Leaving one horse in the feild Rant

JenTaz

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2009
Messages
1,466
Location
Edinburgh
Visit site
Last night when i went up to the yard to bring my two in my wee sisters pony had been left in the field by herself so i left a polite note in the diary asking if she was having to be left out by herself while the other 2 mares were in if they could give my mum a phone so she could get brought in as she is very unsettled by herself and gallops about

went up this morning and got a mouthful of abuse back about it said i was being unreasonable and that it wasnt there problem if i couldnt be up at the same time that they were and that i didnt have a clue about horses. but as i said to her i would never leave a horse in the feild by themself she got so angry she went to see the yard owner who said that in theory i was correct as is is common sense not to leave a pony or a horse in the feild by themselfs if they didnt know how they would react now ive had alot of stick from the other liverys its like being back at high school

sorry about the rant just thought it was commen sense not to leave a horse in the feild by themselve i'd never do it
 
Fully agree with you. I would never leave a horse alone out either and would expect anyone who would find mine left alone out to help by bringing her in just like I would do with theirs...silly that people get worked up about your comment they should be glad that someone has common sense...
 
OOOOh this so annoys me! I always work on the theory that one horse NEVER left in field on own unless owner has specifically said so if they haven't in it comes.How someone can do that and then leave an obviously distressed horse on its own is beyond me.Yes admit its a pain in a*** having to go and get collar/leadrope but it just something that has to be done!!!
 
We have a set rule at our yard that nothing gets left out alone.........
To be honest it's really common sense too......

You had every right to say something......
 
i regularly leave another horse in the field alone when i work my 3yro or bring him in for brushing/farrier etc.

yes, the other horse canters around and calls a bit but not really my problem- as long as they aren't the sort to try and jump out they are left to their own devices.
 
It is pretty much the only rule that is universal on all yards I have been on, never to leave a horse on its own in the field.

I think it's incredibly selfish of people to leave one horse out and shows a complete lack of horsey knowledge.

It happened twice to my previous horse and on both occassions it was by people new to horse ownership, so I put it down to ignorance rather than any sort of malice.

My mare now is not bothered either way if she has company but I do think it is common courtesy to bring her in and thankfully all people on the yard are of the same school of thought.
 
We have a rule - everything comes in by 5.30pm. If you cannot be up at the yard then you need to let someone know so that they will bring your horse in for you.

However, we have one serial offender who is always late and her horse canters around and gets in a state, and more often than not we are left to bring it in. She is now being charged £1.50 for every time she does this as it is not fair on the rest of us. The other day she didn't come down until 6.40!!!

My horse is absolutely intolerant of being out alone - he has jumped out before and injured himself, so I ensure that I am always the first one at the yard so this does not happen again.
 
We don't have a rule as such, but everyone knows not to leave anything out on its own, its kind of common sense isn't it?
If owner isn't there, then the farmer will fetch in.
 
This is a tricky one---we have a situation on our yard where one horse is really upset if left alone, but also upset if he's brought in to stay by himself. So the options are to bring in this horse and its friend who lives in another field (which is a pain), or for my pony (who should really be in a starver) to live in the first field to keep him company when the others are brought in.

Understandably, the owner of the horse in question feels a bit hounded, since it's not her fault that her horse is a bit clingy. But I can also understand that the owner of the other horses doesn't want to have to traipse up and down to fetch in yet another horse when she and her friend want to ride. What's annoying me a little bit is that my attempts to manage my pony's weight are being jeopardised thanks to this situation.
 
If it is a yard rule, then everyone accepts those conditions before they move in. But other than that I cannot see why an independent person should be obliged to provide anyone else's horse with a companion. If you do not want your horse left out alone, buy your own companion or pay someone to bring it in. All my horses have predominatly shared with one other horse. I have never expected the other owner to bring my horse in whenever she wanted to ride/had the farrier etc and vice versa.
 
I agree marmalade
laugh.gif
I think tho, if a situation occurs, a yard rule for bringing in ettiquete is no bad thing!
 
[ QUOTE ]
We have a rule - everything comes in by 5.30pm. If you cannot be up at the yard then you need to let someone know so that they will bring your horse in for you.

However, we have one serial offender who is always late and her horse canters around and gets in a state, and more often than not we are left to bring it in. She is now being charged £1.50 for every time she does this as it is not fair on the rest of us. The other day she didn't come down until 6.40!!!

My horse is absolutely intolerant of being out alone - he has jumped out before and injured himself, so I ensure that I am always the first one at the yard so this does not happen again.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would be well pissed off if someone told me my horse had to be in by 5.30....I don't get home until then! You seem amazed that someone didn't come until 6.40...whats wrong with that
confused.gif
...perhaps she has a life to be getting on with?? Although if she is not speaking to others and just expecting her horse to be brought in due to your kindness then I can see why that would piss you all off.

