sheep

Christmas_Kate

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This is going to sound really daft, but here goes.......

Has anyone known of a pony to hurt sheep? More importantly, lambs?

G has been out with sheep before, fine, but never lambs. Tomorrow will be his first time, and with them not being my lambs I'm quite anxious about it. Lambs are only a few days old, and he'll be out alone with them and the mothers.
 

CastleMouse

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When was at a friends place riding with her, we were hacking through her parents fields where there were sheep and lambs, and whenever a lamb ran over near us I had to ward it off as her pony would try trample and kick out at the lambs
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Castle was fine with them though...depends on the pony/horse.
 

piebaldsparkle

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When I was at college the horses grazed with sheep. There was a new horse arrive (ex police horse) and he was rather daftly turned out with the sheep over night (before they knew how he reacted to sheep) and killed 3 and hurt 4 more so badly they had to be PTS.
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henryhorn

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Several of our stallions over the years have killed sheep when they strayed into their fields. the main herd tend to chase any sheep and they end up stuck on banks or in fencing, I would perhaps pen the sheep in field for a few hours until the horses are accustomed to them.
Our horses happily grazed with goats and alpacas, the pecking order was always goats, alpacas, horses, dog..(who chased them all at times!)
 

Lucy_Ally

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A friends horse used to pick them up in his teeth, but he was an all round git of a horse anyway! My horse just used to follow them around and want to play. I would be reluctant to turnout with very young lambs just in case, but if he is used to sheep then I am sure he will be fine.
 

Tia

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Yes but hang on, your pony is only little. I think you will find that the Mothers are VERY protective of their little lambs initially. They won't have any qualms about facing up your pony I wouldn't have thought.

What breed of sheep are they?
 

piebaldsparkle

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Sorry should have added he was the only one out of 30+ horses/ponies that ever touched the sheep. My mare used to be grazed with sheep. but the sheep could get out of her paddock if they wanted as they could walk under the electric fence.
 

merlinsquest

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Merlin thought it was a highly amusing game to chase and kick out at the sheep he used to share fields with!!!

Never any actual injuries though... but no lambs that i can remember... they were always kept in pens till a bit bigger.

Would think a shettie would be fine though...... unless a real devil!!!
 

charlene

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Quite a few horses have been known to attack sheep. I know a mare inparticular who was turned out with them and chased them down like a hunting dog, ears flat back, teeth barred the works. I hope yours is not like this one - those baby lambs would be lamb roast before they were two days old.
 

buzzles

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I've 7 horses who have all been turned out with my pet sheep, some of the horses do chase the sheep but I have an area fenced off with electric fence where sheep can escape to. My mare really goes for them with teeth bared and strikes out with her front leg and they know to stay out of her way but the ponies just chase them playfully and scatter them and I don't think they would intentionally cause them any harm. However I would never turn young lambs out with the horses as they're not quick enough to get out of the way. On the other hand I had to watch that Bertie the ram didn't chase the ponies esp the smaller ones (11 h) as he can get quite dangerous esp around food. The dogs are all afraid of him and he could do serious damage if he did headbutt a pony, he has knocked fence posts down and I would imagine he's strong enough to break a leg!! He's also massive and was nearly the same size as the welsh pony!!
 

Loopy_laura

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oh my god my friend had a mare the kicked a sheep to death and then chewed its ears off!! it was horrid and she was told by the landowner it had to go! it also use to go mad if you rode near the field that had the sheep in thankfully it was only on trial so sent it back!

just adding this was a 15.2hh chestnut mare bag!!
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(nothing against them!!)
 

buzzles

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Hmm my mare who chases the sheep is also a 15.2 chestnut....? Don't think she'd actually kill one though or chew it's ears off?! Although she did once pick a cat up by it's tail and throw it across the barn- the cat was fine btw, just learned to keep out of the way of the mare! My new mare is 15.1 and also chestnut, she hasn't been in with the sheep yet, I wonder if she'll chase them? My poor sheep, at least it keeps them fit, all this running away from mad mares!!
 

SSM

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My pony lived with our ewes and lambs - and Twinkle the worlds most useless wether (neutured ram) was his constant field companion, he never hurt any of them.

Donkey is scared of sheep!!
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Chex

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I think it would probably be ok with him being a shettie. I've not seen the horses maliciously kill the lambs, but a few have gotten under their feet when they're galloping about. Chex occasionally chases them if they run in front of him, doesn't harm them though. One was hurt last year (missing an eye and broken jaw, it recovered though!), so I doubt the lambs will be going in with the horses this year.
 

Helen010382

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You might not want to hear this but Tom (My 34" stallion) killed both of our sheep
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He has never been out with lambs but after seeing him 'pick up' a Jack Russell dog I think he would do exactly the same with a lamb.
 

Honeypots

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Mmm...have to say that I don't think being a shettie will make much difference TBH. He will either go for them or he won't (no use I know!!!). In fact being a shettie (generally playful and cheeky) and being on his own (own kind) I would say that would make him more likely to be overly interested in them. Having said that my little herd of nags regularly share their field with sheep and lambs with no problems..
 

hussar

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Yes, my older Arab will pick up sheep if they approach his feed bucket and throw them out of the way. My YO's TB once killed a lamb by picking it up and tossing it into a wall.
 
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