Short-term companion loan

Domino8212

Domino8212

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17 December 2012
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Yorkshire, UK
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Hi,
My horse has been lame 7 months and within that time been on box rest for probably 5, 4 at another yard where all the horses were in 24/7 and the odd week at home.
Trouble is, he is a nightmare on box rest. He is really clingy to the other horses (we only have 4) when they get turned out and he can get quite nasty with us when normally he's the sweetest pony you'll get.
The vet has just told us he needs another 3 months box rest at least :(
We have tried everything to keep him calm, so I was wondering about getting him a friend to stay in with?
I was thinking of getting a shetty on short term loan to keep with him for company!
Trouble is come winter we wont have a stable for it so it would have to be just literally whilst he was on box rest.
Thoughts?

I think its going to be hard to find one unless a rescue shelter would let us 'borrow' one?
Also is his stable big enough for the two of them in the day? (pony would go into stable next door at night)
My horse gets on with anything so them getting on shouldn't be a problem unless its a particularly nasty shetland!
(sorry for the long essay!)
 
Blue cross do short term loans but think they are typically 6 months. They have lots of youngsters or quite ready to back so they go off to homes until they are. The stabling together might be an issue as would stabling a horse 24/7. Could borrowed horse not be out in the day and then in at night so your boy had company?
 
Cheers, theres another horse that comes in at night its the daytime that is the issue. I could see about turning borrowed horse out overnight though thats a possibility!
Thanks!
 
or pop an advert on a local facebook site. I know of a horse who has just gone on short term loan to keep a recently castrated colt company.
 
i have two mini shetties that i use as companions when stuck. if you have the right combo of personalities and a big enough stable, then they should be fine during day together. Just make sure there are a load of hay piles so they don't fight.
 
If you lived anywhere near me you could of had your pick today bought and paid for (Probably vetted too FOC)
Every Monday my husband has to go to a site meeting or some such thing, every Monday he phones me to tell me about
this field of shetlands, they are obviously being used for breeding, are incredibly friendly, covered in flies and one only has one eye

Every Monday evening I expect a lorry to arrive at the stables and rag, tag and bobtail + bobtails mate to disembark, trust me it is a possibility and then he will tell me he bought me a present, seems to me he spent most of the meeting (Which is in the field) helping rid them of flies on their faces and was quite upset that one had a closed eye and he thought infection - was quite shocked that the eye was closed as it was actually missing

I dread Monday phone calls.......... its somewhere in London near the M25 and this week there is ragwort growing
 
Have you tried a stable mirror?

The only reason I can see that someone would loan you a small pony to live in permanently would be one that needed box rest itself, in which case the sharing would probably be an issue (depending on why it needed box rest of course).

I have known a goat work well in a similar situation, but they already had them and knew the horse was safe with them - not sure if a farmer would lend you a goat / sheep etc for this purpose (or even if they'd be allowed to with all the rules on animal movements etc).
 
Current plan would be that pony stays in with my boy in the day and goes out at night with a mare when the other boy comes in to keep him company.
I am also thinking its very unlikely someone will loan me a pony that short term but i wondered if an animal sanctuary might, I'm in sheffield so theres a few nearby!
I can see the pony staying with us forever if we manage to find one though, wont have the heart to give it back...

Clodagh - nice idea but our stables are a barn layout and there isn't enough room between my stable door and the stable opposite unfortunately.
 
I know of an older Welsh pony free to a good home in Ripon. Ideal companion and could be passed on to someone as a lead rein once you were finished with him. Pm me if of any interest
 
If someone lived close to me and wanted to borrow one of the shetlands on a short term loan, subject to contract & references, I'd certainly consider it. But I would not be happy to have one in the same stable as a bigger horse that it didn't know - unless I've misunderstood? If that was the plan, it sounds like a recipe for disaster.
 
We're in the middle of putting up a mobile stable / shelter on the side of existing stables to accommodate a second little companion pony. Current stable is kitted out for two ponies or small horses but we have a 15.3hh on loan for six months and he's a big lad that needs lots of room so the dividers have been taken out and the side opened up so when a little friend does arrive they'll still be within nipping distance.

When loaned horse goes home tiny pony will stay on permanently and we'll have another horsey friend join him.

Can buy second hand stables or shelters online for a decent price if you shop around but if you or someone you know is handy with a hammer and wood you can buy DIY and put your own up for half the price.
 
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