OTTB Mare pacing in field

Could you offer to pay another livery to bring your two in after he or she has brought his or her horse in? (Sorry, can't cope with this plural singular 'their' business. It's totally ungrammatical.) You never know, that person might be keen to have a little pocket money.

ETA: I wouldn't bother trying lights.
 
Equine mads said:
There are 2-4 that come in before her but there is atleast another 2-4 that come in after her. After shes ridden she is happy as larry in the field its apparently about 4/4:30 that she starts pacing which where i am at the moment is when it starts to go dark. She would be the only one in if she were to be left in after being ridden which only makes her box walk/weave unfortunately, i did try that for a week or so until one of the other liverys told me she was cantering around her box which i thought was more dangerous then her pacing the field injury wise
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What I am trying to say is, although it's because of the time of the day, I still don't think lights would help. I think the only way to solve your mare's (and therefore your) problem is by bringing her in (or having her brought in) between 4.00-430pm, which is when she wants to come in. i don't think she is showing odd behaviour (not that you said she was). There is a time of the evening when a horse just wants to be settled with the others of its kind.
 
If you knew my horse, you’d know I wasn’t joking. Once she started, it looked like an addiction, for all intents and purposes.

I made a lot of life choices I wasn't happy about and would not have otherwise had made, simply because I couldn't 'just' move yards because I never knew if a new yard would be better or a whole lot worse, the latter generally outnumbering the former, so my odds were not great.
 
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I find some horses don't like being out for hours in winter especially if they see others coming in, it's sometimes just a management thing I find when horses accept being out they cope and get on with it.

When you take them where there are others managed differently they sometimes don't cope it's just how it is unfortunately.

Better explaining is horses are out you want yours out late but they see others coming in they don't understand why they are left out, so some horses stress because they are conditioned to do what the other horses do especially if the horse has been kept in a very strict management yard previously like a racing yard.

My horses don't have a routine and they have learnt to just live out.
 
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Equine mads said:
Im fully aware of this but my current options are either try to help her overcome the fence pacing being turned out as she only does it in the evening or have her doing donuts in her box for an hour or so before anyone else comes in that would be in sight from her box.
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But these aren’t your only options. Find a freelancer you can pay to bring her in when she wants to come in, or move to a yard where she is happier.
 
I can understand why moving might be really difficult for some people to be completely fair as is spending money on a freelancer daily indefinitely if funds don't allow...
Do you work weekends? Could you trial bringing her in earlier at the weekend where you can then watch her behaviour in the stable and see if she is calmer? Then you know if hiring a freelancer might be helpful and worth the investment.
 
Starzaan said:
But these aren’t your only options. Find a freelancer you can pay to bring her in when she wants to come in, or move to a yard where she is happier.
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I cant move yards due to my transport arrangements and there are no one around me that does freelance work so that isnt an option where i am. Im in quite a remote of the uk.
ponynutz said:
I can understand why moving might be really difficult for some people to be completely fair as is spending money on a freelancer daily indefinitely if funds don't allow...
Do you work weekends? Could you trial bringing her in earlier at the weekend where you can then watch her behaviour in the stable and see if she is calmer? Then you know if hiring a freelancer might be helpful and worth the investment.
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I work 6 days a week 7 every 1 in 3, as pervious said, shes worse stabled as she does donuts for the hour or so before everyone else comes in.
 
Equine mads said:
I cant move yards due to my transport arrangements and there are no one around me that does freelance work so that isnt an option where i am. Im in quite a remote of the uk.

I work 6 days a week 7 every 1 in 3, as pervious said, shes worse stabled as she does donuts for the hour or so before everyone else comes in.
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I’m sure there will be people around you that freelance. I have lived in some of the most remote parts of the uk and there are always freelancers.
 
Starzaan said:
I’m sure there will be people around you that freelance. I have lived in some of the most remote parts of the uk and there are always freelancers.
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In fairness there isn’t anyone that does that up here (I’m on an island) and those that might “give it a go” wouldn’t have the experience to work with horses properly. We also only have 2 livery yards so I can sympathise with people when they say they have limited options. You’d maybe be able to pay to keep horses on someone else’s land. (Mine are at home so I don’t have that issues myself)

OP would you be able to offer a few rides on one of your horses for someone to do the bringing in for you? Any keen young folk or someone just wanting some horse time?
 
Offer to pay a livery each day? Ask the YO?? They won’t want their fields trashed! Or you may be asked to leave anyway if the horse is upset. Worst case scenario but I’ve seen it before.

Stress plus Thoroughbreds can lead to ulcers…so you really want to try and address her stress levels in one way or another. You have few options other than move yards or find someone who can get her in for you.
 
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Is there no one that would swap one of your stables so your two could come in and be in sight of each other? Mine is similar when he wants in but gallops the fenceline, but as I am normally there anyway its easy enough to cope with , if frustrating at times . There doesnt seem to be any rhyme or reason on the days he wants in, its not the time or the fact that hes seen me , at first I also thought it was the dark but then the next day hes fine , he can do it even if nothing else has been brought in, he will do it summer and winter . Luckily hes fine being in even on his own.
 
I have nothing to add but sympathy!! I also have a fence walker and it's a flipping nightmare sometimes!!!
My mare is also paired up with my other horse but it doesn't matter how content my gelding is, when she wants in she WANTS IN....
Now saying that I do only have this issue in the winter so I presume she wants in due to the lack of grazing/mud as in the summer she will stay out 24/7 no issues.
My only advice would be get them in before everyone else comes in, this is how I stop my mare doing it as it is the other horses coming in that sets her off.
It is difficult but you mentioned that she comes in during the afternoon when you ride then you turn back out, personally I wouldn't turn back out, just let her have the morning then leave it at that.
It is a slog and I find myself at the yard 3/4 times a day coming to and from work to bring in then go back to work... but it is better than no turnout at all (and also muddy fence lines lol)
My guys go out about 6.30/7 with hay in the field then come in about 1/1.30, by this time my mare is at the gate but still grazing not pacing, if left till about 5/6 I would have a moat in my field!!
 
What about asking if the livery in the stable next to you would mind you bringing theirs in after you've ridden so you don't have to turn back out and yours isn't stabled alone. Or swap boxes so your 2 are close together?
 
Really feel for you OP, could you offer to turn out for a livery or do some of their chores in return for them bringing in so that it balances out their time? Otherwise agree with all suggestions about seeing if anyone would swap stables with you etc but can see you may not get lucky with that.

I have absolutely no idea if it would help but could a calmer help/ be worth a go? Just thinking that if it's a stress related thing it could be worth a go and something that is in your power to try.
 
My friend has a horse who fence walks horrendously in winter and if no-one brings him in, he brings himself in! Usually via a fence and ends up in a pickle. He once ended up upside down stuck in a fence. He’s done it on 3 different yards and even when the grass is decent. He then started doing it after just 1 hour turnout in winter. Friend had to accept this is the way he is and just just gets 1-2 hours turnout in winter. Horse seems happy enough with this arrangement and it’s much safer for the horse and my friend is far less stressed.
Horse is now in his 20s. Come spring he’s happy to be out all day or night with no problems. We’ve never really got to the bottom of it, and doubt we ever will.

Can you pay a livery or hire a freelancer to bring in earlier?
 
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