lunarlove
Well-Known Member
Not really sure what I want to hear but all I know is that I'm so stressed, the story is my boy has been out on his own in a tiny paddock for ages but has company each side of him, (that he is very attached too) he has issues on ground, cant be caught, terrible to turn out unless he has a chiffney on so the small paddock has massivley helped him, however thanks to mother nature and all this rain his little paddock is no more, its a mud bath and needs a break. I was making him live out as he has good natural shelter in his field and he seems ok out but have been bringing him in during this wet as he has a touch of mud fever and is sore and its given us great bonding time. My problem is I've been given a field to use while mine rests but its HUGE, I'd say 4 acres if not more and when I put him out today he just seemed so lost, he has friends on one side but they tent to graze on the high end of the hill and when I took his feed out this PM he did let me catch him after a while of pratting about so I brought him in as I knew it would be pants weather again tonight and I think the handling is helpful with him and it lets his mud fever dry out. I'm just worried that this field is too big for him on his own and he is no good with company, he fights with geldings and gets too possesive over mares, he acts riggy and gets really attatched and difficult to take away so hes better off alone, my other worry is that the field has absolutly NO shelter at all so he would have to come in at night during bad weather. I think that I'm just worried that by putting him in such a huge area on his own he's going to get a bit ferrel on me and I'm going to have to start all my hard work again. Am I over thinking things or would you be concerned about such a huge area for one horse that already has issues with humans and trust. Should I just embrace this lovely turn out area untill my paddock is rested and if he refues to be caught he is obviously happy out and leave him untill I can get him back in the smaller area. I only ride twice a week in winter so its not like I need him in all the time. Please share your advise with me before I go crazy with worry!!