Companion pony - what do I do !?!

My hubby ( i know i'm lucky) put up a lean to at the end of my field shelter, took him 2 hours, do you know of anyone who could do this for you? She could then go in there at night if you cant leave one of the other horses out with her??? Why cant you leave one of the others out with her? Rug up, pig oil up legs and hey presto, happy pony....
Do you not know of anyone who wants a companion pony in your horsey world?
Let us know what happens
 
I CAN NOT BUILD ANOTHER STABLE!!! NOT AN OPTION!
The yard is not fenced off so she cant be turned loose, i tried putting electric fencing around the yard so she could be in at night but it didnt work as its all gravel so wasnt sturdy enough.
one of the girls who is sharing a pony is paying for my hay shed to be converted into a stable for the pony she is loaning.
The four horses I have stabled need to be stabled, one gets mud fever, one gets cold, one has an enormous amount of hair that i need to keep on top of and the other could be turned out but this would mean the pony and the companion both standing in a bog day and night as i dont have enough land to keep them dry there also isnt a field shelter, only a wooded area for them to shelter.
I am not throwing these solutions away, they just aren't possible, the pony will have no quality of life IMO if she stays.

''''At the ned of the day, although a last resport, this country is over run with unwanted horses and a fairer decision on the pony is to PTS rather than get rid free to an uncertain fate.''''

this is exactly my point, maybe I am looking for you all to say its ok and the best for her in the long run. she has had a good enough life so far and i wouldnt want that to deteriorate.
 
You mention there is another pony you could leave out to be her buddy... How about 3 come in at night and the pony and her buddy stop out... Then during the day they come in and the other 3 go out??

So no extra stables needed and all horses get some time in and out with friends??
 
I think after 10 years of having the pony around I'd be considering the pony to be mine and therefore my responsibility. Everyone has given good advice and of course there are ways of being able to keep the pony happy IF you put yourself out a little. You have the new extra stable apparently so I'm not sure what the problem is? Just use the new stable for the pony surely? Problem solved.
 
ellis9905 said:
You mention there is another pony you could leave out to be her buddy... How about 3 come in at night and the pony and her buddy stop out... Then during the day they come in and the other 3 go out??

So no extra stables needed and all horses get some time in and out with friends??
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That sounds like the perfect solution to me!
 
DIESELSUPERSTAR said:
I CAN NOT BUILD ANOTHER STABLE!!! NOT AN OPTION!
The yard is not fenced off so she cant be turned loose, i tried putting electric fencing around the yard so she could be in at night but it didnt work as its all gravel so wasnt sturdy enough.
one of the girls who is sharing a pony is paying for my hay shed to be converted into a stable for the pony she is loaning.
The four horses I have stabled need to be stabled, one gets mud fever, one gets cold, one has an enormous amount of hair that i need to keep on top of and the other could be turned out but this would mean the pony and the companion both standing in a bog day and night as i dont have enough land to keep them dry there also isnt a field shelter, only a wooded area for them to shelter.
.
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But you said earlier that you were building a new stable for a new livery - I quoted your post. So just tell the new livery that she can't come after all and put YOUR pony in the new stable.
 
DIESELSUPERSTAR said:
''''At the ned of the day, although a last resport, this country is over run with unwanted horses and a fairer decision on the pony is to PTS rather than get rid free to an uncertain fate.''''

this is exactly my point, maybe I am looking for you all to say its ok and the best for her in the long run. she has had a good enough life so far and i wouldnt want that to deteriorate.
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Why should you need anyone to say it's okay to put the pony down? It's your pony, your call. I can't ever imagine putting my daughters old little pony down because she has outlived her 'usefulness' but that's me, I don't put horses down for convenience sake. Others do and that's their choice.
 
DIESELSUPERSTAR said:
I CAN NOT BUILD ANOTHER STABLE!!! NOT AN OPTION!

The four horses I have stabled need to be stabled, one gets mud fever, one gets cold, one has an enormous amount of hair that i need to keep on top of and the other could be turned out but this would mean the pony and the companion both standing in a bog day and night as i dont have enough land to keep them dry there also isnt a field shelter, only a wooded area for them to shelter.
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I wouldn't worry about natives sheltering in woods. I'd prefer my hairy turning into a bog monster to putting my companion to sleep.

I like Ellis9905's idea.
 
Perhaps this was a silly mistake to look for answers on a forum, I am new to it and have found people to be very supportive to one another.

My own pony Poppy was for sale at the start of the year and in June we found a buyer, I then found the pony of my dreams, diesel who has given me my confidence back. unfortunetly poppys sale then fell through and whilst i tried to look for another buyer, i was insuccessful, we were about to give her to a riding school when a young girl of 14 came along and she became her sharer, she pays for her and that suits me fine. My sister has her horse, and then we have my sharers sister and her horse on a sort of temporary livery situation where they have offered to build and pay for their own stable along with paying for my mare which means i only have one horse to pay for. and only 3 stables in my stable block, and one being built atm. It was, in some respects a mistake to buy Diesel given the situation but we didnt expect to keep poppy, or to have this other horse here as well, but i wouldnt regret it. all of the horses are well cared for and ridden regularly.

