horses living alone - is it legal??

ladyearl

ladyearl

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Should a horse have a field companion of some sort, by law??

Oh and in Scotland..
 
There could be a reason a horse is kept alone mine is by herself at the mo as she is not safe near other horses as she has had a fit. Some horses dont like being with others as far as i know you dont have to keep a horse with others.
 
I think usually it's fine, provided they have SOME sort of company once a day, even if it's just a human coming to check on him, feed him, groom him. Preferably, they should have some animal contact whether it's a sheep, a cow, or in an ideal world a horse. If they don't get on too well with other horses, then you could always separate them by a fence. I think they need contact with someone, to keep them sane! :) xx
 
No, theres no legal requirement. Nor does the recent code of practice for horse welfare in scotland set out a code which could be used as evidence of neglect, even tho lots of the other aspects of horse welfare do get specified. Note the use of 'can' and not 'should' in the quotation below from the code. The reason is, I think, that a sufficiently obsessive and present human owner can provide horses with a satisfactory (albeit less than ideal) companionship. I think someone keeping a donkey alone, if the donkey then became depressed and died might be asked some tougher questions.

My 2 horses have geese, sheep, dogs, cats, chickens and each other to annoy so they should be ok....

quote from the code
"Being gregarious animals they prefer to live in social groups. Ideally they should be socialisedwith members of their own species but, where this is not possible, other animals, such as cattle, sheep or goats may be used to provide company. They also enjoy human company so, if kept on their own, they require more frequent human contact and supervision.
Donkeys have particular socialisation needs and can, for example, become ill if separated
from a companion"
whole code (Scotland)
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/271583/0080953.pdf
 
No legal requirement as far as I'm aware. I do think horses should at least be able to see others even if not in same field. Although some seem happy enough alone, I'm sure most would want company given the choice. They are herd animals and most need cntact with other equines to keep them happy.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
No there isn't but IMO there should be. I hate to see herd animals kept on their own unless there is a VERY good reason.
Click to expand...

I have two kept individually most of the time, for pretty sensible and logical reasons.

OP, I have never heard of a law like that, not that that means anything. There certainly isn't one here.
 
No, it is not a legal requirement, and neither should it be. Some horses, for various reasons, have to be kept alone. Some even prefer to be alone.
 
whole code (Scotland)
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/271583/0080953.pdf[/QUOTE]

Thanks this is really helpful.


I'm not a fan of horses living alone and by choice mine live in a group. I don't doubt that for many there are good reasons. I am concerned by one who is alone after having spent time with my horse's group and clearly enjoyed it. Now lives in a field and has no sight of any other animal and looks seriously depressed. I thought I had seen something about some new legislation but I think it's this code of practise I was thinking of.
 
No it isnt illegal but it should be carefully monitored as some horses would become very depressed. We had a little Sec A 14 yr old mare who we kept at home and she showed no interest in other equines even when I did have others there! She kept her distance, favoured human company and hated having to share her space and food with other horses. She would choose to stand at the opposite end of the field or in her open stable out of sight of the other horses quite readily, never neighed if they left.

My other little connie x mare is quite a loner, doesnt show other horses any interest/affection and is happier when she is kept seperated from my big lad, never shows any sepearation anxiety at home, shows etc. I think she would probably be quite happy on her own.

My big soppy TB gelding - freaks however if the others just happen to walk away from him so he would most definitely hate it and would be very depressed

I do believe however that horses are happier being within eyesight of other horses - more from herd protection instinct than anything else - and that aloofness from other horses is actually created by us, through training and through our environments. I bet horses kept apart from other horses e.g. stabled full time etc become a little desensitised to the herd instinct.
 
Never heard of it being illegal but horses ideally should have company.
There was an old pony who lived next door to my old yard and she was perfectly happy on her own. In winter she'd have the company of our horses over the fence.
 
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