Horses on their own?

[Witchy]

Just wondering how many of us keep their horse on their own really as I am considering moving to land where my boy would be on his own?

Not sure how to use the poll option but will give it a go! I have a great load of land to go to and my horse age 14 I think would be ok but I worry about him alot and want to do right by him

Look forward to the results!
Thanks x

 

[MrVelvet]

hey, im not sure if youve done that right as i cant click anything? i had an old pony on her own for quite some time and she didnt seem too bothered and now she has a friend shes not nappy or anything! i personally, if i could help it, wouldnt have them on their own though! even if its sheep for company? they are herd animals and like to have friends - how about gettin a rescue shetland or something to keep with him? or even advertise for a companion.. there are lots of retired horses needed companion homes x

ETA - it works now iv voted with the second one... but in the future would go with four!

 

[Allover]

The only reason i would keep a horse on its own is if it was dangerous to turn it out with others. I would always make sure they had horses on the other side of the fence.

 

[Witchy]

Yeah, I like a Bodmin pony that's at my current yard and was going to buy him but he's quite wild still - He would just be a pet. Mind you, I guess if he wasn't at my yard he would have been culled with all the others so better a pet in loads of grass huh!

Does the poll work now?

 

[ISHmad]

I would never keep a horse on his or her own. They are herd animals and rely on others for socialisation and physical and mental wellbeing. Some horses seem to cope okay on their own but it isn't a route I would ever go down.

 

[monkeybum13]

I would never keep a horse on a yard on its own.

However, during the summer my mare is out 24/7. During the day she is in the field on her own and only has company during the night.
My mare seems very happy with this
(She can see other horses turned out, just can't get very close to them as the horses are in neighbouring farms)

 

[Witchy]

bump... (sorry)

 

[Only way is up]

My horse has a goat friend and loves her!! We do have two donkeys which she doesn’t really care for. She also loves cows definitely a farm horse.. D

 

[kickonchaps]

I keep mine with my sister's horse, but she's giving up and selling her mare so he might soon be on his own... We toyed with the idea of getting a rescue pony as a companion, but actually having 2 can be a bit of a nightmare - they scream the house down if you take one off on its own! I always said I'd never keep a horse on its own, and I really don't want to, but now it's come down to it I'm debating if 1 is better than 2

 

[tinap]

Ill probably get slated but I've always kept a pony on its own - simply can't afford to keep/compete 2. I have a field that I rent & did once try sharing but that turned into a nightmare with me doing everything including paying sharers rent/feed/hay & my pony then turned into devil pony that you couldnt catch & when you eventually did it wouldnt lead/load without rearing & buggering off! There are ponies in a field next door so he has someone to talk to but tbh he couldn't care less if they are there or not!!

 

[Lolo]

Until last August, we'd always had 2 horses. However, we sadly lost my horse and since then Reg has pretty much been on his own. At first, he was quite unsettled but after a few weeks he settled down and is now pretty chilled on his own- when he's out, he can see 2 other horses.

In an ideal world, we wouldn't have a horse on its own but we can't follow that right now. Hopefully, we will be able to get Reg some proper company in a year or so but he's happy being in a field with other horses nearby.

 

[applecart14]

Just wondering how many of us keep their horse on their own really as I am considering moving to land where my boy would be on his own?

Not sure how to use the poll option but will give it a go! I have a great load of land to go to and my horse age 14 I think would be ok but I worry about him alot and want to do right by him

Look forward to the results!
Thanks x

I voted and put "would always keep with another horse" but that is if my horse was completely on his own, i.e not with another horse in teh paddock next door.

My horse has been kept on his own for the last four years following a nasty kick sustained from another persons horse who he used to be turned out with which resulted in a piece of bone floating around in his stifle area. Luckily the bone was reabsorbed by his body but it it hadn't of then he woudl have required an operation. Also the vet thought that the kick may have resulted in the ligament from the stifle area being affected which could have caused significant problems in the future with his movement and performance.

Luckily the damage wasn't too great and he recovered uneventfully and well but he was very lucky and after that he got turned out on his own.