So Flame is at the neighbours atm with 2 other horses, and hopefully she can stay as long as is possible, but eventually the pony will come back to us for what ever reason, unless the lady wants to keep her. And this is my heartache, if she comes back her fate is uncertain. I feel cruel leaving her out alone in a field too small and muddy with no complete shelter. If i could keep her in or build a shelter i would. the farm buildings arent safe enough, we have already tried this, she endded up with stitches after getting her leg caught on something.

I dont know what more I can say as you are all ganging up on me and making me out to be a liar or over exaggerating or whatever. All i wanted was a bit of advice from some knowledgeable horsey people but instead im attacked for caring so much about my pony that i dont want her to suffer... but let me guess 'if i cared id keep her in, build a shelter, find some grazing and a friend for her etc etc'
 
I don't think anyone can give you any advice as you don't seem to want any solution apart from having her PTS. If that's what you want to do then go ahead and do it but it doesn't look like anyone on here is going to say it's a cunning plan.
 
Sadly juggling horses is not easy, people have given suggestions and answers based on what you have told them. Personally, because of the history of your pony, she is the last one I would be moving on. Living in a field is not a big deal, I'd be looking at a simple solution. Take the pony and the most hardy of your other horses (perhaps the very hairy one) have them in at day and out at night with the woods as shelter. Swop the others over and have them in at night and out at day. Grazing gets saved, all ponies/horses have some shelter and respite, all ponies get kept.
 
Have you had a definite decision from the neighbour that she doesn't want to keep her? I just wonder if (and I mean this kindly) you're stressing over a situation that might potentially happen, rather than what's actually happening. You said in your first post that she's settled and looked after at the moment so is it likely that she'll come back to you over the winter?
 
If sharer pays for poppy (so sounds more like a full loan) and it is her sister who is going to be the one as the new livery can they not keep said pony and poppy at livery elsewhere.

Or just shoot the pony. (although you have no idea whether where she currently is are happy to keep her or not at least for the time being, then you could shoot her later instead).
 
My suggestion would be to speak to your neighbor and explain the situation and offer them your pony. You will then know for sure if they want to keep her (problem solved) or if she's coming back to you. If that's the case then you need to keep your pony out with the other horse who you don't want to become a mud monster. Plenty of rugs on, plenty of hay and they will be fine. Section a small area off that will undoubtedly get trashed, but rather a small part of your field ruined than putting down a pony that relies on you for everything?
 
I was hoping for more of sanctuaries, or if there are people with lots of land who take ponies in etc where she can live out in a herd or something. I dont want justification that its the right thing to do, it the last thing I want for her, but in reality it may be a possibility if i cant find a suitable place for her to go. If she comes home over the winter then i will certainly try to bring in and turn out as ellis9905 has suggested. i have been left with this pony, and i am trying my best to look after her, im only young and dont have my own fields, if it was my choice and my land id put her and a little shetland out in the cow field and she would be happier.

I give up with this, it was clearly a mistake or judgement on my part, you have all given perfect scenarios of what I can do to help her for which i am greatful, but in reality its not always quite so simple. I have tried my best and I will now seek out rescue centres and see if they can help me, this struggle has gone on for 5 years, its not like i haven't tried :(
 
Have you thought about how much it would cost to buy hay in and graze the hayfield vs the time and money it takes to grow your own and the costs from needing to keep your horses in more?
 
You can pay for grass retirement livery for her elsewhere.

Sorry but she isn't a rescue case so a sanctuary or rescue centre should not be expected to take her in IMO.
 
I think you will find that in this climate that all rescue centres are bursting at the seams and will only take clear welfare cases. Those that want to offload their ponies are told to pts if they cannot afford/don't want them anymore.
 
Lexi_ said:
Have you had a definite decision from the neighbour that she doesn't want to keep her? I just wonder if (and I mean this kindly) you're stressing over a situation that might potentially happen, rather than what's actually happening. You said in your first post that she's settled and looked after at the moment so is it likely that she'll come back to you over the winter?
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Possibly, Its constantly on my mind that i just wont be able to look after her, she loves where she is at the moment and gets looked after by two small children who love her to. Unfortunetly the lady wants her one week and the next she doesn't, just because its convenient for her to send her back to us and take her back when she needs her to munch off some extra grass. she came back last winter and we ended up bringing her in in january because we felt so guilty but i was left absolutely scrimping and saving and barely had money for petrol to even get to the horses.
 
Sanctuaries are crying out for horses and ponies, good idea. It is a pity you have tried going down the *put in foal* route and that didn't work, so that is not an option.
 
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