Alpacas + Horses = ...

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KitC

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Does anyone know how successful this is? They wont be in the same feild but in separate paddocks with post and rail fencing and a good 2m walkway (gap) along the fence. Not sure how the boys will react... has anyone had any experience?
 
Everytime i drive along the M69 i see some horses with alpacas in the field next to them and wonder exactly the same thing. They always look quite happy!
 
I have a friend who has llamas and ponies in the same field. It's also quite common at 'open farms' and farm-type tourist attractions that have animals for children to stroke.
 
When the horses first see alpacas their eyes will come out on stalkes but once they get used to them will be ok.
 
My horse looks like an alpaca?

Whenever I see them together, they seem to get on fine...
 
my mum bought some alpacas..
my mare was unimpressed.. but after she found out they werent going to flirt with her boyfriends next door she forgot they were even there..

someone has said good for worm control aswell? similar to grazing with sheep..
 
I'm fairly certain that HenryHorn used to keep alpacas. You could ask her for some advice
smile.gif
 
Our neighbours keep several of these funny looking beasts.........
We have to walk past them to either hack them or to turn them out. They have been there for nearly 10 months now and none of ours are used to them yet, it certainly doesn't help that they try and climb the gate everytime we get near them............
I think you'll have trouble at the start but I'm sure they will all settle.
 
I think if the horses can get used to them properly you should be fine. The worst situations seem to be when they only see them now and again - it seems to be a fresh shock every time!

Interesting the comment about the llamas and horses. I've seen two VERY bad accidents caused by horses reacting to running llamas, one resulting in the horse breaking its neck. My theory is even when they're just moving about relatively calmly their shape is similar to a horse running in abject panic. Maybe because alpacas are smaller and supposed to be calmer they don't cause the same problem.
 
They get on fine!
To start with the horses are very wary and might charge round when they first see them, but we managed to have them sharing fields with no problems after a few weeks.
The funniest thing I ever watched was the border collie chasing the horses, who in turn were chasing the alpacas, who were chasing the goats..... all very calmly and at trot speed, for some reason they all decided to test the pecking orders out!
The alpacas will spit if threatened and it's a brave horse who retaliates believe me, a face full of foul smelling green gloop soon sees off any horses...
Oh don't put any likley to calve alpacas in, the horses will kill a cria out of curiosity not malice..
edited to add we lost an alpaca adult after it ate just two rhodedendron leaves, they are lethal as are azaleas and similar plants...make sure they can't graze over the fence..
 
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