Individual turnout

[Birker2020]

Is your horse on individual turnout or is your horse out in a herd?
What reason do you have for either choice?
If you know how I can improve this poll let me know!

 

[PSD]

Mines out in a herd of geldings only, I’m on a livery yard. He wouldn’t cope well on individual turnout, he’s a very social pony and loves to play. He gets very stressed if not out with another, especially if he can see them and not touch them

 

[Chippers1]

Mines out in a herd of geldings only, I’m on a livery yard. He wouldn’t cope well on individual turnout, he’s a very social pony and loves to play. He gets very stressed if not out with another, especially if he can see them and not touch them

Same as this!

 

[conniegirl]

Ive ticked yes because i prefer him to be but in reality it is yes - because i have no choice as he is just plain nasty to other horses and has caused serious injury to other horses in the past (fractured shoulder)

 

[ycbm]

I don't call 2 a herd so I can't answer the poll. Mine is out with 1 other. This is my preference, I'm done with horses hurting each other in livery yards where I have no control over the introduction of new horses.

He's also a horse who doesn't care much about company. He has a quick mutual groom a couple of times a week, then wanders away. It wouldn't worry me if he was on his own as long as others are all around him over the fence.
.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Have own land and keep mixed herd for the most part. In daytime there are 4 in main field and 1 on a track so he can follow them around (mini with EMS). Overnight mini goes with 1 of the 4 into an adjacent paddock so that he also has plenty of time in direct company.

We have always mixed horses, ponies, mares and geldings without any major incidents but I appreciate others have had bad experiences and that we all have different priorities.

 

[meleeka]

I don't call 2 a herd so I can't answer the poll. Mine is out with 1 other. This is my preference, I'm done with horses hurting each other in livery yards where I have no control over the introduction of new horses.

He's also a horse who doesn't care much about company. He has a quick mutual groom a couple of times a week, then wanders away. It wouldn't worry me if he was on his own as long as others are all around him over the fence.
.

I consider two to be a herd, so perhaps there should be an option for pairs in the poll.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My 2 are on individual, my choice. They mess about too much at bringing in time to risk one getting kicked by the gate. They were turned out together most of the summer but I can't feed them together for above reason. I am toying with the idea of putting them back together over winter but I am worried about the gate.

 

[eggs]

I have my horses at home so a very stable herd. Mares (2) and gelding (4) all out together.

Some years ago I did lose my old mare to a kick in the field but that is the only serious injury in over 20 years.

Before moving here I was in livery and in those days there everything was herd turnout. Some yards did mixed herds and others split the mares and geldings.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

As said on the other thread, my horse is kept with two donkeys for various reasons. I consider that a herdlet and so do they so have ticked out on own land with herd.

 

[Alibear]

I'm well aware that a stable herd environment is best. But that's impossible on a livery yard, so Amber is on individual turnout, which is what the yard provides and what I prefer over the ever changing herd setup, which would be my only other local option. She can see and touch her neighbours over the fence. Having already had the nightmare situation of waiting for the vet with an x-ray machine to confirm a suspected broken leg due to pasture injury, thankfully, it wasn't. It's just a risk I won't take.

 

[Tarragon]

I keep my two together in their own "mini" herd at livery. To improve your poll, perhaps extend the options to distinguish between herd with multiple owners and those where just one owner?

 

[Anna Clara]

Feel so lucky to have my two out 24/7 with one other. They are so settled together and a really happy little bunch. One gets bitten quite a lot but only because he is a silly youngster who annoys the others! They are all great at feed time and easy to shift round if I want one to have more or less grass on their own overnight or similar.

 

[Hallo2012]

2 x breeding stallions-out (and stabled) next to each other with the ability to touch noses and play bitey face through gaps.

individual turnout is really the only safe way for them IMO, they play so hard as stallions its an injury waiting to happen.

 

[Fransurrey]

Is your horse on individual turnout or is your horse out in a herd?
What reason do you have for either choice?
If you know how I can improve this poll let me know!

There's no option for 'No, in a pair, on livery, because I have two.' Not sure how common that is, though!

 

[Caol Ila]

LOL. Pretty sure that no one who keeps their horse in a big livery yard herd is prepared to 'fess up on here after the last individual turnout thread. It makes them seem like a bad horse owner who doesn't care enough to keep their horse safe from injuries.

 

[expanding_horizon]

LOL. Pretty sure that no one who keeps their horse in a big livery yard herd is prepared to 'fess up on here after the last individual turnout thread. It makes them seem like a bad horse owner who doesn't care enough to keep their horse safe from injuries.

I remembered the thread conclusion as more it was unethical not to keep horses with other horses!

 

[Annagain]

Mine are in small group turnout on a livery yard which is geldings only. I think Wiggy would be happy on his own (he was on individual for 5 years with his old owner, just because they were the yard rules) but Archie would hate it. He's the most social horse I've ever known, he's everybody's friend.

 

[magicmoments]

LOL. Pretty sure that no one who keeps their horse in a big livery yard herd is prepared to 'fess up on here after the last individual turnout thread. It makes them seem like a bad horse owner who doesn't care enough to keep their horse safe from injuries.

Well, my horse is in a herd. I care, but prefer her to be in a herd. Of course it's a risk, but it's usually better for their mental health.

