GinaGem
Well-Known Member
Does anyone keep their horse alone but with the companionship of another animal ie sheep, goats etc? Does it work and what other animal do you have? Or do you think horses are always happier living with another horse?
Alternatives Companions?
- Thread starter GinaGem
- Start date
zoon
Well-Known Member
I have heard of it being done, but I wouldn't be happy doing it. I'd hate to live with a chimp for the rest of my life - they don't speak the same language. Same with horses and sheep/goats - although some horses seem happy, they just don't have the same interactions with them. Bes tto get another horse. I have a companion pony (for sale 
) who is happy as larry left alone while the other horse is ridden or taken out for competitions (even over night). He has been worth his weight in gold
) who is happy as larry left alone while the other horse is ridden or taken out for competitions (even over night). He has been worth his weight in goldISHmad
Well-Known Member
^^^ Agree completely with Zoon. I find it desperately sad when horses are kept on their own with no other equine to mutually groom with, socialise etc. Even if individual turnout at least have another horse in the vicinity has to be better for their mental wellbeing knowing it isn't just them having to look out for predators. Personally I think they must live in a heightened state of anxiety which is not a nice state to be in.
GinaGem
Well-Known Member
Thanks, i have a bad back so am looking for options to reduce my mucking out. What about if you had horses 24/7 in the next field they were able to groom over the fence etc?
Dab
Well-Known Member
How about getting a shetland? There are loads looking for homes through the Blue cross etc. My TB loves his little companion, and the Shettie is really no hassle (apart from being muzzled 24/7 due to weight issues!) and a lot of fun. They both live out 24/7, the Shettie never needs a rug, no mucking out or if he is in very easy to muck out, very cheap to keep as he need little feeding, trim every couple of months, and same jabs as TB but that's it. I've broken him to harness and even thinking of getting another one!
Archangel
Normal, 10 cats ago
My stallion spent the last years of his life in the very happy companionship of a bull, the cows and calves, misc sheep, and 6,000 plus free range chickens. He had previously lived a long time with a gelding but in his later years he found the gelding's bossiness just too much and much preferred the gentle companionship of his 'other friends'.
In order of preference
pigs were his favourite
bull
calves
lambs (he would stand with them all asleep on his feet)
one particular steer with big horns
chickens
sheep (the sheep ate his tail)
When he was eventually pts it was done with his herd/flock close at hand.. The old bull, who had been his companion for 13 years stood on the hill and just bellowed and bellowed for his friend.
Nearly forgot... he lived with a Shetland for a short while and he was a feisty little thing! Sadly the grazing needs were incompatible.
In order of preference
pigs were his favourite
bull
calves
lambs (he would stand with them all asleep on his feet)
one particular steer with big horns
chickens
sheep (the sheep ate his tail)
When he was eventually pts it was done with his herd/flock close at hand.. The old bull, who had been his companion for 13 years stood on the hill and just bellowed and bellowed for his friend.
Nearly forgot... he lived with a Shetland for a short while and he was a feisty little thing! Sadly the grazing needs were incompatible.
Last edited:
GinaGem
Well-Known Member
My stallion spent the last years of his life in the very happy companionship of a bull, the cows and calves, misc sheep, and 6,000 plus free range chickens. He had previously lived a long time with a gelding but in his later years he found the gelding's bossiness just too much and much preferred the gentle companionship of his 'other friends'.
In order of preference
pigs were his favourite
bull
calves
lambs (he would stand with them all asleep on his feet)
one particular steer with big horns
chickens
sheep (the sheep ate his tail)
When he was eventually pts it was done with his herd/flock close at hand.. The old bull, who had been his companion for 13 years stood on the hill and just bellowed and bellowed for his friend.
Thanks thats really useful. My OH would love a pig!
Cobi
Well-Known Member
^^ :'( poor lil guy, that brought a tear to my eye.
I think they should have company of there own too. I just hate walking past certain fields seeing lonely ponies looking sad.
ThePony
Well-Known Member
I would never have ours without an equine - though if yours can see them over the fence and they are near enough for grooming and nuzzles then I wouldn't worry too much.
Depending on the character of your boy I would be careful with your choice of companion. Once of our mares is always very low in the ranking of other mares and tends to get a bit bullied, put her with anything else though and she is an absolute witch!! She will chase anything out of her field, which is fine for the sheep as they can nip under the fence, not so good for a sweet little dartmoor who had to squeeze himself out of the same gap when she kept chasing him, then he refused to go back in!! Put her with a chilled little tb gelding and she is sweetness itself!
