Ponies and pigs... Advice needed please!

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rose bud

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Hi,
I recently moved my pony to a new field and there are two pigs in the next field.
This has resulted in a very stressed out, scared pony who won't move from the corner of the field furthest from the pigs.
Trying to lead him out of the field (or around the field near to the pigs) ends up in him rearing and trying to get away from me.
Has anyone got any tips or advice that i can try to relax him and help him to accept them please??
 
this happened with my pony except it was also my pig.
Three years later I solved the problem. The pig died. The pony never got any closer to it or any less scared.
Good luck
 
PeterNatt said:
You need to determine if it is the smell, noise or sight of the pig that your pony is worried about and then deal with it accordingly.
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I think it is the smell and the noise as he can't see them from where he stands but he is still terrified!
How do i deal with it?
 
lots of horses don't like pigs, I don't know the set up, but if the pigs are in a field, I would be taking my horse for a look see over the gate and bribe if needed, my boy was terrified of cows, we stood for ages at a gate, letting him see and meet them, but it worked
 
I had this at work, except the pig was more scared of the horses. Everytime one of them neighed she would go flying into her ark and hide!
They did get used to it, and formed a sort of uneasy truce. If one of them was near the adjoining fence, the other one would stay away, etc. I agree with using food - maybe try and put hay/feed closer and closer to the pig to form a positive association.
You don't say if there are any other horses in with your pony - if so, what do they think of the pigs? And if not, you may need to consider someone sharing the field with you.
Good luck!
 
Many horses and ponies do not get over their natural fear of pigs.
Doesn't matter if it is the sight, sound or, more than likely the smell, they are rightly afraid.

Pigs will attack horses and one 14.2 pony I knew had a scar just above his knee, up the foreleg and ended halfway up his shoulder where a sow gored him.

Some horses will learn to accept pigs but many will not.

Many moons ago we used a haulier to take the riding school ponies to gymkhanas. One of the liveries went to load her pony which went to the top of the ramp, knocked her over in his desire to escape. Two more ponies also refused to load. All were of the type that at the bottom of the ramp if you threw the rope over their necks they would go in.

There was an odd musky smell in the lorry and a lion had been carted to the local zoo. As it was clean it had not been washed out.
None of those ponies would load and none had ever seen or smelled a lion but the instinct to rum was there!
 
I hope you get this sorted.

My horse lives happily with pigs in a run at the edge of the field he is in. My friends horse is positively friendly with them! If she is left on her own and needs company she goes to "chat" over the fence to the pigs!

Sorry to not have any good advice to give, but thought you would like to know a lot of horses/ponies are ok. Our 5 are!
 
Foxhunter49 said:
Many moons ago we used a haulier to take the riding school ponies to gymkhanas. One of the liveries went to load her pony which went to the top of the ramp, knocked her over in his desire to escape. Two more ponies also refused to load. All were of the type that at the bottom of the ramp if you threw the rope over their necks they would go in.

There was an odd musky smell in the lorry and a lion had been carted to the local zoo. As it was clean it had not been washed out.
None of those ponies would load and none had ever seen or smelled a lion but the instinct to rum was there!
Click to expand...

^^^^^ Great story^^^^^^

Natural instinct is so facinating!
 
I posted about this in March this year. My old (25) mare was absolutely terrified when 4 pigs arrived in the next field. I couldn't get her in her stable and she was trembling. I was very concerned. However, after about 36 hours she got used to them, although a little cautious when passing by their bit of the field. She's fine now but still "knows-they-are-there". Give your pony time - it will all settle down for sure and don't worry!
 
Doris68, good to know your horse settled so quickly with the pigs. My pigsty is along oneside of the yard. The horses can't see into it or the run immediately behind but can hear and smell the pigs and see them when they come out into the extra run which goes along the side of the yard. We don't have pigs all the time but all the horses settle well with them.
 
I had this problem when we had a pig to stay at our livery yard for about a month. My TB was absolutely fine when he could see him in the next paddock to his but as soon as I tried to do anything with him which involved not being able to see the pig he became positively dangerous to handle and completely unrideable. Within 2 days of the pig going home he was back to normal, so I would say it is def the smell and the basic instinct within. When he could see the little piggy snuffling around and knew it was behaving itself he felt no threat, but as soon as I tried to lead him in to his stable or school him he obviously stopped feeling safe as he didnt know where it was going to pop up!
 
Hi, I keep pigs and ponies, there is a wire fence between them but none of them are bothered. We have bought in 4 new ponies that all learnt to accept the snorkers well. Our NF stands and grooms the pigs over the fence.
I would start off with bribery. Put some hay down near him and then gradually move it more towards the pigs. Take your time and hopefully he will learn to accept them.
 
If you start with the smell issue you are going to need to cover some protective 4clothing with pig poo (just roll it in the ground) and see how it effects your horse and then get your horse used to it by feeding it while you are distinctly smelling of pig. This may take several weeks of regular daily feeding your horse but your horse should become used to it.
 
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