What to do with a horse that..

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TS_

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Won't stay outside?
I'm not really sure what to do with my mare at the moment as she hates being outside. However she's a horse and she's meant to live outside! She decided in September that she wasn't going to stay out at night, so I started bringing her in at night. Which is a little early but I didn't mind if it made her happy and didn't get me in trouble at the yard with her trashing the fields. She has now decided that she doesn't like being out in the day either. So I'm currently having to go down to the yard during my lunch hour to bring her in. I try and leave it as late as possible to turn her out but I obviously I can't leave it too late as I have to get too college and muck out etc. As soon as my car touches the drive she starts throwing herself around, churning up the fields and being generally silly. For last two days she's trotted all the way to the stable as she's so desperate to get in.
I should mention that she's currently meant to be having a year off of quiet rest in the field. Which means standing and doing nothing else. So I'm a bit lost as to what to do with her as running around the field is doing neither her or the field any good. However I can't just keep her in 24/7! If I leave her out any longer than 1.30 she paces in the field and when I catch her she spins, tries to take off etc which obviously she shouldn't be doing.
So I was just wondering if there was anyone else who had a horse like this and what you do with them. Or if anyone has any suggestions?
 
My friend's eventer jumps the fence and brings himself in when he's had enough... He just prefers to see what's going on. We can only give them the option. As they say - you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink ;)
 
Mmmmmm, I have exactly the same problem with my mare and in Summer, she doesn't want to come in! When I come up th drive she canters up and down the fenceline, when I go to her and I'm not snappy enough with the headcollar, she stamps her feet!! When I open the gate, we're off!

I'm afraid we have a couple of divas;):D
 
My horse is like this, when he decides he's had enough he charges around then stops to roll then charges around then rolls then charges around etc etc.
Luckily he lives at home so I can bring him in as soon as I see him, unfortunately we now have no grass left just mud. :eek:

Sorry can't think of any suggestions for you though.
 
She gallops around like a mad thing and canters round and round in circles bucking and screaming, to the point where she almost falls over. And as I've said she's lame and meant to be resting. It also means she churns up all of her field, meaning she destroys the grass and creates lost of mud - and she's a grey who gets mud fever.
 
elsbells said:
I'm afraid we have a couple of divas;):D
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Definitely! If she was human and could speak she would be insufferable!


It's just difficult as the more she canters around and bucks etc the less likely she is to ever get better and it's already looking unlikely that she'll ever get better - and she's only 7 :(
 
My yearling is insufferable when it comes to wanting to get in or out. He doesnt seem to mind the pain of the electric fence, he backs up to it, kicks his hind feet through, and then pulls the rest of him between the two stands of elec fence. (Just to gorge himself on the feed). My stables are in a big shed, which has double sliding doors, with a small " person" door to use if needed. when i lock the sliding doors, he opens the handle of the small door with his teeth and helps himself. I put him in a stable a few weeks ago as he'd broken in, and i had to unload hay, and low and behold, he cleared the stable door without leaving a mark on it, and trotted out into the yard and jumped the fence into the field. Sometimes, you just cant win!!!! I still love him though!!! - and he's a real heavy boy, you'd wonder how he could have jumped the stable door!!! Hope he keeps it up when i want him to jump.!!!
 
my old gelding was like this, he kept taking a 5 bar gate off its hinges and taking him self back to his stable, i gave up and got around by when i was there and the yard was quiet i just left his stable open so he could wander about, hed do so for about an hour then go back in.
 
fitzaud2 said:
I put him in a stable a few weeks ago as he'd broken in, and i had to unload hay, and low and behold, he cleared the stable door without leaving a mark on it, and trotted out into the yard and jumped the fence into the field.
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Gosh, he sounds very talented! Fingers crossed he keeps his jumping ability :)
Suni kept jumping out of her field even though I had it double stranded, so one strand was on the average stake height and the other was on the top (they're the tall stakes) and she would either jump them or wriggle underneath. The one day she jumped out, I put her back, she jumped out, I put her back..5 times. In the end I gave in *rolls eyes* Luckily I've now got my energiser fixed and the fence is on full whack and she seems to given up with that one!
 
TS_ said:
Gosh, he sounds very talented! Fingers crossed he keeps his jumping ability :)
Suni kept jumping out of her field even though I had it double stranded, so one strand was on the average stake height and the other was on the top (they're the tall stakes) and she would either jump them or wriggle underneath. The one day she jumped out, I put her back, she jumped out, I put her back..5 times. In the end I gave in *rolls eyes* Luckily I've now got my energiser fixed and the fence is on full whack and she seems to given up with that one!
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serious elec fence does work!!! my little fecker cleared a 7ft fence with me standing under it, waving my arms, shouting at him, but he's never listened to me, so why start. He's a little s**t, he's only going to make 14hh max, but can jump to the moon,but if you saw him, you wouldn't believe me. He has legs like tree trunks, and is a serious heavy weight. Hair from his knees down. BUT he can jump, i really hope it works out, i would love just for once, to sell a horse and MAKE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Could these horses possibly be simply hungry? Have you tried putting hay out for them?

My horse is not an outdoor horse at all, but he doesn't create, he just stands at the gate trying to urge someone to get him. He wants to come in to eat, there is not much goodness in the grass now, and he gets hungry, so only has 4 hours out per day, which is fine.
 
Has she got company or is yours the sort of yard that has individual turnout? Is there grass in the field? You could try putting a hay net up for her as she may be just hungry, but obviously if there are other horses in the field you'd all have to put a haynet up! Hungry or no company would be my guess.
 
Is she out on his own? She may just be lonely and want the company of other horses on the yard. It may be worth putting a few snack balls in the field, to keep her distracted for a bit.

What breed/age is she?
If she's out with others, but still wants to come in, then she may just be feeling the cold, plus if theres not much grass then she's probably bored and hungry, in which case i'd suggest putting out some hay, if your not already.
Unless she has to stay out, i'd bring her in, i can't be much fun standing in the cold and wet, with nothing to eat.
Either that or ask someone if they could bring her in for you.
 
Could someone else help you out?
Maybe turn her out in the morning, bring her in for a few hours around lunch time, turn her out again then in for the night.

Is she hungry?

Give her some hay in the field and does she have company?

She is probably finding having time off boring!
 
Some horses are just like that. My mw ISH will not stay out beyond lunchtime at any point of the year and once he has had enough will start yelling to come in, failing that he will start to charge around the field. My mare is a little less extreme but again, will not stay out the whole day. I accept it, its just horses so I do with what they want rather than try to force them when they would much rather be in (and I am not a fan of overly stabling - previous horse ended up living out - much happier)
 
I would just throw her out in the morning for 30mins whilst you;re mucking out etc, then bring her in before you go to college. There is no point putting her out if she is going to injure herself!
 
Why not try and keep her in for a few days then turn her out for a morning and then repeat, she might want to go out if it isn't something she gets all the time.


Worked with my friends old horse.
 
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