Thoughts on field situation please

Dizzykizzy

Dizzykizzy

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We have 4 horses of our own, my daughter's little orange horse which is ridden and competed, my retired arab mare and her 2 year old gelding and a 15 month old filly cobby type.
Last year a friend of mine was losing her grazing and asked if she could put her 3 year old welsh D gelding in with our's. We didn't have the orange one at the time and they all got through the Winter fairly happily with a few scowls from my arab mare to keep him away from her baby.
Fast forward to May time, orange one came home from loan and Section D went away to be backed so never turned out together. Now he is back and they have been ridden out together without a problem but in the field orange one squeals at him through the fence (he is in a taped off paddock at the moment). I want them all together because the Welsh D spends all day racing around chewing up the field wanting to be with the others. My friend (who doesn't pay anything) thinks 5 together is too many and thinks the orange one will kick him (both the orange one and the Welsh have shoes on) so wants me to separate one of our herd to go with him. I don't want to as the babies play together and the arab mare frets if her baby is away. Also it means one on their own if she takes the Welsh one out.
Help!
Sorry it's long, trying to give the full picture.
Box of cookies for the one who can sort it out for me.
Oh, we have 5 acres, plenty of grazing divided into 2 bigs fields which we do subdivide if necessary.
TBH I don't know if it is more trouble than it is worth, we have had to replace so many gate handles and electric fence posts because he keeps running through them. I don't want to fall out with her and the arrangement is she helps with the poo picking.
Come winter things will change anyway as the orange one will have to come in and possibly my mare as she is having tooth probvlems and may need some TLC to keep the weight on her. The babies have always lived out as did the Welsh last winter.
 
I would tell her if she isn't happy then to go and find somewhere else. I wouldn't compromise your own horses well being by seperating them etc just to suit her.

I would say that you were happy to help her out when she was stuck but now that all the horses are together it obviously isn't working out. Say you will help her find somewhere but that it can't go on.

It's a very difficult situation when it's your friend but if it goes on much longer I think you'll get so sick and tired of it that you may end up falling out anyway!

Good luck!
 
Its your field and you manage it as you want to. You are kind enough to have her horse so she should fit in with your management. If you want all five in together then end of subject. If she is worried or doesn't like it, I guess thats the time for her to make alternative arrangements. If she gets funny then she isn't a true friend anyway is she. You are not being mean, afterall the offer to keep her horse with you is still there but you have to think about you and yours first. If her part of the field is being churned, when she asks for a bit extra you will have to be firm and say no but you can put yours in with mine and see what she says.
 
Tell her either he goes in with your lot or she will have to find alternative grazing. They will never settle down if they can't sort their herd out. Does ginger one kick as a rule? He probably squeals at him because he doesn't know why Welsh doesn't either join the herd or push off.
 
Agree with all them ^^^^
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If I was on your land, I would fit in with your wishes and if I didn't like it, I'd move on. I certainly wouldn't expect you to go out of your way to accommodate my horse.
 
Thanks guys (straight to the point as always AmyMay!!)
I guess I know that is the way forward, she can keep him next door with her other 2 but it will cost her another £18 a week.
I forgot to say, it has been good having her here as well because she keeps an eye on everythng if we are away for the day and when we went on holiday she helped my daughter with them all so I do get something out of it!
I think I will say to her we will try them together and then it is up to her if she doesn't like it. The orange one is not a kicker but she is a squirty mare when she is in season and my friend thinks her gelding will pester her.
Do you think 5 together in a mixed herd is too many if there is enough room?
 
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Do you think 5 together in a mixed herd is too many if there is enough room?

[/ QUOTE ]

No I don't. My horse is in a mixed herd of 5, two mares, three geldings. And it's worked very well.

It does sound as if she's useful person to have around, so maybe there is some way of sorting thigns out to suit you both? I the think the suck it and see suggestion is a good one, and then go from there???
 
I don't think 5 in a mixed herd is very much at all. Mine is in with 6 others and is fine. In the past mine have been in with about 10 (in about 15 acres) and I've never had a problem with it. I've had more problems when the herd is really small and the horses get clingy.
 
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