Problems with 246 Turnout

[Myotto]

Hi

Has anyone had any problems with their horse adjusting to 247 turnout?

In the summer my horse has always been in for part of the day (either over night or in the day). At the current yard I have no choice but to put him on 247 turnout as there are no other horses that come in and he would not tolerate being on his own in the stable. The field has a lot of wild grasses and natural shelter and is next to woodland. He is on his own in a strip with 3 mares next door. They have all become very clingy with each other.

He has always been so settled at the yard and I have been very happy there. However, there has been a major change in his behaviour and attitude since being out 247 from the start of May. During the first week he would go mad in the stable (calling, box walking, rearing, bucking) when I brought him in as nothing else was coming in. He has settled a bit in this regard but always looks on edge in the stable. At the beginning he was fine once we went into the school but he soon started refusing to stand at the mounting block. In the last week or so he has become spooky to handle and ride. Nothing major but it is very out of character as he is not a spooky horse at all. He doesn't seem particularly tired and is highly alert.

I can only assume that 247 turnout does not suit him. I suspect he misses his bed but has no desire to come in while his friends are out.

It's really upsetting me as I want to ride and do stuff with him.

 

[Squeak]

Has it always just been him and the mares? Personally I think it sounds like it's the bond with the mares that is potentially causing the issues rather than 24/7 turnout.

 

[Mrs G]

It could be a combination of things at play here and maybe a couple of things that you could try; my horse always has a change of behaviour when the grass really starts growing/flushes - more spooky/excitable although he does settle usually after a few weeks so maybe you could look at your horses diet and see if he needs something supplementing/reducing to counter the change in forage? Also however, this year he has also got very clingy with his horsey friends (we're a very small yard and have gone from 5 to 3 horses this summer), and that has really affected his behaviour when being brought in by himself - some days hes better than others but when hes bad he stress poos constantly, whinnies and calls to them, box walks and paces about (he is slightly better if I tie him up outside the stable rather than put him in), I am just having to persevere and bring him in little and often (he is also much better once Ive ridden - he will then tie up quietly).

 

[Myotto]

It could be a combination of things at play here and maybe a couple of things that you could try; my horse always has a change of behaviour when the grass really starts growing/flushes - more spooky/excitable although he does settle usually after a few weeks so maybe you could look at your horses diet and see if he needs something supplementing/reducing to counter the change in forage? Also however, this year he has also got very clingy with his horsey friends (we're a very small yard and have gone from 5 to 3 horses this summer), and that has really affected his behaviour when being brought in by himself - some days hes better than others but when hes bad he stress poos constantly, whinnies and calls to them, box walks and paces about (he is slightly better if I tie him up outside the stable rather than put him in), I am just having to persevere and bring him in little and often (he is also much better once Ive ridden - he will then tie up quietly).

Yes, that sounds similar to mine. I am moving yards in a few weeks as we're relocating so I will be looking to go onto a more 'normal' routine as 247 is not going to work for us. He normally gets a balancer and safe salt in a small feed but as he's been so stressed on coming in he hasn't eaten it for a few weeks. I did wonder myself whether this has played a part so I started him on a warm Thunderbrook mash a couple of days ago and he's eating it all. He has also started losing pigment on his eye lid so I've started him on a copper supplement which has fixed this before. I don't think the grass alone is sufficient for him. It's really upsetting seeing him so unsettled and resenting coming in.

 

[Myotto]

Has it always just been him and the mares? Personally I think it sounds like it's the bond with the mares that is potentially causing the issues rather than 24/7 turnout.

I did wonder that but I think the fact that they are TOGETHER 24/7 in the field is making it worse. One of the mares comes in each day (usually separately to mine) and the other 2 don't come in at all. He doesn't really object to leaving them in the field but is worried in the stable as he can't see them anymore. They all tend to stand near each other but he's not bothered about walking away from them and standing on his own once he's in the field. They also move fields every 4 weeks or so.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I don't think it's the 24/7 aspect but the fact that he is so very attached to his fieldmates. I would be asking myself why that is, if he were mine. And trying to work round the problem. Does he have to go into a stable that he can't see his friends from before you ride? Or could you give him a quick brush and tack up where he can see them?

 

[Highmileagecob]

He sounds like he has established himself as alpha male and has to be there to protect his ladies! How is he to hack out? Slow and reluctant until you turn for home, then absolutely on a mission to get back? Is he worse when the mares are in season?
Perhaps if you could bring him in with the mare it may dilute his dependence.

 

[smolmaus]

The steady, unspookable, independent little pony I had this last winter has disappeared. I have an anxious, herd-bound mess now. She's out with the same herd she was all winter, just at night now too so I think just the additional time together plus the abundance of grass is definitely the problem.

