Yard dilemma, what would you do?

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littlen

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Bit of background first. I have a 15hh gelding who is very submissive and nervous around other horses. Always bottom of the pecking order etc. We have been on a couple of yards but has problems mainly due to him being bullied and so moved to our current yard. Each move hits him hard and I really dont want to move him again (plus current yard is lovely and has all facilities we need cheap)

I am having problems at the moment and am unsure what to do with the field situation. We have 3 field set ups with no exceptions.
1. Geldings (older, smaller etc)
2. Geldings (mainly TBs and younger horses)
3. 2 shetlands and myself.

At first I was in group 1 with the older smaller geldings where he was bullied constantly for months until the final straw when I had to call the vet out to stitch up a wound. I then asked for a soloution and YO moved myself and a shetland pony into a small paddock and the 2 became good friends. All was well over the end of the summer and the next winter until the following summer when shetland ponies owner refused to rotate the field and stayed in the winter field all summer too, resulting in not a scrap of grass at all in the field and my gelding dropped a drastic amount of weight and becoming very lethargic. Shetland owner did not care as her ponies live off fresh air so I resorted to bringing my horse in every night to feed him which cost a fortune in feed/haylage over summer. Winter came again and his weight has slowly creeped back up and now he looks great and is full of energy.
Now YO has approached me today and has informed me that shetland owner is not moving her horses again this year so I either stay where I am and feed all summer or I can move him into another field. Bearing in mind this field has now not been rested for 2 winters and is like a bog already, knee deep in mud!
I am tempted to try him with the younger geldings and see how it goes as I work a 50 hour week and cant face another summer of a horse in practically 24/7. I am also upset that shetland owner gets to make the decisions where as I have to make do, there is also no talking to her at all.

What would you do? Try him with the second lot of geldings (first lot has the bullies and theres no chance of me putting him in there!?)
Is there anything I can do to minimise the risk of him being bullied?!

I cant section off any fields or anything as we are not allowed...
 
Try it and see. I'd imagine the shetland owner doesn't want grass for hers for fear of laminitis (shetlands really do need fields with virtually no grass for health reasons). I doubt she's being awkward just for you.
 
I'd imagine that the shetland owner is worried about laminitis for hers.. i know i have to be really careful with my pony.

How long was he in with the 1st group before you took him out? Sometimes you need to give them chance to settle the pecking order.

Otherwise try him in the second group.. he might buddy up with a friend.

How big are the groups?
 
Unfortunately the owner of the shetland is doing right by her pony. I'm not surprised she refuses to move. I would do the same in her position. She's considering the health of her own pony.

I'm not sure youngsters are the right option either. They tend to be more prone to having play-fights and trying to push the boundaries. They might stress your boy more.

I hate to say it, but it might be that your horse just prefers being in. My old tb mare was very similar, prone to being bullied and lost weight at the slightest stress. She was always happiest in her stable with a few hours a day in a field than out 24/7.
 
Why would staying in that feild mean your horse being in 24/7? Cant you bring him in for a feed then put back out? I know its expensive to feed throughtout the summer, but if the horse is happy where he is I would try and keep him there.
 
Thanks everyone.

Oh I dont think for one moment she is being awkard on purpose. I actually know her quite well but its just annoying as if I knew the arrangement I would never have agreed in the first place as it was not supposed to be a year around field. Also, its easier for her to muzzle than it is for me to grow grass from nowhere (and she has muzzled for the past 5 years no problem, its only the past year she changed her mind when the option of me being stuck in a field with her came up)

Benson21- I tried that last summer, despite feeding conditioning mix, beet and chaff with oils 3 times a day he looked like a hat rack. I had to keep him in to ensure he was getting enough haylage which I cant put into the field due to shetlands.

He was in the first group for 6 months and bullied daily. He then was bitted so hard the offending horse took a chunk out of his back and he had to have stitches and was off work for a month. He then went back out with them after being in next door field for a week and within the hour was cornered and kicked to pieces and was then lame again for a couple of weeks. Bullies owner also dosent want my horse back in there either and neither do I.

So, that leaves youngsters field or nothing :(
 
I'm afraid if you want to dictate what your horse's companion does then YOU have to provide the companion, rather than relying on others to do so.
The shetland owner is obviously regulating her ponies' grazing so as to avoid laminitis, which can easily be fatal.
I would say that she isn't dictating where you put your horse but is simply saying where she wants hers.
 
Is there any way of feeding hay in the shetland's field in such a way as only he can reach it?

