So So sad for my old boy.

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BBH

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My 23yrs TB gelding has been pair bonded with my 9yrs old for 7 years and they have been the best of friends. However he is becoming increasingly doddery and last week gorged himself on haylege and started to lie down in the field. We realised he had pigged out and took him up to the stables for a good nights sleep and he was fine. But

ever since the nine yrs old has started to hang out with a 2 yrs old he has previously shown no interest in and my old boy is left isolated on his own. They don't graze together anymore and nor do they groom each other ( they used to do this all the time )

Does the 9yr old sense my old boy is not much longer for this world and is backing off from his inseparable friend. Is is because he can't move him around anymore cos he is too doddery and is focusing on the younger one.

Feel so sorry for the old boy.
 
Sounds more like your old horse is removing himself from the group. Quite common in the older horse - especially if they are starting the twighlight of their life as it were.....
 
Oh horses can be so mean!
I wouldn't think he has sensed anything about the old boy - more likely he has just discovered a new friend, just like kids in the playground might do! He maybe finds a 2 yo more fun to play with.
My 5yo can be a real bully at times to my 22 yo TB even though my old boy is so sweet and dotes on him even though they have only been together since May. My old boy is always the bottom of any field pecking order even with my daughter's 11hh mare or shetland ponies!! He is just one of lives wimps.
Hope your 9 yo is playing nicer soon!
 
Quite likely, sad as it sounds, animals do know when things aren't right and in the wild, they would discard the old and weak, send them away from the herd even so that predators aren't attracted to the main herd. Perhaps it's time to take a long hard look at your boy, get him checked over by the vet too. It might be something as simple as he's feeling the cold and needs help with his joints now at his age but at least you would know and can take steps accordingly.
Animals have a far better radar system than we do so hopefully you've caught whatever it is in time unless of course, it is just old age and a busy life catching up with him all of a sudden.
 
Awful though it may be you may have to separate your oldie for his safety--has anyone a mini , a sheep or something just so he is not completely on his own
Your oldie will eat more slowly and may require a lot more one to one attention from you
Big decisions to be made--in maintaining good quality of life for him.
 
To be fair he's not in any danger at all, they just seem to be ignoring him. He has deteriorated in the last few months and is on joint supplements etc. He is in overnight now and is getting lots of TLC but I think its gonna be one of these awful situations where the mind is bright but the body is giving up. He is 17hh so not a small horse either.

I am sad to see that when he needs friends most they seem to have buggered off.
 
LHS - I completely understand, my mare and her son have lived on and off together since she was 4 and he was born. She's now 17 and been quite ill this year with cushings induced lami. She's always been "head mare" and he would never mess with her at all neither would my shetland. Recently when putting them out in the morning he's been quite bargy around her and ignores her in the field and plays with the Shetland. He would never dream of pushing her before. It's sad to see. Hopefully she'll pick up as she is starting some treatment next week and be back to her old self but at the moment it's not nice to see him be like that with her. :-(
 
my lad would totally ignore the rest of the herd and always be on his own, although he used to play with the younger ones and put them in their places before he went downhill thats when i noticed he was always on his own!! it is really awful to see as these animals are herd animals!

XX hope he's OK soon
 
My pony who is old and being PTS Monday is totally not interested in any other horses. If they approach him to say hello he shuffles away. Thats one of the first things i noticed when he started to go downhill -until now he has been boss of the field and the first one to make the others play with him. The others have formed a gang away from him now, and leave him alone. I think they know he is poorly and as someone else said, thier instinct is to drive the weaker ones out of their herd
frown.gif
this weekend as it is his last one, he has been turned out by himself for peace and quiet.
 
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