Please help, my foal is causing big problems!

[hollyflower]

I have livery at one of my closest friends farm, where she trains her competition horses. Previously I have had my retired pony and riding horse there and although we do things very differently, have had no real issues. This summer I took on a weanling, which has sentimental value as it is the grandson of my best ever horse. He was a bit of a handful when he first came, most of the fields are pretty sparse hedging that is newly cut and he was running through it, I kept him in a while and after that he calmed down. My aim has always been to turn him out with my retired pony and do lots of groundwork but let him grow up, after a month or so my friend turned one of her ponies out with him, the foal, now 8 months has got really attached to her pony, tolerates the retired pony, whenever she takes the pony out, the foal is getting frantic, tearing around, trying and succeeding once to get out of the field. We kept the foal in a couple of days and then back out with the retired pony and have been keeping the other pony out of the way hoping he will forget, but weeks on he is still climbing the hedges, tearing around, whenever she is in the school he is going berserk, so she can't ride hers without them being out of control because of the foals behaviour, going mad at the gates when she hacks out. The retired pony may as not be there as the foal sees it. Pulling my hair out now, we are barely speaking, I have had to find alternative livery for them, I'm just worried he will never be settled and be happy with his companion. Don't know what to do!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

he needs chucking out with company his own age I'm afraid-or at least a mixed age group with someone nearer his own age to play with. Some places will do this, you just need to knock on some doors.

 

[hollyflower]

We live in bleakest Devon and that is not an option, the pony also needs company too so I need them together and don't have lots of choices of ponies to swap around, it's just those two. The Welsh stud I worked at chose quiet older pony companions over other colts by preference so that must be suitable company. The pony has nannied lots of foals over the years and we have never had issues before. I don't have any choices in that way.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Can you not ask if you can punt him out with the young stock t the stud you worked at?

 

[fatpiggy]

We live in bleakest Devon and that is not an option, the pony also needs company too so I need them together and don't have lots of choices of ponies to swap around, it's just those two. The Welsh stud I worked at chose quiet older pony companions over other colts by preference so that must be suitable company. The pony has nannied lots of foals over the years and we have never had issues before. I don't have any choices in that way.

The clue may be in the word "older". At my old yard the YO had an old horse who nannied all the youngstock - these weren't weanlings generally, but 2 year olds or thereabouts. Eventually though her "babies" started picking on the old lady and making her life miserable - she just was too old to discipline them any more. At the second yard I was on, we managed to keep all the retired and oldies in one field. Everything was fine until a new livery arrived with an 18 month old filly and we were told she was going in with hours. It was a nightmare. The filly was literally doing cartwheels around the field and the oldies were very upset by it all. Youngsters need youngsters to play with and older, not old, horses to teach them manners.

 

[ihatework]

Only good option here is to send the weaning onto grass youngstock livery.
Where it is in a stable and suitable herd to grow up.
There must be a few choices in Devon surely?

 

[TheMule]

http://www.newtonstud.co.uk

 

[Nasicus]

Where abouts are you located?

 

[HeresHoping]

http://www.treetopsstud.co.uk/livery.html is a bit further away but Mary looks after youngstock all the time.

 

[ihatework]

http://www.newtonstud.co.uk

Those prices are competitive!!

 

[HashRouge]

Definitely agree with everyone else, I'd send him somewhere he can live with a mixed herd of youngsters. In my experience this works well because, even if the herd is made up of youngsters only, they will be of different ages, which means the older ones teach the younger ones how to behave and so on. I used to work for a showjumper who also bred 3 or 4 foals a year, and his youngstock herds ran together, though were separated into mares and geldings (most of his boys were geldings but this did allow for the odd colt, as a few very nice ones he would keep entire for a while). It worked very well - the babies would join the herd before once weaned (sometimes before and mama would go too for a while) and would learn from the older youngsters. This results in very nice, well mannered youngsters, all of whom are lovely to handle. I think a herd as opposed to a pair or trio works best too as you are less likely to get problems with horses getting attached.

 

[julie111]

I too agree with the other posters. My cob lives out in a mixed herd various ages. This works out very well as the youngsters are well grounded.

 

[hollyflower]

Whoa, I can't send my goal to an 80 pw livery yard 60 miles from where I live, I have contacted every livery yard in the area and most are tiny electric fences paddocks where they won't let you put two together let alone large groups. I have been posting ads, scouring yards and adverts online and in every shop for miles, it took me two months to find any grazing at all. There are no reasonably priced yards that let horses go out in groups, most aren't happy for them to be out a couple of hours a day, he is a small crossbred family pet, not a top eventing prospect. Thanks everyone but I think we are living in different worlds.

 

[Dry Rot]

Possibly a private breeder? We too have a mixed herd of all ages from yearlings to mature and it does save a lot of time as the youngsters are kept in order but can play. But 600 miles away is not a lot of use to you!

 

[hollyflower]

Yes, I could try that! The stud where I worked paired young stock with older ponies and don't mix them so I can't ask them

 

[Red-1]

Whoa, I can't send my goal to an 80 pw livery yard 60 miles from where I live, I have contacted every livery yard in the area and most are tiny electric fences paddocks where they won't let you put two together let alone large groups. I have been posting ads, scouring yards and adverts online and in every shop for miles, it took me two months to find any grazing at all. There are no reasonably priced yards that let horses go out in groups, most aren't happy for them to be out a couple of hours a day, he is a small crossbred family pet, not a top eventing prospect. Thanks everyone but I think we are living in different worlds.

