Why dont people listen and Would you risk it?

Cop-Pop

Cop-Pop

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I've got to move my horses - sooner rather than later. I've had my horse on individual TO for years because I won't trust her with another horse. However I am willing to stick my pony in with her as firstly she's my pony and secondly she's small and submissive so horse should be ok with her as long as field has plenty of space and grass.

The problem is finding somewhere. The yard I really want to move to (is literally perfect) wants to put them in with another horse :( Mare has mellowed over the years but when another horse got in with her earlier in the year she lamed him in two legs and had him by his throat.

Yard is aware of this but say the horse they want to put mine with won't put up with bullies. This horse is shod - mine isn't. To me this would be a disaster waiting to happen. Personally I'm not willing to chance it but so many people are telling me I'm being to precious about my horse :confused:
 
To be honest, I would not be even risking your pony in with your mare. And yes, you are right to be concerned about this other horse. One of them is going to get badly hurt.
 
It sounds like an accident waiting to happen, two dominant horses together with yours a known problem with others, why do they want to risk it ??? i wouldnt.
 
I think you are being responsible, not precious. It doesn't sound as if this 'perfect' yard is as perfect as you think. They have a responsibility for the safety of all the horses in their care and should make provision for 'special' cases. An aggressive horse can be introduced to other horses safely but it takes time, experience and patience to ensure that no-one gets hurt - plus a damn good knowledge of equine behaviour, communication and psychology.

I suggest a long pause for thought and myabe look at other options with more experienced people.

Hope this helps.
 
You know your horse, if your gut says no go with it. I wouldn't risk it because I'd know I'd never forgive myself if something happened. Also if that horse doesn't stand for bullies it could be a worse situation as neither will back down.
 
Wagtail said:
To be honest, I would not be even risking your pony in with your mare. And yes, you are right to be concerned about this other horse. One of them is going to get badly hurt.
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She's been out with the pony before - pony just runs away and horse leaves her alone. It's ones who challenge her that get it :(

jemima_too said:
IMHO it's not the perfect yard if the turn out arrangments don't suit.
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It really is tho :( Location, facilities, price - nothing else matches it :(

fidleyspromise said:
If it was me, I personally wouldn't risk it. At the end of the day you know your horse - they don't.

It might end up ok but what if it doesn't?
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My thoughts exactly. I'd love for my mare to be nicer to other horses but I can't force it to happen :(

be positive said:
It sounds like an accident waiting to happen, two dominant horses together with yours a known problem with others, why do they want to risk it ??? i wouldnt.
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The owner of the other horse is quite happy to risk it :eek: Madness
 
People never do listen, people are always airing on the overly optimistic side of things. And then stand agog when EXACTLY what you said was going to happen, happens...

Its a human foible I think.

I wouldn't risk it - scream blue murder and don't risk it :)
 
classicalfan said:
I think you are being responsible, not precious. It doesn't sound as if this 'perfect' yard is as perfect as you think. They have a responsibility for the safety of all the horses in their care and should make provision for 'special' cases. An aggressive horse can be introduced to other horses safely but it takes time, experience and patience to ensure that no-one gets hurt - plus a damn good knowledge of equine behaviour, communication and psychology.

I suggest a long pause for thought and myabe look at other options with more experienced people.

Hope this helps.
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Individual TO next to other horses has been the cloest I've got her. She was fine as a baby but still dominant. At current yard she's awful because theres never any grass so she's 'protecting' her hay. She was born on a farm and kept in a tiny field with a load of other horses where they had to fight for food - even thought she was two when I got her I think its behaviour that when combined with her marishness is ingrained. She is slowly mellowing tho so I hopeto get there one day :)
 
Cupcakes and Horses said:
You know your horse, if your gut says no go with it. I wouldn't risk it because I'd know I'd never forgive myself if something happened. Also if that horse doesn't stand for bullies it could be a worse situation as neither will back down.
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I'd feel awful if she did serious damage to this persons horse and I'd feel awful if her horse damaged mine esp with my current financial situation.

BoolavogueDC said:
People never do listen, people are always airing on the overly optimistic side of things. And then stand agog when EXACTLY what you said was going to happen, happens...

Its a human foible I think.

I wouldn't risk it - scream blue murder and don't risk it :)
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I remembered your post about the horse that was killed - goodness knows what I'd do if something like that happened :(
 
Talk again to the YO. Perhaps you could offer to pay for a field to be sectioned off? electric fence it? if you know your mare is a bully it is just not worth risking it. I would also be really concerned that if anything happened you could be held personally (and financially) laible and one of the insurance questions is ALWAYS to ask if your horse has any bad traits. Or if all else fails, ask if the owner is willing to sign a form which indemnifies you from any liability if anything happens.

My old mare can be really picky with who she goes out with and has worked her way through most of the yard, even the mare she adored and was always calling. Finally another old lady arrived at the yard and they are fine together but my mare left no one in any doubt as to how she felt about different horses and spent a good few months turned out alone rather than risk it.
 
Maybe to make a point get someone to write you up an agreement that absolves you of any guilt or liable for any financial recompense to the other owner when (not if) your horse injures it and that also, any vets fees incurred by your horse will be paid for by the yard as it was your express wish for the horses not to be TO together.

Not that anyone would sign that, but it might make them realise how serious you are.

