kbsaff
Well-Known Member
Some of you may remember my post a month of so ago looking for advice on the best way to intergrate 4 new horses into our existing herd of three.
Well, the new ponies have arrived and added two minatures, one child's first ridden type pony and one rather "Riggy" young man to our clan.
All was fine as the riggy pony keeps his "gang" away from ours so has created a more or less them-and-us situation. which suits everyone as there's no conflict.
However, the other two of the original herd are bought in at around 4:00 each day leaving my pony out with the new guys.
It's starting to emerge that once the two older ponies have been brought in, the Riggy horse is attacking my boy. I must add that the girl who owns the original two ponies has young children with her so, unless my boy is at the gate when she gets hers in, she can't trapse across the field to get him. It's simply not safe.
This new horse literally runs at my pony kicking and spinning and grabs his rugs. I've lost two rugs so far this week to him. I don't mean little tears either, they are absolutely shredded beyond repair.
My horse is covered in bite marks and has grazes and lumps all over his body and he's taken a kick to his knee rendering him lame.
He's got brushing boots all round in the hope that they might protect him from too much damage and I daren't turn him out without a rug as he's fully clipped and the rug is offering some protection against the bites.
I know that people will say "That's what horses do" but I really think that the behaviour of this horse is excessive. I could cope if it was the odd injury through rough play, but my boy is being physically singled out and attacked.
I'm really annoyed about the damage to rugs. Like many of us, I put a lot of money into my horse and can't afford to keep replacing rugs. I'm also terrified that my horse is going to suffer some serious injury.
What would you do? I'm bordering on having to keep my horse in all the time and exercise him morning & night which seems unfair to me.
It's a particularly difficult situation as this is a private family yard with only 7 horses on and the owner of the riggy horse also keeps 3 others there so is the main source of income.
Please help before I end up Rugless or worse, horseless.
Well, the new ponies have arrived and added two minatures, one child's first ridden type pony and one rather "Riggy" young man to our clan.
All was fine as the riggy pony keeps his "gang" away from ours so has created a more or less them-and-us situation. which suits everyone as there's no conflict.
However, the other two of the original herd are bought in at around 4:00 each day leaving my pony out with the new guys.
It's starting to emerge that once the two older ponies have been brought in, the Riggy horse is attacking my boy. I must add that the girl who owns the original two ponies has young children with her so, unless my boy is at the gate when she gets hers in, she can't trapse across the field to get him. It's simply not safe.
This new horse literally runs at my pony kicking and spinning and grabs his rugs. I've lost two rugs so far this week to him. I don't mean little tears either, they are absolutely shredded beyond repair.
My horse is covered in bite marks and has grazes and lumps all over his body and he's taken a kick to his knee rendering him lame.
He's got brushing boots all round in the hope that they might protect him from too much damage and I daren't turn him out without a rug as he's fully clipped and the rug is offering some protection against the bites.
I know that people will say "That's what horses do" but I really think that the behaviour of this horse is excessive. I could cope if it was the odd injury through rough play, but my boy is being physically singled out and attacked.
I'm really annoyed about the damage to rugs. Like many of us, I put a lot of money into my horse and can't afford to keep replacing rugs. I'm also terrified that my horse is going to suffer some serious injury.
What would you do? I'm bordering on having to keep my horse in all the time and exercise him morning & night which seems unfair to me.
It's a particularly difficult situation as this is a private family yard with only 7 horses on and the owner of the riggy horse also keeps 3 others there so is the main source of income.
Please help before I end up Rugless or worse, horseless.
