What would you do

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SplashofSoy

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At the moment my horse is out with 3 other livery horses. The field is a 10 min walk into the village from the yard so a good 20mins+ round trip to get back to the yard with horse. As there is a secure passageway from field to road quite often myself and the the 3 other owners ride from the field rather than come up to the yard first.

A couple of us often ride together so there are times when there would be one horse left on its own and its never been a problem as there were 5 of us and the fifth horse was never ridden (no longer with us). Now if this was my horse he is fine on his own, in fact he is an odd bod and likes being left alone so its never really crossed my mind.

I had a lesson booked at the yard and left enough time to go and get horse, tack up before lesson but it was tight as i was coming from work. I walked down to the field to find mine and one other (2 people have ridden from field and I didnt know). I just collected my horse and went for my lesson. I did tell the YO when i got back to say the horse was on its own. The owner of the remaining horse arrived shortly after and had a right go about her horse being left.

I didnt have time to go back for another bridle to lead her horse up having walked down or i would have missed my school slot and the instructor had a lesson straight after booked so would have wasted my money which i can ill afford to do these days.

What would you have done?
 
Unless there was a yard rule saying the horse couldn't be left, I would have left it.

Was the horse going beserk?
 
Hm, tricky one. I used to have a horse that hated being left on her own and I always saw it as my problem, not one that anyone else in my field should have to be responsible for. That said, our yard has a 'don't leave one horse on its own' policy - but then our fields are a minute's walk away, not 10!!

I think if I had been you, I would have tried to contact YO or the owner by mobile phone to say 'I've just got here, I'm taking my horse now and X will be left on his own. Do you want to make arrangements for him to be brought in?'
To be honest, in the situation you describe, I think that's all you could have done.

Can you not leave head collars at the gate for emergencies?
 
See my answer on the other thread ;)...if the other horse is stressed at being left in my opinon it's that horses owner's responsiblity to ensure the horse isn't left alone esp in your case of having such a distance to walk. On that..no way would I have my horse that distance from the yard..I can't afford to loose that amount of time in the day just walking to and from the fields!!
 
Get the owners & YO to have a chat & come up with a plan of what to do so you all know where you stand & what's expected of you. Could you get something like a sheep to put in the field as a companion?
 
Thanks, horse was fine when i left but owner in her rant was saying it had gone beserk. Will speak to other liveries to set up messaging system so if they are riding from the field to let people know before you get down there. Good idea about the head collars at the gate but because we have to lead to yard on a public road yard rules means i would need a bridle rather than a head collar. Time to field and back is a pain but alot of the time i hack from the field (can park there) and only come up to the yard to use school, no extra charge by yard for bringing them in for farrier etc and facilities (2 indoor schools, all year turnout, great hacking once out of the village etc) and price of livery are so good its worth the compromise.
 
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