Have to say that although it doesn't help you if I was the shetland's owner I would do exactly as they are doing. Its far nicer and better for them to be in a scrubby paddock with poor grazing than muzzled on richer grass, although I know this is of no comfort to you.

How does he cope in a field by himself - could he go out on the summer grazing that was intended for the shetlands over summer, even if only for day or night and back in with shetlands at night?
 
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Pearlsacarolsinger said:
I'm afraid if you want to dictate what your horse's companion does then YOU have to provide the companion, rather than relying on others to do so.
The shetland owner is obviously regulating her ponies' grazing so as to avoid laminitis, which can easily be fatal.
I would say that she isn't dictating where you put your horse but is simply saying where she wants hers.
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Dont disagree with that at all, but surely on a yard where there are a number of different horses all with different needs then people should be prepared to compramise. Especially as she wouldnt be in that field at all if it wasnt for me as the field was created for my horse to recover from his injuries and was not intended to be a permenant field, Yo has said this time and time again but she will not listen and he is not one to argue (typical man just walks off and leaves us to it :))
But, I am annoyed that she has managed in a field full of grass for 5 years by muzzling, yet cant now when nothings changed. Its easier to prevent weight gain by muzzling than for me to keep my horse in 24/7.
Anyway, I have not been mean to her at all and understand her point completley, I am asking for suggestions how to help both of us out?
 
Naturally said:
Is there any way of feeding hay in the shetland's field in such a way as only he can reach it?

Have to say that although it doesn't help you if I was the shetland's owner I would do exactly as they are doing. Its far nicer and better for them to be in a scrubby paddock with poor grazing than muzzled on richer grass, although I know this is of no comfort to you.

How does he cope in a field by himself - could he go out on the summer grazing that was intended for the shetlands over summer, even if only for day or night and back in with shetlands at night?
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Hi Naturally, I do understand her point as I said, its just annoying for me thats all! Especially as one of her ponies could actually do with the grass as its old and struggles to keep weight on it anyway and last year she had it in with the geldings, she only moved the second pony this winter for ease as its closer to the stables. The field is not big enough for a horse and two ponies at all!

He is okay on his own, he manages for a few hours but then starts shouting to be back with the rest. The main problem is that theres not enough fields to do this effectively, as any spare field is used to graze down cattle once the horses are settled where they are staying.

I think I can have another word with YO and see if he has any suggestions but I cant see that he will have!
 
can you keep your horse in the stable for longer,say give him 4 hour daily turnout and in the rest of the time ,this would give him peace and exercise. maybe you would have to do part livery for this.
 
i know you said you couldn't create a paddock but given that one was created for your horse when he was injured is their no way he could be sectioned off in one of the fields with just one other gelding? even if you provided the fencing and just taped a bit off? i really understand where your coming from, my old mare is the biggest wimp going and i have to be very careful who she goes out with. luckily our YO is very accomadating and i was able to fence off 1/3 of an exisitng paddock so she could go out with another quiet horse instead of in with the'gang'
 
Notjustforxmas said:
can you keep your horse in the stable for longer,say give him 4 hour daily turnout and in the rest of the time ,this would give him peace and exercise. maybe you would have to do part livery for this.
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Hi there, I had to do this last year which did help with the weight gain however he does get very stiff and suffers with filled legs, hence why I want him out 24/7 over summer to help with this as he really improves with more turnout. This is why I moved to this yard in the first place to have him out more.
He is also a very bad weaver and box walks when he is stuck in, he will weave all day instead of earing which is not good for his legs and dosent help with the weight gain :(
 
clairefeekerry1 said:
i know you said you couldn't create a paddock but given that one was created for your horse when he was injured is their no way he could be sectioned off in one of the fields with just one other gelding? even if you provided the fencing and just taped a bit off? i really understand where your coming from, my old mare is the biggest wimp going and i have to be very careful who she goes out with. luckily our YO is very accomadating and i was able to fence off 1/3 of an exisitng paddock so she could go out with another quiet horse instead of in with the'gang'
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Hi Claire, its annoying isnt it! This paddock was created for me as a 'poorly paddock' as its now known, I am unsure if he would fence some off for me but I could certainly ask. He normally wont do it as he said it causes more problems than enough, people whining about special treatment etc...
I was more than happy to have him where he currently is, provided that the field was rotated even for afew months to allow more grass to grow for next winter. Sheltland owner was well aware of this as I explained it to her when she approached me asking to put her one pony in with mine. Now there are 2 ponies in a field too small and she wont stick to the agreement!
 
