youngster getting dangerous when take other out hacking?

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Imogen_

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My 2yo welsh D does not stop bolting the second I take my TB out for a hack. They both live out togeather, with no other horses around.
Today she managed to kick the fencing and really stress herself worse than usual.
I can't get a companion as I used to have a welsh B but he went when we got our TB and I don't want another as companions are still expensive. Especially trying to moniter a welsh pony who managed to stay huge through winter with no rugs and poor grazing.

Not sure what to do, the welsh has balls in the field, salt licks, mineral licks, grass and still had hay from this morning.

Any suggestions other than a third horse?
Thanks in advance
 
I don't know anything about how to care for them, that would be my only worry? I know someone who tried sheep once and they had a lot of health problems so I'd probably be concerned about how I'm looking after them
 
Do you have a stable? Put it in there when you go out. Or start training your horse to content alone by separating for short periods and gradually increase the time apart. It's just the same as weaning really.
 
No they just have trees for shelter and if any needed a stable they'd just move home with my mum where our arab is stabled unfortunately.
I have one field resting, one in use. Room for a third field so may put it up soon and try that and start seperating now and then. Thanks
 
Do you take him out in hand at all? You may find if he is taken away from his mate to do something himself, he may start to get used to being seperated. No chance of bringing mum's arab down?
 
I think its asking a lot to expect a youngster to be left in a field with no others around, if it gets so stressed it will eventually do itself harm, or worse get out and cause an accident to someone else.
I know some will be fine but if not they need to be either shut in, have company or you need to go back to the start and take it very slowly leaving him for just a minute or two while he eats then increase the time until you can go out for longer but it may not work and could take months before he really settles.
 
Imogen_ said:
I don't know anything about how to care for them, that would be my only worry? I know someone who tried sheep once and they had a lot of health problems so I'd probably be concerned about how I'm looking after them
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I ended up with two neglected goats and didn't know a thing about them but it isn't as hard as you think, I got advice from my vets re vaccs and worming etc and got a local farmer friend to teach me how to trim their feet to save on costs, I read up on their diet and nutrition. They are great at keeping weeds like Docks down (they love to eat docks and hay). They get on well with the horses and graze together, they do need shelter in bad weather though as they are not waterproof like sheep are. Great characters and very friendly once they know you.
 
Treat it as something you have to train your young horse, just like being led, being groomed, having feet done, accepting tack?

You need to make your horse leaving predict good things, and the process needs to be 100% predicatable for the youngster, so you need a routine.

Bring a small pile of hay/haylage or a few chopped up carrots in some damp chaff in with you, give to youngster, headcollar your horse, lead them away. While youngster is stil quiet and eating, lead your horse back. Don't go far enough that youngster becomes unsettled. Next time, lead a little further, then a bit further again. Always try to wait for youngster to be eating, head down, relaxed or grazing before returning your horse (and try to make sure they never get to the running around calling stage).

It's boring, and it's slow, because you are having to work against the strongest instinct a young horse has... not to be left alone. It's worth it in the long run though, because you end up with a calm settled young horse who will become a relaxed solo hacker in time. If you don't do it, you end up having to overcome the residual stress and anxiety when it gets to the stage where you want the young horse to start leaving its companion to go out with you :)
 
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