I have to admit that I would never pick a shetland or small pony as a companion as the different feeding needs would be a bit of a pain. I would pick something larger that was happy with the same routine as our girls - so living out 24/7 with shelter. This can suit alot of horses so long as shelter and good rugs are provided. Check out the blue cross/WHW or similar site for ideas? Non ridden companions often come with help towards their worming/vaccination costs etc.
Depending on the character of your boy I would be careful with your choice of companion. Once of our mares is always very low in the ranking of other mares and tends to get a bit bullied, put her with anything else though and she is an absolute witch!! She will chase anything out of her field, which is fine for the sheep as they can nip under the fence, not so good for a sweet little dartmoor who had to squeeze himself out of the same gap when she kept chasing him, then he refused to go back in!! Put her with a chilled little tb gelding and she is sweetness itself!
I have to admit that I would never pick a shetland or small pony as a companion as the different feeding needs would be a bit of a pain. I would pick something larger that was happy with the same routine as our girls - so living out 24/7 with shelter. This can suit alot of horses so long as shelter and good rugs are provided. Check out the blue cross/WHW or similar site for ideas? Non ridden companions often come with help towards their worming/vaccination costs etc.
caramel
Well-Known Member
My boy used to have a shetland as a companion... he loved her, and was sad to split them (we moved yards). So I would probs get him a shetland should we need to. They would share haynets and everything, even grooming over the stable door
Archangel
Normal, 10 cats ago
Here is a picture of the gang. Ideally I would have liked him to stay with his gelding friend but the gelding friend was prone to gratuitous violence
This was his 28th birthday with gatecrashers
This was his 28th birthday with gatecrashers
Cobi
Well-Known Member
ah such a great picture <3
caramel
Well-Known Member
such a lovely pic! I remember once I was helping at a horse rescue, and one of the horses had gone down early morning. Despite the best efforts of the vet, and people she'd simply given up. Her 2 field companions were frantically calling for her (they knew). She was PTS and they brought her out so the others could say goodbye. In the other field there was Jo the Bull, along with the shetlands. They all came over, lined the fence, led by Jo, and stood there, in complete silence. It was heartbreaking to watch. They wouldn't leave. Jo was there until they took her away
whisp&willow
Well-Known Member
Thats interesting! most horses are terrified of pigs! i know mine are!
my friend has a young stallion, and he is kept alone, and seems perfectly happy to do so! there are plenty of other horses in neighbouring fields so he is not completely isolated.
Archangel
Normal, 10 cats ago
Yes it is strange, my gelding actually goes purple with rage at the merest whiff of pig : Sweet story (and thread hijack ). Farmer put the pigs in the field without mentioning they were coming. I was feeding in the dark and kept thinking I heard pigs. Thought nothing more until the morning when I found pigs in the field! Luckily horse had the sort of temperament where nothing surprised him.
). Farmer put the pigs in the field without mentioning they were coming. I was feeding in the dark and kept thinking I heard pigs. Thought nothing more until the morning when I found pigs in the field! Luckily horse had the sort of temperament where nothing surprised him.
biggingerpony
Well-Known Member
I had my mare in the field with a ram, they became really close! They used to share the same haynet when I put it up in her field shelter and when we used to load her to go to shows the ram used to walk up the ramp and stand in the other side of the trailer! Very sweet, and she did not seem in the least bit bothered and she normally gets clingy to other horses! But she was fine
Ladydragon
Well-Known Member
My stallion spent the last years of his life in the very happy companionship of a bull, the cows and calves, misc sheep, and 6,000 plus free range chickens. He had previously lived a long time with a gelding but in his later years he found the gelding's bossiness just too much and much preferred the gentle companionship of his 'other friends'.
In order of preference
pigs were his favourite
bull
calves
lambs (he would stand with them all asleep on his feet)
one particular steer with big horns
chickens
sheep (the sheep ate his tail)
When he was eventually pts it was done with his herd/flock close at hand.. The old bull, who had been his companion for 13 years stood on the hill and just bellowed and bellowed for his friend.
Nearly forgot... he lived with a Shetland for a short while and he was a feisty little thing! Sadly the grazing needs were incompatible.
Lovely story...
When our TB arrived, he was turned out on his own... He needed the grass in the sheep field and was too weak to deal with the other liveries... He was fine and dandy with it though and had zero interest in horses in a neighbouring field - would walk straight past them without so much as a glance and nose up to a few of the sheep... And yeah, his tail got shorter, and shorter...and shorter...