My horse is a paddock walker!

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happihorse

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My horse only tends to go out for about 3/4 hours a day because if I leave him any longer he just gallops round the field, jumps out the field and / or injures himself!

However, recently when he has been turned out he just keeps walking up and down the side of the paddock. He's actually worn a track in the field now!

Any ideas why he is doing this and / or how I can stop him and make him settle more?
 
Our homebred youngster fence walks. She has had a stress free upbringing, and wasn't weaned until a year old, but all our field edges have tracks - and she has always lived out, so she's not waiting to come in! I think with her it is just her natural temperament and attention seeking, as if we sneak up on her (walk to the field instead of drive!) she will be happily grazing.
 
I watch with interest. Mine does this too at the moment. Keeps him fit though. He doesn't jump out as long as MoM stays in, but he fence walks like a maniac.
 
I keep the horses at home but I only have two (this one and a Welsh companion pony) but he is usually happy about the set up!

They are in adjacent fields because I can't put them in together because the Welshie has a very close shave with a pair of shod warmblood heels! However, it isn't the dividing fence that he walks along - it is the one at right angles to the Welshies' paddock which is closest to the stables!
 
We have two that field walk, but they make a circular track, absolute perfect circle in one case, we have between 6/7 turned out in 2 or 3s or individually but all in adjacent fields and they still do it, one the flys are bad one mare does it at the trot!!
 
If he can see company and chooses to walk away from it I would not worry too much at this stage as long as he settles to eat sometimes!
 
one of the tb's at my yard does this, he has worn a track around the paddock and also a diagonal where he changes the rein! the mad bugger
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We have one of the liveries like this. He is getting on a bit and everyone was very worried about him. the solution (which happened by accident when the cows escaped) was if the owner leaves him alone (IE stops checking him every few hours and calling him across the field
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and he is turned out in a huge field with the dairy cow he is content. He doesn't come in at all and is unrugged too.

Just seems to be his thing, but at least we don't have great trenches along fences now
 
My horse used to do this as a youngster and it was due to a combination of stress and boredom ( he has a busy head ).

He is fine now unless he wants to come in and will hang around the gate.
 
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