Companion horse

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Murphy3

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I need to get a companion for my horse as his field sharer has left and poor fellow is on his own from today. I thinking of taking on a horse/pony from a horse welfare organisation - does anyone have any experience of this? Would it be better to buy something from the sales which would mean I would own it outright? Just want a horse or pony to be a field companion, not to be ridden. I have a house full of stray dogs and cats so a stray pony would fit right in here!
 
Get in touch with the ILPH - they have quite a few they want to loan out as non-riding companions. If you get one from them, at least you will know its character traits and any health issues. If you buy one from a sales, you really will be taking pot luck. Getting one from the ILPH means they then have room to take another rescue case in too - so you will be doing good turns all round.
 
I hope you find something suitable.

Just be careful though, if the companion doesn't like being left alone while you take your horse out you may need a companion for the companion, that happened to a friend of mine.
 
definatly look at horse charities like ilph. Most of there horses are companions only due to what they have been through and not being broken in, then you get a new companion and also are giving a rescue pony a great home
 
The RSPCA also has 2 sites that have horses for adoption, mainly as companions.
Please do consider giving a home to a horse who may not have had the best start in life - so much work goes into their rehabilitation and they are completely honest about the horses temperament as they genuinely want the best home for them. As Meltdown mentioned, it also allows them to help another horse in need.
 
my mare will be available at weaning to be a companion/nanny. She is verygood to do with no bad manners, can be left on her own and will live out, I want to retire her from breeding as she is now 17 but must be 100% home for her available sept (end)
 
Thanks for your replies - Im nearly sure I will be going down the welfare route but I just want to weigh all the pros and cons first. I did think of the separation issue - if I need a companion for the companion I dont know where it would all end. On the other hand, two little ponies HMMM - I have the space!

BBMat, lynnrob and eventing chick - tx for the offer but I live in Ireland!
 
I got one last year from a welfare place, Wood Green Animal Shelter near Huntingdon, and I couldn't praise them more highly. (The only thing I would say is that the pony came from them with very poor teeth and feet, and vastly overweight, which has since been sorted!)

I also applied to the ILPH, Blue Cross, and one or two other smaller ones. I was told by the ILPH and the Blue Cross that I wouldn't be able to have one of their companions as they don't allow them to go to places where they might ever be left alone, even occasionally.

I have two competition horses, and I wanted a companion for the one that gets left behind while I ride the other one. Occasionally, the pony gets left alone if I am taking both 'big boys' out together.

This was unacceptable to the ILPH and the Blue Cross, which I found totally ludicrous.

I round my perfect companion at Wood Green. He's 22, 13.2 welsh cob, lives out all year round (with a barn) and doesn't mind being on his own sometimes.

Two lovely ladies came and vetted me and the yard, did a little dance of joy, and said, 'please will you have him!' I then went to pick him up, they came out to visit 3 months later at a time agreed with me (the ILPH turns up unexpectedly 4 times a year) and then said they wouldn't need to see him again unless I want to move in to a different yard.

I keep in touch with the Wood Green ladies via email, and send them pictures of him. But to all intents and purposes, he's my boy now, even though they still officially own him.

I couldn't be happier with the arrangement.

I woudn't even bother calling the ILPH or Blue Cross if I wanted another one, they were very unfriendly and inflexible, and it angered me that one of their ponies missed out on a lovely home.

As horse owners, we all know that some horses can't bear to be left alone, ever, and others are quite happy with it for short periods.
 
I had an ILPH mare as a companion for 15 years. They never asked me if she was going to be left on her own, which she was occasionally. I never had a problem with the unannounced visits. I think it is good to know they don't give up responsibility for the pony when it is rehomed and always found the inspector very helpful, so hopefully your experience was a one off. Prior to this mare I had another ILPH pony and she came from a farm where she was the only horse, so possibly the rule that they are never left on their own is a new one. Have to agree that that is a bit daft, as it will no doubt lead to horses missing out on homes.
 
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