sharing grazing

[candrews]

Sorry for this long one - until recently my mare has been kept at home on her own (with other horses in view) for 2 years and has never seemed particuarly bothered by it. However, she is now grazing and hacking out with a neighbours new horse and has fallen in love. I now need to bring her home again because the grazing has gone - should I offer grazing to the other horse aswell or split them up? My concern is whether i should always keep my mare alone when at home so she knows he won't be with her and then graze her again with him away from home when the grazing returns Or just let them be together all the time and hope that my neighbour doesn't sell him or anything. hope this makes sense

 

[pottamus]

That's a difficult one because if she has become attached she may have trouble being separated anyway. But if you offer grazing to the other horse, she will become used to having another with her. Is the grazing with the other horse a permanent thing that will happen each year?

 

[filly190]

If you could make the arrangment long term, it would be kinder for your mare. I kept a mare on her own for a year and she coped really well, other horses in sight and hacking out with others daily.

I now have other horses and would not keep her alone again as she never layed down in the field and totally relaxed. I noticed as soon as she had company I would see her laying down loads in the summer, which she never did before. That was the only outward sign that she gave me, which indicated that before she was not completely at ease.

I just feel that it is more natural for them to have a friend, for example when the weather is nice you often see them lying down or one keeping watch over the other. For a solo horse to lay down in the field and feel relaxed is'nt easy for them.

If your friend agrees, it may be a very good thing.