Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
I know it has been discussed numerous times before - but.
I have a 23 year old horse and a small companion pony. When I bought my horse as a2 year old I had another horse and if I wanted to go out for a ride I simply left him shut in the stable, and he seemed quite OK about this and never came to any harm.
However, later when he became my only horse, the other was on loan, he was OK in the paddock by himself with cattle in the adjoining field until they were housed for the winter and he was alone. The next time a horse went down the lane he jumped out, over the cattle grid and galloped off down the road, so quite dramatic. After that he has always had a small companion and it has always been the horse that went out and left the pony behind and that has been fine.
Now the current pony gets ridden and there is talk of going to a show or Pony Club - but the thing that really worries me is what about horse?
I know he will be very upset. When he was on box rest I had a small yard adjacent to the stable where the companion pony could mooch round, but the second he went round the corner and out of sight, horse went mad, spinning round and round in the stable and neighing his head off.
The pony managed to escape briefly onto some longer grass last week and the horse was going mad, screaming and neighing and prancing around. When I caught the pony all was calm again. My horse obviously has a low threshold for separation. And there is no chance of getting something else.
So apart from trying to gradually take the pony away and back again, any further tips?
I have a 23 year old horse and a small companion pony. When I bought my horse as a2 year old I had another horse and if I wanted to go out for a ride I simply left him shut in the stable, and he seemed quite OK about this and never came to any harm.
However, later when he became my only horse, the other was on loan, he was OK in the paddock by himself with cattle in the adjoining field until they were housed for the winter and he was alone. The next time a horse went down the lane he jumped out, over the cattle grid and galloped off down the road, so quite dramatic. After that he has always had a small companion and it has always been the horse that went out and left the pony behind and that has been fine.
Now the current pony gets ridden and there is talk of going to a show or Pony Club - but the thing that really worries me is what about horse?
I know he will be very upset. When he was on box rest I had a small yard adjacent to the stable where the companion pony could mooch round, but the second he went round the corner and out of sight, horse went mad, spinning round and round in the stable and neighing his head off.
The pony managed to escape briefly onto some longer grass last week and the horse was going mad, screaming and neighing and prancing around. When I caught the pony all was calm again. My horse obviously has a low threshold for separation. And there is no chance of getting something else.
So apart from trying to gradually take the pony away and back again, any further tips?
a companion for the companion