Individual Grazing

[wiglet]

A friend of mine went to look at a yard at weekend and was raving about how lovely it was. It did sound great until she mentioned it was all individual grazing. I can see the advantages - sort your own poo picking, ragworting etc... but I can also see it not really being that nice for the horses - my horse isn't a good mixer - she doesn't like big groups but, she does like company - say just one or two others.

Friend pointed out the horses are all right next to each other so would not be lonely - just separated by electric tape... so they wouldn't really be able to touch or groom each other. I dunno - am not totally sold on the idea.

So, what do you get for grazing? Does individual work for you?

 

[Supertrooper]

I'm so lucky that the yard I'm on likes them to live as naturally as possible. They have 10 horses/ponies on 20 acres, 5 on 15 acres and 2 lots of 2 on about 4 acres each.

My boy is with another gelding on one of the four acre ones and he is very very chilled out with his mate.

 

[ihatework]

I am in general against individual turnout. Where possible my preference is for small, well managed groups - there is nothing better than horses being able to interact as nature intended.

That said, for higher value animals in a competition set up I can fully understand why some people would opt to keep them on individual turnout. I have a mare at the moment on individual, she very much likes her own space and is very settled on her own - far more so than when I had her turned out with others.

I'm very lucky - the yard I'm on has options for individual, pair or herd

 

[Sukistokes2]

I think its up to you, but surely at a livery you will not pick who you are turned out with. My sister kept my horse on livery one summer, during that time she kicked five other horses( my mare not my sister) and put them on box rest. It was very embrassing and they finally turned her out with one friend, she was not a bad mare just wanted to be in charge. I would prefer my horses to be around others but not in danger of being kicked or hurt. I want to ride the bloody things.

 

[chocolategirl]

I am not a fan of individual turnout either and I have heard of horses being fatally injured being turned out on their own, so there are no guarantees horses are safer on their own. Didn't Maria Eilberg's Two Sox shatter his Pastern within days of retiring? Booted up to the nines and solo? That said, if I had a horse on my yard that was particularly nasty, I would pen it away from the others and if the owner didn't like this, of course they would be free to move! Fortunately, in 20 years of running a yard, I haven't yet had to do this.

 

[Tern]

I actually prefer individual turnout - Stops fights in herds and easier to take horses out/in etc as long as they have atleast 1 buddy next to them they will be fine.

 

[PorkChop]

It wouldn't be something I would choose necessarily, however I keep my horses at home.

I can certainly see how it would be beneficial on a yard with lots of different owners, and tbh all mine are happy to be turned out by themselves or together.

 

[The_Dappled_One.]

I've done both herd and indiviual grazing. I find individual a lot better just because I can moniter how much my horse eats and 'personalise' my paddock with stuff my horse needs such as field licks. It's also easier to feed hay in the winter for me.
I found the herd so much harder to be honest because it was a herd of crazy geldings. All they did was gallop everywhere plus getting one horse out of the gate without being chased or kicked was impossible.

All of the horses seem happy with it. They're next to eachother and can groom eachother over the fences.

 

[Mrs B]

Would never choose it. They're herd animals and most people seem do it because it suits THEM not the horse. It's like putting a kid in their bedroom with a lap top and saying: 'You've got FaceBook! You can see what's happening at that party online, so why do you want to be there?'

 

[Tash88]

My horse (gelding) is in a herd of about 15 geldings, in a field that is more than big enough for them all with adequate grazing and shelter. Problems within the herd are very rare indeed - horses don't often come in with bite/kick injuries and they are all very happy in there. New liveries often comment on how quickly their horse settles into the herd and how happy they are. I think that if the turnout has everything that the horses need so that they aren't fighting for shelter and they have enough grass, there isn't much of a risk in turning out. Horses are designed to live in herds and personally I wouldn't keep my horse alone, even with horses in the field next door. I personally would prefer my horse to be in a group of four or more to avoid him becoming too close to his field mates and separation anxiety possibly becoming a problem too.

However ultimately it is up to the individual horse and owner - as long as horses are getting turned out I don't think that individual turnout is much of an issue, I just wouldn't want that for my horse.

 

[eggs]

Personally I don't like it but as I keep my horses at home they are in two small same sex herds and as they have been together for some years without new horses being introduced it works very well. More often than not the individual turn out paddocks I see at yards are rather small with electric fencing so no shelter and do look less than ideal for an animal that is designed to travel large distances on a day.

 

[Tiddlypom]

More often than not the individual turn out paddocks I see at yards are rather small with electric fencing so no shelter.