 

[Peglo]

Mine are in a group of 4 overnight, 3 mares, 1 tiny gelding and then they get split up in pairs through the day. Fat club and all you can eat buffet. I think overall the mares are happier when they are in together but the gelding couldn’t care less anymore.
Tali especially would be miserable in individual turnout, even with friends over the fence. She’s a very social lass and thrives with other equines wether that’s at home or riding.

It’s great having them together for things like when I got my new one this year she was scared of cows but watching the ponies mostly ignore them or pull faces at them over the fence settled her. Also shooting season started the other morning and she was a bit wary of the bangs but when the ponies didn’t react it helped her.

 

[Bluewaves]

Ive ticked yes because i prefer him to be but in reality it is yes - because i have no choice as he is just plain nasty to other horses and has caused serious injury to other horses in the past (fractured shoulder)

I feel bad as my boy is very social and loves meeting other new horses and playing with other geldings. But he is also an idiot and messes about. He has hurt (minor injury so far) and annoyed other horses. I can't ethically let him out with other horses unless well supervised and then removed as soon as there is any sign of another horse getting fed up with him and him still pestering them.

 

[fankino04]

Mines out with 2 others on a livery yard so ticked herd / livery yard. Would have answered for the 2 I have sole charge of for work but couldn't find a suitable option as I would like them together for company but can't due to dietary needs as 1 has bad EMS so us on a dry lot with soaked hay the other is next door to her, they are on the owners own land so can set them up however i want but next door paddocks is as good as I can manage for them.

 

[Fran'sMum]

Mines in a mixed herd of 3 (used to be 5) . Out 24/7/365.

 

[conniegirl]

I feel bad as my boy is very social and loves meeting other new horses and playing with other geldings. But he is also an idiot and messes about. He has hurt (minor injury so far) and annoyed other horses. I can't ethically let him out with other horses unless well supervised and then removed as soon as there is any sign of another horse getting fed up with him and him still pestering them.

If he were just being an idiot and messing i'd put him out with others but mine is genuinely nasty with other horses in the field. He does thing like corner them and kick hell out of them, chase them through post and rail fences. Pin horses up against a fence and lay into them. He genuinely sets out to hurt them.
We have tried multiple times, in many set ups with many different horses, we have tried in a big herd and with just one other. I've even tried turning him out with another bully and that bully horse ended up jumping the fence to get away from him.

I have no idea what trauma has caused this behavior because he is completely horse neutral if inhand or ridden.
So now he is on individual turn out as I don't want other horses being hurt and he is absolutly happy nextdoor to someone and will even groom them over the fence

For any other horse I'd genuinely prefer herd turnout and previously have always had horses for whom it was possible, but not for this lad.

 

[Surbie]

Mine's out in a herd. Not a particularly stable one as there have been 12 changes in 2 years and he and another are the only 2 original ones there. However he's a friendly, sociable type and as long as the rest of the herd aren't aggressive then that will always be my choice. He has peviously lived in a mixed herd, and in a pair. He was on his own on box rest/tiny turnout for a couple of non-herd injuries but he isn't as happy.

The only time I considered individual t/o was when he was put in with two very unsettled gelding, both of which went for him at different times. Neither caused serious injury but I left that yard for other reasons. If I'd stayed he would have been on individual to keep him away from them.

 

[Gallop_Away]

I keep my 3 horses on DIY livery. They are turned out in a mixed herd of 8 horses (including them).

I personally would not choose to keep them any other way. Horses are naturally a herd animals and enjoy the company of others. Yes, there are occasional injuries/scrapes caused by looning around with other horses, but I feel that my horses' mental wellbeing is equally as important as their physical wellbeing, so I don't choose to restrict their interaction and need to be turned out with other horses for my own convenience.

Turnout is something that is very important to me and is one of my main priorities when selecting a yard. Our yard offers 24/7 mixed turnout during the summer months and daily mixed turnout during the winter months. I would not choose to keep them on individual turnout or yards that restrict/limit turnout in winter. Each to their own but postage stamp individual turnout or stabled for months of the year are not my cup of tea. If I couldn't find a yard to accommodate my expectations, I likely wouldn't have my horses.

 

[scats]

Mine are in a pair (I don’t really consider that a herd).
I’d prefer a small herd really, with careful introductions where necessary and no shoes.
It’s lovely that my girls are together and can mutual groom, play etc, but I still think a small herd offers more in terms of what would come ‘naturally’ to them. I also find pairs get clingy.

I don’t like individual turnout as a rule. There are always exceptions but having seen first hand how much happier a friends horse is now he is in a small herd as opposed to alone but in touching distance of others, I really wouldn’t keep a horse on individual turnout unless there was a reason that I needed to.

 

[vmac66]

My mare is on individual turnout. She had laminitis 5 years ago and has ems. The yard is a former dairy farm and has cattle grazing which is to rich for horses, nearly every horse on the yard is fat. My keeping her on individual turnout I can manage how much grass she gets. She's seems very happy on there but she's an anti social madam. Can groom other horses over the fence.

 

[pinkfluffy]

My two are out together all day, stabled at night. Both geldings and get on very well. Like to have lots of zoomies together.

 

[wiglet]

Mine is on individual turnout. Yard rules.
My preference would be paired turnout but she had been in a group of three before and it was fine.
All the yards in my area (with the exception of one yard) offer individual TO only.
The exception yard offers large herds (mares and geldings separately) but, I have several friends there and it comes with its own set of problems - mainly field injuries due to the ever changing herd dynamics.