How many horses are your horses turned out with_?

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GeorgieRoo

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Hi,

I'm debating moving my horse yards and turnout seems to differ massively from yard to yard, some yards seem to have quite a few horses in one field, but I'm not sure what's 'normal' or what would be too many. I know horses are all individual and what suits one might not suit another, but how many horses are yours turned out with? Or is there a certain amount of horses where you wouldn't want to turn your horses out as part of the herd?

Not sure if I'm explaining my question very well ... It's been a long day :-)
 
My two boys are in separate herds to each other, each herd has 6 in it. On our yard the field herds tend to be 4 - 6 horses and all single sex.
 
My horse used to go out in a herd of twenty something riding school ponies but now she's getting on she would get stressed and bring herself in if I put her in that situation. So now she goes out with one other on a track. She also has to have restricted grazing.
 
Ours are turned out with 4 in the field at the moment. My friend was on a yard where everyone was turned out in one field which meant that when some of them didn't get on there was no option to move fields - it's not a situation I would ever want.
 
I have hAd various turnout situations on different yards

One place we could only turn out into individual paddocks which was ok but horses are herd animals so they could reach over and groom but it was ok.

Another place I turned my mare out into a herd of 20+ and she loved it as that's what horses are designed for she loved the company and interacting with other horses.

At the moment she's out with a Shetland and a section a, it's a pain in the arse every time I take her away to ride the ponies start calling for her, which results in me either having a good or bad ride, consequently we will be leaving the yard soon as this has been ongoing for 7 months now!

Yard to yard varies some owners get funny about the grass being turned up where as others are more relaxed it just depends on the yard owner.
 
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I only have three now, but in the past (at livery) my chestnut mare and the grey filly were turned out in single sex herds. The first yard I was at had up to 10 mares in the mare's field.

ETA - in the photo there are two mares, one filly and one gelding.
 
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Hi
my 2 girls share a field and my old boy is on his own in the field next door
they are like this for 2 reasons 1st the girls need less grass than the old boy and 2nd he can be a devil and beat up anyone in his field :eek:
 
You will have many differing views on your question. You need to bear in mind the size of the fields you may be using, the terrain, natural shelter and fencing. Plus the type of horse being turned out.

Personally I turn out in pairs or alone but with horses alongside. With youngstock I will put 2 babies together with an older mare to keep them in check. This works for me but I will be in the minority when the other posts come in.

Far more horses are injured at pasture than they ever are under saddle and I prefer to keep the risks to a minimum.
 
Thanks everyone.

On the yard I like he'd be out with 10 others in a mixed herd, but he's never been out in such a big group before so not sure how he'd handle it. Lots to think about!
 
13 currently, mix of 4yo - twenties and geldings and mares. Mine thrive in a large herd and large field environment. I may be sneaking one of the In-laws into the field soon to make that 14 though. Slightly fallen in love with a filly who is running rings around their herd :)

It didn't work at all when I was on livery with certain owners though. One owner could upset a whole field, so would definitely depend on a few factors.
 
Mine is always first out and last in so technically he could be out with any number but as far as I'm aware he's out with 4 others. They have 20 acres. I prefer groups of about 4, so one's not left out but not too many to have constant fights.
 
I have 4 - all gelding in together, none of them care if I take one out they just carry on as they are - barely look up.
I have been in a livery yard in the past where my horse was out with 15 geldings - he came in regularly with cuts and kicks and getting him out of the field was a total nightmare.
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