Would getting a little companion be an option for you? That way you would be able to manage your fields how you want? Might work out cheaper than feeding your boy so much even?

You'd have to choose carefully / be aware of things like laminitis etc, but I bought a companion when I was at a yard where all horses were in 2's, and trying to agree on the best way of doing things with another person was always a bit trick. I was in a similar position with my TB in a field with a fat pony - so it wasn't really working out.

Having my own field I could do what I wanted with was great.
 
well you could maybe try pointing out to him that infact by leaving the injury paddock up that is in fact special treatment for the shetlands (tho i can totally see why they need zero grass). my YO is also quite (rightly) fussy about fencing and fairness etc etc so i actually offered to buy the fence and put it up myself which made her happier. i provided the water bucket etc at my own cost and really just tried to create as little fuss about it as possible to keep things nice and easy.
 
maxapple said:
Would getting a little companion be an option for you? That way you would be able to manage your fields how you want? Might work out cheaper than feeding your boy so much even?

You'd have to choose carefully / be aware of things like laminitis etc, but I bought a companion when I was at a yard where all horses were in 2's, and trying to agree on the best way of doing things with another person was always a bit trick. I was in a similar position with my TB in a field with a fat pony - so it wasn't really working out.

Having my own field I could do what I wanted with was great.
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I am definatley tempted! I am unsure if the cost of stabling in winter etc would mean it is a viable option though, especially with the cost of haylage at the moment...something to think about thanks!
 
Sounds like putting him in with the younger ones then as your only option. I'd try that but when you can be around all day for afew days.

I've been at both ends of this situation, my horse went into a new field of 2 geldings and 1 mare, all was fine for a couple of days then the 1 gelding attacked my horse really bad, so then, as said above I brought another lol! Not just for the companion reasons but its useful so I can be late etc and ones not left alone, plus 2 seem to bond well together, is there 1 other horse in the young field already who's alone alot- they could be friends?

However afew months ago I had a n ew 1 in with my 2 and I really believe if his owner wasn't my good friend she'd've taken him out of the field as mine charged around after him for about 4 weeks, my big 1 was protecting my youngster and the youngster was just following. Now they tolerate each other but dont get on too well as my big horse still sends him away but the young one will happily graze by him no probs.

Good luck!
 
sugarlump121 said:
Sounds like putting him in with the younger ones then as your only option. I'd try that but when you can be around all day for afew days.

I've been at both ends of this situation, my horse went into a new field of 2 geldings and 1 mare, all was fine for a couple of days then the 1 gelding attacked my horse really bad, so then, as said above I brought another lol! Not just for the companion reasons but its useful so I can be late etc and ones not left alone, plus 2 seem to bond well together, is there 1 other horse in the young field already who's alone alot- they could be friends?

However afew months ago I had a n ew 1 in with my 2 and I really believe if his owner wasn't my good friend she'd've taken him out of the field as mine charged around after him for about 4 weeks, my big 1 was protecting my youngster and the youngster was just following. Now they tolerate each other but dont get on too well as my big horse still sends him away but the young one will happily graze by him no probs.

Good luck!
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Thanks everyone I am going to approach YO and explain and see if he offers any suggestions.

I would love another horse (baby arab maybe ;)) but I think OH may well kill me as he already hates the one I have and we are struggling financially. I would just move but then I am back to square one if he dosent settle in the new yard.

There is one or two older geldings in the TB field who seem to be loners, just worried that he will get attacked again like he was in the last field. I suppose I wont know until I try though?
 
How big are these paddocks? How big have they been at the other yards? Can you find somewhere with really good sized fields?

I had a pony who was always bullied terribly, bottom of the pecking order the whole time, bitten and kicked and never stuck up for himself.

I moved him to a yard where the horses where all kept in a large mixed herd but in good fields, not paddocks. In the summer they had the run of over 25 acres, and in winter about 15. It solved all his problems as he had space to just keep away from the others, and if anything started, he could run for it and the other horses would never be bothered to keep up chase for long. He was much safer and happier in these conditions.

He even finally made one little friend for the first time ever :-)
 
You cant blame shetland owner, she doesnt want her horses becomig fat or worse.

You can only try the other option.

If your horse isnt happy then maybe a move would be best.
I know you said it hits him hard but if he will be happy in the long run then maybe its worth it.

A yard where you have more flexibilit on turnout, or a field alone or with just one other
 
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