Problem with other horses trying to follow us out of field

Louloubabs

Louloubabs

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Hello :)

I've just taken on a new TB and he was turned out last night and got along with his field mates perfectly.

I went up at 6am this morning to give him his feed but when I tried to bring him out of the field, the other two TB's in the field were really pushy and tried to squeeze past so they could come out too. I ended up having to go and get his feed and sneakily feed it to him over the gate when they weren't looking! Not an ideal situation. The other two are 17hh and 17.2 and pretty chunky so not littlens that I can just push back into the field.

Does anyone have any tips to help me out? I've never had this before - whenever I've gone to catch, I've just been able to lead the horse out of the field and shut the gate without any of the others batting an eyelid!

Thanks.

Lou
XxX
 
Is there any post and rail fencing you could tie them up to whilst you go in/out? A little time consuming, but can help avoid the scuffle at the gate.
 
The owner keeps their headcollars locked up. No idea why - I always leave mine out coz you never know when someone might need it in an emergency if I'm not there.

I think where these two have been in the field on their own for so long, they have got used to the fact that if someone comes to that field, it's to take them both out...... Bah :(

XxX
 
You might find that once your horse has settled in they won't do this. It happened to me when I first turned my horse out when I got him but after a week they got used to him and stopped doing it. Hopefully it will be the same with yours :)
 
Grumpymoo said:
You might find that once your horse has settled in they won't do this. It happened to me when I first turned my horse out when I got him but after a week they got used to him and stopped doing it. Hopefully it will be the same with yours :)
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Ahh, that gives me a bit of hope :) It was like they were saying 'You take him, you're taking us too!'. Haha.

What fun..... ;)

Thank you.

XxX
 
I'd not hesitate to put arms up, swoosh them around and say 'back' (quite firmly) to anything trying this. Send them right away, not just a few paces and still hanging around.

Ideally your TB will be calm with you there and not get involved/confused but obviously go carefully if you're new to each other.

Do you know the owners/YM of the other TBs? Can you ask them what they do?

There have been herds (mixed, with youngsters/possesive mares) I've worn hat & bp to go into and taken a spare lead rope to whirl at over enthusiastic 'friends'. Usually settles though. :-)
 
Tickles said:
I'd not hesitate to put arms up, swoosh them around and say 'back' (quite firmly) to anything trying this. Send them right away, not just a few paces and still hanging around.

Ideally your TB will be calm with you there and not get involved/confused but obviously go carefully if you're new to each other.

Do you know the owners/YM of the other TBs? Can you ask them what they do?

There have been herds (mixed, with youngsters/possesive mares) I've worn hat & bp to go into and taken a spare lead rope to whirl at over enthusiastic 'friends'. Usually settles though. :-)
Click to expand...

We are still fairly new to each other and I tried the swooshing of the arms and the 'back' but I could see my boy was getting confused and didn't want to upset him :(

The other two come straight over the gate as soon as they see me coming so I have to shove them back when I get there which is fine. Just not so easy when I have mine to lead out and they're still there.

I've only met the friend of the owner of the other two - they don't belong to the YO and it was on the first day when she was asked to show me down to the field he'd be kept in so before I knew any of this would happen. And there was no one else around when I got there this morning.

Glad to hear it usually settles. Just new to me as I never had this problem in the 12 years I was doing it previously.

Thanks for your replies :)

XxX
 
does your gate swing both ways or just one?

If it swings both ways then open it inwards with your horse at the side ready to walk through, use the gate as a barrier for the other two and start to close as soon as yours is through the gate, you basically exit your horse along the gate using a smaller exit rather than straight out through the entrance which takes up more space and gives the others room to follow. Works a treat but can take a little practise. Obviously no good if it only opens out from your paddock.
 
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We can sometimes have this problem so we built a little coral out of electric tape inside the gate with a few wooden posts, so we can bring into the coral area and swish other horses out the way with the tape. then the horse can be removed or fed in the coral at peace. It is much less of a faff that way if you can do it.
 
We did put a piece of electric fence across the corner where the gate was when this happened. Use an electric fence handle to make a gateway to one side. (It made a small triangle shaped patch by the gate big enough for the horses to be turned in approx 20 ft along each side of the fence). If they get through with yours just put them back the other side - at least they would still be in the field.
 
horseloaner said:
does your gate swing both ways or just one?

If it swings both ways then open it inwards with your horse at the side ready to walk through, use the gate as a barrier for the other two and start to close as soon as yours is through the gate, you basically exit your horse along the gate using a smaller exit rather than straight out through the entrance which takes up more space and gives the others room to follow. Works a treat but can take a little practise. Obviously no good if it only opens out from your paddock.
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Only opens outwards :(

XxX
 
The electric fence option sounds like a good idea :) Something I'd have to speak to the YO owner about. I don't know if any other horses have been kept in the field with these two yet so don't know if anyone has come across this problem before with them.

XxX
 
We've got a little electric fence area too (the fencing's not on) mainly because Bailey tries to barge out of the gate when someone's leading his field mate out. Works a treat but we did discover that with our two (14hh and 14.3hh) they can stick their necks under the 'triangle' part and push it up to escape into the coralle. Obviously not a problem if yours is electrified :)
 
We had this problem, one of the 'perps' was quite happy to back up, but the youngster was really brazen and it was getting dangerous (our horse - a Clyde!! - jumped the gate she was that stressed by it) so we take a schooling whip in now to 'swish them away' with, makes a better noise than a leadrope ;)

Now its Summer and they're not as desperate to come in its not as bad but I'm dreading the winter scrum :(

xx
 
Oedemitous Camel said:
We had this problem, one of the 'perps' was quite happy to back up, but the youngster was really brazen and it was getting dangerous (our horse - a Clyde!! - jumped the gate she was that stressed by it) so we take a schooling whip in now to 'swish them away' with, makes a better noise than a leadrope ;)

Now its Summer and they're not as desperate to come in its not as bad but I'm dreading the winter scrum :(

xx
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This is it. I could see Soix getting worked up and he just wanted to get out of there but with one beside him and one behind, he had nowhere to go and with me hanging onto his leadrope, I didn't really fancy being dragged across the mud at 6am because he decided he wanted to bolt :D

If I'd had the bucket of food with me, I'd be able to understand why they were so interested in me but I didn't even have a polo on me! *There's nothing to see here* ;)

Lets hope for better luck tomorrow morning :)

XxX
 
Just wanted to give you all an update :)

Was chatting to one of the other girls last night and she said that when she walks through to the next field to get her pony, she has the some trouble so the owners of the other two tb's had told her it was fine to drop a few pony nuts on the floor to distract them.

Tried this this morning as I was leading him towards the gate (with the other two following) and it worked a treat :)

Thanks again for all your help and advice.

XxX
 
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