Turn out questions... wwyd?

Casey76

Casey76

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Our yard is short of land for the number of horses we have. When I first arrived, it was fine as there was only 9 horses. Now we have 24, although we have extra grazing too.

Most of our turn out is single, with a few pairs. My youngster is out with another gelding is a reasonable sized paddock at the bottom of a track. My mare is in a single paddock at the end of a row. I'm Ok with this arrangement. My boy gets to run around and tussle a bit with his similarly sized mate, and my mare appears to be quite content by herself. This time last year, they were kept together, however I wanted to separate them as they were getting too attached and spent a lot of time shouting if they were out of sight of on another.

Now we're on winter turn out, and the outer fields are due to be rested I keep getting proposals to put my mare in with someone else. Unfortunately she is very dominant, and extremely handy with her back, and fore feet. While I was happy for mine to go in together, mainly because Blitz is very passive and just took any abuse he got, and any injuries were mine alone. I dread to think what would happen if Tartine kicked her fieldmate and serously injured them. While I don't really like single turn out, I can't bear the responsibility for any field accidents either. And yes, she will and does strike through a fence if the horse next door is "annoying" her.

Would you keep your foot down and insist on either a) single turn out , or turn out with my other horse; or b) say OK I'll agree to put her out with something else, but I won't be responsible for any injuries?
 
who is asking you to pair her up?

Are there actually enough paddocks for you to have your own one?

I think the answer to those questions would affect what I'd do. I totally understand your POV and it's something that works both ways - she might well injure a field buddy, but equally she might get injured back if someone doesn't take well to her antics. I'd find it hard to *mean* it if I said I would not be responsible for injuries if I knew my horse was difficult in the field - it would always be on my mind. That said, I previously shared with a very very aggressive horse (chased me and Millie out of the field once, and ran Millie through a fence on one occasion). We learnt to cope with it with no further incidents. It's tough being at livery :/
 
One of the ladies has been lumbered with a lot of "manager-y" type stuff since ours left; things that the YO (a cattle farmer) doesn't really know much about. I feel really sorry for her, as she is between a rock and a hard place, trying to keep everyone relatively happy.

I'm also in a bit of a spot. I don't like being difficult, but i have to look after my ponies. My boy needs a dry(ish) field as he is very susceptible to mud fever, as a youngster I'd prefer for him to have some space to run around in (the individual paddocks are too small to run really). Last winter, both of them were in a hardstanding pen, which was great in one way - they were both right on the yard, and feet were out of the mud. But they had ad lib hay and ended up gaining masses of weight. The pens are less than 20x20, so no space to even get a trot on. Despite Tartine being 13.3, and Blitz being 16.1, Tartine wold regularly put Blitz through 2 lines of electric tape.

It has been suggested that Tartine be paired with another young pony - when she comes off her 3rd bout of box rest for tendon injuries, and I nixed that straight away. Next it was suggested that she share with an "old" 19-yo SF with legs like twigs...

theoretically, Blitzs field is big enough to put Tartine in there too, but I have a feeling 2 geldings and a mare would be a nightmare, plus there is the issue to trying to bring in 3 at a time, the two big boys are a challenge enough at times. :/
 
As an owner if a fellow bossy mare I'd stuck to your guns and refuse to put her out with any horse that is not your own. I spent years at liveries explaining that my mare would beat any other horse up (always up front and honest about her) and having YO's think they know better resulting in lots of injured feild mates.

I finally bought another horse so the pair of mine could always be tuned out on their own together. I now have 5 and stroppy pants can go out with any or all of them but they are all mine if something goes wrong.

Can ur mare go in the hardstanding alone with hay I small holed hay net to slow her down and prevent weight gain?
 
Just to update on this *sigh*

I was informed today that my ponies, plus another horse have been turned out together, very happily, in the "holiday" field.

I've been managing Tartines weight, with a struggle, on her postage sized paddock (about 20x40m) and weighed hay in a slow feeder net (plus regular work, obviously!). She is now out with two others on 1ha (2.5acres, or thereabouts). I can feel her putting on weight as I type.

I said that the pair of them would need to be muzzled as there would be too much grass, to which I got "we'll need to discuss. Hopefully after the first chomp they will settle down"

I know why we've been "relegated" to the holiday field, which is down an unlit track, across a road. It's because I don't ride, or visit the yard during the day, so I won't be bothered about my horses being in an awkward place.

I'm so fed up. The last time Blitz was in this field, 2 years ago, he got the most horrendous mud fever - and while the situation isn't the same (no hay feeder to stand around), I'm still concerned that he is going to be more susceptible in this field than the one he was in.
 
Casey76 said:
Just to update on this *sigh*

I was informed today that my ponies, plus another horse have been turned out together, very happily, in the "holiday" field.

I know why we've been "relegated" to the holiday field, which is down an unlit track, across a road. It's because I don't ride, or visit the yard during the day, so I won't be bothered about my horses being in an awkward place.

QUOTE]

Are your horses only out during the day? And do the yard owners bring in and turn out for you? So you arent having to walk a lot further to get your horses?
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Yes, they're only out during the day. Which is why it won't "bother me" to have the so far from the yard. it just bothers me that they will have too much grass, after working so hard all year to keep weight stable (as I simple can't get her to reduce, no matter what I do!)
 
I understand it's frustrating but TBF the situation that you have now sounds better than what you had before - your boys have enough room to stretch their legs and there is (hopefully) enough room for your stroppy mare.

I do understand your concerns about the weight gain - my suggestion would be to either muzzle her (if she will tolerate a muzzle) or keep her in a few days a week and give her a hay/straw mix to try to manage her weight.

For your mud rash worries then start putting pig oil on as a preventative - it should keep it at bay.
 
Well Tartine came in from the field this evening very bloated and gassy. I had to cut short my lesson as she was so uncomfortable. I need to talk to the YO about taping off most of the field, and perhaps strip grazing instead of letting them have the full hectare.
 
Sorry you're having such a hard time :( I just wanted to say how great it is that you recognise and take responsibility for your 'less than friendly' horse. I am on the other side of this at the moment with another horse who has attacked both of mine (and I mean attacked, injuries to both horses on separate occasions, and a chunk taken out of my saddle). The owner just refuses to recognise how serious it is. I have managed to get around it at the moment by buying fence post and electric fencing out of my own pocket and sectioning off a paddock for my two. It's wet and completely bare, I'm spending a fortune on hay to try and keep weight on, but at least I'm not paying the inevitable vets bills.

If your YO are happy with it, maybe putting up your own fencing is a way forward? That way you could restrict grazing and keep your mare separate? When I offered to pay for and put up the fence myself my YO was fine with it. Good luck x
 
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