I see a lot of these tiny paddocks too. Bare, manicured little electrified prisons.

Interestingly, vets have reported that horses on individual turnout get at least as many injuries as those on group turnout, often by kicking out at each other through the fence.

 

[asmp]

I prefer it as my horse is the one at the bottom of pile so to speak, so always ended up with bites, kicks (£2000 vets bill once). He's not that interested in other horses although will have the occasional groom over the fence. I am lucky at my yard though as we have very large individual fields, not the postage stamp ones I see out and about.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My tb is on his own because he plays too much and always comes in injured....the last cut was right over the tendon sheath narrowly missing going into it.

My wb is on her own now after losing her field mate p, my other mare, I've tried her in with the two other groups on the yard but she won't settle unless she is back in her own paddock that she shared with her and next to her friend.

My others are all in groups.
It really depends on the horse

 

[Bertolie]

When I first got my horse I was on a geldings only yard and all horses (seven at that time) were turned out together. My boy was bottom of the herd and was always sporting bite or kick marks. During winter hay was put out in field but my horse was always chased off the hay and trying to give him a hard feed was impossible. I also had no say over when paddocks were changed and even though I asked if he could stay in a well grazed paddock as he became fat in summer he was moved onto lush grass. I moved him onto a livery yards with individual turnout and could monitor all aspects of his care. He couldn't have cared less that he was on his own and although he had company on both sides never took any interest in the others. My daughter then purchased a horse and brought him on to the same yard. We each have a paddock but we keep them together and rotate paddocks. Whilst they do interact, my horse couldn't care less if his buddy leaves him. I think a lot depends on the individual horse.

 

[fattylumpkin]

I liked individual turnout as my mare is another who tends to come in covered in small bite and kick marks from other horses, but for some daft reason she's happier sharing a field with her bullies than she is enjoying her own field with a fenceline for safety. She doesn't get hysterical or run up and down the fence if she's alone, she grazes and behaves as normal, but she doesn't play or roll on her back at all in individual turnout. She just seems happier with her 'buddies' even though I think they're awful.

 

[Penny Less]

Its certainly a lot easier managing the paddock as you want and not having to stress out about people not poo picking which has always been a bugbear of mine.

 

[JLD]

I worry about my boy being on his own but he doesn't seem to care less. There are horses on both sides of his field and he totally ignores them, having come from somewhere he was bullied and pushed away from decent grazing and hay he seems very happy and relaxed. He has a little herd of alpacas who he gets on very well with and enjoys dominating and even mutually grooms with and shares his hay with. It has been great trying to manage his lami as I have been able to do all sorts with my field and fencing and manage his forage intake.

 

[Tarte Au Citron]

Personally i much much prefer it for my horse. She is quite antisocial and only gets on with certain individuals, generally only geldings. She once jumped out over a five bar gate (well more like flipped over it! ) as she hated being in such a big herd. A same sex herd would be the worst type of turnout for her and i can see her injuring herself in that situation. Heck i have to be careful if she takes a dislike to a horse on the other side of the fence as she can guard it, kick out at the other horse and slice her leg open! I have had to create no-mans lands to stop this

At the moment she's with one other gelding but she could not care less if he's in with her or not.

It is very individual to the horse, though most cope very well with indvidual turn out as long as they can see others close by, and it is a lot easier to manage your field appropriate to your needs. However you could always ask if you could share your field with someone who's also willing? I know a yard i was at, which did individual turnout, quite happily let people share fields if they wanted to.

 

[keeperscottage]

I'm a YO and everyone wants individual turnout so we've divided up our fields into little paddocks because everyone seems worried their horse won't get on with other liveries' horses.......Not my choice, but that's what people want. X

 

[dogatemysalad]

While there are a few horses that are unable to function in a herd, it's not that common. I've only come across one horse that couldn't keep safe in a herd, but even he, was fine if he was with a small group of selected companions.
As long as the grazing is good with enough space and the yard is well run, horses usually thrive. When they don't, the cause is usually because of poor management and environment.

Some owners like individual grazing to make life easier. Even children in the school playground get the odd graze or thump from another child. They, like horses, need social interaction, not isolation.

 

[Toffee44]

Unfortunately due to todays blame culture and general politics found on average yard it's easier for individual turnout. My mare was turned out with another last year but unfortunalty they had to leave the yard

samba can groom horses either side of her. And they can all see each other.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I see a lot of these tiny paddocks too. Bare, manicured little electrified prisons.

Interestingly, vets have reported that horses on individual turnout get at least as many injuries as those on group turnout, often by kicking out at each other through the fence.

