Alone in a field - bringing your horse in

[Bertie]

My mare is in a field with 5 other mares of varying ages and sizes.

She is very much slap bang in the middle of the hierarchy of the field and is happy in her place, is nice to all doesn't challenge the dominent ones, doesn't bother the less dominent ones generally keeps herself to herself.

My question is the owners of the other 4-horses (2 of them) bring theirs in quite early especially at weekends between 3.30-4.30pm, now this isn't alway convenient for me - currently buying my 1st house, so busy at minute shopping etc and I don't get back to yard till 5.30pm at latest.

My mare isn't bothered by being alone, she will whiney if she sees me and everything else is in as if to say mum bring me in now but I believe when I'm not there she's pretty happy and doesn't stress or anything.

I am getting a bit of stick for not being in everyones routine and leaving her alone for a max of 1.5hrs, it's rarely more than 45mins.

There is someone who could and would bring her in with hers but as she's not stressing I honestly don't see the need - am I being selfish and unreasonable to my horse by leaving her out till I get back??

 

[georgie1]

If your horse is happy and not stressed then i cannot see any problem at all for you to leave your horse out for as long as you need to....1, 2, 5 hrs.

I cant see why it is their problem either?!? As far as i see it it has no bearing on their horses at all.

It is neither selfish nor unreasonable for you to allow your horse extra time outside in the fresh air grazing.

Just my opinion of course

Gx

 

[learningcurve]

If the horse isn't stressed can't see any problem.

I keep my 2 together in a field, the older one is quite happy if left alone, the younger one we are just getting used to being left on his own.

 

[molly34]

If you think your mare is happy for that odd hour or so, then it doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks.
If other people are getting that stressed about leaving her out on her own, they could always bring her in for you

 

[shanzee]

I wouldn't be too worried if your horse doesn't seem to mind. If she was running up and down the fence line and trying to come over the fence I would ask whoever is the last of the others to bring yours in too - we used to do this at our old yard.

Quite often it is the other peiople on the yard that are more stressed than the horse! At one yard my horse only ran up and down when she could see the yard owner. The yard owner kept going out to watch her running up and down, which made her do it even more. He would then report to me every night how stressed my horse was. It did my head in!!

I know she didn't do it all the time because I used to walk my dogs along the river, and could see her without her seeing me.

 

[capalldubh]

I think you're very lucky to have a mare who will chill in a field on her own after others have been taken away - and it's something I would cherish, personally It means she's likely to be less stressed by all sorts of things that will stress out other horses (like riding away from a group, etc.).

If it's working and it ain't broke, don't fix it

 

[acw295]

Exactly - Molly stays out when her fieldmates come in and doesn't bother at all (although she can see other horses in other fields and touch over the fence). She just carries on eating. You know your horse - if she is happy then that is fine.

I think you're very lucky to have a mare who will chill in a field on her own after others have been taken away - and it's something I would cherish, personally It means she's likely to be less stressed by all sorts of things that will stress out other horses (like riding away from a group, etc.).

If it's working and it ain't broke, don't fix it