I know its probably really hard, as you need to dance to their tune not your own as its not your yard but surely they could juggle things around to accomodate you?
 
I wouldn't risk it either. My mare is a dominant mare, she is quiet, never picks fights but will not stand bullies. Shortly after moving yards my mare was in a paddock next to a well know bully, all was fine until the bully jumped the fence and got in with mine. A livery rang me up screaming for me to get to the yard as quick as possible as the two of them had their bums facing each other and were just double barrelling. This would have gone on until one of them gave up, thankfully I got there and she only had a few cuts her rug took the worst of it.
 
I think you are absolutely right to be concerned - especially in this day and age when everyone screams liable.

Agree with others re an agreement if you have your heart set on this particular stables.
 
There's always a risk involved when turning a new horse out without other new equines when you move yards, but if you know your horse can be handy with her back end is a known dominant mare then your furthering the risk turning her out with another horse that 'will sort her out'.

Why would they want to risk putting your mare in with their horse as well?

Not worth it, you'd never forgive yourself if either got badly injured.
 
Thanks for reinforcing what I was thinking guys :) Im going to go there this weekend and see what they can do. Hoping to move in 2 weeks so fingers crossed!
 
Nope I have seen horses that are normally good with others turn when put in a new group, it was totally unexpected or it wouldnt have happened. So would not risk a horse that is known to be agressive with others especally one with back shoes on.
 
I think you are being responsible not precious at all. I have a mare I won#t turn out with my WB because although he is not nasty he will constantly nag at her and dominate her pushing her around the field. She is a very submissive mare and he is a dominant character and I think you need to use commonsense and make the environment comfortable for all concerned.
I dont understand why they would object to you using electric fencing.
 
I'll ask about electric fencing at the weekend although horse does have a history of going through it :rolleyes: if I can get it high enough then hopefully she won't. Luckily I paid off my credit card so can put electrics on there :)
 
I've just recently had this issue myself. A horse left the fields where mine are kept and this left land owners horse on his own. She stuck him in with my two despite the fact that her horse is nasty and anti social and we had more than a few mishaps and my horse went lame for a short while. The LO horse chased my 16 month old into the stable- I assume to kick the s%£t out of him and was only prevented from doing so by my older horse stepping in and blocking the stable entrance. This resulted in my older horse slipping over on the concrete floor, he didn't go all the way down but as he is just recovering from a check ligament injury it was enough to set him back a few weeks.

The second incident was when the nasty horse blocked his path into the field and charged at him and my youngster jumped into a rather deep ditch to escape. No injuries on that occasion but needless to say I have been lucky each time.

They have now settled a little more together but they are still separated at night as I do not trust the nasty horse not to corner one of mine in the stable/ shelters. None of the three have back shoes on so the risk is minimised very slightly.

Its your call, but horses are big powerful creatures who can maim each other too easily. I wouldn't risk it.
 
I've skimmed over what others have said and think we're in agreement that it's an accident waiting to happen!
I don't understand why they think that putting two possibly aggressive horses in together is a good idea, one, if not both - will get very seriously injured. And i bet the owner of the other one wouldn't be happy if hers ended up with the huge vets bill! Sounds like a very bad idea to me, I hope you manage to sort something out.
 
I have seen 2 dominant horses go in together and it really wasnt pleasant! It really doesnt work and I would never risk it.
Surely if your not happy about risking in then the new YO should respect that and give you your own field. They obviously dont want new liveries
 
My lad used to be bad mannered with other horses. I was always on tenterhooks waiting to see what he would do! So I know how you feel. I would not be happy about my lad sharing with anyone except Fany, she knows how to keep him happy. It can't be a good yard if they don't listen to you!
FDC
 
Quite apart from anything else, I wouldn't want to put new horses together if one was shod all round. We have learned through experience to take back shoes off before introducing mares, especially.
As others have said (I haven't read all the posts), this isn't the perfect yard, if YO won't accept that you know your horse.
 
Cop-Pop said:
I've got to move my horses - sooner rather than later. I've had my horse on individual TO for years because I won't trust her with another horse. However I am willing to stick my pony in with her as firstly she's my pony and secondly she's small and submissive so horse should be ok with her as long as field has plenty of space and grass.

The problem is finding somewhere. The yard I really want to move to (is literally perfect) wants to put them in with another horse :( Mare has mellowed over the years but when another horse got in with her earlier in the year she lamed him in two legs and had him by his throat.

Yard is aware of this but say the horse they want to put mine with won't put up with bullies. This horse is shod - mine isn't. To me this would be a disaster waiting to happen. Personally I'm not willing to chance it but so many people are telling me I'm being to precious about my horse :confused:
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No I woudnt risk it , and I bet the YO wouldnt sign a letter saying they would take full resposibilty if anything went wrong!!!! Dont do it you canot put the clock back if there was a horrble and avoidable incident , they might be fine for a day or two and then kick off or go for it straight away you never know, A friend loaned one of her retired horses as a companion they were fine for a day or so and she got realy beat up by the other mare, it was touch and go for a few weeks and not nice the poor thing was a mess.... just my two cents....
 
I wouldn't risk putting a shod horse in with others if it was trouble. Horses do sort out these issues themselves, but, in the conditions we keep them, they don't generally have the space enough to keep themselves safe.

There are some techniques you can employ to socialize difficult horses but you need to know what your doing.
 
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