Sheep-companion?

Z

zsmm4

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We have a small holding and have a few sheep. We have been horse owners for many years and have always had more than one horse. We are currently horseless and for various reason are thinking of only having 1 horse in the future. Does anyone on this forum successfully keep a horse out 24/7 with sheep as its only companions?
 
A friend of mine recently looked after somebodys ponios whilst they are on hol 2 are stabled in this huge out building and theres an elderly mare and about 6 shepp which roam about!, they seem to get along fine.

have you considered looking at a rescue they have lots of companion only horses and donkeys or would that be too much (just an idea)

not sure if i dare say, but when i was younger my horse live with a bull called rufus
smile.gif
 
I too have a smallholding, a few sheep (Shetlands and Longwools) and one horse. I would not, however, put my horse in with the sheep as I have heard of too many instances of horses killing/maiming sheep. I love my horse but I also love my little flock and would hate to put them at risk.

My horse is unusually happy with her own company, she will go to the field boundary and stay near the sheep or wander over to see our neighbours' cattle when they are out during the summer, but most of the time she will bumble around on her own.

I would point out that she is a bit of a diva (nickname is Paris Hilton) and is of the opinion that she is the centre of the known Universe.
 
my horses live with sheep. My old sec A frequently stays out on his own with the sheep. He CAN be a sod and chases them away from the big bale haylage thats in the field but lets a few near it to eat. I have recently changed his field as the ewes are now heavily in lamb so he is out on his own with the tup. They have a mutual respect. The tup is prone to take your legs out from under you if you dont keep an eye on him but if you are near the pony, he keeps away.
 
We have just one elderly ewe left from a small family that we bought 11 yrs ago. She lives with our 3 mares. She actually shares the retired cob's stable and keeps her company in the field when the other two go out. The cob has introduced the sheep to new horses very successfully. She has a vocabulary that would make a sailor blush and uses it at the top of her voice when she is feeling protective. She and the sheep obviously communicate very well in some way, mostly body language as far as we can tell. I am always wary of keeping horses without equine company though. I thought we should get some more sheep but our ewe takes absolutely no notice of the sheep next door and follows the cob wherever she goes, making sure that she can always see her. Sorry not much help really lol.
 
i have one horse and one sheep

the sheep was bottle fed so thinks its not a sheep and my mare adores him they would never hurt one anther in fact she checks hes ok when he needs things like his feet triming visa versa
 
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