Individual Turnout

[julie111]

Hi, following on from my last thread I have decided to move my boy to a DIY livery. Plenty of people to hack with, good turnout (not 24/7) but ample. He will have his own paddock next to others. He has always been with my daughters pony so this is going to be upsetting for him. Do they usually adapt quickly? Thanks.

 

[mightymammoth]

Mine did but he's quite an aloof character, he went from being in with at least 5 others to having one besides him he can touch and in sight of the others.

It suits him but he's not a dominant horse and was always low down in the herd.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Mmmm, individual turnout has its uses, especially on a DIY yard where potential problems could exist if certain horses are turned out together. The downside of course is that there is likely to be little or no field rotation - also the area available to each horse is liable to be quite restricted, depending on the set-up naturally.

But personally, if moving to a yard, I'd rather have individual turnout than have mine muddled up with everyone else's and possibly get picked on and/or kicked.

 

[WindyStacks]

Mine adapted very quickly. She adapted from barging through the fence to simply clearing it.

 

[Moomin1]

Mine has separation anxiety but manages absolutely fine if others are within sight. In fact, since being separated from her old field mate who moved a few months ago, she has been alone in her paddock, and isn't even too fussed when others go out of sight anymore. It really has done her the world of good.

 

[julie111]

Thanks for the replies, moomin1 that is good to hear, I am hoping he will grow up a bit!

 

[chestnut cob]

The yard I'm on operates mainly individual turnout. I hated it to start with as horse was v clingy but once he'd settled down he was fine. Now he couldn't care less if he is on his own or with others. ATM he's out with a friend's horse and they are as thick as thieves, but he does spend time alone too. He can be tricky to catch so he is often turnout in the long corridor/ track between the fields (small yard of only 5 horses!) when I need to catch him quickly the following morning, or before a competition or lesson say. He can also get a bit too bolshy when he's with another and thinks he's king of the world, so he is separated then too. He really doesn't care! The good thing about individual TO is that you only have to clean up after your own horse and it doesn't matter if others never poo pick their fields.

We have a decent sized field for each horse. There are a couple of small paddocks but mostly I think they're a good 1.5 acres each. We rotate them regularly - they are currently on fields which have rested for a month or two, and they'll stay there until YO cuts and bales the hay from the others.

 

[L&M]

Mine are on individual, but next too each other so can still nuzzle and groom over the fence.

As they have different needs it makes life a lot easier when feeding or restricting grass.

One of mine is also very dominant and will lift a heel to the other, especially at feed time, so feel they are safer apart.

I also think it helps them not to become herd bound.

If I had youngsters, or retired horses, then keeping them in a herd would be far more natural, but mine are in full work and are just a lot easier to keep this way - they show no signs of distress and are often at opposite ends of their fields.

 

[Charmin]

Completely depends on the horse IMO.

Mine 'adapted' to individual turnout and appeared fine, however she was very very stressed by it inwardly and now I could never go back to it with her. She needs a run around and interaction with others that's not limited by a fence.

I don't think I would ever choose to put a horse on individual turnout again unless it was for their own safety or the safety of others. I really think overall happiness shines through in their work and so endeavour to keep them so they are happiest.

 

[Queenbee]

Mine did but he's quite an aloof character, he went from being in with at least 5 others to having one besides him he can touch and in sight of the others.

It suits him but he's not a dominant horse and was always low down in the herd.

Ben can be quite possessive over his field, he loves his individual turnout, he still grooms with his neighbour on the one side and flirts with the ladies on the other side, but he seems far more content with his own space. It's not for every horse but it suits him very well.

 

[AmyMay]

Why does he need individual turnout?

 

[criso]

Having had to do this for mine for injury, I wouldn't again.

He never stopped rushing to the fence when someone rode by and where the paddock bordered another paddock, he virtually wore a trench pacing along it.

He's not clingy and doesn't suffer from separation anxiety when he's worked and taken away from other horses. However he is very sociable and loves company and misses it.

I discounted a couple of local yards when I was looking because they only offered individual turnout.

 

[julie111]

Why does he need individual turnout?

At the moment I rent a field, my daughter is selling her pony so I decided to move to a livery yard, 1. For company 2. I didn't want to have to keep another horse to keep mine company. New livery yard just do individual turnout, I know in the ideal world a herd situation is best but this is not possible. Just wondered how other peoples horses coped in individual paddocks

 

[AmyMay]

Ah, ok. Makes perfect sense.

Give it a go. Might be perfect.

 

[julie111]

Ah, ok. Makes perfect sense.

Give it a go. Might be perfect.

I really hope it's the right thing to do, fingers crossed!

 

[LaurenBay]

Depends on the Horse.

Mine hated it, she changed so much she became unrecognisable. Moved back to herd field and she went back to her lovely self.

 

[Lotty]

I moved yards in Jan, the yard I've moved to has individual paddocks all next to each other. My mare adapted straight away, she didn't seem bothered at all.

 

[greyhorse535]

I will never have horses in the same feild after a friends horse got kicked and broke its leg [fully recovered now!] Mine is nect to others they can groom each other and touch but its less of a worry for them to be separated

 

[Landcruiser]

In principle I hate it - my boy has always been with at least one other until we moved to yard with small paddocks last year. He actually settled very well though, and is fine as long as there are horses in close by paddocks. He used to get chased, constantly had a bitten bum, and his rugs were shredded, so that's all stopped (although he still manages to get the horse next door to remove the neck of his fly sheet on a daily basis!). I don't think he moves around as much as he would with a herd, which is bad because he's a fatty...but on the whole it is working better than I thought it would, especially as I poo pick at least once a day, and most others on the yard aren't so strict on it.

 

[julie111]

Thanks everyone, some positive replies which help reassure me! Sunday is when I move him, he's not travelled on his own before but only has 15 minute journey so I'm hoping he will be ok. I hate all this change

 

[9tails]

Mine adapted very quickly. She adapted from barging through the fence to simply clearing it.

PMSL! Individual turnout isn't in my horse's vocabulary, she's a herd animal and plans to remain that way.

 

[Rosie'smum]

Completely depends on the horse IMO.

Mine 'adapted' to individual turnout and appeared fine, however she was very very stressed by it inwardly and now I could never go back to it with her. She needs a run around and interaction with others that's not limited by a fence.

This ^ Rosie always seemed fine being out on her own and she didn't seem to mind in the summer but come winter she would pace the fence and only want to be out a couple of hours max. Since moving yards and now she has a friend she doesn't mind being out and just stands at the gate rather than pace. She is overall now a lot happier pony.

 

[Juni141]

Our yard mixes group and individual turnout. My mare is out on her own as she has been kicked badly twice in a herd set up (not at this yard). She has a couple of really needy geldings around her and if they were all turned out together these boys would be horrendous. None of the horses that are out on their own have a problem with it, they can always see others and interact.

All down to the individual horse/horses involved. My mare loves her space and doesn't give two hoots if horse next door is taken in.