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Christmas_Kate

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Having had to be in for an extra couple of weeks due to the bad weather, it sems the rest of the horses on the yard are going out next week (for ther summer hols). I like to keep ours to the same sort of regime, so am planning on putting him out 24/7 too.

So...assuming (and I am assuming here, need to catch YO and actually make sure) he is going to be on T/O with the big boys and girls what's the best way to ensure he doesnt get killed? (for those who don't know, he's a 9.3hh shettie) The others are all about 16+ hh. bearing in mind, there is no way of taping off a bit or putting him in the next field. The field is the field, use it or don't, simple.

also, would you think it was okay to use a grazing muzzle 24/7 atm? the grass is coming through, and he's on a diet. Field is big enough for all 5 of them. He may well be at risk of being fed tit bits by kids, and he bites if he's tit bitted or petted too much
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so i was hoping a grazing muzzle would (a) discourage tit bitting (b) keep his weight down and risk of lami and (c) stop him biting small kids. Do you think this is a good idea? Either that or put a big sign round his neck saying "Do not feed me" (joke).
 
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I mean any part of their mouths from the nostrials to their lips.....sadly he is now seperate as did big damage to a TB's mouth!

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No, he's been turned out with bigger horses in the past fine, no problem. I have no worries about him doing anything to the others, it's them hurting him as he's so small.
 
My friends shettie can totally hold her on in the field with the bigger horses, even the big cobs turn tail and run when she chases them! Usually they're so small and nippy they can get out of the way of flying hooves.
 
your little shettie will prob be the boss of the others, as for using muzzle 24/7 sounds bit too much, cant you just put muzzle on in the day and off at night when grass is lower in sugar?
 
My horse once got loose in a field of 7 shetlands and they scared the life out of her, chasing her around. They actually circled her at one point and had her cornered. I was not happy!
 
Could you not put signs on the fence warning the kids to not touch the pony for their own safety? At least they've been warned. I would'nt let local kids rule how i manage my horses.
 
we have a rota at our yard as mums working etc, ponies have muzzles on at 8 in morn till 4, most muzzles have little holes in them so they can get very limited grass, ponies than stabled at about 6 in the eve till next morn and so on. this works very well even with the most laminitic prone ponies
 
I dont think he will come to any harm from bigger horses, they do tend to hold their own pretty well!

As to the titbits, put a big DO NOT FEED THE HORSES sign on the gate or somewher equally prominent. If someone does it anyway and gets a nip they wont do it a second time.
 
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