. i do think you will struggle if they're not in a large field as if he feels the other horse is still too close to him then he will more then likely attack.

 

[HollyWoozle]

My mum's gelding is pushy with the others in the field... loves to chase the ponies and bite their bottoms. The thing that keeps him in line is actually my mare. She's top dog, will not take his rubbish and will intervene if he goes for the others. She doesn't mind a bit of attention from him (he is constantly trying to nibble her) but when she's had enough she puts him back in his place.

 

[cabbagepatch88]

When I first got him he lived out with a gelding who he bossed about but didn't chase. Then he was with a pony he chased, the pony was elderly so ended up separating them. Then I bit the bullet and moved to a yard where there were 8 in his field. He was fine until a new member came then like I said all hell was let loose. I moved him back to previous yard so he could live out (for his hocks) and he was out with a gelding, thats when I found him on the floor. Then I tried with the mare. Then I moved again and he bit his new field mates bum so badly he wouldn't go anywhere near him. At this point I managed to find a place of my own..

 

[Clodagh]

Unless you can find a complete sucker to turn your horse out with theirs I think you are going to have to go for individual turnout. Personally I hate it, mine live out in a group, but when the old boy gets too thuggish for his own good he goes in a seperate field for a few days to allow the others some R & R, it does improve him for a bit too.
The difference is I own all three and know what I will put up with, yours sounds much worse than my old boy and I would nevber turn my horse out with yours!
I think individual paddock, with a good fence between him and a neighbour should work. You get dysfunctional horses, he sounds like one, and you may have to manage him within his boundaries.

 

[harveysmom]

I was at one weird yard when the YO was laughing when she said put your horse in with the cobs they will probably bully him, i had the last laugh Harvey put both cobs in their place. They didnt find that so funny. Harvey is turned out with my other three one of which is a mare they are a quiet herd with no problems

 

[bubbilygum]

My gelding is like this, and he is honestly happier being out alone than with others. I think the stress of him being dominant affected him as much as others he was out with.

Interestingly, he is a total lamb around mares. He lived out with a pony mare on starvation one summer, and she bossed him around all day and night! Other geldings, however, he needs to boss around constantly, and this makes them both miserable.

Don't feel guilty about individual turn out, if everyone is happier this way it is the best option.

 

[ladyt25]

See, I think your problem is there the new horse being introduced. If they just put the new horse straight in then of course there would be problems!! It took over 5 weeks for me to integrate my youngster in to the herd. Actually boss pony then was quite good with him bizarrely but his 2nd in command (my horse!) was a real get!! Once they establish the herd hierarchy again it's all good. They still have the odd fall out but it's not usually serious.

Think you either need to get him a field mate you own yourself or take some time to actually integrate him properly. Sounds like moving around with different companions has caused more upset!

 

[L&M]

My cob can be very bossy when turned out in his herd - more so in winter if food is involved, and will kick and bite if given the opportunity.

Therefore in the winter he has his own section in the field, so is in with his companions, but can't get at them.

In the summer I let him back in with the others as is more chilled on 24/7 turnout, and none of the horses get fed in the field, so no cause for any bickering.

 

[putasocinit]

They are finding there pecking order, leave them to it, they will settle, but if feed is involved there will always be issues because food is food, simple.

 

[cabbagepatch88]

My horse has never been fed in the field so any of his bossyness is not due to food...

 

[Goldenstar]

I only turn mine out alone , It was going to end in a accident so I took the desision before I ended up with a huge vets bill or worse.

 

[Tuffles 23]

I only turn mine out alone , It was going to end in a accident so I took the desision before I ended up with a huge vets bill or worse.

Yep me 2 , my horse won't play nice so for the safety of others he has his own field .