Not too sure what to do !

benson21

benson21

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I am at a fantastic livery yard, have been there for 10 years, have made some really good close friends. I have a good deal at the yard, all hay and straw included, its 5 mins from home and I am really happy there. i also organise a sponsered ride from there which has raised over 10k for Kent Air Ambulance.
But Donovan is not happy.
And there is my problem. Do I stay and hope things with him inprove because I am happy there, or move to another yard, loose friends, not such a good deal probably, not so close to home, in the hope Donovan would be happier?
 
He has been put into a new field. There are 2 others in there, one is 17 and the other 26 ish. Donovan is 5, and really wants to play, which the other are not doing. The 26 yr old is the boss of the field and is really pushing Don about, teeth barred and ears back, chasing him away from the gate, from me when I try and catch him. Don comes in from the field completely miserable.
I have poo picked today and took don out with me, the others were not out, and he has had a good kick and a fart, cat leaping, and generally just had fun, which has kind of made me feel that I need to do something.
But then I am not sure maybe I am just being over protective, and fussing about not a lot.
 
Ditto above.How long has he been on yard
Also could you try changing fields.Know it sounds silly but have know 3 horses( 1 from different yard) that would only settle in a certain field/field mates.In other feilds they were anxious, pacing,bargy gits but settled happily into other field. It was definitely weird.Def field with one of them cos even if you moved same herd into another field horse would still react.
Funnily enough these were all mares tho.Maybe geldings aren't as sensitive.
 
Donovan has been there for about 15 months. As it is DIY we dont really get a say which field he can go in, we have one for mares and one for geldings, thats it. I dont want to seperate him off on his own with no company, but feel really sorry for him when he is being pushed about by the other one. I have been a livery there for 10 years, and its like a 2nd home for me, so dont want to leave, but I am in the mind that Donovan is the important one in this.
 
I moved from a yard because my mare wasn't happy. Although we hadn't been there long, I knew all the owners from previous years and we really all got along.

The problem was my mare would go bonkers as soon as anybody appeared at the field. Even if they were just poo picking, not moving horses about, she just wouldn't settle.

I am now on a yard where she goes out (with the YO's mares) to a field that doesn't overlook the yard or other horses. She is much more settled and although it costs considerably more :(, I am happier because I know she is happy :)

It's a difficult one but I would rather my horse was happy. If she's not happy, then I'm not happy. If I'm not happy, she couldn't give a monkey's :).
 
I am with you there Quirky, I am at the yard because of Don, if he doesnt want to be there, then nor do I.
I guess its just a big upheaval and move away from things I know, and go into the unknown!
 
Hi maybe your first course of action would be to speak to YO ,im sure they wont want you to leave and may have an idea of what to do to sort it out. my cob was the same- but he was the one beating everything up in the field if they wouldnt play with him! we had a good talk and hes now in with a sec A colt in a section of woodland to keep them busy-works brilliantly. :D
 
Have you spoken to the yard owner/manager about it, they may be willing to do a bit of shuffling with the horses rather than lose a client that is known and trusted.
Worth a shot, whats the worse that can happen, they say that they won't change the field mates and you move, or they may move field mates around and both of you are happy.
 
I sympathize with OP. I wish yards would group horses that have similar needs, not just mares and geldings. You wouldn't keep a laminitic in the same field as a poor doer would you? Most places allow for that, but at one point at my place we had 2 x 27 year olds, a 30 year old, and a 32 year old in one field, quite happy to just pootle about and doze their day away if necessary, and YO sticks an 18 month old TB filly in which did cartwheels at the slightest thing. It wasn't fair on the oldies, and wasn't fair on the filly which NEEDS to play. I think the basic problem is that many yards just don't have sufficient grazing to divvy it up properly.
 
If this is a new arrangement, then can you go back to the previous field/field mate situation that donovan was happy with? What has the yo said? As said they may be more willing to shuffle the horses a bit than lose a trusted livery?

We had a young pony at our yard, who if kept with a couple of older geldings would be bullied and become very miserable. We always made arrangements for him to go out with a younger gelding to play, or by himself, others horses either side of his field...he was a lot happier that way.
 
There is one other field he could possibly go into, think I will just have to bite the bullett and ask! Beg!! Plead!! whatever it takes!! I know something else was suppposed to be going in there, so we will have to wait and see!
 
It will be harder to find another place that you love as much, and you and your horse will be unhappy.


I would stay where you are happy and your horse is in a field with sensible although boring horses that won't cause him harm. Cheer him up by playing with him yourself? My Horse is very babyish (although hes 9!) and sometimes we play together in the school or the field, and do silly things.
 
Bring him to my yard! We have a yard full of naughty geldings who love to play! Of all ages! lol! In fact, I had to swap fields because it all got a bit much. now my boy is in with a grumpy 17 year old, a 9 year old who can take him or leave him and a rather large cob who seems to like to play... sometimes! It's much better as he now knows there is a time and a place for playing... and that is if and when the others are bored. NOT all the time.

But do think long and hard before you move... think about all the ripped rugs and injuries... (talking from experience here!)

If there is an alternative field he can go in or the chance that new horses may turn up sometime soon, then stay put.
 
Benson 21, you know who I am lol, if you are stuck and really decide you have to move then I will twist my YO's arm for you. There is space, it's very cheap, only a mile up the road from me and Donovan can play to his hearts content with our 6yo, who we call 'The Eternal Foal' She is Peter Pan in horse form!
 
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