Why do people "shout" their horses from 100 yards before the gate?

Gingerwitch

Gingerwitch

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I visited a friends yard this afternoon, it was just around "catch in time" and i was amazaed at how many people shout, and i mean shout and holla their horses, and they were not even by the gate - the people that is or the horses come to that. I saw at least two stampeads down to the gate, one horse was kicked and a couple had to be calmed down as they were so "excited". My question was - if its like this now (still light) what happens in the winter months. I was told it was perfectly normal, and that no one "walks" to get their horse. I was horrifed and said someone is bound to get trampled or a horse will get a broken leg. My friend looked at me in disbelief and said well how do you catch your horse then? Think we may not be on the same wave length on this one. Opinions please
 
Unfortunately this is quite common at my yard
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And that's why I always go and fetch my horse in from the field on a headcollar. She doesn't go out in the big herd because I think it's just an accident waiting to happen!
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I admit that i am one of those that shout at the gate but its my field and there is only my horses in it and they are pretty calm when they come over to the gate but yes i know what your on about i have seen one horse come over so fast that it skidded into the gate.
 
The yard I used to ride at, Non of the horses are catchable. So the YO herds them up in the car, opens all the gates and they all come trotting in. Hes never had any horses recieving injuries from it. But then again, I do poo my pants as im stood in the middle of a yard with 50 horses trotting at me
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if only they would come, most we ever get is an amble if food might be in the offing, so have to give them plenty of warning
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used to run all the ponies and horses in and out at RS, they knew their stables and they would come in in herd order. (ponies would be field of 15-20 and horses groups of 5
 
I whistle my girls and they both walk over to the gate, they are in a herd of 8 but only my 2 respond to a whistle even if they are all together at the far side of the field only mine ever come.
 
I shout mine and they just walk or trot up to the gate but there is only 3 of them and they are at home so no other horses about in different fields or anything.
 
I call to mine in the hope they *might* drift very slowly towards the gate.I know in my heart I'm going to have to walk, but am ever hopeful.

Trust me, on the rare occasions they do come their speed would not endanger even a tortoise. They usually look up, stare thoughtfully and resume munching. Sigh
 
My horse is turned out with others and comes when she is called (90 per cent of the time). She is the only one to respond to her name in the field so I don't see a problem. Maybe it just depends on the circumstances?
 
You can shout Cappy til the cows come home, if you want him you go and get him! He doesn't run away he just stands and then puts his head down to have his head collar on. Except when it is raining, then he stands at the gate demanding to come in.
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Fany is horse of definite opinions, and if she doesn't want to come in then it can be funny watching her trot off, put her head down to eat til Elizabeth gets within reach and then trots away again, for an Ardennes she has a fair turn of speed.
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I shout mine, cos I live in hope that she may decide to amble towards me to save me the 300 mile walk to the top of her field. Usually, if I give her enough of a verbal warning, she might just be thinking about coming towards the gate by the time I get there. She only shares with one other mare, who will barge to the front anyway, irrespective of whether I make any noise, but I can successfully get her to back off with my best icy glare, so no harm comes to anyone.
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THe yard where I now keep our lot has huge herds and huge fields. It sounds as tho the horses you saw tonight were VERY hungry. Our livery yard owner has started giving ours hay to avoid this very sort of thing.

Usually each horse knows it's routine as its DIY, you holler at yours, you get yours, the others just wait for their mums n dads! - occasionally the odd one ambles up but its really no problem.
 
Daisy is in on her own because she needs to have a carefully managed amount of grass. I always call her in summer partly because it saves an extra bit of walk and partly because I like to watch her trot up the field to see how she's feeling.
 
Mine 2 at home usually see the car coming and walk across slowly. Sometimes they walk in the opposite direction if they don't want to work.
My new one (kept at work) comes at a trot if you call from the gateway. Pretty pointless shouting from halfway across our yard as you can't see the fields till you get to the gate. They are all turnout out individually at work.
Most horses at work come walking/trotting over when you shout from the gate. Some you have to go and get and some come running as soon as they have seen you.

I suppose it depends on how you shout to the horses. We just shout their names or 'come on then'. Some we click at so they speed up (from amble to proper walk). I don't think we could get any of our horses excited or into a stampede, they are all to lazy.
 
My lot shout at me, they hear my back gate and start shouting, by the time i get to the field they are all lined up in their order.
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I can see the point of calling if they are all yours, and I can see the point of letting them all through - dont agree with this personally, but when you are trying to pick one out of the bunch i think it is a little bit different.

The yard i was at today had an L shaped gateway - so the horses get bottled necked - which is why i said one of them will break a leg. One poor girl with a low rank horse was leading her horse through this with a whip and was wearing a hard hat, she looked terrified - so maybe it isnt just me that thinks its a bit dangerous.
 
I shout, whistle or bang the gate. They come, usually very fast, or not at all, in which case I get on the quad and go find them, I don't do walking after horses. Guess it's different at home, no-one else to wind-up or worry about damaging.

When I had horses in a herd on DIY everyone else used to shout, or whistle, they all had their own particular calls, I banged the gate. My horses came to that and generally ignored the other individual calls. Unless the weather was foul and it was late and they wanted in, most horses only came to their 'own' call.

What always astounded me was the absolute idiocy of folk who actually thought that taking a bucket of feed to a gate or into the field was a good idea then wondered why they were stood in the middle of absolute carnage. Of course, it is never the idiots horse that ends up on three legs either is it?
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I dont even get the chance to shout, my boy sees me first or even the dogs and comes usually at speed but the ponies hes with generally dont bother.
 
I always shout for the Spooky Pony. He usually puts up his head to see me, and then resumes eating until I'm fairly close by. Then he ambles towards me.

That's still better than having to sit in the middle of the field for ages trying to lure him with pieces of carrots tossed infront of his face, which I was having to do when I got him last year...
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...of course, if he's in "pony jail", he'll stand by the fence whinnying for me to rescue him, and then comes to meet me at the gate.
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Ok - people call their horses - i can see that from the respones - but why do they start calling ages before you even reach the gate and dont you (those on livery yards) have any thoughts about people who may be in the field, or horses getting wound up with the "whooping" and "hollaring" that i must admit seamed endless tonight? And would you still do it knowing you will get a stamped of horses?
 
I call mine from the bottom of the track - they have a huge paddock, and by the time I get there, they are at the gate.

Nothing else bothers in the other paddocks because it is the wrong voice/call. When its dark all the horses are usually at the gates anyway, so no need to call them.
 
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