Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Ended up making a post and rail pen within the field and when it was totally bare just feeding hay and a measured amount of cut grass. Other ponies can still talk to mini over the fence.
I’ve also found this to be the only option that works.Ended up making a post and rail pen within the field and when it was totally bare just feeding hay and a measured amount of cut grass. Other ponies can still talk to mini over the fence.
I've never understood why people get small ponies and Shetlands to companion big horses. Their dietary needs are so different!
I don’t like muzzles. As mare is so attached Do you think tethering could be a short term option? Obviously not work for all but might be a good short term measure for you until able to get some hardcore fencing eg. Chicken wire so Shetland proof and enable you to section off a bit within the track for Shetland. Not sure how you’d attach wire to plastic poles though. Or try stranding every single “bit†on the pole with electric tape and even double fencing the outside so if does get out is still “inâ€.
Other option is to stable until have fencing and just hope mare copes until fencing.
I know how you feel, i've got a similar problem and I don't love any of the options....how about trying lamalert? I've never used it but a friend swears by it for cresty necks and fatty ponies.
Well I never really believe in these miracle products but my friend swears it's got rid of her ponies fat deposits and cresty neck so thought I'd mention it. Worth a Google?Never heard of it, will it make him skinny? Haha!
You may just have to accept he's going to be porky for summer and try and get it off in winter. That's what I've done and my farrier keeps telling me mines got good feet and try not to worry.Any fencing won't work. He jumps electric fencing whether he can get over it or not so it ends up being pulled down anyway or he charges through it. He's quite attached to my mare so the moment she wonders away, that's when he pulls the fencing down. It would have to be permanent fencing which I can't do as it's not my field. He doesn't seen laminitic, just really really fat. I took the muzzle off for a few hours today and I couldn't catch the bugger to get it back on! He is only on loan, I'm just wondering if its not going to work out. My mare has been so much better with him though and she doesn't get on with anyone.
Well I never really believe in these miracle products but my friend swears it's got rid of her ponies fat deposits and cresty neck so thought I'd mention it. Worth a Google?
In contrary to what others say I think minis make great companions other than the weight thing. In general they're easier/cheaper to look after and don't go crazy when you take their mate away. They're pretty hardy too.
I like the track idea too but really I think to fulfill the companion role you want them in together... basically I'm with you it's tough.
Oh dear, that is a problem then. The only sort of fencing that is going to contain him is something like a round pen then, and can you/do you want to go to this expense and trouble.
Are you sure your electric fencing is sending out a good enough charge and how many strands? Mine are a minimum of 2 and sometimes 3. My horse obviously touched the fence the other night and there was a loud snort and he took off across the field, so it must have given him a good shot. Similarly, little pony goes and tests the fence and would go through if not working properly. You can buy fence testers for not too much trouble, but if he has learnt to just charge through it, that is a problem.
I would get a fence tester and see what charge is going through the fence. I have two energisers, both battery as no mains but the one that works off a leisure battery puts out much more than the other which works on D cell batteries. Shetland respects them but they have to be kept charged as he knows when they're not.
0.25 isn’t very powerful. Have you touched it yourself? Mine is 6.0j but that’s mains and primarily bought for the pigs. Nothing goes near that!So I've tried Rutland energiser which is 0.25 Joules and 2.5km multi-wire fence coverage with a 12v battery. Worked for one night but found he had escaped this morning.
0.25 isn’t very powerful. Have you touched it yourself? Mine is 6.0j but that’s mains and primarily bought for the pigs. Nothing goes near that!
That’s over double so I’d try that, or even split the fence Into two circuits and have both!I don't have the option for mains. I have another energiser that's 0.6 joules though?
That’s over double so I’d try that, or even split the fence Into two circuits and have both!
You should aim for your earth stake to be as least 1m into the ground.
That’ll make a difference to how much zap it gives. Your earth stake is probably only in the dry soil. I have one like this but any long solid pole should do. https://www.sam-turner.co.uk/hotlin...MIyYi4xaqq4gIVVeDtCh1MfwHFEAQYDCABEgIsdfD_BwEOh, the earth stake it comes with isn't even half a meter I don't think!
Oh dear have you tried a double fence or crisscrossing tape between the strands so there’s nowhere to wriggle through?Put him back in last night and saw him get zapped and run off so I know it's working. However, found he had escaped again this morning. I just don't think he cares about being zapped, he just pushes the posts down.