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Lizzeexox

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My ponies are currently sharing a field at my yard. One is 19 and the other is 2 years old coming up 3. The 19 year old doesn’t love any horse but they’ve learnt to be together in their own way however currently they are a nightmare to catch and bring in - this has never been a problem prior.
Is it worth separating them? It’s the two year old I’m more concerned about because of the social aspect. They would still be side by side. It could even be temporary. Just getting a bit sick of bringing in time becoming such a nightmare. Thanks
 
Currently the youngster comes to the gate but the old mare won’t come down because I think the younger one is finally standing her ground. So today I took the youngster away and went back to get my older mare who galloped round for 20 minutes. I’m more concerned the older mare is going to hurt herself. The younger mare is actually an angel!
 
I used to have a tie up on a fence post when the Appy was a baby. Her Ardennes buddy would wait there patiently while she challenged my patience! (She was a horrible 5yo)
 
I’m definitely going to give this a try if the pen doesn’t work! Thank you!
I really don’t want to spilt them up, makes my life easier them been together and they do graze together when people aren’t in sight, so I’m pretty sure they do have some sort of friendship/relationship.
 
Jenko109 said:
No.

Keeping a 2yo on individual turnout is rotten.
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This. I believe a 2yo needs to be out with other horses to learn so many basic skills like hierarchy etc. I had a Welsh Cob who they said had been kept on his own for a while as a youngster, he was extremely bolshy on the ground and it took a lot of effort to get him sensible! He didnt seem to understand boundaries with people or other horses.
 
MagicMelon said:
This. I believe a 2yo needs to be out with other horses to learn so many basic skills like hierarchy etc. I had a Welsh Cob who they said had been kept on his own for a while as a youngster, he was extremely bolshy on the ground and it took a lot of effort to get him sensible! He didnt seem to understand boundaries with people or other horses.
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She goes out with other youngsters every summer. She’s very well behaved and she is not really the issue at bring in time. She’s the easiest youngster I’ve ever had. She just has to come home for winter.
 
What would happen if you went into your field and caught your older mare first? So go completely past your youngster, get your older girly and then come back to the gate to catch your youngster and then move forwards with them both?

I have the opposite with my two boys in that my 20 year old will happily be by the gate, but I have to go and fetch my 2.5 year old as he knows that my 20 year old is the head of the herd x

Is there also the possibility of recruiting some help so that it would mean the girls are both coming in at the same time together, but it makes things easier on you? x

Another idea to try would be getting your older girly first and then coming back for the youngster? Your older girly can come into her stable, start her dinner and have a lovely high value reward (like a Likit or some sort of treat that she really loves but doesn't get often), whilst she waits for your youngster to be brought in x
 
AppyLover1996 said:
What would happen if you went into your field and caught your older mare first? So go completely past your youngster, get your older girly and then come back to the gate to catch your youngster and then move forwards with them both?

I have the opposite with my two boys in that my 20 year old will happily be by the gate, but I have to go and fetch my 2.5 year old as he knows that my 20 year old is the head of the herd x

Is there also the possibility of recruiting some help so that it would mean the girls are both coming in at the same time together, but it makes things easier on you? x

Another idea to try would be getting your older girly first and then coming back for the youngster? Your older girly can come into her stable, start her dinner and have a lovely high value reward (like a Likit or some sort of treat that she really loves but doesn't get often), whilst she waits for your youngster to be brought in x
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Sadly this would be the ideal but the younger one follows me then the older mare just runs off. This wasn’t an issue until the last couple of weeks. I’m going to put a pen up today so I can leave my youngster in it and have a big tub of bribery down by the field.


In an ideal world like many have hinted the two year old would go out with other youngsters but that’s just not an option round us in winter. So I’m glad someone else also has there youngster at home with an older horse!
 
I used to catch the easy to catch one, then tie up a few yards away, and the other pony would realise he was going to be left on his own and let himself be caught.
 
Lizzeexox said:
Sadly this would be the ideal but the younger one follows me then the older mare just runs off. This wasn’t an issue until the last couple of weeks. I’m going to put a pen up today so I can leave my youngster in it and have a big tub of bribery down by the field.


In an ideal world like many have hinted the two year old would go out with other youngsters but that’s just not an option round us in winter. So I’m glad someone else also has there youngster at home with an older horse!
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Ah bummer....a pen deffo sounds like the way forwards in that case then, also you could hide bits of apple/carrot etc in the tub of bribery to keep whichever girly you pop in there merrily quiet :) x

I faced the exam same issue - plenty of places to go in Spring etc, but come Winter the options vanish sharpish x My lad was kept with youngsters and broodmares of varying ages until he left the stud and came down to me. When he came down to me, I did pop him in with the younger horses first on the yard and he didn't really play or hang with them. He just mooched around looking longingly over at the herd my older lad and his mates were in.

I ended up popping him in with my older gelding (who promptly put him in his place) and several of his friends of varying ages, and it's taught him boundaries, respect of other horses and humans, he's generally good to handle (currently going through the first of a few Kevin stages at 2.5 years old but they all do at some point!), he's learnt his place in the herd and I generally have no issues with him x

When he isn't in a Kevin stage (as I've dubbed them), he is hands down one of the best horses to handle on the yard. He backs up softly, I can get him to yield his hindquarters away from me in either direction, we can move the shoulders away from me in either direction, I can get him to back up by pointing and clicking or using a carrot stick and motioning for him to go back (no I don't do Parelli, but I do find that the carrot stick is good as an extension of your arm compared to a dressage whip that can be flimsy) and in general I've not found any issues with him x I keep in regular contact with his breeder and made sure to let her know exactly what my yard set up was when I was buying him, and she was perfectly happy for him to come to me, and she's been breeding for over 20 years so has a wealth of knowledge behind her x

I do understand that in a perfect world, youngsters would be with other youngsters etc but sometimes we just have to do the best we can with the cards we're dealt xx
 
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