Query about turnout

[rachel_s]

When I had ponies, I paid a local farmer to allow my pony to graze in the field. It was about 5 acres of very good grazing - fencing was barbed wire with hedges and a stream properly fenced provided water. In winter, he would order all of us to get off the field to stop it getting trashed. There were about 5, occassionally six horses in that field - I never had any say in the other horses, and suspect they were chosen on the basis of enquiring when there was space. I didn't necessarily get told if a new one was being put in, more due to the times I saw my ponies and if the farmer was around than keeping info from me (pre mobile/internet). It was a very stable situation - I think there were only two or three changes during the years I was there.

In that time, there were no major injuries, nor were there any cases of bullying - I had three ponies during the time frame (farmers house overlooked field and they did notice what went on - the fencing was checked regularly). I never had any major issues with riding away from field nor leaving them on their own in the field (which hardly ever happened).

This type of arrangement was the norm for where I lived (very horsy part of the world) where horses were turned out in groups of 5/6/7 depending on acreage and with no or very little introduction time since there weren't the facilities to allow it (one big field and electric fencing was starting to come in but very new and quite expensive).

So my question is - does paired/small turnout actually cause more problems than groups? I've read loads of threads about turnout issues but can't recall any of these being an issue for me or other owners when using this type of arrangement. I am talking from my experience though - but even at pony club camp, I had to turn my pony out into a strange herd of about 20 so this was considered the norm.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Ours are in a herd that is usually around 10 horses in 13 acres so they have plenty of room to move about. New horses go in the isolation paddock for a week and if possible are hacked out with the others during this time. Generally there are no problems. However we have one gelding who is a bully to new geldings but this usually settles down without too much problem. We've only had one gelding that couldn't cope and for soem reason, not of the geldings in the mixed herd would tolerate him. He had to leave for his own safety. We subsequently found out he had similar problems before and could only manage with turnout with one other horse.

There is a very knowledgeable welsh breeder who runs a reputable trekking centre where the horses live out in big herds. He will sell on horses, that no matter how good they are, don't manage to intergrate in a herd situation.
Guess, some horses don't manage for various reasons, but they are in the minority.