Not bothered or just see what we want?

My boy is on his own and I hate it. The yard I am on is small, no one to turn out with. Three ponies, all overwight belonging to one person who doesn't worm regularly or even visit for months on end. One other who we tried to turn out together. Absolute disaster as the other one just kept after my boy and in the end he retaliated, think hooves at dawn!

He is in sight but on his own. I have tried to find somewhere else to keep him but either beyond my budget or too far away.

Routine wise, only an hour or so either way am or pm.

Jane
 
routine is the enemy of a well-rounded horse (within reason, obviously a horse left without food and water isn't on!). as for keeping them on their own, no I wouldnt but all three of mine can be left on their own, all can spend the odd night in alone and all will leave their herd mates without stressing. because I've always done it, they are fine with it. horses need preparing for life and that can mean all the above.
 
My lad has been on his own for 3weeks now, and I can honestly say he isn't bothered. Obviously I'd prefer him to have a companion but whilst I'm getting a field shelter and everything sorted he's happy enough to be on his own for another couple of weeks.

In the longterm he'll have a companion but for now he's okay.

Please don't anyone critiscise me, with winter coming I know how important it is to have a shelter and that is my main priority. I have looked and looked for a companion for weeks but just not having any luck.
 
I actually think that everyone may have misinterpreted what the OP was trying to say.

I thought she was asking whether we interpret our horses reactions to things correctly.

For example, a horse on his own quietly grazing - happy or bored and "shut down".

Another example, a horse stressing at the gate when we arrive - was he stressing before we got there? Would he continue to stress if we never showed up? Is he just making a fuss because he knows we run around getting his feed more quickly if he looks "upset".

For example, I know that a horse on my yard who has an irregular routine (fed every other day) does come and stand at the gate the nights he's not been fed. I also know that an hour or so later he's toddled off again and is happily grazing.


Similar to the point raised on other posts where some people believe that a horse whinnies at them in the morning as a friendly greeting to his beloved owner whilst others interpret it as "hurry the hell up woman and feed me!!".
 
well, there are different sorts of excitement/stress indicators and ways to tell if a horse is shut down rather than happy, social behaviour over stressed behaviour etc. there are good behaviour books that show how to read a horse's body language and how to not mistake it for what we think they might be saying! we do all project alot onto our horses, it's part of the fun of having them but it can be misleading.

if I turn up to feed my lot at the same time 2 days in a row on the third day they'll be at the gate. they then toddle off if I don't show up (yes, I've watched them, they are at home).
 
silvershoes said:
My horse is always kept alone. Obviously he is around other horses in the stable and has horses next door and opposite but other that he doesn't socialise with them in the field.
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I don't think you can compare a horse who has company over the fence and so just has "individual turnout" with one who is kept totally on its own, e.g., where someone keeps their only horse at home. Two totally different things because the first horse has other horses he can see and touch through stable bars etc.
 
Horses, like people, are all different and react to situations in different ways. All ours have to be able to be alone, in company, whatever the job calls for, and they have to cope with being left if necessary. It's partly training and partly the fact that we select for non-stressy characters for the work that we do with them. And a very rigid routine is not on either, as we never know what we'll be doing, when, from job to job (we have display and stunt horses).
 
Cortez said:
Horses, like people, are all different and react to situations in different ways. All ours have to be able to be alone, in company, whatever the job calls for, and they have to cope with being left if necessary. It's partly training and partly the fact that we select for non-stressy characters for the work that we do with them. And a very rigid routine is not on either, as we never know what we'll be doing, when, from job to job (we have display and stunt horses).
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Is being able to be alone the same as living totally alone though? I can hack my mare out for miles on her own and stand in a pub beer garden with her with no other horses in sight and she's not fussed. She'll also stand in in a stable block on her own (but can hear others) and will stay in overnight.

But she lives out in a big herd and I'm pretty sure she'd fret (or get sad in some way) if she found herself totally alone over a long period of time without seeing or hearing another horse.
 
My horse is stabled on his own. When out in the field he can see others but not touch them. I can honestly say he is fine. He has not shut down in any way. He is bright and alert and looks great. He currently comes in around 3. If I am a bit late, ie on a weekend, he shouts, he doesn't run around. He is happt to come in and be stabled by himself. When I kept him on a busy livery yard he was exactly the same!!
 
Gingerwitch said:
Recently I have been amazed at the number of posts saying that horses on there own - no equine company and horses without a routine are "simply not bothered" - question - are these horses really not bothered, are the owners seeing what they want to see, or have the horses just shut down to the extent that they are so desensatised to their world that the owners think they are not bothered. Or do horses really have no feelings on either of these issues?

GW
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to answer your question from my own personal perspective OP - I think it really depends on individual circumstances.

I had one horse who I truly believe was happy and better on his own. When I first got him I had him on a yard and he was never settled. He was turned out with others but always stayed by himself away from the others. However bringing him in was a pain as he would be so stressed in the stable he would try to jump out unless there was another horse right beside him. He wasnt keeping weight on and was spooky to hack out and always jogged home. The I moved him home to a paddock on his own and I swear he came off the trailer and sighed and relaxed. Within a couple of days he was lying flat out sleeping and was chilled to ride. I asked my vet his opinion and my RI and they both saw him and said it clearly suited him.

Yes, it was convenient to only have one to deal with and when I got my next horse I tried to do the same. He was, to be fair 'ok' on his own.. he didnt go nuts or stress but I got the feeling after a few months he just wasnt as settled as he could be. He was a different personality, younger and a more needy, less independent type. So I went and got a companion pony and they were very happy living together.

Fast forward and after some lifestyle changes I had to reassess the type of horse I had. My previous horses had needed regular work and thrived on routine. Dropped weight in winter and needed TLC. I now have to have a horse that is the type that doesnt mind if it isnt ridden for a week or 2 and is generally easy/minimal fuss. I have bought a Section D from a friend of mine who fits the bill. My companion pony at this point was actually being 'borrowed' by a friend not far away. The plan had always been to get him back but within 20 minutes it was very clear to me that my new mare was not going to settle on her own, even for a short while, she communicated very clearly that she needed comany so I went straight away to collect my other pony and they are now totally settled together. she hacks out brilliantly on her own and isnt fussed to leave the wee guy. He is happy to be in the stable with a haynet while we are away hacking or at lessons so it works very well.
 
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