I'm really stuck in a dilema at the minute: we love the yard we're at, and it's cheap so we wouldn't want to move. We also get along with everyone there and don't want to be the cause of conflict. The problem is that our new pony keeps being bitten in the field. She's often got big bites, the most recent drew blood, and her new rain sheet has already been torn. She's sharing with another mare and a gelding, who both belong to another woman on the yard. The other mare is very dominant, the gelding much less so. Our mare is low status in the herd and it seems to be the gelding who's doing the biting (I suspect that he's preserving his second in command status).
The other owner thinks that it's just normal herd behaviour and I'm worrying too much. I just feel sorry and worried for her, and fed up about it (especially the damage to rugs and the constant wounds) and GD feels that her pony's being bullied (a sore point as she's getting a bit of bullying at school and really empathises with her pony).
So I need some perspective and advice from the collective wisdom of the tack room. Am I being over-protective? Should I leave her where she is and put up with it or should she move? If she shares with any other horse (given that she's probably always going to be low status) will I just have the same, or worse, with any field companion? Does the benefit of herd life outweigh the constant biting?
You don't need to read the rest if you think I'm worrying to much and should leave things as they are.
The yard owner is sympathetic and says it's my call but the only unoccupied field is a tiny paddock next to our old pony and his field mate. She could go in there by herself. She'll probably come in overnight when it's cold. Yard owner is also happy with a re-shuffle of the herds as long as everyone is in agreement.
If you do think I should move her then this is our set-up
We have 4 horses/ponies, DH's mare is in a field by herself, with companions either side seperated by electric fence. She's on her own as she's very possessive of food and will kick if another horse goes near her grub. She lives out all year so gets haylage in the field in winter.
Mine (mare) shares a field with another horse (gelding) who she's been with for over a year. They get along very well and have a huge field. (Both live out all year) Both are generally friendly and get on with other horses well. I get on well with this horse's owner who's a friend of the woman I bought my mare from.
Our other pony (gelding) shares with another of this woman's geldings and they get on well. Our gelding is obsessed with the other mare in new pony's field. Initially he was in with new pony and the other two but was a nightmare so moved, then when new horse arrived we tried them together and it's working well. I don't know if it's this particular mare, or mares in general that make him a bit OTT.
Any ideas for a re-shuffle? Ideally I'd love to have ours all together (except DH's mare) as it would make life easier.
Sorry to ramble!
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Am I worrying too much about biting in the field? (long, but you can stop reading half way)
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olderyetwider · 30/09/2011 13:26
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