Does Anyone keep Pigs with Horses???

[Tamba]

A farmer's pig escaped into my yard, and having just read the other thread about this, I thought I would post my incident......
Anyway, eventually I managed to corner it and kept it, in my shed, until the farmer came to collect it...
When the farmer arrived, it took ages for him, and his wife and dog to get the pig into the trailer..and then he told me he was putting it to slaughter, well me being me, burst into tears..at the thought. He then said she was supposed to been sent last week, and thats why she probably escaped, knowing her fate.
Its a gloucester old spot. Shes an old pig, about 6, he thinks, and he says as she hasnt been able to give him any more litters, he had decided to send her to slaugher. I have now agreed to rehome her. But I am a bit worried about the horses, (having seven), as none of them seemed very keen on the sight of her !!! Does anyone else keep pigs in the same yard as horses???

 

[jhoward]

On a yard I used to rent they had a pig plus babies.. mummy pig was kept oput with yard owners ponies and they were all fine, sometimes one would take a dislike but they all got used to her,

mine could all see the pig form the stables, normally eyes out on stalks but they all got used her.. she was BIG PIG too!

lol mummy pig developed a habit of escaping walking around the country side shoutting MUMMY PIG and asking have you a seen a pig.. got me some funny looks!

 

[jsr]

Yes. My new girlie is currently lodging with a friends horses and her pig!! I was amazed when leading Jade up the drive she didn't even flinch at the pig who was running around in the next field!! She stands next to his stable being groomed and has absolutely no reaction to him at all!! All the horses are extreamly chilled out around him!!

 

[Tamba]

ooh, thanks to hearing from you both, its hopefully not going to be disasterous then, I just felt so sorry for it, I wanted to help it...
I know it sounds a bit mad..(after all thats what most pigs are for ), but this one just seemed to be asking for help!!!( I know I sound bonkers!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Slightly Foxed]

Aah, that's just the sort of thing I'd do, soft b****r! Good luck with your pig, I'm sure the neds will soon get used to her, I love an Old Spot.

 

[Dizzydancer]

they will get used to her. i rode a friends horse last summer they are kept with 4 pigs and babies when they have litters. They accomodate them though, my boy had an utter dislike for donkeys and moved him intop a field with donkey next door after about 2 weeks he would go within about 10ft of the fence (thats the best we got but the donkey did torment him)!!

 

[calon]

we stable on a farm that is a pig farm loads of pigs all indoors so we dont often see them though but horses not over bothered about them ,they haqve a young boy pig that needs a new home he was rescued out of a pig pen as a baby as he wasnt well he is now very friendly and just wonders around the place and sleeps with the dog sadley he cant stay as he will cause problems when he is older wit the breeders ect this is a pig farm breeding pigs for meat they do sell on the pigs for fatteningand dont reslly send to kill themselves so they dont want to have to send peter pig but they may have to if he dosent find a home soon ,they had thought of sending him to the local petting farm seemed ideal for him but then they found out that the owner send sall the pets to kill at end of the summer season so they dont have to feed over winter how awful bet the school kids that go visiting arnt told that

 

[celia]

Famer next door to us has a couple that like to escape and bring their babies for a visit. The two boys were intially pretty alarmed by this but they're less bothered now it's happened a couple of times. My TB likes to chase them and sister's pony does his 'spaz trot' - but it doesn't take much to set him off! Our welsh girl is - as with most things - completely unaffected (she's a very cool pony ). Obviously it will depend on the horse but I think most would settle pretty quickly if they were living right next door.

 

[sassybebe]

Ahh i do things like that too

I used to work for some people with 7 horses and they decided to get 2 pigs and plonk them in the field in the middle of the stables, fields and school! The horses were not happy at all for about a week then they just got used to them and they were fine

 

[jendie]

Oh you sound just like me )

I have two pet pigs, mad I know but they are the most intelligent creatures, much more intelligent than dogs. The equines were a bit suspicious at first but it didn't take them long to get used to the new residents.

Pigs make very loving pets, our are very affectionate. They both sit and down on command and I'm planning to teach them more.

 

[Walrus]

We hack through fields that have lots of pigs in (in fenced off sections!) and the horses cope really well. They're spooky but my baby was never as bad as I envisaged he would be. However, one of the pigs escaped the other day and came for a visit overnight. All of the horses were really wound up, one little pony jumped out of her stable (demonstrating a whole new talent as the door was really quite high). The pig had obviously gone out to visit my boy in his field as well as for a few days after he wouldn't settle in the field and was cantering round and staring at the back hedge with his eyes out on stalks. He's still suspicious nearly a week later but more settled now.

I think if you give them time (and the pig doesn't run round like a crazy thing!) then they will get used to it.

 

[Archangel]

Yes, my old stallion lived with 2 pigs. They had to have their own enclosure in the end as they dug up so much of the field. He loved them and given the choice of cows, sheep, chickens and pigs - he always hung out with the pigs. I love them too, such clean animals and a great sense of humour.