Thats why I have 3...they keep each other company until I finish the job that allows me to have them, travel home and then go sort them out.......
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think it's incredibly selfish of people to leave one horse out and shows a complete lack of horsey knowledge...

...but I do think it is common courtesy to bring her in and thankfully all people on the yard are of the same school of thought.

[/ QUOTE ]

assuming you mean out alone without any other horses in sight?

my horse's companion can see other horses 200 yards away from his field but still hoolies around like an idiot when i take my boy out- not my problem.

otherwise when i have my 17.1hh 3yro in one hand i should take his companion (who is never handled) and is 17.3hh in the other hand and lead them both up to the yard (about 800 yards) through lots of other horses who like to gallop around like loonies when a horse goes in.

and if i survive this, i do what? leave the companion horse alone in the stable yard while i take my horse out to work? so it can proceed to go totally bonkers in the stable where it has much more chance of hurting itself.
 
Oh yes, if there are others out I will do as i please with my horse.
We have one here who gets into a bit of a state when other come and go, but he isn't my problem, and if his owner wants him not to run around then its her responsibility to make sure he is in.
But i think leaving one COMPLETELY alone isn't really on.
 
[ QUOTE ]
But other than that I cannot see why an independent person should be obliged to provide anyone else's horse with a companion. If you do not want your horse left out alone, buy your own companion of pay someone to bring it in.

[/ QUOTE ]

What a bizarre pov .... why buy a "companion" horse when you are on a livery yard with plenty of other horses. I suppose it's an option for thsoe that have more money than sense
shocked.gif
smile.gif


Personally, I will not see a horse going bonkers in a field, at risk of injuring itself, on its own, I would bring it in. Unfortunately, not everybody thinks the same way, which is why we have rules so that they do.
 
I don't get to my yard till just gone 6pm during the week and in winter (october onwards) when my lad comes in at night along with the others...he is always the last one out...doesnt bother me and doesnt bother him....the other 2 often get left out alone...be it while me and my friend are riding....or visa versa....we dont have a set rule on our yard about this.....but there is only one horse on our yard who gets funny about being left alone so they try to avoid leaving her alone...i guess it depends on the horse...my horse and 4/5 others really dont care being left alone....they happily continue grazing without even a thought the others have left the field..
 
[ QUOTE ]

I would be well pissed off if someone told me my horse had to be in by 5.30....I don't get home until then!

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL it is a time that was agreed by everyone as do-able
smile.gif
Of course, if your horse doesn't care about being out alone then you are absolutely permitted to leave him/her out 24/7. It was implemented so that the ones that create are not left alone
smile.gif


[ QUOTE ]
You seem amazed that someone didn't come until 6.40...whats wrong with that
confused.gif
...perhaps she has a life to be getting on with?? Although if she is not speaking to others and just expecting her horse to be brought in due to your kindness then I can see why that would piss you all off.

[/ QUOTE ]

Her horse is prob the worst behaved when left alone (apart from mine, but mine is always done first). He is out alone, so no one has to go in his field. She knows full well that the horses are in by 5.30 and she has been told again and again that she must be there to sort her horse out on time, or communicate - no one minds doing it if they are aware that they have to, it is the *assuming* that someone will bring her horse in that gets people pissed off, we all have lives too!
 
I can see where you are coming from, if you have a horse that doesn't like being left out on its own, it can be a worry and very dangerous if they are not brought in with the rest but it is not other peoples fault that the horse has this special need. Nor is it their responsibility and I don't think its fair to be annoyed with them for not wanting to do it, unless they are paid yard staff.

Yes you kindly ask if someone doesn't bringing the horse in but really you should make arrangements for this to be done every evening so everyone knows that the pony will be brought in and that sole person is responsible for doing so, rather than relying on the last person to bring in.

If they happen to forget or they don't have time, or they don't want to take responsibly (for example the horse/pony could be handful or escape from them) then really its up to the owner to make arrangements for the horse to brought in by the YO or bring it in themselves and make sure you have time.

Not all horses go crackers when left in a field on there own, its one of the reasons why so many horses get so clingy with each other on some of these livery yards because people panic about horses being left on there own for more than 10 minutes, because their that used doing things all at the same time. (sorry I don't mean this in teh OP's case, its just something you often see on some livery yards
smile.gif
).
 
I am on a livery yard and I bought a second horse primarily as a companion. My first horse wont stay out on her own and is a horrendous weaver. I was also at a yard where people were using this as a bit of a weapon against me. I was coming down to find her bought in at odd times of the day with all the others out as they had forgotton her. They would suddenly decide to all bring the mares in at night without telling me etc. I think they were trying to get rid of me and take my stable! Anyway I got a second as a companion and my life has been so much simpler - no more panicing about her being on her own or left in a stable. I just get on with my own thing.
 
