Ideas needed to feed only 1 horse out of three in a field

Fools Motto

Fools Motto

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but said one horse doesn't always like being caught and is so submissive, whenever the other 2 approach he scuttles backwards and worries?!? I have better luck catching him as opposed to his owner, (horse doesn't really do men), but even then, if the other 2 nosey and bossy so and so's (mine) interupt, poor old horse can't do anything other than quiver!
Currently neither of mine need feeding. I thought about catching mine, and then giving the old horse his grub, but I can't catch mine with a bucket to hand as the bossy numbers will get kicky.
Any ideas?
It is just me really, maybe on the odd occasion old horses owner too, but that is not constant.
Thoughts?
 
Tricky one. Could you chuck half a scoop of something low calorie like badmintons hi-fibre nuggets spread out on the floor for the 2 bossies to search out and munch keeping them occupied whilst other horse has feed. They shouldnt really add anything calorie wise to their diet but obviously will add to your cost. Or maybe a cheaper option would a small net of haylage tied to ate keep them happy for a bit? :)
 
could you pen off a section of the field and pop him in there to eat?
I have baler twine tied to field posts and tie my horse up so my younger one can eat in peace - I do stay close by though in case older one gets aggitated. It means I can do some poo picking near where they are.
 
Make a smallish area around the gate out of electric fencing or something similar, wait until your 2 come, let yours into small area, shut them in then feed other horse in large paddock area!
Let yours out after other horse finished dinner.
 
It may be easier to feed both of them.

I have to feed my young TBx who's in the same field as my fat, dominant welshy.

I just feed the welshy some chaff with some speedibeet so he thinks he's getting something. I've found that if I add a chopped apple into his dinner he thinks he's getting something special and leaves my youngster alone.
 
catch the 2 confident ones, then catch the oldie. take the oldie out to eat. needs you and other owner to communicate, and sort it out or take turns in feeding the oldie, or synchrinize your visits.
 
If I need to do this I often take a slice of hay with me, give the other two half a slice of hay each and the other the bucket, or split the hay three ways and hide the bucket behind that's horses hay. ;)
 
I have tried buckets for others horses to feed mine, and then hay... then penning off... and tying to gate... in the end, I just started chasing off other two by waving my coat at them. They soon scarpered. Only had to do three times and they left my boy alone at feed times. I just whistled for him, the other two looked but did not follow.

Wierd huh????
 
It's asking for trouble IMHO.
If you put the other 2 into a small pen, they may well start kicking each other if they can see the bucket. If you feed them, either in buckets, or by scattering nuggets, as soon as the dominant 2 have finished, or think that they have finished, they will be trying to get to the bucket.
The safest thing you can do, is to remove the dominant 2, so that you can feed the 3rd horse. If you decide to leave the other 2 in, I think that you would need to tie them both up but that could have it's own problems.
Good luck!
 
UPDATE

So far this is working! I've relented and am feeding all three. Pony gets a handful with a sliced carrot, which keeps her busy and 'not forgotten', mare gets half a scoop of pony nuts and a carrot (she needs no more) while old horse gets the lion share, which he needs. Put the ponies bucket down first, as she is the real trouble maker! , followed by the mare then the old boy who waits patiently at the back. I've made sure there is plenty of room between all three. I have to stand between the pony and the old boy and fend her off him while he eats as she finishes first, (may have to catch and hold her at this point - possibly??) but so far the mare is happy with her quota and not as bossy as I thought towards the old one when she finishes second.
I hope my method will continue to work!
 
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