 

[Ladylina83]

Both mine are in small individual paddocks at the moment on their own but very close to others and interact with each other over the fence have a scratch etc - I don't think I would like to be in the position that they couldn't see another horse.

 

[AmyMay]

I can't bear to see a horse kept on its own.

I did it with one of mine for a couple of months, and it was awful for both of us.

 

[jsr]

While my lad is fine when his field mates leave him and he's quiet a loaner I certainly wouldn't ever keep him alone for any period of time. Don't mind the odd hour or so but they are herd animals and I wouldn't be happy leaving him alone. I know many can and do live perfectly happy lives but it's not something I would do.

 

[MillionDollar]

All of mine are kept in pairs at the moment (to watch grass intake) but I do put them as a group as well. I also do have one on his own, my Welsh dressage cob, as he is an absolute sod! He'll chase any horse round, get them in a corner and then double barrell them. He really is horrid. He can touch others over the fence though and my sisters gelding and him groom each other after we've worked them.

The majority of liveries are in individual paddocks. There are many reasons; to avoid injury, dominent horses, don't want to share responsibilty such as poo picking etc. But like I said all paddocks are next to each other so they can all still touch over the fence.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I've done both. I think it depends on the horse and what they're used to; also the particular set-up.

My boy came to my yard here at home, having been in a busy trekking yard, and was actually fine to live on his own - with sheep. He didn't whinny or stress and settled very quickly.

My last horse lived with another, turned out together in the field, and whilst he would live on his own, he'd whinny and stress for his pair-bond. If one went out for a hack or whatever, they'd both whinny and stress till the other one came back.

My first pony lived on his own quite happily; he was sometimes turned out with cows and was perfectly fine with that, thought he was a cow in fact, and when the cows needed herding or bringing in, he'd nip round the outside like a little ranch horse, coz he'd been their herd leader all along anyway!

My boy would be perfectly happy on his own, BUT he'd need to be in a busy place like beside a road or a farm for example, where they'd be a lot of activity. I think he'd just curl up and die if he was just left in a field all on his own all day and night - he needs lots of things going on and can live without another horse as long as he has plenty of human contact, dogs, busy-ness etc.

 

[flashmans]

My girl is kept on her own - because she is kept at home and we do not have the grass for another one. Our neighbour has horses, and there are two horses in the field behind mine. She can also see three horses across the lane.

It's not ideal to keep her on her own but she seems absolutely fine.

 

[lizsmith]

My horse was kept on his own for years and now he is with me I keep him with others in a field although he much prefers being on his own although it is easy to see he much prefers human company that that of a horses company so if you spend quite a bit of time with him on a regular basis i think he will be fine it all depends on yur horses personal preference

 

[Tnavas]

Fortunately I have three so they are never alone. Would always prefer that horse has company as they are such herd animals and love having a friend.

 

[DiablosGold]

I would never keep a horse completely on their own, although I'd be happy with individual turn out where they can see other horses.

Keeping them on their own is asking for trouble and is unfair IMO.

 

[Wagtail]

Just wondering how many of us keep their horse on their own really as I am considering moving to land where my boy would be on his own?

Not sure how to use the poll option but will give it a go! I have a great load of land to go to and my horse age 14 I think would be ok but I worry about him alot and want to do right by him

Look forward to the results!
Thanks x

No I think it is cruel to make a horse live on its own. They usually get used to it eventually, but it is really a state of learned helplessness. People think they are fine but they are a herd animal and being cast out from a herd is one of the worst things that can happen to a horse. I think there are situations where horses can be kept on their own if there is a genuine reason for the good of the horse (or others if it's aggressive), or for medical reasons etc. But otherwise, I think it's terrible.

 

[Wagtail]

All of mine are kept in pairs at the moment (to watch grass intake) but I do put them as a group as well. I also do have one on his own, my Welsh dressage cob, as he is an absolute sod! He'll chase any horse round, get them in a corner and then double barrell them. He really is horrid. He can touch others over the fence though and my sisters gelding and him groom each other after we've worked them.

Sounds exactly like the cob at my yard! He has to have individual turnout too. I think horses are quite happy to have individual turnout so long as they can interact with others over the fence.