Why Do You Have More Than One Horse?

legyield

legyield

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I get asked this question all the time, albeit mainly by non horsey family and friends. "You don't need more than one", "you must be mad", "you should sell one".
Realistically I don't NEED two - but by that train of thought I don't actually need one - but I have two for various reasons.
I bought my first one, a now two and a half year old cob x, in April 2011 more out of pity than anything. I bought my second, a 6 month old PRE, in October.
I bought my PRE as a future competition horse for me, as really I don't expect my older filly to go beyond RC. My PRE will also grow quite a bit bigger, as my older filly may or may not be big enough for me in the long run and that has been a constant worry while I've had her. Another reason is that I actually love the breed, and never thought I'd be able to afford a PRE. Furthermore, I don't want to be stuck in the situation that I've been in where I have the perfect set up but only one horse without any company! I also wanted another youngster that was more of a challenge than my first. And, lastly, I adore having youngsters and she was my graduation present (to myself!)

Why do you have more than one?
 
legyield said:
I get asked this question all the time, albeit mainly by non horsey family and friends. "You don't need more than one", "you must be mad", "you should sell one".
Realistically I don't NEED two - but by that train of thought I don't actually need one - but I have two for various reasons.
I bought my first one, a now two and a half year old cob x, in April 2011 more out of pity than anything. I bought my second, a 6 month old PRE, in October.
I bought my PRE as a future competition horse for me, as really I don't expect my older filly to go beyond RC. My PRE will also grow quite a bit bigger, as my older filly may or may not be big enough for me in the long run and that has been a constant worry while I've had her. Another reason is that I actually love the breed, and never thought I'd be able to afford a PRE. Furthermore, I don't want to be stuck in the situation that I've been in where I have the perfect set up but only one horse without any company! I also wanted another youngster that was more of a challenge than my first. And, lastly, I adore having youngsters and she was my graduation present (to myself!)

Why do you have more than one?
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we WANT more than one to go hacking with together ! at the moment its one on the horse the other on the bike. which is great untill yo get to a field and want a good canter someone gets left behind :( would love something abit more sportier than our chunky cob (not that she is a slug) to compete on :)
 
Because daughter & I would struggle always riding double! Seriously, because in the past when I had two for me, one is my 14.2 first pony, & I outgrew her ability wise. Yet I wouldn't ever part with her. And when daughters pony is outgrown, she won't be sold either. Only reason we don't have two each now is finances. Give it a few years though & we will.
 
I only have one at the moment, a 13yo schoolmaster that is the most perfect horse I've ever known but next summer I'd quite like to get a youngster to bring on :)
 
My older boy is semi retired but still enjoys hacking out new girl arriving today to hopefully do some competing on and teach me loads :) 11yr old that been there and done that x
 
One for me to ride. One for my mother to ride. One who is retired. One (borrowed companion) to keep the retired one company :o It's far too many, especially at this time of year. I wish I was down to one or two :o
 
I only have one now but when I did have 2 it was for the same reason as a few people have said above.

My old mare needed to be retired (she has since sadly been
PTS) and I wanted something to ride and something for the future. So I moved from livery and rented a field instead and bought my youngster.

No way I could've afforded livery yard prices for 2.
 
I have four, and can call on a dozen more, because we run a business that provides horses for film & TV and historical displays. I can only ride one at a time of course, but we need backups, actor's horses, and to be able to give horses a rest from what can be a physically and mentally stressful job by rotating between them. We also need to be able to provide different colours (greys, bays, blacks, pure white, for example).
 
Because I rather than saving money I enjoy feeding it to as many crocks, sorry - horses as I can so I can shovel it once it comes out the other end. I like having ruined clothes and boots too.

It started with one, then a companion, then one to replace the first, then another companion, then a freebie.... and kind of went from there. Two are useful, one is our children's beloved forever pony and the other out on loan to friends until he's grown into by mine.

Worst is when people ask if you enjoy riding and you confess you haven't ridden in years and years, and all bar one are just ornaments.
 
My mare got arthritis in her hocks and was happy to compete to around 90cm and a few 1ms but i wanted to start moving up the tracks and she would of struggled so YO offered me this other big ginger thing who know keeps breaking... :p
 
Well.... I've always been one of the "single horse" peeps who've always been resolute that (a) one horse will do for me (b) can't afford more than one!! (c) don't have the time for more than one and (d) can't ride more than one at a time so what's the point???:)

Then, for various reasons, I sent my boy away on loan last autumn and hadn't got anything to ride. Had a horse on trial but it didn't work out and I was beginning to lose confidence. So an old schoolfriend let me have her wise old mare on loan. She was quite sharp, but safe - but certainly NEVER the sort of horse I'd ever ridden before. I'd have probably sent her back had she been on trial (glad I didn't!).

Anyway, to cut a long story short, my boy came back to my yard as his loan experience didn't work out; and I ended up keeping the mare.

Why do I keep both? Well one reason is because the mare sorts out my boy; they're turned out together and she really has made him into a much more polite horse in every way(especially in company) - also because I've got a lovely friend who rides out with me and its more fun riding out with two than solo, tho' I do still need the space of solo hacking and still do it just to keep the horses listening to me.

If you have a second horse that's (just about!) rideable, its a simple thing to invite a friend; to me, that's the main reason why I'm keeping the two.
 
i was gifted them (separately) and at the time hubs was going to ride with me but that never happened, now it's not the horses fault hubs is a lazy arse so i couldn't possibly get rid of either of them:p

my family have given up asking me why i have x amount of horses and dogs, the answer is always 'well why not?';)
 
Both mine do very different jobs. One gives me confidence. The other is talented and challenges me. One is for competing, the other is for hacking and sponsored rides mainly! I love them both and couldn't say which would be sold if I had to :( they do drain me financially though!!
 
Because when I was a little girl I wanted a pony and mum wouldn't let me have one. So as soon as I earned a wage I bought a pony, then a horse, then another horse, then one had a foal, then another foal.

Most I have had is 5. I am now down to two due to the passage of time :( the last foal is now 19 :)
 
I had one and my mother in law had one both kept at home with me, my mother in law's died at the age of 35 leaving mine on her own so had to get another one to keep her company hence the purchase of the mad cob! As to the three miniatures I can't really give a good explanation to buying them other than it seemed a good idea at the time and I really do love them, its like having three big dogs that live outside really and they make fantastic lawn mowers. My OH thinks they are great as he doesn't have to cut the lawns so often. :D
 
Because I'm happiest doing my own thing, to my own timetable, on my own (well, privately rented) land where my horses can live out 24/7/365 in the manner I believe they benefit from most. Wouldn't dream of keeping one horse alone though, so need another one for a companion. However, I always ride out alone, so couldn't leave one in the field alone while I was riding the other - so need a third one to keep the 2nd one company etc. etc....
 
One to show jump, a green but talented one that's doing little classes, one on loan to jump alongside my jumping horse, one that needs a career change so is being reschooled to sell and 2 babies that I couldn't have afforded by buy as 4 year olds. By the time they're being broken I will have 2 less so hopefully never more than 4 in work.
Reason for that many is because I think it brings me on quicker as a rider and there's always something off work!
 
I got a youngster because I could afford to and wanted to have a ride when my old lad retires, and to take over competing as he eases off real work.

Unfortunately, the youngster multiplied into two when I wasn't paying attention, so now have another one four years behind, as well as the old lad.

And if I had the finances, they're multiply even more and have a whole herd :p
 
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