Pony on his own

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SouthWestWhippet

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My pony is currently out in a field on his own. I feel really bad about this and pretty sorry for him although he doesn't seem to mind... but then I think, how would I know if he does mind?

Basically the situation is that I'm 38 weeks pregnant and I really can't cope with DIY livery unless it is out 24/7... going up twice a day, mucking out etc is just beyond what I can manage at the moment and likely to be for the next couple of months. Obviously I'm not riding either. But round here, finding livery with turn out AT ALL in winter is hard, especially without horrendous travelling. Cost is also a factor, winter is expensive when horses have to live in most of the time and obviously I'm now on maternity pay.

So OH's dad has a field of about 3/4 acre which he has lent to us for free [
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great news with baby on the way] and my pony is living there. Come the spring when 24/7 T/O is routinelyt available again, I will almost certainly move him to a very local (just up the road) livery yard where he'll have lots of friends.

I've tried getting a sharer for him or putting him out on loan but he is pretty excitable ATM due to not being ridden. I'm not bothered by it, don't think he is dangerous and can't wait to get on him myself but I can't seem to find someone who suits him. 4 weeks decent riding and he'd be lovely again but people don't fancy putting the work in over winter.

I kinda feel I don't have much choice here, I'm hoping for reassurance that I'm not being really cruel and horrible by keeping him on his own for a couple of months... Have other people experience of doing this and pony been fine or has it been an unmittiageted disaster?
 
Could you perhaps see if anyone else wants to keep their pony in the field with yours for a few months? Or get a little shetland to keep him company and then baby can have a pony too!
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Don't worry about it too much! For one thing, if he was stressing he would let you know, e.g. fence walking, being unsettled, etc. Many horses cope by themselves, it's not ideal, but it's for a short time. For another, there is only so much you can do with a new baby on the way!
 
Maybe if you are worried, have you thought about full grass livery? They do it at my yard, in Devon so not too far from you. We have about 200 acres and they all get daily checks, hay etc
 
I'm so tempted to get a shetland for baby.... but I'm not sure the field is big enough to cater for 2 ponies long term and I don't think I could afford to put two in a livery yard whilst still on maternity pay.

However the local farmer has some meat ponies (he buys them cheap off the moors, keeps them for a while then sells them for meat - very sad but the ponies have a nice 'wild' life until they go)... I could ask him if he would mind keeping one with Merlin for a couple of months. Good idea!
 
Some horses cope ok with being on their own, it's not ideal but if it's only for a few months he may be alright. I think you'd be able to tell if he wasn't happy. None of mine have liked it and would pace around, trot up and down the fence line and one would even jump it!
Getting another pony to keep him company would be better but if he seems ok then I would just leave it. You have enough to worry about at the moment.

Good luck with the baby!
 
You do realise we'll all be waiting for a post about how you got attached to Mr Meat Pony and he's staying for good!!!!
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Don't name him!
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My horse is on his own at the moment. We have one livery at my (well, my Mum's but she doesn't have horses any more) yard which is meant to be there to keep my horse company. However, she's decided to take her mare to another yard for the winter because there's an indoor school, so mine's on his own. He's absolutely fine. He called a few times when she first went a couple of weeks ago, but is now mooching about in his field all day and stabled at night, eating well, lying down etc. So although it's not ideal, it seems to be working well. If yours seems settled, I wouldn't beat yourself up about it.
 
Thank you everyone,

Merlin was a bit unsettled for the first few days I think, cantering about a bit and calling, but he had also come from a yard with no winter turnout (this was not told to me when I moved there - in fact I was told the opposite
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) so he had been in 24/7 without exercise for the 3 weeks it took me to sort out the field for him
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. So I think this would have meant he was pretty wound up anyway, poor man.

Now although he is very pleased to see me everyday and comes trotting over, I think it is mainly because I provide him with delicious NUTS than any desire for my company. He is always grazing when I go to see him and he has a favourite sunny spot where he likes to relax.

I am getting the impression from posts on here that Merlin would be telling me clearly if he was very unhappy. I will hope to get him back with a nice big herd as soon as the livery yard down the road opens its fields again.
 
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I am getting the impression from posts on here that Merlin would be telling me clearly if he was very unhappy

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Totally and utterly disagree that they 'tell you they're unhappy' and spend their time galloping about.

Horse can't stay on high alert indefinintly. The stress would kill them. Instead they run about screaming in a panic but then have to eventually calm down. It doesn't mean they are any happier, they just can't keep panicing indefinintly.

The initial running about and screaming tells you being on his own frightens him. After that it's down to knowing your pony. He might be a bit more grumpy or jumpy as he won't be sleeping properly. He'd definitly be pleased to see you as he'll be lonely! They sometimes become bulshy or nervous. They are always depressed and spend abnormal amounts of time just standing about doing nothing.

I've had a horse on his own before (not my choice - he was a share horse before I took him on full loan) and he seemed 'fine'. It wasn't until he went to live with friends again that his behaviour changed and he was much happier, showing he was obviously suffering low grade stress. He also, like many horses who are forced to live on their own for a while, developed ridiuclous speration anxieties after he had some new friends.

I HATE seeing horses living on their own and every single one I know show signs of depression.

The meat pony idea sounds perfect. At this time of year 3/4 of a acre won't be able to support even one pony without supplementary feeding, so it's just a case of extra hay. Or maybe your pony could go and live with the farmers meat ponies for the rest of the winter? Or maybe ask around for a temporary companion? It's a shame your're not up in central scotland - I know a couple of ponies you could borrow!
 
my pony was on her own for a few months when i moved to a farm. She had come from a livery prior to that out with 40 other horses. the farm, had sheep, and every morning she would be lying down with the sheep, she was very happy, put loads of weight on and was less stressy!

It was not ideal, but i knew if she was unhappy, she would of done things that to,d me she was.

She was always stressy at the livery, was a poor doer there and used to jump out of the feild to come in.

She was not aloen for long as a friend eventually joined me, and as the yard was nearer i could check on her more often as well.

3/4 of an acre wont be enougth to keep your pony, with out hay, and you may find the fild will becoem churned up, you woudl have to poo pick the feild as well i shoudl imagine.

I have a 4 month old baby and a 16 month old baby as well as a disabled daughter who is 6. I took on my current horse when current baby was 6 weeks old. He is on diy and i do all the duties my self. You may find you have more time then you think once baby is born and wont be out of the saddle for too long.

I was back in the saddle 4 weeks after my daughter was bornm but i had 3 straight forward births and was home the same day.

Putting your boy out with th meat ponies coudl work.
 
For all information, on the purely practical side pony's diet is being supplemented with haylage and I am keeping a close eye on the conditions in the field. So far it is not getting churned up but I am aware that it is not big enough to 'keep' a pony long term - this has always been a short term solution until the livery yard up the road opens its fields again. Thank you for all your experience, opinions and advice.
 
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