quirky
Well-Known Member
I've had this horse 8 years and she has not learnt to like turnout in that time. The difference now is that I have her at home and I am not beholden to livery yard rules.
So, what does she do?
Run the fence. This can be after 10 mins or a number of hours. Once she's started, she won't stop until caught in. Bizarrely, she doesn't look particularly distressed, her ears are forward and she doesn't look panicked. As soon as you step in the field, she comes to you and leads in sweetly, no drama.
What have I done previously?
Out in a herd, out with one other, out on her own but others in sight, out in sight of the yard, out in a herd but not in sight of the yard or horses (other than those she was with). By far the most settled was the last scenario but was still prone to running for apparently no reason. The yard owner used to go and spy on her from her bedroom and bring in if necessary.
So now she's at home, I leave her to wander the yard when I'm around. She seems happy enough but doesn't go in the fields even though the gates are open. She likes to graze the verges but still will come running down to the yard to see if I'm around. If I am, she wanders off again, if not, she'll either go back in her stable or stand at the gate looking at the house. Her other odd behaviour is that she will, given the opportunity, go into her stable to poo. Last summer, she did 3 poo's in the field all summer, which isn't really indicative as to how long she spent out.
What do I do this summer?
I am loathe to put her out when I'm at work as she could potentially be fence running for hours.
The alternative is out for an hour prior to work and out again for a couple of hours when home from work.
I don't mind her being in but it just doesn't seem the right thing to do.
Do I accept that she's happy in, or do I persevere in somehow forcing her to stay out?
Anybody got any ideas I haven't thought of?
Somebody suggested tethering her but I'm not entirely comfortable with that idea.
So, what does she do?
Run the fence. This can be after 10 mins or a number of hours. Once she's started, she won't stop until caught in. Bizarrely, she doesn't look particularly distressed, her ears are forward and she doesn't look panicked. As soon as you step in the field, she comes to you and leads in sweetly, no drama.
What have I done previously?
Out in a herd, out with one other, out on her own but others in sight, out in sight of the yard, out in a herd but not in sight of the yard or horses (other than those she was with). By far the most settled was the last scenario but was still prone to running for apparently no reason. The yard owner used to go and spy on her from her bedroom and bring in if necessary.
So now she's at home, I leave her to wander the yard when I'm around. She seems happy enough but doesn't go in the fields even though the gates are open. She likes to graze the verges but still will come running down to the yard to see if I'm around. If I am, she wanders off again, if not, she'll either go back in her stable or stand at the gate looking at the house. Her other odd behaviour is that she will, given the opportunity, go into her stable to poo. Last summer, she did 3 poo's in the field all summer, which isn't really indicative as to how long she spent out.
What do I do this summer?
I am loathe to put her out when I'm at work as she could potentially be fence running for hours.
The alternative is out for an hour prior to work and out again for a couple of hours when home from work.
I don't mind her being in but it just doesn't seem the right thing to do.
Do I accept that she's happy in, or do I persevere in somehow forcing her to stay out?
Anybody got any ideas I haven't thought of?
Somebody suggested tethering her but I'm not entirely comfortable with that idea.