Beckie65
Well-Known Member
Hi im wondering how many of you have a 1 horse and it lives alone, how do you get on, has it always lived alone, if not how did your horse adapt??
Keeping a horse on there own
- Thread starter Beckie65
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kateknights
Well-Known Member
Hi, when i had my last horse, she had always lived on her own, which was fine for me for the first year that i had her as we didn't go anywhere ie shows or anything. But once i started taking her places and she saw other horses it blew her mind a bit and she would not settle, to the point that i could not take her anywhere any more and hoped that when we hacked out we wouldn't bump into another horse!
Sorryif that's not what you want to hear, but please remember that all horses are not the same and yours will probably be a lot different.
Kate x
Sorryif that's not what you want to hear, but please remember that all horses are not the same and yours will probably be a lot different.
Kate x
ISHmad
Well-Known Member
With horses being herd animals I would not keep a horse on his or her own.
Empy&Treacle
Well-Known Member
I have had 4 horses over the last 9 years, two of which have at some point lived at my house on their own.
The first lived at my house on her own for 3 years and was absolutely fine. This mare was then put in foal and moved to a yard the other side of the village. We bought a new horse who lived at our house whilst other mare at stud and then they were stabled together for the best part of a year at the yard tother side of the village. Once my mare went off to stud to have her foal we moved my other one back to our house where she lived happily on her own. They both came from big yards previously, would go competing and come home happy and chilled and never once minded being moved around from one side of the village to the other.
We built a second stable last year at home and after the foal was sold both my mares lived at home with us. This is when they got a little wound up if one was taken away from the other (understandable), but even still they never did more than call.
Horses, although they are herd animals, will adapt to the surroundings they are given. I think that so long as they have plenty of human contact and like where they are they soon get used to it, and form my experience, they simply don't mind and are very happy and content.
Sadly I lost both mares this summer
and we now have a new boy coming next Saturday (4yo). He is again coming from a yard with of other horses where he has lived all his life (like my first mare) - I wait with baited breath to see how he settles on his own. (I am lucky that there is another yard 20meters from my house so I hope he won't feel too isolated).
The first lived at my house on her own for 3 years and was absolutely fine. This mare was then put in foal and moved to a yard the other side of the village. We bought a new horse who lived at our house whilst other mare at stud and then they were stabled together for the best part of a year at the yard tother side of the village. Once my mare went off to stud to have her foal we moved my other one back to our house where she lived happily on her own. They both came from big yards previously, would go competing and come home happy and chilled and never once minded being moved around from one side of the village to the other.
We built a second stable last year at home and after the foal was sold both my mares lived at home with us. This is when they got a little wound up if one was taken away from the other (understandable), but even still they never did more than call.
Horses, although they are herd animals, will adapt to the surroundings they are given. I think that so long as they have plenty of human contact and like where they are they soon get used to it, and form my experience, they simply don't mind and are very happy and content.
Sadly I lost both mares this summer
and we now have a new boy coming next Saturday (4yo). He is again coming from a yard with of other horses where he has lived all his life (like my first mare) - I wait with baited breath to see how he settles on his own. (I am lucky that there is another yard 20meters from my house so I hope he won't feel too isolated).picolenicole
Well-Known Member
Mines on his own, he wasn't until we lost our older boy He is the same as when he had a friend (I do wish I could pay for a small pony tho, just me thinking he needs a friend) He still looks and wants to talk to other horses, same as before. He's the only horse I know that loves every other horse in the world, but he also loves the fact that all the field and hay is his!! Stomach first, then.... stomach, then yes stomach. Got to love him 
He is the same as when he had a friend (I do wish I could pay for a small pony tho, just me thinking he needs a friend) He still looks and wants to talk to other horses, same as before. He's the only horse I know that loves every other horse in the world, but he also loves the fact that all the field and hay is his!! Stomach first, then.... stomach, then yes stomach. Got to love him MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
Never have and never would. Think it goes against their very nature as herd animals. I had a Welsh Cob who I bought as a 3yo, the owner told me she'd kept him on his own when he was 2. As a result he had horrendous manners, was extremely territorial over his own food (I assume because he'd never had any threat before) and had no idea how to mix with other horses - it was quite bizarre! Took him about 18 months to learn herd rules. As youngsters I think its the worst time to keep them on their own, they need to learn how the world works!
touchstone
Well-Known Member
I agreee that youngsters need the companionship of another horse to establish manners and behaviour patterns, but I do think that there are horses that cope fine alone as adults, providing they get plenty of human attention.
