Leave youngster in or out when I ride?

[Pc2003]

I’ve had my 2 yr old for 6 weeks now. He has settled nicely and is generally calm and uncomplicated. He lives with my other gelding in a 3 acre paddock and there are horses/ponies in other paddocks on all sides.
I have barely ridden last 6 weeks due to Xmas, weather, light etc but want to crack on again. It’s now light enough to ride in the morning. So do I leave my youngster out on his own when I ride (30 mins max initially couple times a week) with the other horses surrounding him... or do I stable him whilst I’m riding?
He is used to a stable but I feel a bit bad bringing him in for that as all the other horses will be out. I do turn them out separately and occasionally have turned the youngster out first. He seems okay ish, cantered about a bit but not manic. But that’s only been for 5 mins max as I get my other horse.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Try leaving him out with others around him..the sooner he gets used to his pal leaving but returning the better.

 

[J&S]

If you leave him out with the others would be tempted to have some one on standby just to see how he reacts for the first time at least.

 

[stormox]

Stable him. Its good discipline and safer.

 

[be positive]

I would not take the older one away from him, maybe later once you know how he is, I would either turn out youngster first for an increasing length of time and ride then or bring him in first and do the same gradually increasing the time he is stabled alone until you know he is settled enough to ride out, he may be fine but if he gets really stressed you will set him up to have separation anxiety which can remain for life.

Take small steps and play it by ear giving him the best chance of a good experience, going cold turkey is not giving him the best chance to succeed.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Both!
Get him used to you removing yours from field now, by just taking him away for a few mins and no more than half hour max and returning him, make it a daily event.
Do the same when stabled, bring in, you go off with ridden one and return again, make each session short to start with and increase time.

Youngster will learn then that older one comes and goes and nobody dies..... get experienced friend to watch youngster the 1st few times, pref out of sight tho.

You'll get different replies tho, all will be from experience .

 

[Antw23uk]

Both!
Get him used to you removing yours from field now, by just taking him away for a few mins and no more than half hour max and returning him, make it a daily event.
Do the same when stabled, bring in, you go off with ridden one and return again, make each session short to start with and increase time.

Youngster will learn then that older one comes and goes and nobody dies..... get experienced friend to watch youngster the 1st few times, pref out of sight tho.

You'll get different replies tho, all will be from experience .

This.

Crack on but do it step by step and always set yourself up to succeed and have time to wait it out (you always return your older horse when youngster is calm and quiet) Likely he wont care one day and the world will be ending another day ... I have two like that and both are old enough to know better! The world collapsing is usually food related funnily enough!!! I just leave them to get on with the meltdown, i cannot stand horses that cant think independently, especially with others in paddocks around them!

 

[Pc2003]

At the moment if I can ride after work then I bring them both in for the night and ride my other one. Youngster is absolutely fine with this as has been out all day etc and everyone else is in. I think I will give it another week and turn youngster out first and increase the time he is out on his own before I put my gelding out.
To be fair my previous companion ( another livery’s horse) would melt if I put him out on his own so any improvements on that is a bonus 😂
Also my older gelding couldn’t care less whether he is out on his own etc so hopefully that breeds confidence with my youngster

 

[chaps89]

As the owner of a pony who will NOT stay out alone, please take your time and get this right, it's well worth it!

 

[chaps89]

I should probably clarify - you can try and take others away and leave her for a minute or two alone but she just jumps the fence (up to 5ft high and with a double fence with a gap of up to half a meter) so you don't have time to leave her to get used to it as she just brings herself in. She's also jumped over a stable door when she perceived herself to be on her own too. So it's not through a lack of trying to teach her otherwise! Hence why I wish someone had taught her to cope when she was younger

 

[splashgirl45]

i used to bring my youngster in and gave a haynet when i rode out. i rode in the field first so i could hear if she was going bonkers , she was a bit of a foodie so as long as she had something to eat she was fine to be left for a couple of hours,obviously i built the time up gradually. i just felt more comfortable that she was in the stable rather than having the space to gallop about and maybe try and jump the fence to follow me, they are all different so it will be trial and error...

 

[Pc2003]

I should probably clarify - you can try and take others away and leave her for a minute or two alone but she just jumps the fence (up to 5ft high and with a double fence with a gap of up to half a meter) so you don't have time to leave her to get used to it as she just brings herself in. She's also jumped over a stable door when she perceived herself to be on her own too. So it's not through a lack of trying to teach her otherwise! Hence why I wish someone had taught her to cope when she was younger

Ye, that sounds like a real pain in the ass!

 

[splashgirl45]

I should probably clarify - you can try and take others away and leave her for a minute or two alone but she just jumps the fence (up to 5ft high and with a double fence with a gap of up to half a meter) so you don't have time to leave her to get used to it as she just brings herself in. She's also jumped over a stable door when she perceived herself to be on her own too. So it's not through a lack of trying to teach her otherwise! Hence why I wish someone had taught her to cope when she was younger [/QUOTE


you could teach her now, get a grill to cover the space that the top door would cover so she will still get fresh air and be able to see out but not jump out, then take other horse away for 5 mins and gradually extend the time so she eventually calms down..it is do able but will take time and patience and you will need to stay very calm but will be worth it in the end..

 

[Suechoccy]

In or out depends on the horse. I tried in with my youngster (he was a yearling) while riding my older horse round the block for 10 mins and the youngster (according to hubby) spent his time charging round the inside of his stable and getting stressed. So we changed tactic - both horses normally lived out 24/7 so we left youngster out with a bucket of feed and pile of hay, with hubby sitting on a chair in field reading a book, and I rode older horse to end of drove and back (5 minutes). Lots of whinnying and charging round but also enticed by the food (reminiscent of the Daddy or Chips advert on tele). Next day we repeated but I rode round the block (20 mins). Did that for about 5 days and went for an hour's ride on 5th day. Hubby stayed in field just in case of trouble.
If the youngster usually shares a field with an oldie, dont' forget to do it the other way round too - leave the oldie in the field with some nice food and hay, and lead the youngster away out of sight for 5 mins and then back, and build that up gradually too. Good bonding time for u with each horse.
Little and often, daily, make it a pleasurable experience (I confess I am very lucky in owning two very food-oriented beasties!) for them whenever the separation occurs.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I never leave one of my horses in the field alone they just gallop about and I don't want to risk an injury, so they both come in together have some hay both are quite happy to be left alone in the stable and I know they are safe.