Yard owners - wwyd?

[Honey08]

...if you had a DIY livery horse that was really bossy at the gate? Small mixed herd, plenty of turnout. The horse is blocking the gate and kicking at/lunging at/biting other horses if you try to get them out of the field before him. Chasing it away with a flick of a lead rope or whip just spooks the others too. I’m worried someone is going to get hurt. It’s a big draught horse. I’ve already banned treats in the field, but not sure that the owner is respecting that, I’m not always there. My freelance groom knows this horse from a previous yard and said it could be a pain.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Turn it out on its own before someone ends up seriously injured or dead.

If I was another livery and faced with that, I would move yards.

 

[AmyMay]

It would be on it’s own I’m afraid, or off the yard.

EDT. I’m not a YO, but a client - and I’d actually move if confronted with that. Either I’d get damaged or my horse (but realistically both).

 

[doodle]

Yep in a Field of its own. If owner not happy then they are free to leave. If I was a livery on that yard and couldn’t get my horse out I would be leaving.

 

[meleeka]

Catch it first and thread the leadrein through the gate so you can release quickly if needed, but it thinks it’s tied up.

 

[AmyMay]

Catch it first and thread the leadrein through the gate so you can release quickly if needed, but it thinks it’s tied up.

This is a diy yard. Who do you expect to ‘catch it first’?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Catch it first and thread the leadrein through the gate so you can release quickly if needed, but it thinks it’s tied up.

And get yourself kicked for your pains? No thanks.

 

[meleeka]

This is a diy yard. Who do you expect to ‘catch it first’?

Ah I didn’t read it properly, just read the bit about a groom. In that case it wouldn’t be in the field with other livery’s horses.

 

[Archangel]

Could you make a large corral at the gate?

 

[ihatework]

One thing I’ve seen done quite successfully is a pen built around the gate with 2 access points. I might be inclined to try that but if it didn’t improve the situation then the horse would be removed from the field. The pen is actually very useful irrespective of troublemakers

 

[Tiddlypom]

How will a corral or pen help in this situation? The bully horse will still be trying block both entrances, it’ll dash from one to the other.

 

[Winters100]

Sorry to sound like a wimp, but as an owner I would be very unhappy about it, and I would be very worried about my horses getting injured. I'm afraid for me it would have to be turn it out alone, or if you don't have these possibilities maybe yours is not the right place. Sounds as if they were not really honest in not alerting you to this in advance

 

[ihatework]

How will a corral or pen help in this situation? The bully horse will still be trying block both entrances, it’ll dash from one to the other.

Might do. Might not.
I’ve seen it resolve this sort of situation before.

 

[Fools Motto]

He would be on his own. Not worth the potential damage he could cause to other horses and owners.

 

[chocolategirl]

...if you had a DIY livery horse that was really bossy at the gate? Small mixed herd, plenty of turnout. The horse is blocking the gate and kicking at/lunging at/biting other horses if you try to get them out of the field before him. Chasing it away with a flick of a lead rope or whip just spooks the others too. I’m worried someone is going to get hurt. It’s a big draught horse. I’ve already banned treats in the field, but not sure that the owner is respecting that, I’m not always there. My freelance groom knows this horse from a previous yard and said it could be a pain.

Hi I’m a YO, is there any way you could have a second exit/entrance to your paddocks? I use a corale system in all my fields, and most of them have more than one entrance too for this very reason. If it’s not feasible, maybe try an electric corale system so that if necessary, clients can quickly duck under to get out of the way? Failing this, I would definitely be sectioning this horse off on its own where it’s not a danger to anyone? we all know the dangers and risks under normal circumstances, but as you are aware this horse is a particular problem, if you don’t try to do something, you will unfortunately be held accountable in the event of an accident. Personally, I think that’s wrong, but sadly, this is the system we have to deal with? not ideal I know, but the alternative is giving the owner notice to leave.

 

[Archangel]

How will a corral or pen help in this situation? The bully horse will still be trying block both entrances, it’ll dash from one to the other.

Somehow it seems to take the heat out of the situation. I would always have one where there is a potential crush at catching in time.

 

[doodle]

Reading your other post. You could make it a requirement that the difficult horse is brought in first. If that means owner has to pay you or a groom to do it then so be it. Or are all horses out 24/7?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Ah, bit more info in your other post, OP.

