# Help, my horse won't stay in his field!!!



## Vhb (14 March 2013)

Good Afternoon, 

I have a dominant 17.3hh warmblood whom recently continues to jump out of his field. He used to do this at our old yard but would only happen for a few days every once in a while and then he would stop.

He is turned out with my other mare and gelding as always since I have had him and he is exercised regularly. Also I have not altered his diet or anything along those lines. 

There is no reason for him to be jumping out of his field. I think he just does it because he knows he can and he can go off for a wonder to visit all the other horses we have on the yard. 

However, as I am now on a livery yard (been there for a year now), this is becoming real issue for me as over the last 2 weeks I cannot keep him in his field at all. I have put electric fencing approximately 6 inches above the original wooden fencing and gates which is already high and despite the electric fencing being on, he still continues to jump successfully. 

I have watched him jump over and i have also spent hours there watching him go over, catching him and putting him back in his field again and again.

Fortunately my yard owner and all the other horse owners at the yard are all very understanding but this is becoming a real issue for me and I need to get it sorted before he or someone else gets hurt. But short of putting a ten foot brick wall up surround his field I am running out of ideas and he doesnt like being left in on his own. I have had previous experiences of him jumping out of his stable and trailer also, because of this. 

Has anyone got any suggestions?


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## chestnut cob (14 March 2013)

Is he hungry?  What's the grass like in your field?  I'd put hay or haylage out if there's little to eat.

Otherwise I can only suggest more and higher electric fencing.  Also do you run the fencing off the mains?  That might help, once he realises what a shock he'll get.  I don't find horses pay any attention to electric fencing run off a battery.

How high is the fencing currently?  I can only think you might need to somehow attach (tie) electric fence posts to the existing post & rail, so it's a good couple of feet higher at least (use 5ft fencing) then put plenty of electric tape on it.  If your P&R is say 4ft high and the electric on top is the same AND he's still jumping out then I'd say you just need to embrace the fact you have a puissance horse on your hands 

You mentioned he doesn't like being left alone - if he's out with your mare and gelding, are you bringing them in and leaving him?


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## kirstykate (14 March 2013)

Run a second fence inside, about 4' away so its wider not higher and use the 4' electric fence post, that stop a mare we used to have.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (14 March 2013)

I have had to resort to tieing elec fence posts to P&R fencing; to add 2 strands of wide tape over the top, with the max height being around 7ft 6 - 8ft. Then tall elec posts on inside with 2 lines of tape, set back around 4-6 ft.
That combi kept a boingy forester in & also a tigger of a 17.1 eventer 
You need to make sure the posts are secure & also that fence is always working, so all needs checking on daily basis.

Good luck!


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## Vhb (14 March 2013)

Theres not an awful lot of grass in the field but i always put out ample amounts of hay out every morning and there is always some left when i get back in the afternoon so i dont think he's hungry and he always comes in with one of the other horses, or first and goes into the barn where there are already other horses to keep him company, while i catch the other two. 

The electric fencing is run off a battery so i will have a look to see if it is possible to run it off the mains although we are quite a distance away from any buildings where i could connect it to. I hadnt thought of this though so thank you, it is definitely worth a look into. 

I did consider putting a rail slightly in from the existing rail but am concerned he will bounce jump it. I think the next step may be to add additional fence posts to the current p&r as the current fence is a good 5ft high at the moment. 

Thanks so much for the suggestions


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## Gloi (14 March 2013)

I used to have a pony that jumped out all the time. An old farmer suggested something to me that worked a treat.
 Take a headcollar, fit a browband to it and between the browband and noseband stitch a piece of stiffish material or plastic so that it extends straight out from each side of his face for a couple of inches. It needs to act like reverse blinkers so that the horse can see to the sides but he can't see forwards even if he lifts his nose up. 
He can't then see in front of him to aim for a jump so hopefully stays in the field. All I can say is it worked for my little beast anyway.


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