Swapping horses about in their stables

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Fat_Pony

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I have 3 stables - a 12x12, a 12x16 and a 16x24. The 26" mini Shetland has the smallest, my 3 year old (was 15hh last time I measured him as a 2 year old, guessing nearer 16hh now) has the middle one and the 15hh 4 year has the massive one. The reason being he had locking stifles, so figured the extra space would help, but these haven't been an issue since he has been backed and in work.

the 3 year old is gross in his stable. He is not wet and does all his poo in a pile, but then lies down in it, rolls in it and generally digs it into his bed and flings it about. The 4 year old does a line of poo along the back wall of his box and it remains undisturbed.

i am thinking the 3 year old might be a bit tidier in the big box and it may help my sanity. Takes me 2 mins to muck out the 4 year old and about 10 to do the 3 year old!

what I am wondering is, will the horses be bothered if I swap them about? Will they be funny about being in a different box? Obviously they will get used to it, but just wondering if it'll upset them at all as the bed will smell of the other (they are out together and are best mates)
 
I've swapped ours about before and it hasn't been a problem. I find when mine were free to wander they happily slept in each others stables.
 
I think swapping stables won't be an issue, however our messy horse became immaculate in a smaller stable! You can only try and good luck. PS I wish mine only took 10 minutes!!
 
Ive swapped two around, My third stable is the bigger so that just gets kept for my bigger horse but the other two don't seem to mind really. In fact if I let them onto the yard loose they wont usually go into their correct stable.
 
It's worth a try. They do have preferences and it may work. I currently have one horse who does not like certain stables and she makes it very obvious how she feels, so when she's settled happily, I try not to move the madam.
 
I swap my horses around all the time and none of them are bothered at all.. Swapping them again this year as we are building a new stable on the end to allow for a new livery. As long as they have their food and friends I think they should be fine....
 
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