That one livery who's the bad egg

[Leo Walker]

I just moved to a new yard and was a bit concerned about herd turnout. Mine is out with a massive thug of a horse who has previously chased one of the others until he jumped out. They were introduced one at a time over a week or so, starting with the thug. She was chased about a bit for the first day but it quickly settled down. A week later and she stays out of his way and is buddied up with another mare who she thinks is amazing.It helps that mine is a very sensible pony type, but these are the issues with herd turnout. For me its been more than worth it to have her out in a huge field with a settled herd, and a huge hill so shes exercising all the time.

I also suspect I am currently "that livery" I rarely see anyone else but every other livery bar one has expressed horror that I will be driving my pony. Apparently ridden horses bolt when they see carriages I have explained that I am very, very sensible and will happily work with or to avoid any horse that is genuinely scared, but I know that people arent happy. I'm sure it will settle down once I actually start driving again, but people dont like change. It unsettles and worries them, when quite often its a non event.

Ive also had rugging, feeding and management advice, which is received with a cheery smile and a nod before I carry on as I was. Its the way of some livery yards.

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm also "that livery" on my new yard - because some of the rules don't apply to me. Their horses are in a herd, but mine are separate and have their own fields - when theirs have to come in for fireworks or winter, mine don't. Or rather, mine can't, because some are on grass livery anyway. It's been mentioned that there have been words about this, but it's just how it is on yards - the YO is very competent and sensible so I just keep myself to myself and smile and nod.

 

[Summit]

sorry- you are on herd turnout. New horses will get added in, it is up to your yard to have a sensible introduction policy. If you need to control the group your horse is out with I'm afraid you will have to buy your own yard. Unless it is known to be thoroughly aggressive then there is no reason this horse will be any more dangerous tahn another - it's just a horse!

This is why I prefer individual turnout. I can’t be doing with all the stress each time a new horse arrives

 

[DragonSlayer]

Gosh, I’ve been so blessed that I’ve not had these livery issues the last 13 years or so as we had our own place! I cringe when I think of the grief I had to put up with in the past, the arguments and basic lack of common sense ‘but I’m new at being an owner, please don’t moan at me!’...my reply? ‘A hamster in a cage needs water, your poor horse isn’t any different! You leave him with no water again, you’ll find the welfare people knocking on your door’...I’m afraid my tolerance bottomed out and thank god for the field that came our way. Now we are giving up horses and the field is going in the summer next year, I’m acknowledging the fact I have a lot to be grateful for.

 

[Velcrobum]

So what has become of this situation??

 

[holeymoley]

So what has become of this situation??

I was going to do another thread however will tag on to this.

So they had the initial sniff, bite thing then grazed then new one got bored with grazing and tried to ‘play’ which resulted in a rear from both and then mine turning his bum on him. New one didn’t get message and started biting his tail/bum and moving him about so I thought that was the start of it. Miraculously though mine obviously decided he wasn’t taking any of this again and kicked out at him which got the message through. The same happened the following morning and then he left him alone. So I’m relieved to say the least, that that’s how it’s went. Another of the herd wasn’t too lucky though and had ‘somehow’ acquired a nasty gash to his head which required stitching...

Like I said before, there will be something else to upset them each week and today there has been another issue arisen so we’ll see what happens.