Do you/would you keep a horse on its own?

S

sfward

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Just musing really... I kept my last horse at my parents' farm, and as he was my only horse and Mum and Dad didn't have any, he lived by himself for part of that time (he had a companion for a bit but then the owner needed him back). I always felt like I was being unfair to him and putting him under unnecessary stress by keeping him alone with no other horsey company; since they are herd animals and would never live alone under 'normal' circumstances. But then he always seemed ok so I thought maybe it was just me being paranoid...?

I often muse this subject over as I would love to get my own place, but unless I get another horse in the future I would be in the same situation with my mare. She is such a social horse and loves company I would feel very mean depriving her of this.

Would be very interested to hear people's thoughts / experiences on this one...
 
i have in the past, never would again. they are herd animals, it is cruelty to keep them on their own imho, unless they have at the very very least a goat/sheep as a companion... but that's not much good for grooming them, and my horses stand and groom each other for hours... even over the elec fence when i have to separate them.
i don't turn them out together if they've got shoes on, but they always have another horse in sight or in the field next to them.
i know it's a nightmare if you have 2 horses and want to take one out for a ride and leave the other, though. that's where the goat companion comes in, i guess.
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Here horses arent put out by themselves, they go out 2 or more. My friend however lives on a farm and has one horses, if shes putting her horse out, she does so with the cows lol
 
That's basically what I thought too. I wish I had thought of getting a goat tho!
Although thinking about it if I did have my own place I would probably end up with 2 or 3 anyway, as I'm sure my mum and sister would get one to share for happy hacking and I'm not sure I could resist another eventer with the space and extra cash saved from livery!
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ETS just re-read that - just to clarify that would be getting a horse for happy hacking not a goat lol!
 
Well,
I keep my horse on her own, as we have our own land (an acre and a half), I cannot afford another one and although I have two stables, I do not have enough land for two, so could not take on a livery, she has company over the fence, but is more than happy
Kate x
 
My horse is on his own, he seems to accept it ok. He does see a lot of comings & goings as he is next to the house, I don't have room for another & the only other option would be to turn him out with a bunch of very boisterous geldings up the road & at 23 I don't think he would cope too well. He is also quite grumpy & I think a smaller companion would feel his teeth!!
 
I am going to have a break this winter and only keep one horse fit. He will live down by the house whereas the others will be in a herd in the barn.

He will just about be able to see them, but will be by himself. Probably is a little mean, but if keep him entertained he won't mind.
 
Normally when I sell a horse I would avoid anyone who was going to keep the horse on its own. This year's little mare is perhaps the only horse I've ever owned who would seem to be perfectly happy without another horse around - so long as she had "her person". She is out with one other, but they virtually never even touch noses and she seems oblivious to whether he's about or not. I have no idea what she'd be like with cows or sheep - probably ignore them too, although she likes the cat...
 
Mine have company when in but I always turn out alone. They are just too valuable to be kicked. Sarnita sares a field which is split by electric tape but Rags was out total;ly alone and quite happy. Sometimes facilities or circumstances dictate they have to be on there own and most do adapt.
 
My horse is on her own. She seems happy enough, though. I did put a post on a while ago about whther I should sell her because she is on her own, but as she is 13yo TB with back injury / quite tricky to ride the general concensus was keep her. I might consider getting a mini friend for her, although she is the kind of horse who prefers human company. When she used to be kept with another horse, she would go off on her own and ignore it. She tends to get bullied
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I wouldn't keep my horse on his own, but he is very herd orientated and I think he would stress out if he couldn't at least speak to other horses over the fence. He has a Sheltie as a field companion plus 2 large horses over the fence, but feel he'd benefit from a larger companion, as someone else has said, for grooming, etc. There is a gelding local to me who is kept in a small, exposed field at a crossroads on his own with no other livestock nearby (or any sort of shelter) and he always looks thoroughly bored and fed up. His owner does apparently go up and see him once a day but I can't help but feel sorry for him. I know some horses are fine on their own but still think they need some sort of stimulation.
 
I think it depends on the horse and how they are as an individual. I keep my happy little horsey on his own and would love to have another horse if time and finances permitted but they don't so that is that! You also then get problems with separation so end up needed 3!!!!!
I think to say that it is cruel to keep a horse on it's own is a bit strong really. Yes they are herd animals granted but so long as the individual horse is happy and not stressed I don't see that it matters. My horse was on his own when I bought him so he was used to it when I got him. He is happy and healthy, does not get kicked seven bells out of and I have no separation worries. But I think a lot of that is down to how I manage him...he has access outside all the time in his field with a stable to come in and out of as he pleases and has access to grass or hay all the time. But I would say that he has a stronger bond with me than my previous horses and this could be a reliance thing. I also spend time every day scratching him with a curry comb as another horse would...perhaps he thinks I am a horse!!!!
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I've kept 2 previously on their own at my parents and they were very happy horses. They could see other horses but didnt mind not being any closer. My current horse spent 6 months on his own at my parents and became a complete loon and unhappy. I've since moved him to a busy livery yard and he's a happy pony again. So I guess it depends on the horse........
 
I would never keep a horse on its own, I do think it is verging on cruel. There is no reason not to have a companion of some sort - even if it is just a goat. There are hundreds of rescue horses and ponies looking for companion homes all over the country. My friend has kept her welsh cob alone for the past 15 years. She has no vices but she must feel lonely - imagine being kept in solitary confinement for that long! Horses are a social species and they need company.
 
Personally I would never keep a horse on its' own. They are by their very nature herd animals and whilst they may adapt to living on their own it is far from ideal. Must be pretty stressful for them too, as they don't have other herd members looking out for the "lions and tigers" and the like either.
 
I think a lot depends on the horse. For a while my mare had to go out on her own and she was perfectly happy, although she did have sheep for company most of the time.
 
I used to keep my loan pony on her own. She could see another pony but couldn't touch. She was very anti-social anyway and couldn't really be kept actually in the same field as anything else, but I hated having her alone. My first bought pony was alone for a couple of months after I bought her, and she hated it. She was so grumpy and anxious, and when we finally brought my loan pony into the same fields as Lily we seperated them with electric tape and would go up in the morning to find that Lily had jumped the fence and was in with Fleur!
Now, I wouldn't ever keep a horse on its own. At the very minimum I'd have sheep or something, but that would only be temporary. I think it's so important to let horses interact. The stallion at work isn't allowed to get too close to any other horses and is a bit of a handful most of the time, but he went away once and was stabled next to my boss's gelding, and apparently they could touch noses through the bars between the stables. I have never seen that stallion look so relaxed before when he came back, he was so easy to handle and much more chilled. Although I totally understand my boss's reasons for keeping the stallion alone, I do feel sorry for him as even though he's in a full and busy yard he can't interact with any other horses properly, as is his nature.
 
No, I wouldn't as I believe they are herd animals and are happier together.
There are different definitions of alone though - ideally I think they should share a field. If not, having a friend in the next field who they can touch, is good. Failing that a friend within eyesight is good.
And failing all of that, cows, goats etc are good (although I wouldn't recommend a goat for hacking LOL
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I suppose we all do the best we can, given the horses we have...some of whom aren't properly socialised for company anyway.
S
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Depends. My first mare, although extremely friendly, obviously preferred to be on her own as she got narky with companions. In general though, I don't really like it.
 
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