Would you be cross?

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ghostie

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I am fuming, but don't know if I am overreacting. My yard had been changing turnout partners. In the last 10 days Spider has been paired with three different horses. It turns out that two of the three introductions have resulted in fights, with him being kicked and falling over when chasing the other.

Now I know that horses are herd animals and these things happen and that is fine, but I am really cross that despite these incidents occurring before staff, I have only found our about them days later fourth hand. When asked staff have confirmed them. Is it just me that expects to be told if something like that happens so that I can keep a particular eye out for any ill effects?
 
I'd be incandescent, yes you absolutely need to know. But perhaps worse to me is the fact they're mixing the horses up like that, asking for serious trouble also sounds like horses not being introduced properly?? I'd move!!
 
I'd be annoyed I haven't been told, but perhaps the reason they are swopping turnout companions is because they've been fighting & they want to find one he does get on with. But you should be kept informed.
 
What terrible practice! Firstly, horses should be introduced slowly, usually they need a week or more in the adjoining paddock before being put in together. Secondly, horses should be kept in stable herds and not moved around willy nilly.
 
I wouldn't be happy with this at all; as a YO myself I'd never ever swop horses/fields around without consent of the owner. Its just not worth the risk and FFS if they know its not working then why continue to do it?

IF swopping around WAS necessary for whatever reason (and even if the owner said OK) - I wouldn't ever do it without the owner being present. Its just not worth the risk; I don't want someone's horse getting kicked and breaking a leg and you've got to ring up the owner and say "oh by the way sorry but your horse has just broken its leg and will have to be PTS".

TBH it shouldn't be necessary anyway. Yes, appreciate that with this weather it may be necessary to either restrict grazing or swap horses around - this isn't an easy time for YO's as it isn't for anyone else either at the mo, BUT surely a wonderful thing was invented a number of years ago now...... namely electric fencing???? So that may be one suggestion you could make to your YO - that way hopefully horses could be "in together" but kept apart for safety.

Just an aside: IS your YO prepared to pay your vets fees if your horse is injured? And (awful thought - sorry) your horse could easily suffer a broken leg and have to be PTS. Hasn't the yard thought of that?

I'd be totally volcanic about this whole episode and be moving ASAP.
 
I am due to move in a fortnight but I think I will bring it forwards. He was out on his own. First attempt at an introduction appears to have been to turn a two year old mare out into a field he had previously had to himself, then put him in afterwards. Not surprised that didn't work. Horse two was a tb of similar size and age, they got on really well and were happily grazing side by side and grooming each other. Then they decided to move him to share with a small pony which is a notorious bully on the basis they are both leaving. Really poor management I think.
 
Wagtail said:
What terrible practice! Firstly, horses should be introduced slowly, usually they need a week or more in the adjoining paddock before being put in together. Secondly, horses should be kept in stable herds and not moved around willy nilly.
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I'd be livid! Even when our horses were at livery, they were always kept in a stable herd. Eventually we had 4 so they were kept in their own field but prior to that they were always out with the same horses.
I wouldn't want to keep my horses somewhere where the YO has so little understanding of horses' needs.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Just an aside: IS your YO prepared to pay your vets fees if your horse is injured? And (awful thought - sorry) your horse could easily suffer a broken leg and have to be PTS. Hasn't the yard thought of that?

I'd be totally volcanic about this whole episode and be moving ASAP.
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This! /\ /\

Nothing should have been done without your consultation and approval and you being there to supervise.

ETA - would I be cross? You bet.
 
Not cross but furious! I was just thanking god at the lack of injuries when my horse went out for the first week at his new yard.
 
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