I am usually more into dogs, tonight I am more concerned about a horse. Please can you advise me?

Question

Earlier today, I took my granddaughter to a yard where she keeps her horse. It’s a huge place and we had to walk through several fields before we reached her horse. We were about half a mile away and we could see that the horses were fighting. There were neutered males and entire females in the same field.

The horses were biting each other, rearing up and kicking. My granddaughter wanted to get her horse out of the field, however this was impossible.  Her horse came to the gate and she fondled it, her horse was then bitten by another horse. I stopped my granddaughter   from going into the field. Nevertheless, I wanted to rescue her very placid female horse from the mayhem.

Do horses always fight and should I have insisted that the horse was taken to another field?

JSHalo · Accepted Answer

No, fighting is not normal. Playing, yes. I've got four geldings who are up on two legs all of the time play fighting. But if these horses were being aggressive, you need to insist that your mare is moved. It is not safe for your mare, but more importantly, it is not safe for your granddaughter, you, or the other horse owners who may have to go in that field.

Mares and geldings should not be turned out together, anyway (though I recognize that a lot of people do just throw them out together, and if that's the barn owner's prerogative, well that's their business).

I would suggest that you sit down with the BO and talk it over, and express your concerns for safety.

Alice · Answer

At many stables, the geldings and the mares are turned out separately. However, even within a herd of like sexed animals, horses will maintain a pecking order. They do this by nipping, jostling, squealing, threatening and occasionally kicking.

Horses are naturally herd animals and horses need to be with other horses.

If you have concerns, speak with the barn owner, but listen to the answers.

I am usually more into dogs, tonight I am more concerned about a horse. Please can you advise me?

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