The first one is £120 a month, not £80 a week. Not been there, but I agree with Ihatework, those are keen prices!

As for the 60 miles, I would rather have that and only go a couple of times a week than have my foal go through fences.

My horse is looking to be turned away this summer, in a large group with many acres of grazing. I know it will be hard to let him leave my yard (he lives at home with me), but if that is what will be best for him, then he can go and just be a horse for a year, with a view to bringing home and back into work afterwards.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The first one is £120 a month, not £80 a week. Not been there, but I agree with Ihatework, those are keen prices!

As for the 60 miles, I would rather have that and only go a couple of times a week than have my foal go through fences.

My horse is looking to be turned away this summer, in a large group with many acres of grazing. I know it will be hard to let him leave my yard (he lives at home with me), but if that is what will be best for him, then he can go and just be a horse for a year, with a view to bringing home and back into work afterwards.

Sometimes I don't think people appreciate just how much horses need time to themselves every so often. I am guessing you are turning your horse away due to injury? Either way,youngster or recovery most horses need this time. Your horse will have a b

 

[Red-1]

Sometimes I don't think people appreciate just how much horses need time to themselves every so often. I am guessing you are turning your horse away due to injury? Either way,youngster or recovery most horses need this time. Your horse will have a b

Ha Ha, I think you were cut off, I think you were going to say, my horse will have a ball.

It is hard, as Jay Man is the apple of my eye. He has a mild suspensory injury, but when rested had symptoms of wobblers. I have had him almost 5 years and he has always been fit as a fiddle. I believe the best for him may be many acres of turnout, with everyone barefoot to cut down on injuries. If there are hlls then hopefully he will exercise enough to prevent the wobbler symptoms from returning.

ATM he is in light ridden work, sound and symptom free, but as you say I believe proper heard turnout will be best for mental and physical health. The vet did say he could return to eventing, but TBH I will be happy if a year down the line he can do a bit of whatever!

I had planned to send him to GG, despite this being a 4 hour drive away (!), as having read her posts for many years I kind of trust her! Sadly she is no longer taking long term turnout livery, so I am looking at options.... It will have to have good fences as he is a jumper. No shoes for less injury risk.

It is a hard decision to make!

 

[AmyMay]

he needs chucking out with company his own age I'm afraid-or at least a mixed age group with someone nearer his own age to play with. Some places will do this, you just need to knock on some doors.

This, this, this.

Devon has several studs - so not that bleak. Well worth ringing around to see if you can get younstock livery somewhere.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Whoa, I can't send my goal to an 80 pw livery yard 60 miles from where I live, I have contacted every livery yard in the area and most are tiny electric fences paddocks where they won't let you put two together let alone large groups. I have been posting ads, scouring yards and adverts online and in every shop for miles, it took me two months to find any grazing at all. There are no reasonably priced yards that let horses go out in groups, most aren't happy for them to be out a couple of hours a day, he is a small crossbred family pet, not a top eventing prospect. Thanks everyone but I think we are living in different worlds.

Your current set up plainly doesn't suit so I am not sure what else you want anyone to suggest frankly.

I had a weanling colt myself but made arrangements for him to stay 40 miles away with another breeder for the first 18 months before he came to mine to live in a mixed age bachelor herd. I paid for grass livery and checks and visited once a week. This was on top of paying for the other two nearer to home. Maybe try advertising locally to see if anyone else is in the same boat i.e. needing a pal for another youngster.

 

[Nudibranch]

Plenty of suggestions, all saying the same thing. I completely agree. Fwiw my most recent youngster came from a one foal home and he was a pain in the neck sometimes. He's also a very big horse so could easily have turned into someone's worst mightmare. They are better off, and easier to manage, if they've had some proper growing up time with others of a similar age. Depends how much time and experience you have if he continues to be this much work... if you want a more settled horse then take the advice.

 

[MargotC]

FWIW I think choosing not to turn him out with age appropriate peers will be more expensive in the long run.

 

[catroo]

you could improve the fencing to make the youngster stay put but that's plainly not the best option as far as he's concerned. Turnout with other youngsters really is the best thing for his long term health, both mental and physical.

There'll be plenty of small studs in devon or even Cornwall /Somerset that you could approach to ask about livery in a herd with other youngsters. There's a few highland and Connemara studs, or even a Dartmoor or exmoor stud. Plenty of small time breeders in that part of the country.

 

[EQUIDAE]

Thanks everyone but I think we are living in different worlds.

I think that's quite rude - people are offering suggestions and quite valid ones. Too many people take on a youngster totally unprepared and end up in just the situation you are in now. The setup isn't suitable for either horse and someone is going to get injured.

 

[Sandstone1]

If you can't take your youngster to a stud to mix with other youngsters, could you borrow a youngster from someone to keep with yours?

 

[AmyMay]

OP, have you tried Easter Hall Stables, Oakhampton? A friend had her weanling there and was very pleased with the care they gave.

 

[zigzag]

Has he been gelded yet?

 

[Goldenstar]

Has he been gelded yet?

Very good point .
But young horses need age appropriate company .

 

[AmyMay]

Llangeller is also worth a try. As is Narramore.

 

[ester]

I don't understand why anyone would baulk at £120 a month??!! And it doesn't really matter how far away it is IMO as he needs the right company much more than he needs you.