Am I being selfish keeping my horse on his own?

RubyFrench

RubyFrench

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For my own benefit?

The yard we are at is set up lovely, and he is in a corner 'single pony paddock' with horses on each side to him, and one on the diagonal.

I could have kept him in a larger field and had one of the other liveries move in with him, but the girl I brought him off said he was VERY attached to her other horse, and I didn't want this to cause a problem if it happened again e.g. napping.

There was also the worry of will we do our fair share of poo picking? will we feed hay equally? etcccc. so in the end I chose to keep him on his own.

Am I being selfish as this is really only for my own benefit? He doesn't seem miserable in the slightest.......
 
its for both of yours benifit.

you get the keep up with your own field dutys and not someone elses and he doesnt have to go through any stress of leaving other horses. my horse goes all summer with horses the other side of the fence and is very happy.
 
I thought you were going to say all on his own. Lots of yards only offer individual turnout. It isn't what I would chose but I really don't think it does them any harm if they have friends they can touch noses with over the fence.
 
If your horse was not next to others then I would say 'yes' but as he can see and touch others then I think it is fine so long as he seems happy.
 
I actually moved my boy to a different yard where he was turned out with others. It is farther away from home and costs more as I now have assisted DIY.

My boy is very gregarious and I felt it was better for his mental health. He was headshaking, badly, at the time, now resolved.

I could bring him home and he could live on his own with another horse in the adjacent paddock but I feel he is better where he is.

I am not critisising in anyway, horses for courses. What may suit one doesn't suit another. Most horses adjust, if in sight of others of their own kind.
 
My horse much prefers being in his own paddock at our new yard. He's not bullied and I'm happier as his rugs aren't torn to shreds, neither has he been kicked (£2000 vet's bill for a kicked hock previously). He still joins in when the others have a gallop around their fields and can have a chat to them over the fence but he usually totally ignores them!
 
Mine are, by your definition, all on their own too! All five of them! They seem happy to have a scratch over doors and touch noses but there's no turning out 'together', but in adjacent paddocks. Don't have any problems as 'routines' are key and everyone seems relaxed to me.
 
I would say its totally fine :) My boy is out alone as the other horses at the yard are either in settled herds or kick the crap out of anything. He's quite content and it means I don't have to worry about him getting hurt in the field.
 
asmp said:
My horse much prefers being in his own paddock at our new yard. He's not bullied and I'm happier as his rugs aren't torn to shreds, neither has he been kicked (£2000 vet's bill for a kicked hock previously). He still joins in when the others have a gallop around their fields and can have a chat to them over the fence but he usually totally ignores them!
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this tbh ^^

ive chosen to have my horse alone on purpose due to massive vet bill avoidance!


she also gets massivly attached to other horses, so until i can get her a permanent friend of her own that i can put her out with all the time - i would prefer her to stay alone....
(am thinking shet sized..!)
 
I don't see any problem with it as he's next to other horses, and as long as he seems happy. I had my horse on a yard with individual turnout and he's a very sociable boy and looked miserable, so I moved him.
 
SNORKEY said:
I don't see any problem with it as he's next to other horses, and as long as he seems happy
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This /\

My Yard offers individual turn out. I did it with my old girl as she had very strict dietary requirements, so it was needs must.
I have the new girl on her own as she has taken to it beautifully, she has horses all around her in paddocks. I like to be able to manage my own paddock and horse and avoid conflict of injuries if horses come and go as they do. Alot of us are in individual paddocks at my yard and they all seem happy. It does not suit all horses. One lady recently put her horse in with others after being alone, he had real issues but is now a much happier and better behaved all round.
 
Thanks everyone for putting my mind at ease :)

Noodle: injury avoidance was also a factor in me choosing to keep him "on his own", but I have entertained the idea of getting a mini pony to keep him company :D
 
Horses are herd animals I think its very sad to keep them on there own. Know both of mine would be very miserable. However, saying that you have to have the right field companions for them!
 
I think you're doing the right thing. I own one gelding and 4 mares. The gelding stays in his own paddock but can scratch and talk to the other 2 boys on the other side of the fence. My gelding can be ok with mares but not all the time. I don't actually like mixed company TBH. Seen more issues than acceptance. Now in my herd of mares it's a set situation. My older mare keeps order. But each of the herd could be on their own if needed including the 2yo . I pull 2 out for regular work and have no issues. Now when my mare was away in jumper training I insisted on individual turnout. While this might be unfair, I'm happy enough to deal with issues in my own herd, there are none, but refuse to pay vet bills and rug repairs for another horse or another horse doing damage to mine. Which is the way that always works. Always one sucker that pays either way, ie me.

Here's the thing I've learned over the years, herd living can be awesome when it works. If it doesn't whats the point in all the bills? But I like horses to have contact over a fence at least.

Terri
 
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