Walking through loose horses

[abbijay]

I have never been a confident horse person. I am much better than I ever was (it's only taken me 13 years of having my own) but I still have a massive fear of walking through fields with any loose horse that isn't mine. My fear has been accentuated by a nasty accident on our yard where a livery was booted in the head catching in her own horse.
I generally try to avoid going through fields with loose horses in if I can - my ridden horse is on a yard where all fields are accessible from a track but my oldie is on a yard where I have to go through other horses to go and visit him. If I want to bring him in I have to lead him in through others which is even worse for me. It is making me dread visiting him and avoid going up (he's on full retirement livery so I don't need to visit everyday). Bringing him in is an actual no-go right now.
I have 2 routes over to my field:

• Route 1 is shortest, goes through a mare and foal who are nice and quiet types but obviously a 4 month old foal is very interested in what's going on. No malice in him but I worry more about Mum deciding I shouldn't be near her baby and deciding to send me off. One side of field is hedge with little to no way out and the other side is electric fence into the alternative option. Last week I chose this route and "hid" inside the hedge for 10 minutes until baby got bored and I dashed out and into my boy's field. I don't have a lot of time and I want to spend it with my horse, not hiding in a hedge.
• Route 2 is first through the quietish hunter who usually leaves me a lone but can't half shift if he decides it's too interesting. Then into the bolshy 5 year old and retired ancient hunter companion. 5 year old is a total handful and has limited boundaries in the field (don't get me wrong, lovely horse just very in your face if you're in there because I'm exciting and interesting). Similarly this is electric fence on one side and hedge on the other with only 1 place to take refuge part way across.

All horses are out 24/7 so I can't time my visits to avoid this issue which is what I have done previously. I can't start catching in any of these horses or doing anything with them as they're not mone. I definitely can't take my kids to see the horse because it is even more "interesting" and therefore more dangerous.

Does anyone have any tips or advice on getting through these fields more confidently and remaining safe? And indeed which route would you go? Moving fields will not be an option (for a lot of reasons) so please don't suggest I ask that.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Can you ask them them to put a small path of electric fencing up just enough for you both to get down the side of the field?

 

[Gloi]

Can you ask them to bring him in for you if you call in advance, even if it means paying a small fee it would be worth it to avoid stress.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I don't like doing it either I think entering or walking through a field with horses is probably one of the most dangerous things we do on a daily basis especially when they congregate at the gate, I think most accidents happen with people fetching in there horses more than anything else.

It amazes me how many adults send there kids to fetch in horses alone at livery yards.

I think I would opt for the mare and foal route personally, I suppose sectioning a path off is going to be costly I might be tempted to carry a stick or a rope just incase you need to shoo them off.

Or getting someone to hold the horses while you walk through?

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm a confident person handling horses 1:1 on the ground but I won't walk through a field of loose horses. I got badly kicked by loose horses milling in the field as a teenager 50 years ago - and I've no intention of letting it happen again.

I catch my own 3 in one at a time. They line up at the gate in the same order each time to be caught.

Echo Gloi's suggestion that you ask to get him brought in for you?

 

[ihatework]

Pay them to bring the horse in for you? But if you do it yourself deffo not through mare & foal.

When you just go out to check take a lead rope and anything that shows excessive interest gets a good flick. They soon learn. I feed a bunch of lairy loose youngsters but even they give me space when the lead rope is out!

 

[milliepops]

i would not choose the mare and foal, that adds protective mare instincts on top of general horse curiosity. I echo the suggestion to ask for an electric fenced walkway to be put in the other fields if that's possible. if the YOs object then i'd say you don't feel safe leading through the other horses so they will need to catch in for you.

I am happy with my gang milling around, even if they are playing silly buggers I know how they respond to things so can move them about easily. I find dealing with other people's loose horses more of a challenge because not everyone is great at installing ground manners with their horses.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I'm a confident person handling horses 1:1 on the ground but I won't walk through a field of loose horses. I got badly kicked by loose horses milling in the field as a teenager 50 years ago - and I've no intention of letting it happen again.

I catch my own 3 in one at a time. They line up at the gate in the same order each time to be caught.

Echo Gloi's suggestion that you ask to get him brought in for you?

My horses do the same thing ?