Two horses sharing stables

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thatsmygirl

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What's your thoughts on this?
Iv gained a extra pony who will not stay in a stable on his own ( jumped out through anti weave grid) she's old so not expecting her to change but I let her follow my youngster into his stable earlier and she seemed quite happy. It's not possable to keep her out during winter at night time/ need to look after grazing. so need
her to get use to being stabled for
this. So question is do I try and get her use to staying in a stable on her own where she changes into this mad nutty pony or let them share a stable which she seems to cope with. We are talking a 13.2hh and 12.2hh
 
I've had a 13.3 and 12 hander share a stable occasionally but now they are in stables with a 3'6" high brick wall between them they are just as happy. Is there any facility for you to take down part of the partition between two stables so the new one can still see and touch another pony?
 
We have put foals in with a "nanny" before now,and it works fine....Just make sure that they dont end up having kicking matches over food
 
I can't take down partition as it's solid Walls but do have a foaling box which they can use which is almost two stables in one. I just worry about fighting but seem to get on ok just a few faces at each other. No kicks as yet. Iv never stabled 2 before so am a bit unsure about it but can't risk her jumping out again
 
One of my elderly geldings always shared with his little buddy. He used to stable on his own, then decided he no longer wanted to. I later found out he was going blind in one eye so I wonder if that had anything to do with it! Either way, they both shared a large stable for several years before the old boy passed away.
 
I frequently stable horses of all ages together, as long as they are happy together most times they get on fine.

I don't give hard feed unless they are tied up (my stalls are 11 x 20) and I put hay at either end and one wall so they can eat without fighting.

With your new pony I'd stable her permanently with a companion if that's what keeps her happy, if that isn't possible I'd lower a wall or make a window so that she can see and/or touch her next door neighbour.
 
I used to have 2 mini's in together and they were absolutely fine. Just as long as they have enough space, but as you say, you have the foaling box which should be perfect, especially if she is happier not being on her own.
 
I would feed my old girl before she goes into the stable and yes was going to bed the whole stable down with several piles off hay. The foaling box would be
about 12 x 22 but at the mo for half hr a day as other box isn't ready they are in a 12 x 12
 
We had 3, all around 13hh, mum, dad and grown up baby sharing a foaling box. Mum was horrendous where feed was concerned but she was the one who didn't like to be alone so we eventually built a partition so she had a third of the box and the other two shared the other 2 thirds. She then had her own stable and loved it and could no longer bully the other two when being fed.
 
I've seen two large shire-x s share quite a small stable happily (for v short periods) but have to say it terrified me. Is there a fenced (or fence-able?) area of hard standing outside the stables you could use for a start? That way (assuming they are tall enough) you'll get the touching thing...
 
I'd be very cautious on this one. You could trial it, watching them closely, feeding would be likely to cause problems, but if one is not massively dominant it might work.

I put 2 mares, who got on well outside, into one of the foaling boxes once whilst waiting for the farrier. I was watching them. One suddenly lashed out at the other (who luckily dodged out of the way) and kicked a large hole in the 3/4'' sterling board. :eek:
 
My 2 big TBs used to share a stable during the day while my OH was renovating the yard and the weather was too grim for them to be out. Even in the field they would stand together as if they were joined at the hip. I used to put 2 piles of hay and they would share both.
 
I kept my 17.2 tb at a friends place for a while, and she used to keep the yard gate open from the fields. I got down there one day to find him, and his two 16 hand buddies squashed into a 12 x 12 box :)

I've kept 2 nf babies together in a box before - with more hay piles than ponies they were fine.
 
I used to do a bit of grooming for an elderly lady who had Section A ponies - she always put two in a stable together and there were never any problems. They were big boxes, occasionally there was the odd kick and bite like you'd get in the field but no actual fighting.
 
Friend kept her two 13.2's together for 15+years. They were a mother and a daughter combo. Daughter was weaned and lived on her own for a few years then one day the pair suddenly decided that they wanted to share and she left them to it.
I did once know of a stallion who was stabled with a sheep.....
 
Many years ago I kept my old horse at a friends house we used to leave the door of the larger stable open (stables were in the field) and they would always be found together in the stable, they were happier together than in their own stables. Once the big horse went blind in one eye he became totally dependant on my old boy so we rearranged the layout of the stables, opening the bigger stable partially into the hay barn creating and "L" shaped stable that was 12x14 with an 8x10 "extension" and the two of them went in there together. We put in 2 haynets but they shared anyway, they were both golden oldies and had been together for over 10 years and truely best buddies. As long as they get on and have enough space to get away from each other if they want then I can see no reason why it won't work.
 
We used to barn ours in big pens. They were so much happier as they could walk round. Four or five big horses together no problem.
 
Ok, before I go any further, things are prob done differently herr in ireland. I've seen 10 yearlings put into a big shed and wintered like that with a round bale in the middle. Not the way I'd do it, but I dont have 10 yearlings and one shed. My 2 year olds have been stabled together since i got them as foals. And my now 4 yr old shared a stable with a filly, a year younger than him for 2 winters. Never had any problems feeding and if you sneaked down early, they'd both by lying down, totally relaxed. Maybe split the feed in 3 to start off with, just in case, but mine always figured it out really quickly. It does prob encourage them to eat quickly, but it's def the lesser of two evils!!!!
 
We let ours share a stable, two 15hh mares, one arab one QH, the doors to the stables are left open and we find that they prefere to share. Having said that they can come in and out as they please, so are not confined.
 
My Welsh Sec B and Shettie share a stable occasionally but I put up hurdles so its split into 2, Id hate to walk in in the morning and find one had kicked the other. I think its a bit of a risk unless you can partition the stable
 
Thanks guy, I have tried them for half hour this morning and all was well, both eatting same pile off hay and not one kick in sight so gona start off slowly and take it from there. Neither have back shoes on. Both were looking out the door together so that's good.
 
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