My mare has been on her own a couple of times and coped fine and when a new companion went into her field she couldn't have cared less, apart from having to boss him about where food is concerned! There are some that probably wouldn't be happy though, it all depends on the individual.
My mare has been on her own a couple of times and coped fine and when a new companion went into her field she couldn't have cared less, apart from having to boss him about where food is concerned! There are some that probably wouldn't be happy though, it all depends on the individual.
Sarah Sum1
Well-Known Member
This^^
Horses should really have equine comapany. Others may argue their lone horses are happy, but I doubt as happy as a horse living with others. It is their nature to look out for each other, so would think a lone horse would feel quite insecure. (deep down if you asked it anyway
)BigRed
Well-Known Member
Many years ago I kept a horse on her own for about 10 months, she seemed fine, however she went bonkers when she saw other horses. Thankfully we moved house and got a second horse and she quickly settled and stopped being silly when she saw other horses. She was always very good about being hacked alone etc. I don't think it is an ideal situation.
Louby
Well-Known Member
I dont think its ideal.
My horse is in his own section of the field on his own, I hate it. He can touch other horses over the fence and does groom and play fight but I still think Im being unfair.
I bought him as a 4 yr old, he was with other horses, lots!! on our first yard but he just never learned to leave the others alone and I had the vet weekly to deal with the daily wounds he received from 'get lost' kicks from other horses. We moved to a smaller private yard and he got on fine with the other 3 geldings but the playing got rougher and rougher and I found him one day on 3 legs. He had fractured his radius from a kick. Since then he has been in the same field but seperated by electric fencing. I know he hasnt learnt as when we ride out, him and his partner in crime try to bite each other and play as we ride along!
I dread the day I have to move him as no where else would accomodate us like my current yard does.
My horse is in his own section of the field on his own, I hate it. He can touch other horses over the fence and does groom and play fight but I still think Im being unfair.
I bought him as a 4 yr old, he was with other horses, lots!! on our first yard but he just never learned to leave the others alone and I had the vet weekly to deal with the daily wounds he received from 'get lost' kicks from other horses. We moved to a smaller private yard and he got on fine with the other 3 geldings but the playing got rougher and rougher and I found him one day on 3 legs. He had fractured his radius from a kick. Since then he has been in the same field but seperated by electric fencing. I know he hasnt learnt as when we ride out, him and his partner in crime try to bite each other and play as we ride along!
I dread the day I have to move him as no where else would accomodate us like my current yard does.
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
My first pony was kept with a herd of cows but no other horses and was fine! I think he thought he was a cow; he also had a pig as a companion occasionally and adored it - result totally chilled with piggies.
My second horse pair-bonded with his companion (we had the two only) which was a real pain; you couldn't really do anything or go anywhere without the other, although he did have to stay on his own for about a fortnight once and he was sooooo miserable poor lad.
The one I have now came from a trekking centre, but I think before that had been on his own. He was fine!!! No prob's at all. I just can't afford either the time or the money to keep more than one so having a companion isn't an option. He's out with sheep and there's loads of horses around here anyway; he can see others from the nearby stud in the field down the road plus hear's next doors' horses whinnying to each other - incidentally I worked out the other day that if you were to take a two-mile square measurement around where I live, and counted how many horses, you'd come to a total of over 100!!!!! We've got a dealers yard, a stud, livery yard, etc etc, plus lot of kids ponies. So there could be a lot worse places to keep a horse on its own!!
My second horse pair-bonded with his companion (we had the two only) which was a real pain; you couldn't really do anything or go anywhere without the other, although he did have to stay on his own for about a fortnight once and he was sooooo miserable poor lad.
The one I have now came from a trekking centre, but I think before that had been on his own. He was fine!!! No prob's at all. I just can't afford either the time or the money to keep more than one so having a companion isn't an option. He's out with sheep and there's loads of horses around here anyway; he can see others from the nearby stud in the field down the road plus hear's next doors' horses whinnying to each other - incidentally I worked out the other day that if you were to take a two-mile square measurement around where I live, and counted how many horses, you'd come to a total of over 100!!!!! We've got a dealers yard, a stud, livery yard, etc etc, plus lot of kids ponies. So there could be a lot worse places to keep a horse on its own!!