chaps89
Well-Known Member
March last year I took on a 12hh gelding as a companion to my mare.
She was pts last month and I moved him to a yard more suitable for him and where he shared a field with another pony mare (other horses all the way around too)
Worked great until the owner of that pony got offered free livery for her mare at the yard next door to her ridden horses so moved her, 2 weeks ago now.
YO doesn't love advertising so has an ad on a small closed group FB page, we've had a couple of enquiries but none suitable.
For the most part, he's been a lot more settled than I expected but he is still calling a bit. Plus I think unless they have to be alone for a specific reason, it's nice for them to have a field companion.
So, what do i do?
I feel like there's 3 or 4 options, none are ideal of course
1) return pony to his owner. I'd be quite sad to see him go, he's a PITA but I like him and I like having a me place to go to to retreat and have some chill time, the yard we're at is very quiet and is such a gorgeous set up for oldies and I enjoy pottering about
2) get another pony to keep him company. Don't really want the cost of a second although livery is so cheap that what I'd pretty much pay for 2 there and a trim and hay for small pony is quite negligible
3) Try and find a pony/small horse either needing retirement livery or even just one that needs to be turned away in a quiet environment for a while. But where?
4) Move him to another yard. He's had a few moves this year and struggled to settle, it would cost more and the whole reason I'm not having another ridden horse is that I'm so fed up of livery yards. So this isn't really an option tbh.
I don't feel I can leave him on his own and whilst the ideal would be finding someone like minded to share the field with I don't know how long I give it before something has to change. But 2 ponies as pets seems excessive!
She was pts last month and I moved him to a yard more suitable for him and where he shared a field with another pony mare (other horses all the way around too)
Worked great until the owner of that pony got offered free livery for her mare at the yard next door to her ridden horses so moved her, 2 weeks ago now.
YO doesn't love advertising so has an ad on a small closed group FB page, we've had a couple of enquiries but none suitable.
For the most part, he's been a lot more settled than I expected but he is still calling a bit. Plus I think unless they have to be alone for a specific reason, it's nice for them to have a field companion.
So, what do i do?
I feel like there's 3 or 4 options, none are ideal of course
1) return pony to his owner. I'd be quite sad to see him go, he's a PITA but I like him and I like having a me place to go to to retreat and have some chill time, the yard we're at is very quiet and is such a gorgeous set up for oldies and I enjoy pottering about
2) get another pony to keep him company. Don't really want the cost of a second although livery is so cheap that what I'd pretty much pay for 2 there and a trim and hay for small pony is quite negligible
3) Try and find a pony/small horse either needing retirement livery or even just one that needs to be turned away in a quiet environment for a while. But where?
4) Move him to another yard. He's had a few moves this year and struggled to settle, it would cost more and the whole reason I'm not having another ridden horse is that I'm so fed up of livery yards. So this isn't really an option tbh.
I don't feel I can leave him on his own and whilst the ideal would be finding someone like minded to share the field with I don't know how long I give it before something has to change. But 2 ponies as pets seems excessive!
