Individual turnout

[Barton Bounty]

I couldnt chose an option as it is not my choice, it is BBs choice, and for his sake and other horses sake its better that he has his space….
Btw he is not the only one at the yard like it and there is only 5 horses.

Some horses just dont like to share and if these do-gooders that constantly whine the hell on about it actually saw the way he behaved in a herd or even just with one other, they would change their minds.

But hey ho, i am not on this earth to please anyone but myself and my horse so their opinion does not matter a jot
So yes…,

BB is on individual turnout as is Dusty and Cruise….. and I couldnt care less who says what

 

[NinjaPony]

Mine is currently on individual because of laminitis. He’s the only lami risk at the yard and I’ve had to make a pen for him to restrict his grazing. He’s got sheep in the rest of the field, and horses over the fence. It’s not ideal, before he got EMS and laminitis he was out in a herd, and before I lost my other pony they went out in a pair. I think I’m more concerned about it than he is; he had another pony in the rest of his field and she would whinny at him etc, and she then moved yards and he didn’t bat an eye lid, he never paid her any attention at all. I’ve never chosen to keep him alone until now; my preference for any horse is a small group, maybe 3-4 and that is what I’ll be doing with any future horse unless it is a kicker.

It’s much harder without your own land when you have health problems and you lose your other horse. I used to use him as a lawnmower but other people understandably don’t want to do that.

He’s moving yard (because I’m leaving the area) and I’m hoping to set up a track within another horse’s field for him. He has been so laid back about the various arrangements, and I’m doing the best I can. If I put him into a big grassy field with a herd, I would kill him.

 

[Ali27]

My three girls are in together although occasionally I have to separate the companion pony if there is too much grass.
On livery, when I had two, they were always together. When I lost my older mare, my other mare had to be on her own which I hated so got her a little companion. Mine are much happier together and I would never consider individual turnout unless short term for medical reasons.

 

[ycbm]

I couldnt chose an option as it is not my choice, it is BBs choice, and for his sake and other horses sake its better that he has his space….
Btw he is not the only one at the yard like it and there is only 5 horses.

Some horses just dont like to share and if these do-gooders that constantly whine the hell on about it actually saw the way he behaved in a herd or even just with one other, they would change their minds.

But hey ho, i am not on this earth to please anyone but myself and my horse so their opinion does not matter a jot
So yes…,

BB is on individual turnout as is Dusty and Cruise….. and I couldnt care less who says what

You've also said on another thread recently, if I remember right,, that you lost a horse to a traumatic field injury caused by group turnout so you wouldn't want group turnout even if you could.

I couldn't blame anyone who has had that happen or seen it happen for wanting their horse alone in the paddock.
.

 

[Barton Bounty]

You've also said on another thread recently, if I remember right,, that you lost a horse to a traumatic field injury caused by group turnout.

I couldn't blame anyone who has had that happen or seen it happen wanting their horse alone.
.

I did @ycbm

He got a bad kick to the front of his leg, sadly the vet school couldn’t save him.
Actually that same horse kicked my dad and knocked him clean off his feet as well, he was a nasty bugger.

But I did try with BB, i tried with one companion and he was a literal nightmare…charging and kicking and biting(he never does this behaviour notmally)and then we tried in an established herd, carefully introduced and weeks of management but eventually I saw BB alone looking despicably sad standing on his own and depressed as hell at the top of his field enough was enough for me. In that case for his mental health he was better alone!

And everyone can see he is a really happy horse. He can groom cruise and colby over the fence and have play but he also like his own space

 

[Griffin]

Mine has done, herd, paired and individual turnout. She is currently paired because she is still recovering from an injury and she is less likely to be encouraged to do zoomies!

 

[daydreamer]

Mine was out 24/7 with 1 or 2 others until February this year. We then moved to a yard where he was stabled for half of the time and was out with 1 other or at times by himself when his fieldmate was on box-rest. Last week we moved back to the first yard and he is out with 2 others 24/7 again. He seems so much happier now that I am going to struggle moving him to a more traditional yard including stabling, even with paired turnout, since it will just be for my own convenience and that seems unfair.

 

[millitiger]

Mine are out together, at home.

If I was at livery, I'd want them individual turnout tbh.
Once hind shoes are on, I don't want mine mixing with other horses and all of the different comings and goings in the field.
Unshod is a different matter.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister's two are together on restricted grazing because of laminitis problems. My mare is alongside them and in with them during day. I have never seen any of them mutual groom or show any signs of actually interacting unless one of the mares is in season. Neither my mare nor my sister's gelding seem to care about having company at all, sad really.

