Handling Pastured Horses

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Terry Emmitt tle01@health.state.ny.us
Hi, I'm an occasional lurker at Ridecamp and noticed that most of
you seem to be into the pasture life for your horses. I need some
advice on how to handle retrieving horses from the pasture.  I
have a boss gelding who is the first one in and out every day
(until summer, when they are on 24/7) Anyway, he goes out first,
ambles over to his hay pile until he sees the mare come out of
the barn.  Then he runs back over to the gate and makes it hard
for me to get her in.  Sometimes, he'll just stand there until I
 bang on the gate or tap his rump, then he'll move off.  Other
times, he'll stand out of my reach, but in a position so that he
 can nip at her rump as I lead her
in.  I occasionally reverse the order of turnout,
but both horses have fits and I've learned about pecking order
and the importance of following it to maintain peace in a herd.
Part two of the problem is that when I go to retrieve the mare for
a ride, I have to get her out of the pasture without getting
attacked.  When the gelding is busy eating or dozing, it's easy.
But if he feels like he wants to keep her in, it's a race to get to the
gate before he does.  Once he ran the full length of the field to
kick her real quick before we could get out.  Yesterday, he walked
along behind us, nipping at her every few steps.
Please offer some suggestions, especially those of you who maintain
"herds" and must catch a lowly ranked horse and leave the bully in
the field.
Thank you... Terry (and Chrissy, the lowly mare)


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