Standing by the gate...

[Katie__Connie]

Just out of interest...

My pony and her field pal are always standing by the gate when I get to the yard to bring them in. Do you think its because they dont want to be out and cant wait to come in

or because I always do it at the same time and they know the routine and know its time to come it? (if that makes sense

)

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Possibly a bit of both

 

[ester]

routine and tea time.

we have just got ours out of the habit of standing by the gate at 3pm (when mum finihses work) to 5pm while we are off work and riding in the mornings, for them it is just routine.

 

[Lippyx]

Routine and if you just so happen to feed them when they come in, something tells me that might have something to do with it also!!
Be thankful.... some lucky owners have to walk miles around a field before their horse allows them to catch them!!

 

[Blaise]

I dont know the anwers but all i can say is all the ones i know do exactly the same! 10 mins after they've gone out they're by that gate waiting to come in again. (classic example in sig pic!) I wouldnt mind but they make such a fuss to go out in the mornings, kicking doors & generally stroppy then they're doing the same to come back in again.

The only ones that dont are the native ponies. The warmbloods, TB and spanish one are all big wimps. lol I think they do get into a routine & know when they're supposed to be coming in, so wait by tha gate, but it could just be that they're big wusses like ours

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Both perhaps

It generally boils down to food with horses, if there was hay out there for example you may not find them waiting at the gate for you

 

[ester]

pony nuts override hay!

mine come in to their stables when I open the gate for half a handful of pony nuts!

 

[Katie__Connie]

[ QUOTE ]
I wouldnt mind but they make such a fuss to go out in the mornings, kicking doors & generally stroppy then they're doing the same to come back in again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah mine do this

 

[TicTac]

Horses like routine and also seem to have an inbuilt clock which tells them what time they should be doing something. Most horses that are stabled at night during the winter know what time their owners fetch them in and will wait by the gate in anticipation., especially if the fleld doesn't have much to offer in the way of grass. Mine are exactly the same. At least I don't have to trudge far to fetch them in!

 

[carolinewheatley]

Mine even know what day of the week it is. They live out all year round and in the winter I only ride at the weekend, come saturday morning at 9 there they are waiting for me at the gate to go for their stroll!! If I can't make it they get in a right huff apparently and start pacing up and down for a bit, then give up and wander off again until next weekend!

 

[lukeylou]

mine do the same! i reckon it's a bit of both, but mine hate being out in the winter. in the summer they're at the far end of the field when it's time to come in!