A Question For Our Equine Owner Pards

[Calamity Kris]

We have been horse-sitting for one of our neighbors who's pasture flooded during the hurricane.  I came home from work last evening and heard a pack of coyotes yipping and howling in the vacant field across the street, but I couldn't see them.  We do not have a barn or outbuilding to put the horses in at night so they are just hanging out in the grass and the owner knows this.  Is there anything I can do to protect the horses from the coyotes?   Sitting out back and picking them off with a rile is not an option as there is a farm with many heads of cattle directly behind us.

 

Thanks,

[Guest Grass Range #51406]

We have had horses and coyotes forever and never a problem. A horse will kick a coyote that gets close just like some dogs that have not been brought up around horses. I have never seen a coyote bother a calf either. Them and the magpies help clean up if an animal dies as their is no law requiring burial on the open range

[Noz]

2 minutes ago, Grass Range #51406 said:

We have had horses and coyotes forever and never a problem. A horse will kick a coyote that gets close just like some dogs that have not been brought up around horses. I have never seen a coyote bother a calf either. Them and the magpies help clean up if an animal dies as their is no law requiring burial on the open range

Around here most of the "coyote damage" comes from free roaming town dogs.  A friend was losing several calves to "coyotes" He set up an elaborate shooting blind only to discover the culprit was the most beautiful Irish Setter he had ever seen.  Dog was caught in the act, killed and thus ended the "coyote" depredation.

[Sedalia Dave]

40 minutes ago, Noz said:

Around here most of the "coyote damage" comes from free roaming town dogs.  A friend was losing several calves to "coyotes" He set up an elaborate shooting blind only to discover the culprit was the most beautiful Irish Setter he had ever seen.  Dog was caught in the act, killed and thus ended the "coyote" depredation.

 

Yep a small group of feral dogs that is supplemented by peoples pets that are allowed to roam free have kill untold numbers of livestock yet coyotes usually get the blame. Dogs are pack animals and will hunt in packs. Coyotes will occasionally they will hunt with their mate. It is very rare for coyotes to hunt in a pack.

 

The barking and yipping that you hear at night is how coyotes locate each other. Sometimes in pursuit of a mate and other times to let others know where their territory is.

 

As a kid I was always armed while out and about as protection from feral dogs. Feral dogs are not afraid of humans, however every other animal in the woods was more afraid of me than I was of it.

[DocWard]

Mrs. Doc's trainer, as well as others I know of, keep a donkey for coyotes. Seems donkeys are territorial, and can be aggressive toward canines.

 

https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/guard-donkey-zbcz1310

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

We had a donkey along with a couple of goats  for over 20 years. Never a problem with dogs. Sadly, a week ago, we had to have our donkey, Pecos, put down. Just got a couple of 8 week old goats so our remaining goat isn't  alone. In the process of training  our border collie to protect them.

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

1 hour ago, DocWard said:

Mrs. Doc's trainer, as well as others I know of, keep a donkey for coyotes. Seems donkeys are territorial, and can be aggressive toward canines.

 

https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/guard-donkey-zbcz1310

I guess you'd call that a bad A$$.

[DocWard]

1 hour ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said:

I guess you'd call that a bad A$$.

 

Pretty much.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

Unless the horse is injured, I wouldn't worry about it.  That horse will kick a coyote's backside from here to Alabama.