Livery and individual grazing paddocks

[cblover]

I’m moving back to livery, which I know some of you know but the one thing I’m not looking forward to is horses grazing alone. When did this become such a popular thing? I don’t like it.

I was at this livery yard 12 years ago (for 5 years) and horses had company. I like the yard and it’s handy but all the horses have their own field. Granted they can see each other and no doubt groom over the fence but is it really enough?
I’m wanting to move Sox from my place before the sales sign goes up, as I feel people may start to jump the gate for a look around. I’m probably being over careful but I’d prefer her not to be there, so I’m going to move her at the beginning of March.

One person on the yard has offered part of her field but she wants additional money for it......so that isn’t happening. Livery yard owner has offered me a 4 acre field (which is lovely of him), it isn’t really part of the horse land but right beside it and I’ve said I’ll have it but I’ll need to electric fence part off as it’s way too big. I’m waffling.....sorry! But she’ll still be alone and have less horses in sight or to touch than other fields.

Is this just how it is now? How do you all cope? I’m worried she won’t settle and I don’t really want another pony as company but I can see me having to invest in a Shetland or similar.

 

[Bellaboo18]

It's sad isn't it. All livery yards around here are individual turnout and I dont like it so have ended up with 3 horses. I'd love 1 horse if I could find a sensible herd.

There are exceptions to the rule but for the average horse I dont like individual turnout...yes they can groom over the fence but when they run from something in fear they cant run together or as a herd. I think that's where the stress comes from.

I've rambled on, is there someone on the yard you could buddy up with?

I went down the shetland route and haven't regretted it.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Imo its one of those things that is better for the owner but not the horse! Elf & safety has a lot to answer for as the possibility for claims against yard owners when horses get hurt or owners get squished in gateways must be huge these days (in the old days we just accepted the inevitable risk without question) Im lucky where I am because my friend and I always make sure the 5 we have between us can see at least 1 other and would never leave anything alone, I have my 2 boys in the same field but fenced separately due to their different requirement for grass. I would wait and see how she settles, some really arent that bothered and settle quite happily, my big lad is quite happy to have a whole field to himself and as long as hes eating he couldnt give a flying fig about where everyone else is. If you get another one, you are still going to have 1 on its own from time to time and it might be worse if they are not used to it

 

[ITPersonnage]

At my old place once everybody gets to know the new horse and it seems OK, there may be some negotiation around sharing with potential friends. From my experience you also need to "suss" the other parties out - who pooh picks who doesn't etc. as well as whether or not their horse is friendly or not, and how much grass they need. But I agree on the whole, I'd rather share if possible.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It's nothing at all to do with H&S, it's ridiculous paranoid owners who really don't want their horses to behave like horses. I would not take my horse to anywhere that has individual turnout, only.

 

[cblover]

I’m sure the yard owner is fine with horses together, it’s the owners I think! My Sox will be stables beside 2 donkeys....so that’ll be fun to start with. They are beautiful though and I’m hoping she’ll love them, after she’s over the shock

 

[HorseMaid]

It would be a deal breaker for me for my horse to have to have individual turnout. A yard we used to be on had quite happily had the horses out as a herd, with no issues. We all left on the same day after the owner decided he was going to make it in to individual paddocks (a suggestion of another interfering livery whose horses didn't live in with ours).

 

[Two Coloured person]

My horse goes out in individual turnout, he is quite happy. All the horses at the yard are competition horses many cost ££ they get enough injuries without running around kicking each other. If you want them in a herd fine, but they are more likely to get injured

 

[Wishfilly]

Mine is on individual turnout. I don't love it, and would much prefer turnout in a herd. Unfortunately, around here it seems your options are herd turnout but no facilities or individual turnout with reasonable facilities.

I constantly think about getting a companion for him, but I would have to pay for an additional stable, which would make things pretty expensive!

I don't love it, but he does seem to have settled- he is friends with the horse in the next field and they do interact over the fence. We talk to each other and make sure that nothing is left out on its own. As long as he can see others, he seems settled in the field.

I think there are a few advantages (e.g. it's easier to restrict grazing or to make a small paddock for restricted turnout, and yes less risk of injury!) but there are also lots of downsides, and in an ideal world it's not what I'd choose!