. The land doesn’t really work with sectioned off individual turnout. The owner works later than everyone else (someone else often brings it in or I end up leaving mine out until after hers so it’s not left alone).

No option but to give notice, then. You are aware of the issue and as YO would be liable if there was an incident, so best ban it from turnout til it leaves.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Not worth having on the yard is my view. If it is just the yard owner handling it on a full livery situation there would be ways to deal with it, but if you have other owners trying to catch their horses in amongst the difficult horse you are heading for a legal case against you. Just imagine if it got someone down on the floor or kicked another horse and injured it. It had a dominant mare kick a lower ranking mare 12 months ago. The bill was near 5k and the injured horse is lucky to still be alive. I owned both mares but still reflect and think what if the injured horse had not been mine. Awful situation to be in.

If you want to keep the horse it would need individual turn out and guidance given to other owners not touch it. We live in a litigious world sadly.

 

[GG13]

If you don’t want to give notice could you create a smaller paddock within the field for the bolshy horse?

 

[Honey08]

Thanks. Yes that’s the conclusion I’m coming to. They’ve recently swopped onto daytime turnout. They were on overnight turnout in summer. I do mornings and have a few iffy moments bringing them in. I’m an AI with 30+ yrs of horses, but this horse is a pain. Horse has been on assisted/full livery for years and I don’t think the owner really realises.

 

[ester]

Im with the tell them to leave bunch, he's not suitable for your set up.

 

[Equi]

If you don't offer/want individual turnout tell them its not the right set up because he is not settling well. Its not your problem.

 

[Shilasdair]

I think you are all being a little harsh, and I'm not known for being overly user-friendly.

It sounds as though the horse is anxious about something - either being left alone, or he's hungry and desperate to come in for food.

There are a number of other things you can do given the circumstances;

1. If he'll go out alone, put him out at night, in during the day.
2. Try splitting the field, and putting him out with another horse or pony that lives out (any retirees?)
3. Bring the horse in earlier than the others each day if you have a groom to do it.
4. If no groom - pay one of the other liveries to catch him first, before the others come in.
5. If you think it's hunger, review his diet. I don't know where you are, but in some areas the grass is losing its goodness already. Could you put a large bale of hay out? If they are stuffed, they are less trouble.
6. I do agree with the electric fence corral idea - this can also save the ground around the gate so you aren't wading through swamp each day.

Hope you find a solution.

 

[Ish2020]

As yard owner you should have a separate fields if there was problem . All you us are being very hash to the owner some horse are naturally more aggressive in a herd setting though not fault of the owner.

 

[ester]

OP said in the other thread that she has hard standing at the gateways and therefore it would be a swamp if she made a corral that side of it.

It was also said that OP could not separate fields, so people aren't being harsh just responding to the information given.

 

[Tiddlypom]

As yard owner you should have a separate fields if there was problem . All you us are being very hash to the owner some horse are naturally more aggressive in a herd setting though not fault of the owner.

Is this your horse?

 

[Honey08]

As previously mentioned, there’s a hard core pad around the gateway as the ground poaches easily. If I coral that’s off they’re back to poaching the area while waiting to come in.
If he’s out or in alone he kicks stable doors or paws/pushes at gates.
Nothing is retired.
The winters get pretty wild here.
In my opinion he’s just a bit rude. His owner says he’s always just been brought in first at other yards. None of the other liveries particularly want to handle him as he’s so big. Once you’ve got hold of him he’s actually easy to handle, it’s just getting things past him that’s hard.
They’re temporarily in a section of a field while a walkway is put into the autumn field. The work has taken longer than hoped due to being postponed half way through twice due to rain, so they have eaten down the grass a bit. But they’re not on bare fields and none of the others are barging and kicking.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

If it was on my yard, i would be giving notice and it would be put on individual turnout till gone.
On a small yard with a few liveries, its just not worth the angst.

 

[Shilasdair]

I think the kindest thing to do is discuss it with the owner. You suggest she's not fully aware of the problem. Perhaps ask her to come and see how he behaves. Or video it for her. Then try to work out a solution together. Catch him first, or more feed, or different feed, or more work? Or a sharer who can come up earlier?

All suggestions you could make to her - not suggesting you do all this yourself.

If she's a nice livery, I think you should give her a chance to solve the problem with you.