 

[paddy555]

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

I deliberately keep mine in pairs. I find it the best way. My stallion is also part of a pair. He would hate to be on his own.

 

[planete]

My pony is now in a mixed group of four mares anf two geldings (nobody is allowed hind shoes) after being on his own for a bit when my old horse was put down. He is a changed animal, relaxed, friendly, I would say happy. My previous horse was stud bred and was turned out exclusively with another colt before I bought him as a two year old and had to be taught manners by my then riding horse when he arrived. I gave up turning him out with other horses as he would invariably get bullied until we found him a darling of a thoroughbred just as meek as he was to share with. My Arab had had a strange youth chucked out on Dartmoor at weaning when bought by a cattle dealer. He was the best socialised horse I ever had and could be turned out with any sex and any number of horses and never get a scratch. If all youngsters were brought up in mixed herds, sex wise and age wise, I think they would probably learn how to keep themselves safe. I am now very much against keeping youngsters with other youngsters only as I feel the older horses are necessary to teach them the right behaviours they need to be herd wise.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Mine is currently out with 1 mare and 5 geldings, works well. The fields are big and they all tend to hang around very close to eachother and move around as a group, very nice to watch. Occasional fall outs but not often.
Mine was a nervous wreck on individual postage stamp turnout, very insecure, would jump out of the field to get in with others then usually get kicked. Would nap riding etc. been out in a herd almost 2 years now and hacks alone, never jumps out and never naps. So she actually had more injuries on individual turnout!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Beau was out with all the other geldings, which wasn’t ideal as new additions caused havoc=immediate lameness. I would have preferred two matched horses, nearly moved him to that, but the turnout was quite a way from the yard.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I have 3 on livery, two are in together and the cob is on his own because he doesn't play nicely with others. I've never kept a horse on individual turnout before but he was genuinely nasty to his mates, and would chase them and try and corner them, the youngster was terrified of him when he did it and just ran and the little old welsh pony would hold his ground but it ended up with the cob hanging off his neck trying to take him down. The welsh one has been out in all sorts of herds in his time and always got on fine with everyone, but he's small and old now and really doesn't need to be getting attacked by a much larger heavyweight cob. Someone would have ended up seriously hurt if I'd left them in together. The cob seems much happier with his own space and they can all still play bitey face games over the fence without anyone getting hurt.

 

[motherof2beasts!]

Mine was out in a herd but the herd was constantly unsettled by people moving on/off so too many new introductions. He became very possessive of the 2 yearlings and was pretty ferocious to any newbies or anyone that came near them. Winter was hell , too many to put hay out but once the grass had gone they’d all be gate hugging and fighting at the gate.

I moved him now in paired turnout , so much better for both of us, less anxiety about new liveries, no injuries, just a lot less charging about. They have 2 each side of their paddock so plenty of others to chat too over fence which makes it less of an issue if one is out on a hack etc.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

My pony is now in a mixed group of four mares anf two geldings (nobody is allowed hind shoes) after being on his own for a bit when my old horse was put down. He is a changed animal, relaxed, friendly, I would say happy. My previous horse was stud bred and was turned out exclusively with another colt before I bought him as a two year old and had to be taught manners by my then riding horse when he arrived. I gave up turning him out with other horses as he would invariably get bullied until we found him a darling of a thoroughbred just as meek as he was to share with. My Arab had had a strange youth chucked out on Dartmoor at weaning when bought by a cattle dealer. He was the best socialised horse I ever had and could be turned out with any sex and any number of horses and never get a scratch. If all youngsters were brought up in mixed herds, sex wise and age wise, I think they would probably learn how to keep themselves safe. I am now very much against keeping youngsters with other youngsters only as I feel the older horses are necessary to teach them the right behaviours they need to be herd wise.

I think you have just hit the nail on the head. For whatever reason horses are not being socialised properly as youngsters and don't know how to behave around other horses.
Ours have always been kept in a herd situation, whether on a livery yard or at home, even if we just had 1 of our own. When we had 4 at livery they were kept together as a herd, in their own field. When we had 2 mares at home who didn't get on, we separated them, so that they each had a companion that they did get on with. We just have a compatible pair now.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I think you have just hit the nail on the head. For whatever reason horses are not being socialised properly as youngsters and don't know how to behave around other horses.
Ours have always been kept in a herd situation, whether on a livery yard or at home, even if we jyst had 1 of our own. When we had 4 at livery they were kept together as a herd, in their own field. When we had 2 mares at home who didn't get on, we separated them, so that they each had a companion that they did get on with. We just have a compatible pair now.