If I could, I would bring her in at night to match the winter routine but with the rest of the stables being empty she would turn herself inside out and the gelding she is most attached to is so herd bound to the other mares he can't be brought in from the field at all right now even with her. It's a f-ing nightmare right now to be honest.

Sorry I have no solutions for you OP but you do have all my commiserations. She's on oestress and magnesium, I might double them both for a week to see if that helps. Is your boy on anything calming?

 

[Myotto]

He sounds like he has established himself as alpha male and has to be there to protect his ladies! How is he to hack out? Slow and reluctant until you turn for home, then absolutely on a mission to get back? Is he worse when the mares are in season?
Perhaps if you could bring him in with the mare it may dilute his dependence.

I don't have the option for the other horses to come in and I don't really want to be in a position where he needs another horse to come in with him every time. He used to happily stand in his stable all day even if everything else was out! It's just got so much worse now they are all out all of the time.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would say it's because he is on his own some horses just don't settle with a few horses in a nearby field, hence why I think his become so attached I would get him out in a herd and you will probably find he will happy to stay out all the time, most horses are social and they need interaction to be happy.

 

[Myotto]

I would say it's because he is on his own some horses just don't settle with a few horses in a nearby field, hence why I think his become so attached I would get him out in a herd and you will probably find he will happy to stay out all the time, most horses are social and they need interaction to be happy.

He's perfectly settled while in the field with his girls right next door. They touch and groom each other over the fence. He just doesn't want to be away from them after he leaves the field. I will be changing to individual turnout soon so herd turnout is not possible and to be honest I think he would be worse if he had horses actually in the field with him.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

He's perfectly settled while in the field with his girls right next door. They touch and groom each other over the fence. He just doesn't want to be away from them after he leaves the field. I will be changing to individual turnout soon so herd turnout is not possible and to be honest I think he would be worse if he had horses actually in the field with him.

Just interaction over a fence is not like being in a herd having that separation can actually cause much worse separation anxiety in horses they are not meant to live alone and over time it can cause major issues.

You need to get him out with a few other geldings and I can bet you the horse will be better and not be so clingy.

Quite often when horses have had periods of individual turnout they are fine for a while and then they are not, some cope with it some prefer it but some then start behaviour that points to being insecure about there environment.

 

[Myotto]

The steady, unspookable, independent little pony I had this last winter has disappeared. I have an anxious, herd-bound mess now. She's out with the same herd she was all winter, just at night now too so I think just the additional time together plus the abundance of grass is definitely the problem.

If I could, I would bring her in at night to match the winter routine but with the rest of the stables being empty she would turn herself inside out and the gelding she is most attached to is so herd bound to the other mares he can't be brought in from the field at all right now even with her. It's a f-ing nightmare right now to be honest.

Sorry I have no solutions for you OP but you do have all my commiserations. She's on oestress and magnesium, I might double them both for a week to see if that helps. Is your boy on anything calming?

Sounds like we are having very similar issues. My boy loves his bed and goes into a deep sleep. I suspect he is not sleeping the same way out in the field, although he does lie down. I just wish there were other horses to come in at night with him. I barely recognise him at the moment.

 

[smolmaus]

Sounds like we are having very similar issues. My boy loves his bed and goes into a deep sleep. I suspect he is not sleeping the same way out in the field, although he does lie down. I just wish there were other horses to come in at night with him. I barely recognise him at the moment.

My girl is a great sleeper in her stable as well, I never thought that maybe she isn't getting the same quality of sleep in the field. Something else to consider

Your boy might sleep better if he was actually in with other horses and felt more secure stretching out for some REM? But I understand that you think he might get even more attached to "his girls" in that case. Can't win for losing. Our problem gelding definitely takes more than his share of lookout duty while the mares snooze as well. Its sweet in a way but probably not good for him either.

I agree with others that probably the best solution is a settled herd of geldings or mares and geldings who get on together already, so it's not just him as the lone boy. If individual turnout is your only option, its not ideal but you have to work with the options available to you. It still sounds to me like it might be an improvement from being beside of a herd of mares he wants to protect but can't fully interact with either.

 

[Zoeypxo]

My mare was horrible to bring in for years on individual turnout (right next to others) and would get stressy and attatched to other random horses she doesnt even know. Big 16.2 warmblood throwing her weight around was not fun.

She is now on herd 24/7 turnout and no longer has strange attachment issues or stressed about leaving the others, she is very happy to return back to them obviously , trots over to the herd then head down eating till i arrive again the next day.

i think alot of horses just arent happy in individual turnout and they become insecure. Maybe have a look around and see if there is some small herd turnout where you are moving too? Mine is out with 3-7 others depending on which field and time of year