# Aggressive pasture-mates - long...



## Shawneen (Apr 22, 2009)

*if this is the wrong place for this please move*

I want to know how many horses you keep in the same pasture and how they act toward each other.

Here's my small novel:
Shadow is 17 and is the boss in whatever group he's with. He's very agressive toward other horses and always latches on to one particular horse. He used to be with my mom's older mare who is 23 now, and she always kept him humble. Once she started getting older he started pushing her around a little more and more.
When Shadow moved with me he had my hubby's gelding. The gelding passed away and the same day our friend brought their horse over so he could have a friend. I bought 2 of our mares, Dawnie and Dusty. I tried to put them all together but Shadow heavily guarded our friends horse and wouldn't let the 2 mares near him and then would chase them and try(succeeded a couple times) to kick the snot out of them. I had to divide the large pasture into two smaller ones and keep the pairs separate.
The friend's gelding gets sold and Shadow freaks whenever the mares walk out of sight. So I put the 3 of them together again. Shadow picks Dawnie as his "Mimi" as we call it and poor Dusty gets the bites and the hearding around. No where as bad as it was at first though.
I took them to my mom's house (where they are now) and had the 3 together still and got tired of Dusty's rump all knicked up all the time from teeth marks so I took her out and put her with my mom's older mare (who used to be Shadow's Mimi, but has forgotten about her because he has Dawnie). Shadow and Dawnie are great together, he keeps her in check and she's a PITA enough not to let him pick on her.

Dusty, who was at the bottom of the totem pole, and my mom's mare got along great. Until one of them, I assume, came into heat - then it was an all out squeal and kick-fest. Dusty ended up cutting the mare's leg and we had to separate them. We put Dusty in the paddock next to her and they would kick through the fence. We put Dusty on the other side of the barn. Then decided to put her in with my mom's other mare, who had never really been with a pasture-mate. Dusty proceeded to pin her in shelter and kick her. So now they are fence-mates and are inseperable, as long as there is a fence there.

I bought Chance(Dusty's sister) and Cody(Dusty's mom) and the woman told me that Cody used to always keep Dusty humble, as did Shadow and Dawnie. Chance and Cody co-exist just fine.

*deep breath*

Sooooooooo... How in the world do I get all these dang horses with issues to live together as one big happy family. Once I get Chance and Cody to our place when we get home I am going to try to put Dusty in with them and see how that goes. Ideally I would like to turn them all(5) out together in one big turn-out pasture sometimes. I know there has to be a pecking order, but why the heck can't they work it out, without trying to kill each other, and move on peacefully???

My opinion is Shadow definately has some insecurity issues - why I don't know - his nick name is Forrest Gump if that means anything LOL Does anyone have any suggestions on this, or just some general info about what you guys do??


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## ilovemyPhillip (Apr 4, 2009)

Ok i had this problem, but not to this extent.

I have 2 horses, and 2 ponies. We got the two ponies on April 9th, and they lived in the pasture for two days by themselves. Other than being stressed from moving out of the barn Phillip (the aggressive pony) lived in for 7 years, he was fine. He was purchased with Savannah, so we kinda got a 2-in-1 deal, she came to keep him calm. On April 11th, Storm and Zeph came (ALL the way from Mississippi) the horses were fine, and just curious about their new pasture mates. Now, Savannah is the only mare, and guess who thinks hes her "mate. Yup, Phillip. Now when i say these two are ponies, i mean it. Savannah it 12.2, and Phillip is 13.2. The big horses are 15.1 (Storm) and 15.3 (Zeph). Now Zeph it a Right Brian Extrovert, so hes oh-so-curious. He went to see the new ponies, and Phillip canters up and tries to bite him, then tries to with Storm. It runs the big horses off, but not for long. Zeph comes to sniff Savannah (who happens to be in season) and Phillip goes into a bucking fest. Then Savannah sticks her tail straight up in the air and pranches circles around the two big geldings, like she teasing them. Later in the week, Savannah is hanging around Zeph, and Phillip noices, he GALLOPS up and takes a chunk out of Zephs butt, and as he bites Zeph, Phillip gets a blow to te neck. Put him in his place.

I suggest you get a totally new animal with this horse, like a couple of goats. xD


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## Shawneen (Apr 22, 2009)

I want them to be able to turn them all out together though. Not necessarily live together. My thought is in a very large pasture, 10 acres or so, they won't really bother each other as much. Shadow and Dawnie are good for each other, I won't separate them. But they need to learn to co-exist and I don't know how to teach them.


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## ilovemyPhillip (Apr 4, 2009)

well, hobbles are always an option, but i guess not to turn out permanently


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## xChelseaxxSmilex (May 24, 2009)

haha i have no clue how to help you.lol. Diamon hasn't been the most agressive one but he stands up for himself. When i first bought him he was with a tb mare who picked on him but he was so lost without her. then we moved him where we were going to board and he was with a group of 4 horses that he all got along with except this mean little pony. Then we moved him again and he was with 3 horses. It took time to get used to them but they were pretty much fine. Romeo was the leader of the food which we changed, so we brought diamon in the barn to eat and then we would turn him out. We moved again and this time he was just in a paddock by himself. now we're in a different place and he's still by himself. I like keeping him by himself so he doesn't get so herdbound. As long as a horse is beside him in a paddock he's fine.


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## Shawneen (Apr 22, 2009)

Well this sucks - I guess it's hopeless then!!!
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I know there are some knowledgable/creative people who could suggest something!!!! Where are you?


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Sorry, can't help ya. Mine get along pretty well. Mares will be snots now and then, but with a large pasture they manage. I know some horses will just dog others and pin them in corners. I personally won't put up with it. Get along or get "along".. 

I have been very lucky from the sounds of it...


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