I cant say that is true for everyone because BB would have been in a herd at any racing yard he was at. Yet in a one to one home it didnt suit him

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I cant say that is true for everyone because BB would have been in a herd at any racing yard he was at. Yet in a one to one home it didnt suit him

Most racing yards don't routinely turn out in herds, that is one of the objections that people come up with to racing.

 

[ycbm]

My worst horse for attacking others was bought as an unhandled 3 year old who had been in a herd of mixed age and sex all his life.

I don't think it can be as simple as that they aren't being properly socialised. The evidence suggests that like humans they are all different characters and in the absence of any strong threat from predators, some choose not to be part of the herd.

 

[Goldenstar]

I had two mares who did not get on Jenni the field boss took against the new mare , I thought they would settle they did when Jenni broke Tanni‘s leg and tanni had to spend four months indoors after a op under GA to save her.
After that I spilt everyone up .
You have to do what’s best in the situation you are in .
If Sky was in a livery yard he would probably have to be alone because he’s a Pratt in the field .

 

[ycbm]

Most racing yards don't routinely turn out in herds, that is one of the objections that people come up with to racing.

They will be in a herd for at least a year, normally. Charlie didn't race until he was 3, he was probably in a youngstock herd until he was at least 2. He couldn't give a toss about company now.
.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Most racing yards don't routinely turn out in herds, that is one of the objections that people come up with to racing.

Ohhh I didnt know that,

 

[ycbm]

Ohhh I didnt know that,

I'm sure quite a few of them, the majority?, are turned away in groups when they aren't in training and racing.

I know a neighbour of mine turned his three jumper racers out together for the summer each year.
.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I'm sure quite a few of them, the majority?, are turned away in groups when they aren't in training and racing.

I know a neighbour of mine turned his three jumper racers out together for the summer each year.
.

I thought that too

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

They will be in a herd for at least a year, normally. Charlie didn't race until he was 3, he was probably in a youngstock herd until he was at least 2. He couldn't give a toss about company now.
.

As has been said above a herd of youngsters is not ideal, they need older horses to show them how to behave in a herd. I'm sure that there will be a range of arrangements across Racing but I am not aware that racing, on the whole, turns horses out in herds.

 

[SantaVera]

Own land, two geldings in individual paddocks so that weight can be managed and the old pony doesn't get bullied and bitten by the large horse.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Found this really interesting to read! I can’t believe 40% of those voted own their own land! One day!

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.

My ideal set up would be 1 or 2 others in with my mare, if only that was possible. She’s currently on her own paddock because my livery yards introductions give me anxiety. She’s had a lot of vet attention recently and I just want to ‘keep her safe’ as selfish as that is. She doesn’t seem to care, can groom over fences but I would love her to have a couple of friends.

It’s single sex turnout, big fields (8+ acres) with between 8-12 horses in each.

I have anxiety already over moving to winter grazing and suddenly putting her out with 11 mares. Some can be quite nasty from what I’ve seen and are fully shod..

 

[Landcruiser]

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

It's what I always did at livery before we got our own place.

 

[Landcruiser]

Found this really interesting to read! I can’t believe 40% of those voted own their own land! One day!



My ideal set up would be 1 or 2 others in with my mare, if only that was possible. She’s currently on her own paddock because my livery yards introductions give me anxiety. She’s had a lot of vet attention recently and I just want to ‘keep her safe’ as selfish as that is. She doesn’t seem to care, can groom over fences but I would love her to have a couple of friends.

It’s single sex turnout, big fields (8+ acres) with between 8-12 horses in each.

I have anxiety already over moving to winter grazing and suddenly putting her out with 11 mares. Some can be quite nasty from what I’ve seen and are fully shod..

It's great being able to manage them how you want them, within the limitations of your set up. But it's also bloody hard work, especially with multiple horses and a non horsy long suffering family

 

[nagblagger]

Rent fields, all my own animals in 3 different herds. The 4 in the fat club, the 3 donkeys ( + mildred the mule), then the 12 field ornaments who are in about 20-30 acres so enough 'escape room' if needed. None are shod and (tough wood) I have not had a field incident in the last 15 years.
Have had a broken shoulder injury when only 2 horses in the field both unshod, so accidents can happen anytime.