Pasture bully

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bz88

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First of all and foremost I’m a firm believer that if horses are in herd they will eventually sort out pecking order but the question is how long is eventually?
Backstory- new pony came to our yard in end of August last year and he has been turned out in herd of 6 other geldings vary ages from 14 to 32. They all chilled gentleman’s who know their place within the herd. New pony is 5. At first as you would expect he tried to become a top dog unsuccessfully. From August new pony is picking on the elderly horse who is at the bottom and when he got put into his place by others he then proceeded to move on to pick on another quiet pony. He goes from one to another it’s not one pony that is his target but few quiet ones and one of them is mine. By that I mean it started from chewing and pulling rugs and walking them around by their rugs but within months his behaviour got progressively worse. He will chase, bite, pin to the fence, kick, rear and strike out. I have witnessed his behaviour towards my pony who is in his early 20’, he will chase until mine can’t catch the breath. The other day I brought him and he had heave lines on. He’s covered in bites, hooves marks, his rug is hanging off every single day. Yesterday whilst doing jobs I witnessed my pony being reared at and hit with hooves on head and neck, then chased around on frozen ground, run to the fence, repeatedly kicked which then I went to get him out of the field and he hasn’t been out with his herd until youngster is moved. Owner is aware and extremely upset which I understand. I tried cribbing spray to deter him from pulling and chewing rugs but he doesn’t seem to mind that. The other day he’s been seen herding another gelding, where he was this gelding had to be, I’ve been told he’s done that to my boy too. Yard owner says to give him more time to settle but I think since August he had enough time and his behaviour towards others gotten much worse so we all as owners objected. I know he’s a youngster and maybe he needs company of similar age ponies or someone as dominant as him or perhaps even individual paddock. Has anyone been in similar situation?
Many thanks
 
I'm no expert but I think you've already realised what needs to be done - he wants ponies of a similar age who will prat around together and give as good as they get. A pain for the owner but probably worth trying if she can find a suitable setup. Either that or (maybe) split the gelding herd into bossy ones and quiet ones? If it's not so easy for him to bully others he might stop - i.e. do the other bossy ones put him back in his place?

Re the "give him more time" idea, if I was you I wouldn't be happy with that either.
 
I have owned that bully!
I think another term for it might be poorly socialised but that's only my own assumption.
My horse was a lot older but I suspect he was kept on his own previously. After a couple of attempts at keeping him with others the only solution was to keep him on his own. It was horrible and he just caused bad feelings wherever he went. At the last place he was at he spent his days gazing longingly into the next field. They were a small well established group of heavies.
Their owner kept telling me to throw him in there and let them sort him out.
I was more worried about my horse causing more upset, but eventually after he had been a completely tosser again I had no choice.
In desperation I threw him in with the big boys and hoped for the best.
It was incredible, he bit one of them once but that was it. They socialised him . It really was so interesting to see. For the first few weeks he was sent to Coventry, but gradually he was taught how to be a horse and how to interact with other horses , something people can't teach them.
Seeing him go from a bully , to pacing the field on his own through to eventually a very capable alpha living a happy life was fantastic.
That little pony needs a companion or companions who won't put up with his crap. It will be the making of him!
 
The bully needs removing its not fair on the other horses and they can get seriously hurt.

I have an Arab that could be awful with new smaller ponies he would chase and bite them for a few days but would then calm down.

It's not nice though and I have had to remove him several times from a situation, wherever I went he was the boss barely 15 hands of him however he lived in a mixed herd quite happily for years, it was just new introductions that were difficult.

I would think being together since August I would expect them to be OK by now I would be insisting the horse is removed.

MY horse is 20 now and has mellowed somewhat but can still have his moments, luckily I keep him at home with my other gelding and his always like him.
 
I am firmly of the opinion that anyone who owns a horse (or any other animal) must take responsibility for its behaviour and how it affects others.
The owner may be upset, but it's her horse alone that is causing the problem, and if she has any decency, she needs to move it.
 
bz88 said:
First of all and foremost I’m a firm believer that if horses are in herd they will eventually sort out pecking order but the question is how long is eventually?
Backstory- new pony came to our yard in end of August last year and he has been turned out in herd of 6 other geldings vary ages from 14 to 32. They all chilled gentleman’s who know their place within the herd. New pony is 5. At first as you would expect he tried to become a top dog unsuccessfully. From August new pony is picking on the elderly horse who is at the bottom and when he got put into his place by others he then proceeded to move on to pick on another quiet pony. He goes from one to another it’s not one pony that is his target but few quiet ones and one of them is mine. By that I mean it started from chewing and pulling rugs and walking them around by their rugs but within months his behaviour got progressively worse. He will chase, bite, pin to the fence, kick, rear and strike out. I have witnessed his behaviour towards my pony who is in his early 20’, he will chase until mine can’t catch the breath. The other day I brought him and he had heave lines on. He’s covered in bites, hooves marks, his rug is hanging off every single day. Yesterday whilst doing jobs I witnessed my pony being reared at and hit with hooves on head and neck, then chased around on frozen ground, run to the fence, repeatedly kicked which then I went to get him out of the field and he hasn’t been out with his herd until youngster is moved. Owner is aware and extremely upset which I understand. I tried cribbing spray to deter him from pulling and chewing rugs but he doesn’t seem to mind that. The other day he’s been seen herding another gelding, where he was this gelding had to be, I’ve been told he’s done that to my boy too. Yard owner says to give him more time to settle but I think since August he had enough time and his behaviour towards others gotten much worse so we all as owners objected. I know he’s a youngster and maybe he needs company of similar age ponies or someone as dominant as him or perhaps even individual paddock. Has anyone been in similar situation?
Many thanks
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We never put new horses out in a herd without a week into in adjacent field. That said many issue with bullies start after the new is used to the herd.

We had a pony here who arrive under my pony who is the boss, she pins ears, chases off double barrels into the air ( not to make contact). New pony one day retaliated on mine, the noise coming out made us all run towards them to seperate. My pony had loads of kick marks and scuffs other said pony had nothing. My pony was physically shaking and trembling. After that we left them seperate for a while. Then tried once more to introduce the them. MY pony ran to top of the field, said pony saw her and went for her big time again. Then they were separated for good till pony left, and heard now how it does it in new yard.


Having had a big cob bully shatter my ID mares splint bone in 19 pieces by said bully horse bullied a few times, I had to keep her on box rest till we moved here.

it won't likely change and if I were you I would take my horse out before real damage happens, I seen it escalate too dangerous portions. One being the old boy 35 was on the floor having lost his footings and the biotch of a mare was double barreling him while he was on the floor. My boy came charging down the field and got her off the old boy.
 
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