MizElz
Well-Known Member
Well, only in one way; in all others, she's an angel, so I'm not going to moan about her too much
But....she is being so naughty in the field at the moment, I feel like banging my head against a brick wall! I have posted about this before; at the time, we wondered if it was due to the fact that they had been muckspreading in her field....but that was weeks ago, and her behaviour isnt changing. Basically, she stays out for about 20 minutes and then decides to muck around. This involves about 5 minutes galloping from end to end of the field, then dropping her head to graze for a while, then proceeding to trot up and down the fence line until someone brings her in - pausing to graze for a few seconds every now and again
Now, she used to do this in our old livery yard - it was a bit of a 'phase' she went through. We wondered if she was lonely, and tried turning her out with the horse she was next to, and friendly with, in the yard. This only made matters worse; when she galloped, he followed, and it turned into a game of tag - which I, on the ground, did not win - and resulted in very sweaty, very stressed horses. So company was not the answer (and please, nobody keep on saying that I 'should get another horse/rescue pony/donkey/goat/sheep' etc - this is NOT the solution and would not be possible with our situation!) Anyway, the issue at the yard was 3 years ago - we've now moved her home, with our own stable and small yard, and for the past 18 months, have had no problems turning her out whatsoever. Her naughtiness has only occurred since Christmas! We're wondering if it has anything to do with her field being right next to the house; she's a canny little devil, and I've seen her peering through the living room window waiting for me to go and get her. Worth mentioning also that when I do go to bring her in, she is as quiet as a lamb, and is perfectly happy wandering around the yard on her own during the day.
I do not want to lose this battle with her, as come the summer, I'm going to be facing a situation where I have:
a) a horse that refuses to be left in the field for longer than 20 mins
b) a field so churned up by winter/spring exploits that not much grass remains for the summer.
In a way, I'm longing for it to get just a wee bit warmer, so I can turn her out rugless and leave her to get on with it. I have a feeling that if I was brave enough to let her run herself out, she would eventually settle down, as she almost does this already! Believe me when I say she is not a stressed horse; I know Ellie when she is stressed, and this by contrast is simply a situation whereby she knows if she makes enough fuss, her panicky owner is going to go and get her in for fear of her damaging herself
She has me just where she wants me really!
Any ideas.......that dont involve changing rugs (tried and tested), companion animal (tried, tested, discounted and not currently possible) or making field accessible from stable (unfortunately not correctly situated)???? I've rambled a lot; I do apologise!
But....she is being so naughty in the field at the moment, I feel like banging my head against a brick wall! I have posted about this before; at the time, we wondered if it was due to the fact that they had been muckspreading in her field....but that was weeks ago, and her behaviour isnt changing. Basically, she stays out for about 20 minutes and then decides to muck around. This involves about 5 minutes galloping from end to end of the field, then dropping her head to graze for a while, then proceeding to trot up and down the fence line until someone brings her in - pausing to graze for a few seconds every now and again
Now, she used to do this in our old livery yard - it was a bit of a 'phase' she went through. We wondered if she was lonely, and tried turning her out with the horse she was next to, and friendly with, in the yard. This only made matters worse; when she galloped, he followed, and it turned into a game of tag - which I, on the ground, did not win - and resulted in very sweaty, very stressed horses. So company was not the answer (and please, nobody keep on saying that I 'should get another horse/rescue pony/donkey/goat/sheep' etc - this is NOT the solution and would not be possible with our situation!) Anyway, the issue at the yard was 3 years ago - we've now moved her home, with our own stable and small yard, and for the past 18 months, have had no problems turning her out whatsoever. Her naughtiness has only occurred since Christmas! We're wondering if it has anything to do with her field being right next to the house; she's a canny little devil, and I've seen her peering through the living room window waiting for me to go and get her. Worth mentioning also that when I do go to bring her in, she is as quiet as a lamb, and is perfectly happy wandering around the yard on her own during the day.
I do not want to lose this battle with her, as come the summer, I'm going to be facing a situation where I have:
a) a horse that refuses to be left in the field for longer than 20 mins
b) a field so churned up by winter/spring exploits that not much grass remains for the summer.
In a way, I'm longing for it to get just a wee bit warmer, so I can turn her out rugless and leave her to get on with it. I have a feeling that if I was brave enough to let her run herself out, she would eventually settle down, as she almost does this already! Believe me when I say she is not a stressed horse; I know Ellie when she is stressed, and this by contrast is simply a situation whereby she knows if she makes enough fuss, her panicky owner is going to go and get her in for fear of her damaging herself
Any ideas.......that dont involve changing rugs (tried and tested), companion animal (tried, tested, discounted and not currently possible) or making field accessible from stable (unfortunately not correctly situated)???? I've rambled a lot; I do apologise!
