Bit of a dilemma

Jnhuk

Jnhuk

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I bought my youngster just over a year ago and he is now approx 18 months old. He was bought initially to keep my friend's homebred youngster company and also with an eye to the future replacement for one of my other horses whose ridden career may be cut short with a rapidly growing parotid melanoma. My friend is now thinking of selling her homebred youngster next spring (potential home lined up already) rather than keeping him as was originally planned when she bred him as it now looks like he will not grow big enough for her.

I have two older horses at home on limited (3 acres) and I do have three stables although the third stable I use for storage.

What problems do folks foresee if I bring the youngster home to be turned out with two older (and much bigger) geldings?

How much does it matter for their development to have companionship of other youngsters?

I usually keep my animals for life so I really do not want to part with my youngster but at the same time, my life is hectic enough with ill family that I cannot place the youngster on livery somewhere else as just couldn't afford the time that would take on top of everything else.

All suggestions/comments welcome!
 
Last edited:
foxy1 said:
I think three horses on three acres is going to be tight grazing wise.....
Click to expand...

I know which is why I wasn't going to have three on my land together. I may be able to rent another field next to mine but the last person who rented it paid £200 per month and if I have to do that, all my lessons and competing next year will be out the window so maybe that is the answer.

However, what I was meaning was more the actual turning out the youngster with older geldings without company nearer their own age?
 
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I bought my grey when she was 12 months old. She went out with my old TB mare to start with (top photo). My chestnut mare started to cause trouble in the herd that she was in, so she was moved in with my other two. They were a very happy trio for a couple of years. I do have another youngster now, but I don't believe that the grey has suffered at all being with older horses for a couple of years (the TB is actually quite playful :) ).
 
I'd prefer a youngster to be turned out with older horses, more like a mini herd.

They are more likely to be taught manners by the older horses.
 
My young herd is 7months filly, 2yr old filly, 7yr old mare and 20yr old new forest gelding. Up until recently my now 4yr old tb gelding had been in that group since 14months old. All without issues.
 
P is in a mixed group age wise and doing great. Its him (2), R(3), F (10), J (11) and T (21)! P and R play a bit, sometimes J joins in and the other two just glare at them and roll their eyes ;)
 
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