 

[Faithkat]

At my yard we have Kune pigs and alpacas . . . . . . horse never took any notice of either although she did the alpacas a bit of a funny look the first time she saw them but she's never batted an eyelid at the pigs which come rushing across the field to see you!

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I havent read all the replies, but in answer to your question, I know a couple of people who keep pet pigs with their horses. Your horses might be a bit suspicious at first, but I'm sure they'll get used to them soon enough

 

[Tamba]

Well, I would definitely agree that they are clean...........
This Miss Piggy" stayed in my indoor school, all night, as the farmer wasnt overly bothered about coming to get her, and would you believe, that when I went in to the indoor in the morning, she hadnt done hardly a thing, (1 poop at the top of the school), and nothing had been touched (odd brushes etc, were on the ground), she had however, made herself a fine bed in amongst the hay, and lay there sleeping, quite the thing. When I came in, she never even stirred!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, thank you to everyone who replied! I see Im not alone in the emotional department!!

 

[catts]

Just to make you aware that pigs are sociable animals and you may need to get her a piggy friend . Also make sure you have a CPH (Holding) Number and a herd number, available from you local Defra office........so you don't fall foul of the regulations surrounding pig keeping. Good luck and enjoy her.

 

[Tamba]

Just to make you aware that pigs are sociable animals and you may need to get her a piggy friend . Also make sure you have a CPH (Holding) Number and a herd number, available from you local Defra office........so you don't fall foul of the regulations surrounding pig keeping. Good luck and enjoy her.

Thanks for reminding me about this.... my farmer (horsey) female friend, told me, I needed a holding number.. hmm, will have to make some enquiries!!

 

[*hic*]

Just to make you aware that pigs are sociable animals and you may need to get her a piggy friend . Also make sure you have a CPH (Holding) Number and a herd number, available from you local Defra office........so you don't fall foul of the regulations surrounding pig keeping. Good luck and enjoy her.

I'll second that ^^^ and add that you need to be certain you will be able to keep her where you want her. We grow on pigs for the freezer and nearly bought a big sow until a wiser friend pointed out that if she wanted she could probably put her snout under the average car and roll it over. They are extremely strong, it's also difficult to get a hold on them if you need to catch them and they have escaped, although a bucket of feed works wonders.

She will trash your ground if you let her out, but if you don't let her out she will have a deprived life. You also need to be aware that whilst GOS are always hungry they do not need a huge amount of food as they run to fat very quickly.

Find out how to keep her properly and I'm sure you'll have lots of pleasure from her.

 

[Tamba]

I'll second that ^^^ and add that you need to be certain you will be able to keep her where you want her. We grow on pigs for the freezer and nearly bought a big sow until a wiser friend pointed out that if she wanted she could probably put her snout under the average car and roll it over. They are extremely strong, it's also difficult to get a hold on them if you need to catch them and they have escaped, although a bucket of feed works wonders.

She will trash your ground if you let her out, but if you don't let her out she will have a deprived life. You also need to be aware that whilst GOS are always hungry they do not need a huge amount of food as they run to fat very quickly.

Find out how to keep her properly and I'm sure you'll have lots of pleasure from her.

Thanks, I was planning on fencing of a bit of the field for her.. I was also told by the farmer who has her, that she has a ring in her nose to stop her digging up the ground, I dont know if this is correct????
Yes, i do need to find out more, he was trying to catch her with barley, but this didnt seem to be working !!! I dont know what really entices them, if you do need to catch them?? I dont know anything about them, but she was such an endearing creature !!

 

[*hic*]

Hmm, having a ring in her nose will stop her digging up the field - a bit. It's causing her pain when she's doing one of the things she would find most enjoyable in life.

GOS are built to eat. Turning over the ground gives them a little bit of food and lots of exercise. If you have her so she can't turn over the ground what is she going to do all day? Pigs are intelligent, they need companionship and they need something to do - or they do in my book.

It's not a brilliant pic but this is a happy pigling!

She's got her front feet in a hole she's dug and is making it deeper with her snout. In the summer they like you to leave the hose running in their pits and make them a wallow!

 

[YasandCrystal]

Oh you softy!!! Pigs are so lovely, I kept a pony years ago on a pig farm and they are such characters and very clever. Horses aren't generally keen on pigs - I think it is something to do with the way they root around in a jerky fashion. good luck!

 

[Tamba]

Oh you softy!!! Pigs are so lovely, I kept a pony years ago on a pig farm and they are such characters and very clever. Horses aren't generally keen on pigs - I think it is something to do with the way they root around in a jerky fashion. good luck!

I know, Im just a silly fool..but I cant help it!! Im a sucker for a hard luck story !

 

[Tamba]

Oh you softy!!! Pigs are so lovely, I kept a pony years ago on a pig farm and they are such characters and very clever. Horses aren't generally keen on pigs - I think it is something to do with the way they root around in a jerky fashion. good luck!

I know, Im just a silly fool..but I cant help it!! Im a sucker for a hard luck story !
Jemima, sending you a pm for more info!!!