I'm on a yard where we all have individual turn-out. Our paddocks are large and we mostly have two so the other can be rested. I've had to fence off a starvation paddock within mine so that my horse can lose weight for an op as there is plentiful grass. I've been there 4 years and there hasn't been a single field related injury. (touch-wood)

I would prefer group turn-out in principle but when you keep a horse at livery you don't have a choice of field companions which may be aggressive, people have different routines that upset your horse I.e. removing its best friend to ride and the herd is rarely stable leading to constant fighting and reassertion of hierarchies when horses are introduced or removed. At previous yards I had my gelding kicked getting a chipped leg, him obsessing over a mare when in a mixed group and turning into an obnoxious pig, having rugs and neck ripped by other horses and dealing with trying to get your horse out of the gate without being kicked by the field bully who has decided that he is the gate sentry.

I never have any of that but we do work in pairs so my horse always goes in and out with his neighbour so that they are not left alone.

 

[Auslander]

Alf had always been turned out alone before I got him, and was perfectly happy in that regime. But - I will never forget his face when he first went out with friends - he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. He spent hours grooming and snuggling up with his new buddies, and sine then, i've never turned him out alone. My herd is very well established, and he is top of the pecking order, but rules them very nicely. The others get out of his way, but he rarely bites, and never kicks - just looks at them, and they defer. He won't tolerate any bickering in the lower ranks - Lola is allowed to push the others around a bit, within reason, but Spike is a bit inclined to bully Mac for no reason, and if Alf catches him at it - there is hell to pay. I love watching the dynamics - I'd never have them on individual turnout now, having seen how well they operate as a unit!

 

[MS123]

My mare is on individual turnout, but is within touching distance of the horses next door and around her. They all go out at the same time and come in together, so never is she left on her own in the field.

We are moving next week where there is only another two liveries, and both their horses go out together. T will be out on her own again and within touching distance of them, but I do wish there was another for her to go out with, or more horses around her.

My late mare was out in a big herd and was forever injured/bullied. For that reason I'd never do it again.

I like the idea of pairs/three's, but not any more than that.

 

[JJS]

Would never choose it. They're herd animals and most people seem do it because it suits THEM not the horse. It's like putting a kid in their bedroom with a lap top and saying: 'You've got FaceBook! You can see what's happening at that party online, so why do you want to be there?'

^ This.

 

[MS123]

^ This.

I think some choose it because they'd prefer to skip a potential expensive vet bill/broken horse.

 

[TigerTail]

Individual turn out is not a necessity for 99% of horses, its just easier for their humans. That said picking companions carefully is key and as we know on LY's this isn't always possible.

Mine live out 24.7 and my first mare was the best in a stable herd of 4, no bother when anyone else went out or she went on her own. Then we had two CRAZY tbs as liveries for a year, and by crazy i mean gallop about for no reason at all, rearing and kicking all the time. That ended when one ran head first into the other and broke its shoulder. However it took me months to see that their influence on my mare had been to make her live on red alert all the time, v twitchy and taking off instantly before engaging her brain.

I got another mare for company, who had been on individual turn out as apparently she got bullied away from food in a group - from the size of her this wouldn't have been a bad thing! She had no equine etiquette skills to begin with. Didn't notice my boss mare putting her ears back as she headed towards her or swinging her bum round to ask her to move, it always took a nip or raised leg for her to move to begin with. Now she's much more normal!

I wouldn't put either on individual turn out - I value their sanity too much and think its extremely unfair.

 

[shadowboy]

I've been on yards that do mixed and currently on one that's individual. I found hay feeding in mixed herds a nightmare- either too much was given, or not enough piles, or one owner not wanting theirs to have hay etc and my boy was routinely chased off the round feeder but being a NF I wasn't too bothered. I went on a yard where they put them out in 3 or 4. No more and no less and this worked well unless mares were in a paddock next door- this often then upset the applecart in the geldings field. Although I like mine to have some social interaction I also like the fact that I can hay if I need to; feed in the field if in a rush and I can poo pick knowing it's fairly done- I can also bring in without the worry of a field buddy getting upset and I can section off bits of a field that needs resting/or if there is too much grass. All the horses can groom over the fences and if owners want they can take the top row of wooden slats out between stables so they can do the same.

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Nugz in is an individual paddock, P&R fencing so he can (and does) share the love over the fence line. It is what works the best for him currently as the group turnout fields have too much grass in and is a bully to horses/ponies smaller than him, coloured horses and anything that gets between him/me, him/his food.
Would love to have him on group turnout, but he's got to be right feetwise and partner/s in crimewise.