Unexpected pts

[Boughtabay]

After a very short but acute illness I’ve had to have my mare pts this afternoon. She’s a companion to my ridden horse who appears to have accepted she’s gone (gave her a sniff and seemed to get she was no longer there). Do I borrow a companion immediately or if he’s quiet can it wait until tomorrow? I’m pretty cut up so I’m struggling to think out what’s best… he’s in at the moment and has been all weekend to keep her company. should he stay in tonight then he can go out tomorrow with his new friend or should I put them out somewhere this afternoon to see how they go? Or new friend can come into the stable next door once I’ve cleaned it out

I just want someone else to make all the decisions for a few days - she went downhill so fast im Heartbroken

 

[bonny]

Sorry you lost your mare so quickly, if you can get a suitable companion right away I would go for that, put the new one in the empty stable over night and then turn the two of them out together tomorrow. That is if they are both quiet and you can’t see any problems.

 

[splashgirl45]

I feel the same as Bonny , better to give him company straight away, so sorry you have lost your mare so suddenly , you are probably still in a bit of shock

 

[Cortez]

If your horse is currently doing OK without the mare then I'm sure you can leave it until you are ready to deal with getting a new companion. Whilst many horses will fret if they are used to company, not all do. In fact some horses do just fine on their own, despite the current thinking that horses must never, ever be left on their own for a microsecond.

 

[SpeedyPony]

I'd also be inclined to find company as soon as possible, if you can borrow a companion for a while it at least takes the pressure off buying/loaning, particularly when everything is still raw.

 

[tyner]

I am so sorry what an awful thing

I'd base it on your other horse, and how he's taking things especially don't want to jump into another arrangement at a sensitive time.

If he seems upset outside, if you can put some hay/haylage out there in a concentrated spot where he has good visibility of everything around it might help.

It really worked for mine in a similar situation and he's ok on his own like this. Couldn't care less now if he has lots to eat and see around. Obviously not every pony can have ad lib hay or cares about eating as much as my piglet. But if yours is ok with it may help tide things over until you're in a better place to consider all the options.

I'm so sorry.

 

[nagblagger]

I am so sorry..hug

 

[Kunoichi73]

Can't offer any advice but just wanted to say so sorry that you've lost your mare.

 

[meesha]

So sorry. I lost one of my 2 in April, had to make a PTS decision on a Sunday morning unexpectedly. I thought baggins would hate being on his own but he was just depressed. It took me 2 weeks to get a companion and baggins was fine, he could hear another horse and just about see one over the road. He was low but not fretting at all. He was over the moon to get a friend however and snapped straight out of his funk !!

Whilst he was on his own I gave him whole yard and field so he could choose where to be. When companion arrived I chucked her straight in field with him as she was small, sensible, older and unshod. He won't lift a leg to anything so knew they would be ok.

Make sure you get the right companion, don't rush it....

 

[Barton Bounty]

So sorry

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I'm so sorry OP, if they are both submissive types then I would chuck them both out straight away. However if you don't feel up to the possible stress of them sorting herd dynamics, then there is nothing wrong with keeping them in and putting them out tomorrow. One more night won't have any negative effect.
Look after yourself. x

 

[TPO]

Sorry for your loss

 

[The Xmas Furry]

So sorry to read this OP x
I'd not be rushing to fill the space, not unless you know your ridden one really wont cope. Take time to adjust and work things through, unless you have a companion you know that is to hand x

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’m very sorry about your loss.

When the late maxicob was pts at short notice, the senior mare was left totally alone for very possibly the first time in her life. She initially seemed to cope well, but I still got an RSPCA foster filly fast tracked to me in a few days (the rescue centre already knows me, as I’ve fostered from them before).

What was interesting was that when my friend who had been present at the PTS came round next, senior mare, at that time still alone but apparently coping well, came hurtling down the field shrieking out frantically to her. We could only think that my mare hoped that my friend was bringing the late maxicob back .

As soon as the new foster filly arrived, the senior mare heaved a sigh of relief and promptly adopted her as honorary daughter.

 

[Snow Falcon]

Sorry for your loss. If the other one seems ok then don't worry about getting another too quickly.

 

[View]

So sorry, but please don’t rush to find a companion today. Be guided by your horse.

Hugs.

 

[paddy555]

I'm so sorry about your mare. Your ridden horse now needs to grieve in his own way. That may mean him doing nothing and you see no change or going into a decline for a few days as he processes his loss. He doesn't need to be bothered by having to adjust to a new horse at this time. Wait, see how he copes. If he is normally in at night bring him in if normally out let him out. Do everything normally for him, don't mollycoddle him. Let him get on as normal. He doesn't need to pick up on your stress.

Give him a few days and then see how he is. If he needs a companion you can then find someone suitable and introduce them calmly and slowly

My sec D had a donkey companion. He was devoted and very dependent on the donkey. The donkey dropped dead. The sec D was distraught. He was a horse that went through any hedge, fence or stable door. Worried I put my 3yo haflinger in to keep him company. He didn't see it as company at all. The haflinger (badly behaved) simply irritated him. After 3 days everything changed. The sec D got over his grief, turned to the haflinger and said "and now I am going to sort you out you irritating little sh*t.

You think pair bonded horses won't cope when one dies. What happens to the survivor is often far from what you had anticipated.
As View says above, be guided by the horse.

 

[Squeak]

So sorry to hear about your mare. It's so hard when you lose them unexpectedly. If your horse is doing fine then I wouldn't rush in to getting another horse today unless you have one lined up.

Often horses can deal with it better than we think and if yours is one of those then I'd leave in tonight and the turn out in the morning and use the next couple of days to sort something and give yourself a bit of breathing room.

