New horse possibly not happy with individual turnout

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Professional trainer is coming out at the weekend to have a look at him and give their opinion.

I would always much rather horses be out in herds. Yes there is always a risk they could hurt themselves but I value the importance of allowing them to behave as naturally as possible. If I had the option of herd turnout I would absolutely do it.

You do have the option of herd turnout. It might not be near where you live, it might not be convenient, it might be expensive but somewhere, somehow you have the option of herd turnout. I cannot imagine why you thout individual turnout might be suitable for a 3 yr old and I certainly wouldn't ever recommend the breeder to anyone else.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

You don't need a behaviourist you just need to change the way he is managed keeping a 3 year old on individual turnout is just not fair, there must be somewhere it's not like your in an area with a shortage of yards and livery.

 

[Cortez]

Input from a trainer would be very useful. How much experience with horses do you have? How big is the turnout area? What are you feeding him? It sounds as if the pony has gradually been losing respect for you: striking out is a MAJOR no-no and needs to be addressed immediately before you get hurt.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I think the only clear option here is to buy a second horse

 

[paddy555]

Problematic behaviour started when he was becoming more reluctant to let me pick out his feet, initially snatching them away but has progressed to trying to kick me every time. When being led he started getting very up into my personal space, to which I have been calmly but firmly asking him to back off every time. Initially I was managing this behaviour ok, however he seems to be getting more and more disgruntled with me as time goes on. When leading now he’s trying to get me out of his space by either pulling ahead or swinging his head around and threatening to bite. I’m trying my hardest to not let him push me away but the times when he does manage it (because at the end of the day he’s always going to be stronger than me) he runs in front of me, rears and strikes out directly at me. So far he’s managed to actually kick me in the leg, chest, and head (I always wear my hat when handling him). I’ve shown seller videos of this behaviour and they’re absolutely stumped, have described it as a complete personality transplant as he’s always been so lovely towards people.



I do have a trainer coming out to see him at the weekend to get their thoughts but in all honestly I’m just wandering if this is just not the right home for him. Unfortunately herd turnout is not an option here, and there are no other DIY yards in the area that offer it. Am I being unfair by not giving him more time to settle, or does it sound like this just isn’t the setup that suits him and I should find him a home with somebody who has the appropriate experience and environment for a youngster like this? I really don’t want this situation to get any worse than it already is..

I think you have several problems here. Turnout with company being one of them but even if he was in a herd then you are still going to be left with the handling problem. Turning out to gallop around is not going to solve that.
You have to be able to handle him. It is not a case that his behaviour will just improve you are going to need to take steps to train him to behave. Not even a case of letting him settle in and it will improve.
Running in front, rearing and striking are just not on.

To me the question is how much experience do you have handling a 3 yo, do you have any help at hand to guide you or to step in?
I would watch the trainer handle him. I would expect him to behave for them. Then it will be a case if you decide to keep him of getting some training yourself as to handling him or alternatively selling and looking for an older more trained horse.

Everything you are saying in the 1st para of the quote above has happened many times before with boundaries not being established with babies especially moving into new homes.
I would see if the trainer thinks you will be able to deal with these aspect of behaviour training. If they can help you with this then hopefully you can keep him under control whilst you work on the accommodation problem.
Whilst he doesn't sound ready for you to exercise by riding if you can keep all 4 feet on the ground you can exercise his brain with training, long reining, walks in hand etc.

 

[FieldOrnaments]

I think the only clear option here is to buy a second horse

the issue being baby may then get overly bonded to the 1 horse after being on its own, so you need multiple horses.

Clearly an army of companion thelwell lookalikes is the answer.

 

[Michen]

Why anyone would think it’s ok to put a three year old that’s come from a herd, in a situation where they can’t even groom another horse, is beyond me. You are lucky he’s not jumped or run through a fence and created a big vets bill for you.

Please if you do get another make sure it’s one that’s used to or comfortable with this set up (though really it’s pretty cruel, I did do it to my own horse for 11 months though and hated it.. but made sure he had indoor arena playtime with a friend)

And either sell this horse or ideally move him straight to youngstock livery in the short term, so he’s not permanently ruined.

 

[paddy555]

Sorry for the long post, looking for a bit of advice and trying to include all relevant background information!

