do people want big companion horses?

I would think they're less likely to but I would consider 1 if I needed a companion as my big girls would break a small companion if they tried to play with it! Can he not even do some light hacking? I would think a lonley big horse would rather have him to play with than a shetland or similar, worth advertising but be careful that someone doesn't buy him to infact ride him!
 
Yes, slightly harder to home but useful for people who need companions for their big horses and don't want to have small ponies being trampled into the ground by their clumpy so and so!
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I would think they're less likely to but I would consider 1 if I needed a companion as my big girls would break a small companion if they tried to play with it! Can he not even do some light hacking? I would think a lonley big horse would rather have him to play with than a shetland or similar, worth advertising but be careful that someone doesn't buy him to infact ride him!

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hes sound when hacked but since he failed the vetting on his hinds i dont think i want to sell him tbh, rather than sell him, was thinking of loaning him as a companion, simply because i just dont have time to have horses right now
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Could you consider a home as a light hack then? Might be a bit easier to find. Good if he could stay at your yard as you could then make sure that light means light - or is that totally impractical?
 
i would have to keep my welshie as i rent a yard and its just my 2, since I'm giving up its impractical, if i am looking after 1 i might as well look after 2 .
 
Ah fair enough, well maybe keep it within a certain radius of you then so you can pop over every now and again to check up?
 
would only go to a home i can go check on him, failing that i am going to try and find grass livery for him.
 
Yes and no. We wanted a horse that was big enough for my OH to ride, but was essentially a companion for Toffee. We ended up with Fraser, who it turns out may have a history of lameness - his past is shrouded in mystery, and we knew absolutely nothing about him when we bought him. Apart from that he has a fab temperament. When he then needed his own companion, we bought a young miniature Shetland. So it just depends.
 
Not normally. If people get a pure companion they want easy and cheap to keep, which generally means small ponies. If they are going to take on the long term expense of a large horse, it might as well be one that they can ride, if that makes sense.
 
Aw, what a shame he failed the vetting- I'm sorry to hear that, the potential buyer sounded so promising. only just getting up to speed with things on here again, had a busy couple of days.

And yes, people do take on larger horses as hacks/ companions on loan. I know he's a bit smaller, but I have just taken on a 15.2hh tbx on loan who is diagnosed with bone spavin as companion to my ridden horse. i did have a Shetland (well, still do until Oct) but Minstral hasn't really bonded with her and seems to much prefer a horse is own size.

Smithie will prob only ever be a light hack, which is what I want as I don't have time to keep two horses in full work. And I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting that.

Overall, Jay is sound so he should be suitable as a hack, I would have thought. It's just a question of finding the right loan home for him in terms of location, trust, etc.
 
My situation is identical to Charlyan.

I needed a companion for my 16hh warmblood. i knew he would want a buddy for grooming so only looked at horses 14hh+.

Ended up with a 15.2 connie who is a light hack/companion.

The key thing most people want as a companion is an easy keeper who can cope being left home alone. It also needs to be as sweetie in the field.

Personally, i do not consider aggressive/very dominant horses to be companion candidates.
 
I would say yes definitely. Getting a small pony as a companion seems ideal but they are more prone to laminitis so could end up having to be fenced off in a starvation paddock separate from your own horse which rather defeats the object!

Also big horses are quite often very good doers so are not necessarily that much more expensive to keep than smaller ones.
 
ok, so half would take jay and half would take fizz lol
so going by that i should have no trouble loaning both as companions lol
 
My concern is, if I remember correctly, Jay is quite a poor dooer, and even those who aren't worried about him being bigger, may be put off by that fact.
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There are people around like me who ONLY hack, so for someone wanting a nice hacking horse, I don't see why you would struggle too much. There is the element of finding the wrong home, but there's that danger no matter what horse you have.
 
hes not been lame when i hacked him, but i am not willing to loan him out as a ridden horse.
yes he is a poor doer, mostly because i have zero grass here so have to hay and hard feed all year.
tbh i think i am more likely to keep him and loan fizz as a companion, and move to grass livery somewhere.

still waiting on my vet getting back to me.
 
Yes rehomed my gorgeous boy as I didnt have right facilities for horse to be turned away.I had about 15 enquiries ,He is 16h tb 8 years of age and needed long time recovery period.Apparently is completely field sound and very happy.
I was completely honest with his injury and put him on project horse thinking it would take a year he has new home with company and 10acres to play about in.
 
I NEED a poor doer! I need something to go out with my old chap on 6 (sometimes 12 acres) that can be fed but dont want anything forever. They are really hard to find as companions!


My gelding can be a bit tricky with other geldings though. It might work but might not.
 
QR. I've always thought that if I were to ever have my own land, and therefore need a companion for my mare, I'd want something that would fit into a similar routine as her. ie something that can go out on decent grazing without getting lami, can eat ad lib hay in winter without getting fat, can run around together and mutual groom each other, etc, so Id be looking for something at least 15hh and probably a TB type.
 
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