 

[PurBee]

Sorry for your sudden loss. If your horse is ok at the moment i wouldnt stress immediately about a companion, and would spend a bit more time with remaining horse, allow the news to settle for a few days, then reach out for a companion when you feel more able to move forward.
If your horse is stressy, maybe reach out to a charity asap, as they can potentially deliver and take the logistical stress out of the equation, making it a quick, easy intro of a new companion.
Hugs x

 

[MereChristmas]

So sorry.
No advice as I’ve not had to do this.

 

[Laurac13]

Very sorry to hear about your mare x

 

[Boughtabay]

Thankyou everyone, he did seem ok after (I thought) recognising she was gone but as I emptied her stable he started calling at her so I’ve borrowed our neighbours little veteran sec A and they’ll spend the evening in tonight and I’ll pop them out in a paddock together tomorrow. Not sure where I go from there as we don’t really know the cause of her illness so trying to decide if they go back out as before or I put them somewhere new… but somewhere new could mean leaves blowing in from trees we don’t like (although he’s been in these winter fields before no issues… I’m overthinking everything now). So hard as he seems perfectly fine but I don’t want to tempt fate putting them back in the same field.

My poor girl

 

[mustardsmum]

So sorry to read about your mare. When I lost my horse, our mare got extremely upset afterwards, so the vet sedated her so she didn't injure herself or us. She saw her friend pass, and spent time with him but I think it hit her after an hour and when we went to bury him, she became very distressed and started box walking and calling. The vet said the last thing we needed was her getting colic so sedating her was our best option. After the sedation wore off she was a lot calmer and we were able to turn her out. Then for the next couple of days I gave her a bit of relaquin just to keep her calm - she is one of those stressy types. As we keep our horses at home, I was able to keep close eye on her and we all spent time each day with her. It was dreadfully sad, she called a bit to start with but after a few days she settled and was surprising ok. It was three weeks before we found a new horse and in that time, she was quite happy alone. I would say if your horse seems ok, don't stress yourself about getting a companion today. You don't need the stress of worrying if they will bond, its not a given -I think if I'd put a new horse in with our mare, she would have lost it, too much change in a short space of time isn't always best. If your horse is stressing, get some relaquin just to help them for a couple of days, and then sort the companion out. You will find something and until then, your horse will cope for a few days.

 

[Peglo]

So sorry for your loss. What a shock. I too would wish someone else to make decisions in a time like this.

If your horse seems ok on his own I think I would also suggest waiting until you feel up to looking for a new companion.

Big hugs.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Really sorry to hear your news…I think carry on as usual and see if your horse shows he needs company.

 

[ponynutz]

No advice but I’m so sorry for your loss x

 

[pinkfluffy]

So sorry to hear this. When my gelding died, our mare was very depressed and would barely eat or move so companion pony came pretty quickly. When mare died, companion pony was (very happily) on his own for a lot longer. Some cope, some don't - let the horse guide you, as other have said.
Big hugs and thinking of you and your horse xx

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Thankyou everyone, he did seem ok after (I thought) recognising she was gone but as I emptied her stable he started calling at her so I’ve borrowed our neighbours little veteran sec A and they’ll spend the evening in tonight and I’ll pop them out in a paddock together tomorrow. Not sure where I go from there as we don’t really know the cause of her illness so trying to decide if they go back out as before or I put them somewhere new… but somewhere new could mean leaves blowing in from trees we don’t like (although he’s been in these winter fields before no issues… I’m overthinking everything now). So hard as he seems perfectly fine but I don’t want to tempt fate putting them back in the same field.

My poor girl

I'm so sorry for your loss, but at the same time, what a lovely neighbour you have, that helped you with letting you borrow their veteran pony to help your boy. Hopefully the sec A can stay until you've had time to sort something out permanently.

I'm certain that you're neither the first, nor the last owner in your situation that starts to worry, and overthink things. But remember that sometimes it does happen that things simply go very wrong inside bodies, without it being caused by something in the environment. If you do an extra field check to calm yourself, and doesn't find anything, it probably is just as safe as your other field/fields.

{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}

 

[Boughtabay]

I'm so sorry OP, if they are both submissive types then I would chuck them both out straight away. However if you don't feel up to the possible stress of them sorting herd dynamics, then there is nothing wrong with keeping them in and putting them out tomorrow. One more night won't have any negative effect.
Look after yourself. x

So little loan companion was walked over from next door this afternoon after Mr. started calling for his girlfriend (). He has met him over the fence so they’re not total strangers but mines a bit of a brute and it looks like little section A is going to have opinions too on “the child”s behaviour, so they’re having a night in next to next tonight and I’ll see if they can be good boys out together tomorrow. He did settle quickly with a new friend as a distraction and I’ll have time now to find a suitable replacement friend. She looked after him so well while letting him think he was the boss it’ll be hard to find a calming influence like her.

 

[Boughtabay]

I'm so sorry for your loss, but at the same time, what a lovely neighbour you have, that helped you with letting you borrow their veteran pony to help your boy. Hopefully the sec A can stay until you've had time to sort something out permanently.

I'm certain that you're neither the first, nor the last owner in your situation that starts to worry, and overthink things. But remember that sometimes it does happen that things simply go very wrong inside bodies, without it being caused by something in the environment. If you do an extra field check to calm yourself, and doesn't find anything, it probably is just as safe as your other field/fields.

{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}

You are right - although I still think I’m going to struggle to find anywhere 100% “safe” enough to put a horse for a while now due to paranoia we had a quick walk round the field tonight and other than being very wet and a few foxgloves (not consistent with her symptoms) nothing of note. we are very lucky to have great horsey neighbours who jumped to help