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

Mine was absolutely fine with individual turn out for many years. He was much happier than when in previous yard he was constantly injured including a bone chip from a kick. The yard prior to that he enjoyed his herd turn-out but It was overgrazed especially winter and no forage allowed. I was constantly worried about getting him in through a melee of hungry horses. It was a large yard and It’s not exaggerating to say the vet was up almost daily treating somebody with a field injury.

Like you I was initially really not happy with individual turn out and felt really guilty but on balance the other pros of the yard outweighed the individual turnout. He settled straight away and had years of being settled and happy. I have two horses now and they go out together in my specified paddocks. It’s clear they benefit from companionship but sadly on livery there are many compromises that you have to make and that is not the worst.

 

[RHM]

I’ve been on two yards now which said there would be small herd or paired turnout when looking round, the reality being individual. My pony just doesn’t settle at all even when surrounded by others. It got to the point I couldn’t even lead him to his field he just planted and refused to move. My mare on the other hand doesn’t give a toss so I think it will depend on your horses personality. I have to say having two really does take some of the worry away!

 

[shortstuff99]

After having over 20k worth of veterinary treatment and 2 operations caused by other peoples horses in herd turnouts I will never again do it. Mine either share with my own horses or next door to others.

 

[muddybay]

Mine is in turnout with 5 others and at the moment I wouldn't have it any other way! Most horses at my yard are on group but about 5 are on individual because they're too dangerous to be with others.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Both my horses suffered nasty injuries on herd turnout due to the same horse. He was riggy and dominant and one of mine as a late gelded pony wasn’t going to take any sh1te from him. My other one who loves everybody just got bullied and badly kicked which cost a lot in vets bills. They are now a bonded pair in a field with another bonded pair of geldings and it works perfectly. They don’t stress if they don’t get turned out with the other two and I can separate them without any issues because I don’t stand any histrionics from either of them. It comes as close to individual turnout as I’ve had and I wouldn’t allow them to go out with a large herd again.

 

[Antw23uk]

What are you doing now OP? Im assuming you are at home and selling up and going to livery? Does that mean you have more than one now or is the horse already on individual turnout at home?

I have one at home so he is on individual turnout. He is surrounded by horses and ponies but i feel guilty as he is a sociable chap. I think i may have found a companion today but now i worry they will get too attached and the companion wont settle alone when i am out riding! Blooming horses, lol!

 

[cblover]

Yes I currently have her at home with a pal as company. We’re selling up and I’ll just have one horse to relocate to livery. It’s a nice yard, I’ve been there before and only 1 mile from home but I worry about her being alone while out grazing. I only want the responsibility of one horse and I’ll trying to find a way around getting another as company.

 

[Antw23uk]

Yes I currently have her at home with a pal as company. We’re selling up and I’ll just have one horse to relocate to livery. It’s a nice yard, I’ve been there before and only 1 mile from home but I worry about her being alone while out grazing. I only want the responsibility of one horse and I’ll trying to find a way around getting another as company.

As long as you dont think she will have a total meltdown then i say just go with the flow and see how she settles. I've been on the fence for months now about a companion .. I still am really (collect in a week in 'theory') One horse is just luxury.

 

[cblover]

She’s a live wire but sensible enough. I’m probably worrying far more then she ever will. ? it doesn’t feel right though. Everything else is fine, dead handy, friends are there, clean, magic tractor to take the muck heap away and I know the family well. Farmers until diversifying to livery but good people.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

She’s a live wire but sensible enough. I’m probably worrying far more then she ever will. ? it doesn’t feel right though. Everything else is fine, dead handy, friends are there, clean, magic tractor to take the muck heap away and I know the family well. Farmers until diversifying to livery but good people.

One problem with individual turnout is that what should be a decent sized field has to be divided up into little patches, so not only can they not interact properly with other equines but also they don't have room to move properly.

 

[cblover]

I’ve got use of a 4 acre field, it’s more than I own now. I’ll be fencing it off but I can have it as big as I want.

 

[ycbm]

One problem with individual turnout is that what should be a decent sized field has to be divided up into little patches, so not only can they not interact properly with other equines but also they don't have room to move properly.

I see many posts about osteo vets and great physios and I often wonder whether there would be as many horses who need them if they were turned out with more company in much bigger areas.
.

 

[Shysmum]

Shy has been alone with other ponies over the fence, in a herd, but is happiest with his beloved shetland Pepsi, 31, our rescue pony ?

