What shall I do now?

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lizziebell

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I'm going to try and keep this from being my life story - but it could be a long one, sorry, and extra vodka for those who stick with me !!

I am lucky enough to have a couple of stables at home and a bit of land, but we don't have a menage, and the hacking is really not great. Working full time means in the winter I struggle to keep one horse exercised, therefore I have a horse and 2 mini ponios to keep her company.

Things have been changing!! First, I now only work 30hours a week and not a full 37.5hours, so have a little more time on my hands in the afternoon. Second, we have just been given planning permission to build an arena (which helps considerably with schooling, riding in dim light, or a quick lunge when time is short). Both of which I never thought would happen.

So now... I feel I want another ridden horse, but am having a few concerns and don't really know what to do for the best. Basically, whilst applying for permission for the arena, we were told we also had to apply for the grazing of horses and they have granted this on the conditions that we can have no more than 2 horses, so minis would have to go if I got a 2nd horse. Which might leave me with the issue of "seperation anxiety". I'm not sure how I would tackle this. I know I will have to at some point, as my mare is a veteran and one day will retire and ultimately be my companion horse so will have to get used to being left (she'll leave other horses to do stuff herself, but doesn't like being in the field or stables alone). As she does get older it would be nice to have that second horse to do things with as she starts to do less.

Thing is I just don't know what I want. I kind of need to talk it through to see how I feel. Before getting permission for the arena (and reducing my working hours), a 2nd horse was not a feasible option for me before so I didn't think about it and had planned to break-in my minis to harness for fun..... but now... everything is different.

What would you do, and how would you tackle the 2 horse only thing and seperation anxiety? I know there are lots of people out there with 2 horses kept, so how do you cope?

Much appreciation if you read and understand all that!
 
permission for only 2 horses? I've never heard of that before. 3 is quite a good number in many ways, the 2 left while you ride 1 keep each other company.
How much land are we talking about?
 
ruthnmeg - it is only a couple of acres, and then we rent a few more, but obvioulsy the permission we had to apply was just for our land. The conservation board advised the council to refer to the guidelines of the BHS, the BHS as most are aware advise approx 1-1.5 acres per horse, however they do also state this is a recommendation only and is effected by factors such as whether the grass is the only source of food, size/ breed of horse, time spent stabled, exercised etc etc. The council then made the decision to apply a condition of 2 horses only.
 
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Planning tried to limit us saying we were only allowed 15 horses - it's all bollocks. Noone is going to come round and count your horses.

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Problem is - they will !! We had big issues with our neighbour over our planning (arena and keeping horses). He threatened legal action at the time and got lawyers to write in his objections - very lengthy letters stating case laws on previous plannings. He would get the council out - I'm actually waiting for them to come round any moment as no doubt he's in the process of writing to tell them I have 3 right now
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Well if you rent some more land anyway you can keep them on there! (no limit of horses on that land) or you could put the minatures in the garden, class them as pets and lawnmowers? Did the planning specify 2 horses or 2 equines? as the minitures are ponies therefore not horses! can you not build some bridges with the grumpy neighbour? depends what his objections were/are?
 
surely if you also rent land which presumably is adjoining your own land there is nothing to stop you keeping the mini's on the rented land and still getting another horse. If the limit on your own land is 2 horses at any one time then I can't see how they can object if the other horses are kept on the rented land. You wouldn't be breaking their rules.
 
Don't even ask on the neighbours objections - they were all unfounded rubbish about the environment and conservation - I think to hide the fact he just doesn't like other people "doing stuff".

Kind of defeats the objects of the minis being companions if they are in the rented paddock, and also I do only have 2 stables (mini's share one), and I do stable at night and bad weather in the winter as the ground is clay and gets flooded and very muddy in areas (no idea how it always comes back in abundance in the spring !)
 
I think you're avenue with the planning is that you already have 3, and that whilst the recommendation is for less/acre because you rent other land you can use, ask for 3 as it will cause the remaining 2 stress if one has to leave as they are an established herd. I'm sure there is some suitable BHS/WHW leaflet you can enclose or refer to. I have a vague feeling if it is a condition of planning you can apply for a variation in the conditions.
 
What? I don't think they can stipulate how many horses you can have - never heard of that one before. i would ignore that to be honest! Doesn't even make sense.
 
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