horses being kept on there own!

applestroodle

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2007
Messages
1,227
Location
Scotland!
Visit site
does anyone keep there horses on there own, with just cows and sheep do u think this is suitable? he dosent like other horse much anyway and gets bullied! has been kept in own field but with other horses in sight, do u think he will settle with no horses but lots of sheeps and cows!!
 

AmyMay

Situation normal
Joined
1 July 2004
Messages
65,903
Location
South
Visit site
I always think it's terribly sad to see a horse kept on his own, and my preference would be to always have a little equine companion for them.
 

_daisy_

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 March 2005
Messages
5,619
Location
South Yorkshire
Visit site
My friends pony is kept on his own with no friends - unless you count the nextdoor neighbours chickens. Hes more than happy on his own. He lives on a council estate and has her grandmas back garden and half of their neighbours garden. In the past he hasnt get on too well with other horses however he is fine when hacking out in company.

He comes on holiday to me for the firework season (for about 5weeks the estate is horrendous for fireworks - starts about 7am and dont finish till about 3am). He has a little paddock in my field so he can see my horses and doesnt have any problems when he goes back to his normal life at home.
 

applestroodle

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2007
Messages
1,227
Location
Scotland!
Visit site
its such a difficult one, im not sure what to do!

i have just a nightamare with him! he is such a nightmare to keep weight on and all livery yards iv been to r over grazed and over crowded! my friend has acres and acres of lovely fields were he could live but would be on his own which is the down side!
i feed him twice a day sometimes three but dosent make a huge diff, he often wont eat, i do eventing with him so he is in hard work so i think he needs some nice juicy grass! he find busy yards very stressful and cant cope with lots going on!

but just not sure if this is a suitable option either...

HORSES!!!!
 

lucysnapshot

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 June 2006
Messages
604
Location
north east
Visit site
i used to keep my mare alone, she hates other horses but occasionally had sheep and cows for company, she now has her baby colt to keep her company
 

airedale

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 May 2004
Messages
1,421
Visit site
yes - stallions are kept on their own but usually within sight of other horses and are (or should be) well behaved.

if you don't have sheep or cattle you could consider a small flock of geese as grazing companions (and they don't require ear tags and DEFRA registration.
 

_daisy_

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 March 2005
Messages
5,619
Location
South Yorkshire
Visit site
the main thing is that hes happy. Could you not try your horse on your friends land, if it works - great, if not then at least youve given it a go then you have to reassess your horse?

My mares hated being on a big yard, again lots of horses in smallish fields - always getting into fights/scrapes. I moved mine to a small prvate livery yard - theres only 7 horses on and 2 of those are mine. There is enough grazing to go around and I have no problems with them as they can see the other horses but not be in the same field as them.

Is there no little yards near you?
 

MagicMelon

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 November 2004
Messages
16,174
Location
North East Scotland
Visit site
I agree that I also think its very depressing to see a horse on its own. Your horse may prefer a smaller herd, even just one other horse. Like people, some horses love loads of friends to play with whereas others prefer a smaller crowd for a quieter life! For example, I try to keep all mine together if possible however my oldest pony was looking rather depressed and would frequently begin standing away from the others looking fed up. I decided to move him and another pony into their own paddock and he is so much happier!

Can you not section of a bit of the field for him and maybe one of the quieter horses?
 

applestroodle

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2007
Messages
1,227
Location
Scotland!
Visit site
i have tried a few but nothing really suitable...

the place were he is at the mo is not good and need a quick fix, hoping this might do temp at least! i can only have one horse there as a working farm and a big favour already!

its so difficult cos in the middle of competitions!!

mayb he wont notice the diff between cows and horses, or worse still might start mooing and baaing!! he he
 

Baileysno1

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 October 2006
Messages
1,148
Location
Newark
Visit site
My TB vetran Bailey had two sheep for company at his loan home, and could see horses in other fields and he was fine, the sheep became quite attached to him, hes now back with me in a group of nine other geldings he isn't really bothered either way, my young horse would go nuts on his own as hes very insecure, I think it depends on your horses personality.