 

[PurBee]

Its quite ironic in a way, as many yards do separate turnout, or they go completely the other way and there’s a huuuge fields and a huuuge herd of 20+ sharing it.
My friend was on a yard like the latter. She had a mare, but we passed the geldings herd field gate to get her mare, and there was a gang by the gate, with 2 large TB’s at the fore which she said were lethal with biting/kicking and makes bringing in daunting for the owners. I wondered who the hell had the guts to cope tbh!

It would be good for a yard to match up horses who got along. It would only work with longterm liveries, so a mini herd could share and with a YO on site 24/7 they could assess if the herd works, to avoid injuries, rather than radomly plonk horses into the ‘gelding or mare’ field and allow the herd to battle out new herd positions, at the vet expense of the owners.

 

[Flame_]

The yard I used to be on had turnout paddocks for individuals and pairs. I liked them in pairs as much as possible but I wouldn't ever be comfortable with any more than two or three well matched, shod horses out together. I saw too many good, young horses broken and destroyed from kick injuries in my youth on DIY yards with stupid size herd turnout on a few acres. Too many yards just have far too many horses for the amount of land.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

One problem with individual turnout is that what should be a decent sized field has to be divided up into little patches, so not only can they not interact properly with other equines but also they don't have room to move properly.

I’ve got decent sized paddocks not little squares. Plenty of room to move around.

 

[milliepops]

Y

Its quite ironic in a way, as many yards do separate turnout, or they go completely the other way and there’s a huuuge fields and a huuuge herd of 20+ sharing it.
My friend was on a yard like the latter. She had a mare, but we passed the geldings herd field gate to get her mare, and there was a gang by the gate, with 2 large TB’s at the fore which she said were lethal with biting/kicking and makes bringing in daunting for the owners. I wondered who the hell had the guts to cope tbh!

It would be good for a yard to match up horses who got along. It would only work with longterm liveries, so a mini herd could share and with a YO on site 24/7 they could assess if the herd works, to avoid injuries, rather than radomly plonk horses into the ‘gelding or mare’ field and allow the herd to battle out new herd positions, at the vet expense of the owners.

Yeah the long-term thing is the problem ime. Last 2, times I've shared with other owners have resulted in injury, one because the other horse chased mine through a fence, the second because YO said they would spend plenty of time over introductions, then bunged them in together straight away without my knowledge ?

So you need stable, civilised pairs/groups and a patient YO. those things are hard to come by ?
I have 2 at livery now and it sorts it, one of mine can't share as she kicks but they live as a pair otherwise, which is a good compromise.

My others at home live together but I'm 100% in control so it's easy to manage the herd.

I find most settle to individual paddocks just fine so long as they have regular neighbours.

 

[Wishfilly]

I think part of the problem is that most livery yards don't have stable herds- I know you get some people who stay on yards for ages and ages, but even then they may get different horses. Just since I've got Blue, we've had 2 horses leave the yard and 4 new ones arrive (3 out of 4 bought by people already on the yard). Just as individual turnout isn't great and can be stressful, constantly chopping and changing herds can be stressful for horses too.

A lot of livery yards overstock their land too- so herds can end up in a smaller space than ideal!

Obviously the perfect scenario is a yard with plenty of space, lots of turnout, small, stable herds- but I'm not sure that's achievable!

 

[cblover]

Thanks everyone for your input. I’ll see how I go and how Sox settles. Everything about it is great apart from this one thing.

 

[Sossigpoker]

My previous horse lived in herds for most of the 13 years I had him., when he had to try individual turn out he really didn't settle. I never had any injuries either on him or by him caused by herd turn out but then he was very laid back and got on with other horses and I wouldn't allow him to be turned out with trouble makers .
Current yard has mostly individual turn out as yard owners horse are competition horses and she wouldn't risk them being kicked. We have field liveries too in small herds and sadly out of the blue one mare kicked one of yard owners youngsters, thankfully nothing broken but a big vet bill nonetheless. That's why once they're in work they go out individually or in pairs if they are well bonded and civilised.
It's not ideal but my cob doesn't seem bothered by whether he has company or not- before I bought him he lived with cows ??

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'm considering moving to an individual turn out yard. As a rule, I don't like it but I'm considering moving to manage more individually my boy's health and the yard meets other criteria.

He's turned in a herd at the moment but it's a perma-struggle with his weight and a few changes made recently don't suit my horse particularly.

He has ongoing weight/metabolic issues so a lot of herd turnout has proved unsuitable. It's a shame as I thought I'd cracked it at my current set up but individual may be the best option going forward.