 

[jendie]

Getting the CPH and holding number is simple, you just phone your local DEFRA office and they will sort it out for you. We just made a couple of phone calls and the numbers arrived in the post. You also need a licence to move them. Not sure what they do when the pig moves itself >g< I'd get the ring taken out of her nose. They love using their snouts and if you fence her off a bit of field she'll the damage she causes to the ground will be restricted. If you don't make her a wallow patch she'll make her own by turning over her water trough >g< They do need company of their own kind so maybe it is time to look for a nice piglet, just think of the fun that will give you!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

My friend's late husband ran a mixed farm, mainly sheep, some cows, a variety of poultry and often a couple of GOSx sows and their litters. My friend ran a RS from the farm yard, with at least 4 hrs every week of RDA.
The horses were all used to all the stock, including pigs and never bothered about them. It did sometimes take new horses/ponies a few weeks to get used to the pigs but none were worried for long.
In fact the only one I can really remember causing a fuss was a gelding who had been on the farm for years. One day he was in a group with RDA riders who had been out for a hack. The pigs were in a field at the side of the lane and the gelding was an absolute pain for the handler.
After RDA rider had dismounted, his 'Dad' rode him back down the lane, with reins like washing lines and paying no attention to the gelding at all. Needless to say gelding walked past the field as if there was nothing at all in it, never mind the scariest pig in the world, that he said had been there just a few minutes before!
I'm sure your horses will soon get used to the new addition - although I agree that really pigs need company of their own kind, just as horses do.

 

[Alexart]

I had a few pigs some years ago now, and the horses never even took a second look at them even when we first bought them as piglets. We had 2 iron age sows and their piglets and an Oxford Sandy and Black boar named Borris - he was huuuge, and whilst scratching his neck he could lift up the front of my tractor!! He used to also like to oooze under the horses and use their bellies to scratch his back - they didn't seem to mind as it meant they got some itching done on his bristles, he could actually lift up the front of my friesian stallion Wessel who weighs about 780kg!, and they used to sit bum to bum in the wallow!!!!!! He also thought he was a horse and would rather spend all day chatting up the mares rather than the sows which annoyed everything - even some kicks didn't deter him, and once someone nearly crashed their car as they were driving past the field and Borris was trying to hump one of the ponies - not something you see everyday!!!

We sold them eventually as Borris took a serious dislike to one of our stallions and they would challenge each other and race up and down the fence roaring - identity crisis I think!!, and as there was nothing that would keep him contained as he would trash fences/electric, all our gates had to have pins put through the hinges as he would rip them off, you name it, so we didn't want to risk the horse getting hurt so Borris went to a breeder, some went as pets and the rest went in the freezer I'm afraid!

They were good fun though and very friendly, and I would have them to fatten again, but they do make a terrible mess, ours broke out of their field one night and used the bin as a football - there was rubbish everywhere, Borris ripped a barn door off and found some tins of bright yellow paint which he smashed and wallowed in - there were yellow bum/snout and trotter prints in varying sizes all over the yard/cars/stables etc and Aconite Yellow pigs!!!!!!
As others have said you need 2 though - good excuse to go piggy hunting, and they are pretty economical to keep!!

 

[Tamba]

I had a few pigs some years ago now, and the horses never even took a second look at them even when we first bought them as piglets. We had 2 iron age sows and their piglets and an Oxford Sandy and Black boar named Borris - he was huuuge, and whilst scratching his neck he could lift up the front of my tractor!! He used to also like to oooze under the horses and use their bellies to scratch his back - they didn't seem to mind as it meant they got some itching done on his bristles, he could actually lift up the front of my friesian stallion Wessel who weighs about 780kg!, and they used to sit bum to bum in the wallow!!!!!! He also thought he was a horse and would rather spend all day chatting up the mares rather than the sows which annoyed everything - even some kicks didn't deter him, and once someone nearly crashed their car as they were driving past the field and Borris was trying to hump one of the ponies - not something you see everyday!!!

We sold them eventually as Borris took a serious dislike to one of our stallions and they would challenge each other and race up and down the fence roaring - identity crisis I think!!, and as there was nothing that would keep him contained as he would trash fences/electric, all our gates had to have pins put through the hinges as he would rip them off, you name it, so we didn't want to risk the horse getting hurt so Borris went to a breeder, some went as pets and the rest went in the freezer I'm afraid!

They were good fun though and very friendly, and I would have them to fatten again, but they do make a terrible mess, ours broke out of their field one night and used the bin as a football - there was rubbish everywhere, Borris ripped a barn door off and found some tins of bright yellow paint which he smashed and wallowed in - there were yellow bum/snout and trotter prints in varying sizes all over the yard/cars/stables etc and Aconite Yellow pigs!!!!!!
As others have said you need 2 though - good excuse to go piggy hunting, and they are pretty economical to keep!!

OMG........... just reading this, you have clean put me off, her, would she be this mischievious?????????? I dont want to find her doing strange things in the morning when I go out!!! yellow, painted Pig, very funny!!!!

 

[jroz]

A few summers ago there was one at the barn where I was riding.