New boy fighting with his neighbour....any ideas?

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EMC

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After a nice stay in hospital for an operation, I've come back to find my boy covered in bite marks and cuts. He has been looked after by one of the other liveries whilst I was away and my non-horsey OH was mucking out.

So.....being new at the yard and at the bottom of the pecking order we were given a certain field. This was initially next to 'Horse B', from day one it looked like there would be problems as Fred and Horse B were nipping eachother over the fenceline.

Horse B is known to cause problems, not intentionally but he is a naturally dominant horse and walks over both his owners and his electric fencing. Also; Fred being an ex racehorse doesn't quite understand the pecking order and always wants to play so he isn't innocent either!!

After day two of this we spoke to the owners who were brilliant and agreed to move Horse B's electric fencing (he is on restricted grazing) so the two horses could not meet but as this left them able to meet at the water points we also had to buy fencing to keep Fred away from the fenceline.

Complicated!! Anyway this has worked for a week but on my return today Horse B has broken through his fencing and Fred is covered in bites and cuts.I have treated the cuts and put him to bed (he is sound) but I am petrified of turning him out tomorrow.

We had tried him in another field temporarily inbetween two quieter companions and he settled quickly but the livery in that field will not swap permanently so no go there.

So....what can we do?

- Move liveries? (any good yards near Yeovil?)
- Buy more fencing on payday and keep them even further apart with the hope that Horse B wont get through his fencing again
- Move him to another field......however there would still be issues of having neighbours (he does not like to be on his own understandably) and also the yard have diggers etc working near the other fields
- Re apply boots, over reach etc and hope for the best

I know racehorses do not like lone turnout, I also know they are not well socialised but I do not have the luxury of my own land or a quiet companion who will turn out with him. He is stable in the evening and has all day out at grass with horses either side of him.

Other than this Fred is amazing and is proving himself to be well worth the sacrifice of living on beans on toast for two months to buy him (yes - he was very overpriced.)

If anyone has any advice on how to manage this it would be most appreciated.
 
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firstly what has YO said about it, they should be the first ones you talk to , see what they suggest.
Do the owners of horse B accept that he is a pain? would they consider a grazing muzzle, would help his restricted grazing and stop him biting;)
 
Like most horses he wants proper company not just a neighbour over the fence, they will continue to try and get in together as they need the company.
I would find a yard that offers turnout in small groups or at least pairs and he is sure to be happier, horse B might be better if he had a mate too, they nearly all settle if given the chance.
 
Hope you are feeling better EMC! I've had the same issue with my TB, he was being friendly over the fence and the dominant gelding in that field got the hump with Benji flirting with his harem. He is now missing a strip of hair down the side - not great as I was planning on doing some RoR classes this summer :rolleyes: Unfortunately we've only solved the problem by separating them completely. Will the other livery definitely not swop fields? Or do they not want to be next to the nasty horse either? If so, perhaps Horse B should be moved!
 
Thankyou all for your advice, in answer....

Pinkatc - Thankyou, I am feeling a bit rough but that's probably due to getting out of hospital at 1pm and mucking out at 5pm lol. Stitches are still in with no thanks to Fred giving me a 'Hello Mum' head rub on the stomach.

The other livery definitely will not swap, we asked her before with Horse B's owner and she wants her current field as she likes her horse to carry a lot of 'condition' and she feels Fred's field doesn't have enough grass. The field is bigger and is pretty green to me but it is her choice.

I will approach Horse B's owner tomorrow but I feel awful as the owners are lovely and I don't want them to have to move because of me.

be positive - I would love to have Fred out with other horses as I know they are happier when kept as naturally as possible. However he has been stabled for all 8 years of his racing life without regular prolonged turnout so he is very boisterous when turned out with other horses and other owners simply do not want to risk their horse being hurt in the process of him finding his feet. We only have individual turnout at my yard but I will look into local yards who have alternatives.

Ibblebibble - The YO tends to stay out of yard politics and goings on. We are generally left to it as long as livery is paid and our stables/fields kept clean. I will speak to them but I think they will say solve it amongst yourselves, move him around if necessary or move yards.

Grazing muzzle sounds like a great idea! That would solve two problems with one stick (or muzzle.) They do understand he is a bit problematic, he is in non ridden work due to injury so has a lot of energy to spare. I'll ask about a muzzle tomorrow, never know they might try it! Particularily as I've already spent an extra £100 on fencing.
 
Can you share a field with one he gets on with? If he had a playmate he wouldn't be as likely to be trying to play with less friendly ones. If yard only does individual turnout I would move anyway, regardless of horse b. Some horses may have to be, but yours seems like he needs a playmate.
 
If the yard owner has no interest in his liveries and they're horses welfare, more to a yard whete they do.
 
I had two geldings that bit each other all the time, and grazing muzzles totally solved it. They got bored when they could only poke each other!
 
Stronger current through the electric fencing , preferably on the other horses to stop him trashing the fencing but if his owners won't assist with it then would put it on yours to keep Fred away from him to prevent him from being hurt further.

But do agree with the person who said YO should help resolve it but I know it's easier said than done :rolleyes:
 
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