My horse won't stay out in the field on her own ...

[Snowy Celandine]

... but I'm not sure why. Could it be because the weather has turned colder and she wants to come down into her stable even though that means being on the starvation paddocks with the minis? She's not got a shelter up there at the moment but I've put a lightweight rug on her for the last two days to see if that makes a difference. Previously she's been raring to go up to get the grass but I suppose there's not much goodness in it now so perhaps she thinks it's not worth being up there any longer? It sounds as though I have acres of land but I don't, just a small field that I've split into smaller paddocks, so she's not far away from her friends and can chat to them over the fence. She didn't do this last year so I thought I'd better ask you lot what to do

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Is she a good weight? Or over or under weight?
As temps have dropped, B is on longer grass at night and I've given her A Fuzzy with a grazing muzzle on. Fatty Tiny Fuzzy is in diet paddock at night on own. B is much more settled if she has a furry football out with her.
In daytime all 3 are together over 3 bare paddocks, B has a section of hay lobbed into the big shelter hay bar to nibble on, means the 2 x tinies cant get at it!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Can you put something else in with her?

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Thanks TFF She's 'looking well' so it won't really harm her to be on the starvation paddock with the minis but, until recently, she used to gallop off up the field every morning to get to the longer grass as soon as I opened the gate. Part of her fence is shared with the minis so she can see them but isn't in with them. She just seems to stomp up and down that shared fence line and the entire length of one of the other sides, until I bring her in.

My only other thought is that she's peeved because I'm using her usual stable for the sheep at the moment as their shelter has sprung a leak after all this wind and rain. Maybe she's staging some sort of protest! She's always been very happy to come down to the starvation paddock with the other two at night because she has her Danilon and handful of chaff as a treat but she was always keen to get back up to the longer grass in the morning until now.

CT, I've only got three at the moment so I keep the minis together as they get fat on fresh air so she has to go up to the top on her own if she wants the good grass. Once the cows go in for the winter my friend will put her horses in next door and Nelly will pal up with them instantly and forget that the tinies even exist until spring time. She's a fickle creature

 

[Shay]

No horse is designed to be alone. Bring her down with your minis or bring her in. But in her mind a lone horse is a dead horse. Let her be with mates. Even if you then have to supplement her feed or hay. She's not being fickle - she is being a horse! She needs mates!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Is she the Arab SC? If so, then I don’t think reason comes into it.

My silly beast decided that she objected to the round pen today. Not that she’s locked inside it, or anything like that - just that it exists at all. It’s in the middle of their track system and she’s stalking the fence line around it like a panther. The grass inside is worse than outside. There is no logic.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Thank you for your concern Shay. I know you mean well but my horse is right alongside her mates, not really on her own if you see what I mean? All summer she's been more than happy to get all the good grass to herself without the pesky minis competing with her and she's managed not to die for well over 20 years

She is very bonny at the moment and the vet agrees with me so I am definitely not starving the beast. I don't actually leave her in the field once she makes it clear that she wants to come back down so don't worry, she is a pampered girl

 

[Snowy Celandine]

LadyG, I'm afraid my beautiful Arab girl is no longer with us This is my old Highland mare who's always been an 'alpha mare' with quite definite likes and dislikes which is why I'm surprised that she's forsaken her longtime love .... grass! She's got a good appetite, isn't lame and seems perfectly happy in every other way so I'm just puzzled why she wants to be down at the bottom of the field all of a sudden. It has been cold and rainy so it could be simply that she wants to stand inside and eat hay since she doesn't seem particularly fussed about seeing the minis even though one of them adores her and is like her little shadow.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

But, but, there is sheep, in her stable! You have disrupted world order, and maybe she wants to be close to the minions so she can use them as a buffert, in case the sheep tries to take over her fields as well.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Ha ha, she does stick her head over the stable door and give the sheep some rather pointed looks ? Mind you, one of the wethers squeezed through the fence the other day and actually began eating from her pile of hay whilst she was munching at it. I think she was so amazed by his cheekiness that she let him carry on until I rounded him up ?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I should think it is more due to the weather than anything else! It is very definitely autumnal here this morning, even though the sun is bright. Of course, I'm sure that she would welcome another companion if you felt like having another riding horse

 

[WandaMare]

Maybe somethings spooked her in the grass field or could the flies be worse? One of mine is v reluctant to go out at the moment, she doesn’t like any wind at all and when I walked over to ‘rescue’ her on Thursday, before the storm had properly started she had already started to tremble lol, not that she’s a drama mare at all

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I should think it is more due to the weather than anything else! It is very definitely autumnal here this morning, even though the sun is bright. Of course, I'm sure that she would welcome another companion if you felt like having another riding horse

Funnily enough that is H's suggestion too

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Maybe somethings spooked her in the grass field or could the flies be worse? One of mine is v reluctant to go out at the moment, she doesn’t like any wind at all and when I walked over to ‘rescue’ her on Thursday, before the storm had properly started she had already started to tremble lol, not that she’s a drama mare at all

Yes, I wondered if something had spooked her but the shooting season hasn't started and there hasn't been anything else happening that she's not used to so I've started to think that it is definitely the weather because it's a lovely morning here and she's been out for two hours looking as happy as normal. She charged up to the top of the field, had a good roll, and has had her head down, eating, ever since. I need to get her shelter built up there as soon as I can and see if that pleases her. We're building a poly tunnel for the sheep and many, many fences and gates at the moment but the field shelter is next on the list!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Ha ha, she does stick her head over the stable door and give the sheep some rather pointed looks ? Mind you, one of the wethers squeezed through the fence the other day and actually began eating from her pile of hay whilst she was munching at it. I think she was so amazed by his cheekiness that she let him carry on until I rounded him up ?

Well, there you go. First there is one, then it is just a matter of time before the rest comes, and they're all after her hay!

You've probably rigged it so the minions have better weather in their field, too.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

You made me laugh FL I wouldn't put it past her to think that I'd arranged better weather for the minions in their field!!!!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

LadyG, I'm afraid my beautiful Arab girl is no longer with us This is my old Highland mare who's always been an 'alpha mare' with quite definite likes and dislikes which is why I'm surprised that she's forsaken her longtime love .... grass! She's got a good appetite, isn't lame and seems perfectly happy in every other way so I'm just puzzled why she wants to be down at the bottom of the field all of a sudden. It has been cold and rainy so it could be simply that she wants to stand inside and eat hay since she doesn't seem particularly fussed about seeing the minis even though one of them adores her and is like her little shadow.

I’m sorry to hear about your Arab SC, they are such special creatures.

I think your Highland probably sees herself as far superior to sheep and can’t understand why you’ve allowed the fluffy little trespassers into her stable.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Thank you ? She was full of character and I miss her x