Recently I have witnessed the lasting damage of a very insecure little mare who came to our big yard where the horses live in big herds after being on her own for 4 years, it completely blew her brain initially she was ok then another mare arrived back after been away schooling they bonded obsessively and she was unhandleable when seperated the poor lady her bought her has had to send her back. Again each horse is an individual and can cope with different things.
 

zizz

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 January 2007
Messages
1,081
Visit site
Do you not have a friend or know anyone who could either lend you a horse as a companion or who would also like to keep thiers at the same place?
 

Solstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 April 2007
Messages
1,976
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
i kept my tb on his own for the first year i had him, i had no other option... he was absolutely fine about it and now he doesnt bother if the other horse in his field goes out, as he doesnt seem to get too attached as hes used to been on his own.
 

applestroodle

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2007
Messages
1,227
Location
Scotland!
Visit site
i think it might be worth a try, if it dosent work hey least i tried!

hopefully he will be so delighted to get lots of grass, he wont even bring is head up to look around!

Thanks guys!!
 

josephinebutter2

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 September 2006
Messages
320
Visit site
If your friend has acres and acres of lovely fields, I am sure if you advertise in a local paper, you will find someone willing to pay grass livery to keep it with your horse and the cattle and sheep - then your pony will have a friend, and the land owner will get a little extra income too!

Where abouts are you? I have a horsey who is very friendly and would love to come and live as a farm animal to keep yours company!
 

Whispa

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 July 2006
Messages
97
Visit site
Hi

My old mare used to have a few sheep to keep her company (the horse she was a field companion with died suddenly). She loved the sheep and when she was lying down, the sheep used to put their front feet on her!!! On the downside, the sheep ate most of her tail, which took a while to grow back! However they all got on very well. Whispa used to chase the sheep round for exercise, although I did see the sheep chase her once (they must have decided to get their own back!!) and my mare got a bit of a shock!! Didn't stop her doing it though and the sheep all seemed to enjoy it as well - was incredibly funny to watch though!

She's now with 3 other pony mares and is very happy. But she was very settled and chilled out with the sheep.
 

Louby

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2005
Messages
6,591
Visit site
I now keep my boy on his own, I cant say I like it but its more of a matter of being alive!
He came from a yard where he was with one other horse and I bought him and put him in a mixed herd of about 20 horses. Disastrous, constantly injured as he constantly mithered the other horses. He was only 4 though. Moved him to a small yard where he had 3 other geldings in the same field and it was much better although he and his mate were aleways playing which got worse and worse until he ended up with a fractured leg. Ok its an accident but when he thankfully recovered we decided to try him alone. Hes in the same field but seperated with electric fence and he seems fine. I'd much prefer him to be with the others and Im probably over protective but hes safe and he may not have been so lucky next time if he'd gone back in with the others.
 

Christmas_Kate

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 December 2005
Messages
12,934
Visit site
We keep our ponio on his own. In winter he's stabled with the big horses, and he spends his days watching them coming and going, and has limited turnout.
From spring onwards he's out 24/7 on his own. He cannot go in with the other horses at all as he's just too small and they're too big.
He is currently out with about 8 lambs and one ewe. He has a bit sectioned off, and they can come into his bit if they want. each day he gets to have a good play with them. He's surrounded by houses of friends, who all make a fuss of him and talk to him, and next door he has cattle.
And it doesnt seem to bother him one bit. He's not lonely, he's not depressed, if anything he's full of beans and quite content.
 

pottamus

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 November 2005
Messages
3,635
Visit site
My horse is on his own and prfectly happy...he can talk to the neighbours horses over the hedge but does not bother with them at all. He is a happy horse, relaxed and content so I do not feel that he is in any way compromised by this. I do not understand this arguement of being mean keeping a horse on it's own...so long as the horse is happy and well in it's environment that is all that matters. I know some horses who have company of other horses but are dreadfully unhappy in themselves due to being kept in a stable 24/7 or being bullied in the field! To me, that is worse.
I should monitor your horse and see how it goes...they will tell you if they are unhappy, but I doubt it with lot's of grass to eat and freedom!
 
Top