Why would a horse would suddenly start breaking out of field

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jillykins

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Any ideas would be welcomed. We have had our horse since December. Since then he has been in a 10 acre field with 3 others, out during the day initially and for the past month out at night.

In the past 10 days he has broken out of different parts of the field three times. Nothing has changed so I am at a loss to know what is going through his mind. On each occassion his normal field companions were with him.

Has anyone else come across this with horses.

TIA
 
Yes. Boredom! I ended up with a lovely pony on summer loan because, despite a large field with ample grass and a companion he was breaking out and going visiting. Once I started to do and ride him, his breakouts ceased.
 
We have some escapees that break out when there's nothing left to eat - and there's a field right beside them that has lots to eat! This also happens even when there is hay in the field, they just see the grass and off they go!
 
Bitten by flies? We have one walks to try to avoid midges, and goes loopy if bitten under the tail, don't think an electric fence on or off would help. I'd try smothering in fly spray see if that makes a difference.
 
Why do horses break out fields ?
When Hungry , fatty tries to break out when the diet gets tough.
When Bullied .
When attacked by Bots ,horse flys ( right time of year ) or some other biting pest.
When bored and not in enough work .
I had two horses who would simply jump there way back to the yard when bored .
 
jillykins said:
Any ideas would be welcomed. We have had our horse since December. Since then he has been in a 10 acre field with 3 others, out during the day initially and for the past month out at night.

In the past 10 days he has broken out of different parts of the field three times. Nothing has changed so I am at a loss to know what is going through his mind. On each occassion his normal field companions were with him.

Has anyone else come across this with horses.

TIA
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Yep I have had exactly the same issue with the Beast, you can leave him out all day without a problem but try and leave him out at night and he tears his fencing up... since every damned day he runs to the gate asking to come in - i figured that he prefered it. Last year after the first month of carnage we decided to box him at night and he is so much happier for it. I would certainly not say it was boredom/lack of feed/too much feed etc in my boy's case he had plenty of work and plenty of variety of work, good grass etc -he just did not want to be out at night.
 
Queenbee said:
Yep I have had exactly the same issue with the Beast, you can leave him out all day without a problem but try and leave him out at night and he tears his fencing up... since every damned day he runs to the gate asking to come in - i figured that he prefered it. Last year after the first month of carnage we decided to box him at night and he is so much happier for it. I would certainly not say it was boredom/lack of feed/too much feed etc in my boy's case he had plenty of work and plenty of variety of work, good grass etc -he just did not want to be out at night.
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My friends horse is just like this. No matter what time of year, at 4.30 pm hes standing at the gate wanting in. Then another mare does the same thing even though it means she'll be in alone. Just anti-social 🤣
 
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