I’ve recently bought a 3 year old Connemara gelding, he’s kept at a very small and quiet DIY livery yard. At the moment he is on 24/7 individual turnout, as are all the other horses. He has one horse next to him who he can touch, but can’t get close enough to groom etc if wanted to. All other horses are opposite side of the alleyway to him, so not in touching distance.

The problem I am having is that he is becoming increasingly difficult to handle on the ground. I purchased him because he was incredibly quiet and well behaved on the ground, he was very friendly and loved interacting with humans. When I bought him he was used to being groomed, having his feet done, long reining in an arena and on quiet country lanes both on his own and with another horse, had worn tack and had a rider walk on him without batting an eyelid. I had a vetting done on him too which he passed, vet was very complimentary of his temperament.

I think the other point to consider in what to do with him is the question of riding. Are you planning to send him away/get a trainer in to get him riding and to ride him out for you? By the time he is 4and 5 he will be a much stronger horse and, however lovely his temperament is, he will be a youngster in riding terms which will need a rider familiar with riding young horses. I'm not sure what your plans are.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I think its a bit unfair for everyone to jump on OP. Some young horses cope fine on their own, others don't. Herd turnout is best (for most horses) but its difficult to find livery yards that offer it in some areas, or ones that do with awful introductions and have tons of injuries. OP has his best interests at heart or she wouldn't of posted this thread.

Is there a local Facebook Page you could post asking for help? Someone might have him for X months in their herd, or drive around, knock doors and ask. Sometimes you have to really try to find somewhere. Have you asked if anyone would share paddocks, even trying it short term? Maybe offer to help them out in return. If not, is there a way he could be closer to the others and able to groom over fencing? He might settle down. Its more difficult with youngsters because they're playful, my last yard no one wanted to share so my 3yo mare was turned out on her own for a few months. It didn't bother her but still pleased I found a place where she can have a friend.

 

[Michen]

Some young horses may cope but no young horse should HAVE to cope.

 

[Birker2020]

I think its a bit unfair for everyone to jump on OP. Some young horses cope fine on their own, others don't. Herd turnout is best (for most horses) but its difficult to find livery yards that offer it in some areas, or ones that do with awful introductions and have tons of injuries. OP has his best interests at heart or she wouldn't of posted this thread.

Is there a local Facebook Page you could post asking for help? Someone might have him for X months in their herd, or drive around, knock doors and ask. Sometimes you have to really try to find somewhere. Have you asked if anyone would share paddocks, even trying it short term? Maybe offer to help them out in return. If not, is there a way he could be closer to the others and able to groom over fencing? He might settle down. Its more difficult with youngsters because they're playful, my last yard no one wanted to share so my 3yo mare was turned out on her own for a few months. It didn't bother her but still pleased I found a place where she can have a friend.

I agree. My previous horse was on individual turnout and was fine, she had horses behind her and to both sides of her and could interact over the fencing. She was very prone to colic and could not have been kept in anything but strip grazed paddock. She didn't want for anything and didn't care. Initially many years prior I had turned her out in a herd but she'd been badly kicked (needed staples) and it was then that she went into an individual paddock.

Lari was sometimes kept on his own, and sometimes went out with a couple of ponies before I bought him but he went out on his own in the paddock my previous horse had vacated when I lost her, and he was fine. Because I was on a different time table to the other liveries (because I finished work early and couldn't ride him I left before most people had even arrived) so there were many occasions when Lari had up to 2 hours on his own in his paddock before the other horses were turned out, it never bothered him in the slightest.

I find it really interesting now that Lari is in a herd that he can quite happily graze a distance away from the herd at times, yet other times he literally shares the same blade of grass. One of the higher ranking horses in the herd was actually the other side of the stream the other day in a totally different field (gates are all open) and was out of view of the rest of the herd and was congratulating himself on finding a nice patch of grass that no one else had found! He didn't care. On another day two of the herd of 23 had come up to the top to have some hay out of the hay feeders whilst the rest of the herd took themselves off to a field out of sight. One of the two came back down the track and walked over to where he smelt the others, ten minutes later the remaining one came down the path, panicked because he couldn't see the others, screamed and dashed off over the fields to them. Each horse is different.

I can only name one yard in a ten mile radius of me that turns out in a herd, the other 15 or so are all individual turnout. I agree that young horses should be in herds but if the OP has no choice then she shouldn't be berated.