Has anyone known a horse to be happier alone?

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haribo

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I've just moved our pony because his behaviour is threatening and I was worried how many horses he was fighting with at the gate. He bit and kicked and was generally nasty. I've moved him to a new yard and am in the process of getting sorting out a companion for him but......

He seems happier alone!!!!!

All night in a strange stable with noone to talk to. fine.

Turned out in a large paddock alone. fine.

Is he an 'emo' pony???


Has anyone else experienced this???
 
This is a hard one isn't it, I wonder have to wonder WHY he is happier alone. Its does seem that he is though. Maybe he has some sort of 'mental issue'?

I keep my old horse in a field on his own, although he stands wanting to go in with one of my others and today I almost gave in, trouble being that he very often gets the carp kicked out of him by my other horse, which results in injuries, vets bills and heartache. So I leave him on his own. Safer yes, happier, probably not.
 
I have had 2 horses that definately preferred to be in a paddock on their own. To be fair, they just didnt like most horses and they seemed much happier alone. One of the mares also had a big issue with feeding, so it was safer for other horses.

I have also had the flip side where one of my mares had to be in other company (being in a paddock next to another horse was not good enough), otherwise she would go ballistic.

So yes, I do think 'emo' horses can exist :)
 
My friends little mare is 17 and had spent the majority of her life with company on a large yard with her own stable and small paddock. She then moved her to a small yard with 2 other horses and she became neorotic and nappy to hack, almost scaring her owner who had owned her for 10 years! She now lives alone in a field shelter and shares her paddock with cows and is as happy as larry! Goes to comps and totally ignores the other horses! She is so much happier by herself it seems. I'd just see how it goes - you can always get a companion at a later date, but be wary of creating a situation where they become attached and then a pain in the backside when one is taken away. Good Luck
 
Lucy was always happyer alone. She wasn't nasty to the other horses but she was boss and would get abit grumpy if they hasseled her when she didn't want to be desturbed. I once kept her in a field with nearly 30 other horses and Lucy would always be stood at the opposit side of the field. :confused:
If her field friend was ever taken away she couldn't have cared less.
I just always put it down to the fact that she thought she was a stallion. :rolleyes: But as long as she was happy it didn't bother me. :) It actualy came in handy a few times, having a pony who liked being on her own. :D
 
I know a mare that hates other horses being anywhere near her. She is very violent towards them and you cant even put anything next door to her because she will attack it over the fence/ smash through the fence to attack!
She is absolutely lovely with people, loves human company, just couldn't abide other horses. She can just about stand the gelding next door being in his stable, but they have been next door to each other for at least 15 yrs!
Much much happier on her own to say the least!
 
I have two horses who hate each other! One of them has been with me longer than the other and she didn't like my other horse either! I think it can be very hard on owners when all the books and articles tell us horses are natural herd animals and they need to be kept as naturally as possible, but I think we also owe it to the horse for them to be happy even when it flies in the face of all the books! Mine are kept seperate when out grazing, but they can reach each other over a post and rails fence to groom if they want to, but always one of them lets the other have both barrels and I constantly thank my lucky stars theres a fence between them! So please don't fret about your solo horse...if he is happy like that, then you are doing what is best for him, If you forced company on him I think you would make him stressed so don't worry, and see how he gets along. You can always revise it later if you need to, and in the meantime the one thing you wont have to wrry about is either him being injured or him injuring anything else.
Mine watch each other over their stable doors and they are glad of the company but any more than that and theres mayhem
 
I find if you put them out on their own they're fine, maybe not exactly happy but much more manageable. If you put them out together and take one away they tend to get upset and rush around like idiots...separation anxiety is such a pain.
 
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