Mare started being vile at bringing in time

[HorseMaid]

I've been doing the bringing in at night all winter and have had a system for bringing in 3 mares that has worked really well. Because I don't want to get flattened by leading 3 I leave one stable door open with feed in, headcollars on 2 of them and when I open the gate the 3rd one trots off into her stable for her tea. Perfect, has worked like a dream.

But now my mare (it had to be mine!!) who is one of the ones that gets led in, has started being beastly to the others. This evening she has attacked my friends mare at the gate, I can't figure out what has changed. Hormones? Hangry? She is like an angry wasp, but as soon as she is in eating reverts to her usual self. This is a definite change in behaviour over the last few weeks and I have witnessed argy bargy between her and the other (top dog) mare also - my mare is middle of the 3 in the pecking order. Top dog mare had a cut to her stifle area this week which has needed vet treatment, which could be the result of bickering.

What would you do if this were you? In theory I'm considering fencing her off for the others safety, however it's a shame as they have lived happily together for years!

 

[SEL]

If this was mine she'd be hungry.... I've just put a bit more hay out to stop exactly that. There's no grass in their paddock after the month of a thousand storms and I'm not moving them onto other wet fields. Today she was a delight to bring in - yesterday she was evil!

 

[tallyho!]

SEL - nail on the head!

Hangry. What I do to stop hangry horses and ponies is to give hay before bringing in time.

If that's not an option - it's one at a time I'm afraid - more time but better safe than sorry.

Not long now... it was dark at 6pm today - yay!

 

[HorseMaid]

I'm thinking one at a time too... Hay beforehand not really an option as I go straight from work to get them in! Luckily the field gate is only a few yards from the stables so it wouldn't add too much time. I could probably bring my cowbag in first then the others together as they are nice ?

 

[ihatework]

Cowbag first - led
Then the other two - led

Letting them run free gives me the heebie jeebies anyway

 

[Melody Grey]

I bring my three geldings in together and it works well, but my routine is clockwork; M is tricky to catch and is herd leader so has a bucket to left of gate, head collar on and occupied by bucket. J and T get their headcollars put on (not stupid enough to challenge for the bucket) and go to my left and in the middle respectively. Wide gateways we go all together, narrow doorway onto the yard, it’s M first, then J and then T behind with his longer lead rope...so it is possible if you can keep them in check!! I take no prisoners- it’s survival, I don’t have time for multiple trips to the field and time is ticking on the school run.

Yours sounds like a hangry situation to me too.

 

[HorseMaid]

It was only The Fat One who was ever allowed to run free, she really has nowhere else to go as the yard is contained and is really greedy so has reliably trotted straight to her stable for her food - the other two always led in together as I wouldn't trust them not to do anything stupid!

 

[HorseMaid]

It's worked like clockwork even to the point of who stands where - my cowbag always on my left so that I can tuck her behind the gate as we go round it to close it so she can't boot The Fat One as she goes out!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

It was only The Fat One who was ever allowed to run free, she really has nowhere else to go as the yard is contained and is really greedy so has reliably trotted straight to her stable for her food - the other two always led in together as I wouldn't trust them not to do anything stupid!

but it teaches her that there’s no need to mind anyone else and that she gets her food first.
I know it’s tempting when you’re by yourself but I honestly think feeding/bringing in of hungry horses in the winter is potentially one of the most dangerous things we do on the ground-especially if on your own (as am I). Sounds like her being hungry has tipped her behaviour to unacceptable. preferably Give them hay first but if not, rude one in first with head collar and then the other two.

 

[AmyMay]

I'm thinking one at a time too... Hay beforehand not really an option as I go straight from work to get them in! Luckily the field gate is only a few yards from the stables so it wouldn't add too much time. I could probably bring my cowbag in first then the others together as they are nice ?

That’s what I’d do. Your mare first, and then the other two together.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It sounds like a hunger response one of my geldings will be horrible to my other horse when his hungry some get like that some don't.

I also agree with above hungry horses at a gate is highly dangerous I have seen some terrible fights at bringing in time.

I would give them some hay in the field if you can so they are not so hungry when bringing in.

 

[atropa]

100% agree she's hangry. My dominant mare has become quite horrible to my other two over the past couple of weeks at bringing in time, worse when it's cold wet and windy - they shall not get anywhere near that gate. Either feed some hay half an hour before bring in, or bring in your mare first then the two more polite horses.

 

[Nasicus]

Same as above, narky one in first followed by the others.
If gate crowding is an issue, set up a little electric fence area around the gate so you can get narky one into there first before opening the main gate.

 

[Xmasha]

the other thing id do, is not leave the food in the stable. They get to know that their feed is waiting for them, that makes them more 'hangry' . So id bring them in ( naughty one first) and let them have hay. Then later on give them the feed.
feed in the stable waiting for them makes a couple of mine anxious. Its just not worth it.

 

[Highmileagecob]

You are right about hormones changing too - most mares will be gearing up to come in season soon - our lot seem to have an annual punch up to sort out who is the alpha mare this year! The geldings go off to the bottom of the field and leave them to it.