Turnout Problems

AshleighEmma

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
55
Visit site
Hi all,

Looking for some advice for my mare. Shes been a competitive show jumper her whole life where shes lived on competitive yards and stayed in all day everyday type scenario.
She's now 16 and on a type of system where shes in at night and out in the day - she struggles with stress related ulcers so turnout is important to make sure shes grazing and has that time available outside.
However, its a catch 22. When she goes out, she stresses, runs the fence line and runs round until she sweats and I'm worried about a potential injury due to the extend she runs and jumps about.

Does anyone have any advise / tactics / tricks with how to get a horse to become comfortable with being turned out. At the moment shes going out last on the yard and coming in first.
I do want her to go out each day as shes getting older and i think she'll benefit from the movement rather than being cooped up - also to help keep the ulcers at bay.

She's at a competitive yard with quite a lot of hustle and bustle going on - one option I've got is to move her to a quieter yard but I'm nervous with a new setting this will be worse?

any help greatly appreciated!
 

Pearlsasinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
44,732
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
The problem with individual turnout, over electric fencing, is that they can't interact properly over it, horses like to be able to have physical contact, without being zapped.
I would move her to a quieter yard with herd/group turnout, maybe even turn her away (with daily checks) for a few weeks, so that she doesn't stress about the going in and out. She is in a new phase of her life, so it would be good for her to start it in a new place.
 

Bionic Boy

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 February 2012
Messages
820
Visit site
Have you got use of turnout with a field shelter, that way she has the choice. She may choose to stay in the shelter to start with and as she gets used to it a bit more she may venture out more.
 

Cortez

Tough but Fair
Joined
17 January 2009
Messages
15,148
Location
Ireland
Visit site
If she's being turned out to help manage ulcers, then stressing her head off and running until she's a sweaty mess surely isn't doing her any favours.
 

Pinkvboots

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 August 2010
Messages
21,375
Location
Hertfordshire
Visit site
For a horse that is not used to being turned out I would think it's the individual turnout that is causing the anxiety, I had an ex showjumper you couldn't put her out alone ever she would jump out, she was always happiest in a big herd environment.
 

Auslander

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 November 2010
Messages
12,623
Location
Berkshire
Visit site
I have a theory about turnout.

A horse completely on it's own is like us being made to stay in our home 24/7 with no friends or family around us, and no access to a phone/internet/other form of communication
A horse on individual turnout is the same as the above, but with internet access, so they can interact from a distance with others, but not have physical contact/interaction
A horse turned out with others has friends and family, internet, phone, etc.

I would hate scenario 1 - I'd be off my rocker within a few days. Scenario 2 is a bit better, but isn't much fun, although more bearable than 1. Scenario 3 would be my ideal, as long as I got some time to myself too

I think your horse would be happier with the ability to interact with others.
 

AshleighEmma

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
55
Visit site
She is scoped clear of ulcers but im worried they'll return with the stress - so of course it wont be helping which is why im looking to seek help.
Mixed turnout isn't an option on this yard unfortunately - perhaps I need to look for somewhere else for her.
Thanks for all the advice. It seems the system she's in currently isn't working for her but she's still on the same yard I bought her from so I haven't changed anything.
Perhaps a fresh start is what she needs.
 

be positive

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 July 2011
Messages
19,396
Visit site
She is scoped clear of ulcers but im worried they'll return with the stress - so of course it wont be helping which is why im looking to seek help.
Mixed turnout isn't an option on this yard unfortunately - perhaps I need to look for somewhere else for her.
Thanks for all the advice. It seems the system she's in currently isn't working for her but she's still on the same yard I bought her from so I haven't changed anything.
Perhaps a fresh start is what she needs.

She will be in her 'routine' you may now be her owner but everything else is much the same and she is stressing because she is used to being in, a move to a yard where she a) has company in with her b) it is not so busy during the day so she feels she is missing something c) you can set your own routine, would be the best way forward, staying on the same yard is probably confusing her and a move may allow her to settle better.
 

WelshD

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 October 2009
Messages
7,973
Visit site
While you are mulling over the possibility of a yard move are you able to turn her out with a small feed?

My stressy mare goes out with a small interesting feed containing some palatable chaff and some carrots, she has a good pick through this then wanders off to graze. I haven't had any fence walking since I started doing this.
 

AshleighEmma

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
55
Visit site
Hi all. thanks for your much valued suggestions and advice - i have reached the decision that a move needs to be made - however i am struggling to find a yard that has group turnout. I have found a yard that seems to be a good bet, its much quieter with less horses so hopefully less going on - i'm hoping this can give us both a fresh start and she can hopefully start to settle. However, two issues have presented themselves.
1) its individual turnout - i have selected a field in the middle of the other horses with three horses round her that supposedly don't move throughout the day but will this be enough as physical contact as mentioned above still can't be made?
2) The fields are relatively close to the M6 motorway and the road noise can be heard relatively loudly in peak times. (possibly not the peaceful field space i imagined)

Do you think the motorway being close would pose a big issue to a horse? the other horses seem very settled and its not a big competitive yard so the horses generally seem a lot more chilled. I am wanting to move her ASAP as she's obviously not happy and the lack of sensible turnout will make the situation worse. However, i don't want to jump too quick and make the situation worse?

any advice?
 

Pearlsasinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
44,732
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
I wouldn't worry about the M6 but I would worry about the individual turnout. I would continue the search for a different yard.

I agree with Auslander's summary of the different kinds of turnout except that rather than individual turnout being like having internet access, I would say it is more like having access to a TV - you can see what is going on but have no control over it whatsoever. i really don't think that is what your horse needs right now.
 

Goldenstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 March 2011
Messages
46,022
Visit site
You need a different yard .
If she’s not used to turnout you may have to work hard to get the right way for her .
Years ago I bought a lovely sjer like yours she was used to never being turned out and it took two years to get her to manage six hours daily in time she could be kept out at night in summer but you had to catch the moment anyone went on the yard in the morning
Some thing that help hand graze in the field then let her go and stay with her then catch her and bring her in .
Once she clicked with that start to leave her in the field but be sure to get back before she gets stressed .
In time you can hopefully increase the time .
I did this twice daily .
With mine I had to work then turn out there was no point in turning out before work it just did not work .
Mine always had friends with her it made no difference .
 

jnb

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 November 2005
Messages
2,872
Visit site
Can you get a small companion? I understand the individual turnout thing is a yard rule but surely if an owner has 2 horses they can go in together?
IMO your mare would probably benefit from turning away in a small herd & left out 24/7 to become a horse again & de-stress. If that genuinely isn’t an option (are there no “ retirement” or stud type yards or just a field somewhere?) then I think a small companion even if not Equine, might be the answer. IMO most horses settle better when left out 24/7 because then, coming in / going out isn’t winding them up because it doesn’t happen!
 

Goldenstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 March 2011
Messages
46,022
Visit site
You can’t turn away a horse not used to turnout without preparation some horses who are unused to it need lots time and patience .
The guts of fully stabled horses also need considerable time to adjust and this horse if it where mine would not be eating only grass for years if ever .
There’s a much higher risk of grass sickness in horses who have had years without grazing.
OP needs to stop this horses stress and concerntrate on introducing turnout in a way that makes the horse happy .
 

Orchard14

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2019
Messages
138
Visit site
I had a horse that had lived in individual turnout all his life, I was told he would only stay out for a max of 2-3 hours before begging to come in even when all the others were out around him. I watched him doing the same thing running up and down the fence, sweating, calling. When I bought him aged 9 I put him in a paddock with two other horses for a few weeks before putting him out in the herd of 18 horses and 87 acres. I can't put into words how this horses behaviour changed for the better. I sold him beginning of last year to a quieter home aged 16 but before that he was living out 24/7 365 happy as larry with his mates. Horses are herd animals, like to communicate through touch and feel safe with company. I cannot fathom individual turnout personally, even my main competition horse that cost me a small mortgage goes out with 20 others. I wouldn't have it any other way. Only trouble now is trying to find them when you need to catch them :D
 

AshleighEmma

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
55
Visit site
Hi all just a quick update! We have moved yards at the end of last month to a much smaller and quieter yard and she seems to be settling! She’s now doing around 6 hours a day settled which is an enormous improvement! Hopefully we will continue on this trend! Thanks everyone for all your advice; I think a change to her routine and environment has really done her good! X
 

hopscotch bandit

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 February 2017
Messages
2,872
Visit site
Ours are all turned out individually, apart from the odd few liveries who keep their own horses together. I don't see any huge problem with individual turnout. We have mains electric surrounding our paddocks, but when its switched off my horse interacts over the fence with others and has ended up getting rugs ripped. So I put electric about 3 ft in front of the current electric fencing to stop this from happening as it was getting very expensive. I know other horses who have pulled tendons racing around, or even had their tails chewed by their companions.

When I turned her out in a herd environment many many years ago she ended up getting kicked and had a bone sequesta. A previous horse lost his life 'playing' with others in the field having suffered a traumatic unrepairable injury due to a broken leg.

So when people say its not fair to keep them on their own, or can't understand why people do, they probably haven't been through what the some of us unfortunate people have gone through. And that's not having a pop at anyone's reply on here, that's just stating facts. Turnout can be potentially dangerous in a herd, a whilst you can take precautions to avoid the pecking order as much as possible you can't completely negate the risks involved.

Most yards by us are individual turnout, because they cater for what most people want.
 

maximoo

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 September 2013
Messages
89
Visit site
Two of mine are seperated and in single paddocks next to each other they can go nose to nose but i can't put them in same field as they have bitten each other and fought trying to show who is the alpha male as mares next door and i dont want 2 vet bills for them so better to separate better sagd than sorry
 
Top