Greenhorn questions about Horse Troubles...

[MossflowerWoods]

So I'm guilty of letting the girls treat the horses like golden retrievers and they got pretty naughty for a short while. My neighbor, and a couple books helped me regain a modicum of control and they are behaving better.

But I am VERY Green as a horse owner/rider/ranch hand.

Somehow I need to get these horses back into being ridden daily or at least every couple days. But I'm having a tough time.

My gelding thinks he is lead mare, and he is constantly annoying my mare. He steals her food, he is pushy, etc. Lately he is like a helium balloon and when I go out in the pasture he follows me like a helium balloon and I cannot get close to her. Eventually I will have seperate fields and will be able to seperate them so I can work with just one at a time.

I suspect this thread may take on a life of its own and go on for a while. I have many questions...

Any advice is greatly apreciated.

Thanks in advance.
David

 

[Bird]

David, we've got lots of horse owners on TBN, so maybe they can help. But are you also a member of TBN's sister site, horsesbynet? I don't really know, but think you might find more information there. I had to give up my last horse about 57 years ago.:laughing:

 

[JimRB]

Equus magazine is a wealth of knowledge of things you don't even know to ask. My wife has horses. I read her Equus every month learning stuff I do not really need to know. EQUUS Magazine – The Horse Owner’s Resource

 

[farmfun]

Equus magazine is a wealth of knowledge of things you don't even know to ask. My wife has horses. I read her Equus every month learning stuff I do not really need to know. EQUUS Magazine The Horse Owner痴 Resource

"learning stuff I do not really need to know", about the horses or the spouse?

 

[whistlepig]

Horses aren't like dogs. Dominance with horses is something that you just can't work out. We board horses and turn out new horses out with an established herd from time to time. We do watch them. Sometimes this is ugly. There is nothing that we can do but watch to make sure they don't break the fence. They will work out who is going to be the boss horse. There is nothing that we can do to change this. Just another mystery of a horse.

 

[RDrancher]

Well, here's some advice from my wife.

Whistlepig is right, there will always be a level of dominance in the herd. You can do your part to modify it a bit though. Stall all of the horses, even if its corral panels with dead space between them. Then you'll be feeding and cleaning up after them everyday and you'll be more likely to ride them as well. That interaction time will help in your taking your place as the herd boss. A round pen is also very beneficial since you can spend as little as fifteen minutes with each horse and build respect from them. Ground work is just as important as riding...and remember to always end on a good note.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Well, here's some advice from my wife.

Whistlepig is right, there will always be a level of dominance in the herd. You can do your part to modify it a bit though. Stall all of the horses, even if its corral panels with dead space between them. Then you'll be feeding and cleaning up after them everyday and you'll be more likely to ride them as well. That interaction time will help in your taking your place as the herd boss. A round pen is also very beneficial since you can spend as little as fifteen minutes with each horse and build respect from them. Ground work is just as important as riding...and remember to always end on a good note.

Pardon me for butting in; I know absolute nothing about horses, except that when I get on one he's the boss. My Dad used to ride a lot when he was younger; born on a farm in 1910, he used horses to farm and rode a horse as transportation, even rode it to school every day. I used to listen to his stories about him and his horses, and once made the remark that "It must have been fun to farm with horses". His reply? "He77 no", he said, "horses are dumb, and you have to be smarter than them and stay on your toes, or they will end up killing or maiming you. Tractors were the best thing that ever happened to farming". I think he much preferred mules.

 

[RDrancher]

Pardon me for butting in; I know absolute nothing about horses, except that when I get on one he's the boss. My Dad used to ride a lot when he was younger; born on a farm in 1910, he used horses to farm and rode a horse as transportation, even rode it to school every day. I used to listen to his stories about him and his horses, and once made the remark that "It must have been fun to farm with horses". His reply? "He77 no", he said, "horses are dumb, and you have to be smarter than them and stay on your toes, or they will end up killing or maiming you. Tractors were the best thing that ever happened to farming". I think he much preferred mules.

Even though I do own a horse, I prefer things with a key that can be shut off.

 

[dave1949]

Pardon me for butting in; I know absolute nothing about horses, except that when I get on one he's the boss. My Dad used to ride a lot when he was younger; born on a farm in 1910, he used horses to farm and rode a horse as transportation, even rode it to school every day. I used to listen to his stories about him and his horses, and once made the remark that "It must have been fun to farm with horses". His reply? "He77 no", he said, "horses are dumb, and you have to be smarter than them and stay on your toes, or they will end up killing or maiming you. Tractors were the best thing that ever happened to farming". I think he much preferred mules.

Sounds like my father-in-law. Same sort of life experience. When I asked him about getting a horse for our kids, he said he'd seen so many guys "bunged-up" by farm horses, he would advise against it. But, he did have a funny tale about an Uncle of his yelling "Whoa!" as he drove his first tractor through a fence row.

 

[bullbreaker]

Good sites for info IMO :
Tack & Equipment
http://www.horseforum.com/
Horsetopia Forum

Boone

 

[valley]

Sounds like you have to seperate these two. Then you can ration feed as needed. We just sold a bunch of horses. I like them but, so much work, on their hooves, and teeth and such.

 

[ustmd]

My gelding thinks he is lead mare, and he is constantly annoying my mare. He steals her food, he is pushy, etc. Lately he is like a helium balloon and when I go out in the pasture he follows me like a helium balloon and I cannot get close to her. Eventually I will have seperate fields and will be able to seperate them so I can work with just one at a time.

So I mentioned this to the wife and mother in law (they are the horse people--to me they all just big brown things). They opinion is that you will never get the gelding to change this behavior. You are going to need to separate him.

My mother in law also mentioned that it is not uncommon (not common either) for male horses to have 3 testicles. One testicles can never "drop", but still be fully or partially functional. Just something for you to consider.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

The single most important thing you can do for your horses and your self is to realize you can't feed them high protein feed and expect them to act like house cats ,worm them regular and learn to feed them by the amount of activity you give them ! if you think feeding a horse 15 % protein to a horse you ride once a week for an hour is a good idea . let me know and we will find you a good orthopedic Dr and have him ON CALL FOR YOU ! they don't require high protein feed when they are pets !