If the horse left is the sort that could be led in with mine, then yes I would bring it in at the same time as mine, and in the past I have done this. If not, then I would not bring it in, it is not my horse nor my responsibility, and it would mean that it was my horse left out.

I would in advance if possible let the owner know I was bringing in at x time so they have the opportunity to get in too or make arrangements.

What happens if you are bringing in someone's horse without their knowledge and there is an accident - bet they would blame you, and in the case of some ill mannered horses, why should I have my life made difficult and at risk by bringing in a leaping around arse.

If you can't get up at bringing in time, then pay someone who works at the yard who has insurance and responsiblity to do this or go to a yard where there are many horses and some that live out so nothing is out by itself.

My two are in together, and often I will bring one in and leave the other out with some grub. Farra is completly happy at being out alone, Chancer walks up about and calls for her but he just has to get on with it. Equally they are both ok at being the only one in the yard.

Like all things, given some time and effort most horses will tolerate being alone for short periods, even my TBs did, though not happy at being out, did not go mental.

Going back to the OP post, if I knew the pony was the sort that was not happy being left out, I would call the owner and let them know I was bringing in my horses and if possible, give them time to get up to the yard.
 
We have one huge field split into smaller ones so, although horses may get left on their own at times, there's plenty other horses who live out 24/7 in the adjoining fields and this seems to work for us. I wouldn't really want to have to bring another horse in if I'm bringing in my own, what happens if you put them in stable and they haven't got a bed or a haynet, would you then feel responsible for sorting them out in their stable? Not getting at anyone, this is just what has happened to me in the past - mine is very clingy and wouldn't stand in on her own so if I brought her in I'd have to bring her stable mate in, and then do them both beds, haynets and feeds for the night, with no thanks might I add.
frown.gif


We're very lucky in that YO would put another horse out with any that were panicking being out on their own as they all get on well and quickly settle.
 
We have a yard rule that one horse isn't too be left in the field on it's own.
It does mean that someone my have to bring someone elses horse in from time to time but this rarely happens.
 
Yep- absolutely see your point...didn't realise you had all agreed on the time....sorry....

My mates horse is well known for not liking to be out on his own....she tends to work later than some of us so will always make sure his stable is ready and if he is hooleying around I or another livery will bring him in for her....other days he is fine so we just keep an eye out and leave him if he is happy enough.

We have no set rules....yard closes at 9pm and as long as all are in and we have buggered off then YO is happy. We tend to work it between us....

I KNOW my horse would go demented if left out on his own....thats why I am one of those with 'more money than sense' (not!) that has more than one so he is never on his own......its a pain if we take the other 2 out for a hack and all the rest have been taken in by the time we get back- but I make sure this doesnt happen or if it does its for no more than few minutes....I wouldnt expect anyone else to have to bring the demented one in for me....

For sure...if I only had him...no doubt I would be on here having the rant off as some of you lot
wink.gif
 
We have a rule if one horse is going to be left out when when you bring yours in, you fetch it in as well. My horse is fine out by himself, but some horses aren't and personally I think its a bit selfish and stupid to leave a horse out by itself...we all share the same yard why create problems??
 
I have to say I wouldn't think twice about leaving any of the horses in our field on there own, they are all pretty independent and don't have a problem with it. To be fair to the other liveries if they want to ride/bring in there horses they shouldn't really have to bring your horse in everytime. I would get a bit annoyed if my horse shared a field and I had to phone someone and organise everytime I bought them in. Could you not put your sisters pony in with your horses then the problem is avoided.
 
we had a yard rule that a horse was never to be left out on its own - it worked well and seems like common sense to me.

my horse had been left for a grand total of about 5 mins and he jumped out! he was a cheeky little sod though!
 
[ QUOTE ]
We have a rule if one horse is going to be left out when when you bring yours in, you fetch it in as well. My horse is fine out by himself, but some horses aren't and personally I think its a bit selfish and stupid to leave a horse out by itself...we all share the same yard why create problems??

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sure there would be some people who would leave you to bring their horse in all the time .....I have 3 to bring in...unless the horse was going mad on its own I'd be buggered rather than go back up the hill......seeing as no-one would ever have to bring my 3 in ....cynical??? Moi???
tongue.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
We have a rule if one horse is going to be left out when when you bring yours in, you fetch it in as well. My horse is fine out by himself, but some horses aren't and personally I think its a bit selfish and stupid to leave a horse out by itself...we all share the same yard why create problems??

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sure there would be some people who would leave you to bring their horse in all the time .....I have 3 to bring in...unless the horse was going mad on its own I'd be buggered rather than go back up the hill......seeing as no-one would ever have to bring my 3 in ....cynical??? Moi???
tongue.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

True, but we have no one that has three horses on our yard so we dont have that problem! But our winter turnout field is about 1 mile down the road...which is why we have the rule as horses generally wont settle that far away from home. Summer turnout is right next to the yard so it doesnt really apply then.
 
Top