Companion homes question

[Hedwards]

So Connie has basically recovered from her lami, but she is now basically semi retired, we poddle around the fields, and do a little bit in the school now and again, which is fine, but i do have a yearning to do a bit more. I'm due an insurance claim pay out at some point in the not too distant future, and was thinking that i may have enough to go out and buy a little project, however I cant afford to keep two horses on my current livery, and was thinking that Connie would be the ideal companion/nanny - she's very sensible, and quiet, but fantastic with youngsters - putting them in their place when required - often with just a 'look'.

- so do homes exist for this kind of horse? I would retain 'responsibility' for her (I use that term rather than ownership as there is a long ongoing saga with her real owner being AWOL and having been so for 2 years now), and cover her farriery costs (she has remedial farriery on the lami foot, and I'd want to know this continues) - shes a good doer and could live out (although with a muzzle if on lush grass) all year, with a t/o in particularly bad weather (which I would provide).

 

[horseless jorge!]

Most defiitely!! We have a yearling at the yard who could do with a nanny. She's currently in with the old, old gelding, with my boy on one side and the two older boys and girl on the other side. Yearling has taken up quite an attachment to my boy, and he doesn't like her!

Not totally sure where you'd advertise it though.

 

[Hedwards]

I think ideally I'd be looking at a small breeder, so there would be a plentiful supply of babies, she really is good, she helps out mares with foals at foot just watching them so the mum's can have a break bless her!

It wouldnt need to be a nanny role though, she'd be just as good as a normal companion i guess

 

[Hedwards]

Bump - anyone else?

 

[AmyMay]

I think ideally I'd be looking at a small breeder, so there would be a plentiful supply of babies, she really is good, she helps out mares with foals at foot just watching them so the mum's can have a break bless her!

The difficulty you'd have with this, though, is that mothers and babies will be out on very good grazing - which your little horse shouldn't be on.

Personally, with the amount of horror stories we read on here about loans going wrong, I would keep her with you.

 

[Hedwards]

The difficulty you'd have with this, though, is that mothers and babies will be out on very good grazing - which your little horse shouldn't be on.

Personally, with the amount of horror stories we read on here about loans going wrong, I would keep her with you.

She'd need to be muzzled for sure (probably worth pointing out that she had concussive lami - not neccessarily weight related - although i treat her as if it was)

I look on loans in a far more positive way - Connie is on loan to me, and I have loaned previously with great success - If I do this i would be visiting her at least once a week - initially and possibly continually... Its really terrible about all these loans that go wrong, however i believe that there are far more that go really well - we just dont tend to hear about them!

 

[catkin]

I have a small 'good-doer' pony loaned to me as a companion - she's ideal as she needs the same management as my riding horse who is a very good-doing Welsh D. Found ours very much by local word-of-mouth and her owners pop round to see her frequently which is lovely.

The criteria that make her a very good companion are:
she is happy to be part stabled, happy to be left at home when the other goes out and is friendly and sensible both to handle by us and in the field with the other horse. She is older than my horse, still happy to play games in the field but doesn't get dizzy about it.

If your pony would like this sort of life she would be a great companion. I'd suggest that you firstly ask around locally to you to see if anyone wants a pal for a lonely horse.