Would you sell/loan your horse if you knew it would be kept alone?

Would you sell/loan your horse if you knew it would be kept alone?

  • Total voters
    0
No definitely not.
It is very telling that many of those poster saying 'my horse is fine on his own' also say that they become more difficult when a companion comes on the scene. Does this not tell them that actually the horse can't believe his luck when he finally gets a companion of his own kind? And is desperate for that companion not to disappear again? How any-one can think that the 'companionship' of a human or dogs who can't possibly be with the horse 24/7 can make up for a herd, I cannot imagine.
IMO if you cannot afford/have the facilities to keep more than 1 horse, that horse should be kept at livery, where there will be company for it.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
No definitely not.
It is very telling that many of those poster saying 'my horse is fine on his own' also say that they become more difficult when a companion comes on the scene. Does this not tell them that actually the horse can't believe his luck when he finally gets a companion of his own kind? And is desperate for that companion not to disappear again? How any-one can think that the 'companionship' of a human or dogs who can't possibly be with the horse 24/7 can make up for a herd, I cannot imagine.
IMO if you cannot afford/have the facilities to keep more than 1 horse, that horse should be kept at livery, where there will be company for it.
Click to expand...

very well said
 
Nope! I have turned down loaners (at a time I was desperate) because of this. Sure he'd cope (he's one of those amazingly adaptable horses that always does) but I don't believe he'd be truly happy. I believe that it is a basic need of 99% of horses to have some company of their own kind (ideally in the field with them but I do understand this isn't always possible), there is the odd exception (such as horses who are severely bullied and so require individual t/o, ideally I think they should still be able to touch another horse over the fence if they so desire though).
 
Pearlsasinger said:
No definitely not.
It is very telling that many of those poster saying 'my horse is fine on his own' also say that they become more difficult when a companion comes on the scene. Does this not tell them that actually the horse can't believe his luck when he finally gets a companion of his own kind? And is desperate for that companion not to disappear again? How any-one can think that the 'companionship' of a human or dogs who can't possibly be with the horse 24/7 can make up for a herd, I cannot imagine.
IMO if you cannot afford/have the facilities to keep more than 1 horse, that horse should be kept at livery, where there will be company for it.
Click to expand...

Completely agree with this.
 
Boulty said:
Nope! I have turned down loaners (at a time I was desperate) because of this. Sure he'd cope (he's one of those amazingly adaptable horses that always does) but I don't believe he'd be truly happy. I believe that it is a basic need of 99% of horses to have some company of their own kind (ideally in the field with them but I do understand this isn't always possible), there is the odd exception (such as horses who are severely bullied and so require individual t/o, ideally I think they should still be able to touch another horse over the fence if they so desire though).
Click to expand...

We do have one horse on individual turnout and he is much happier. So are his field mates as he used to run others down, get them in a corner and then repeatedly double barrel them. You would never believe it of him as he grooms them over the fence, travels well with others and has impeccable manners when under saddle. Wouldn't dream of kicking. It's just when he's in a herd situation and wants to be boss. If another horse so much as looks at him funny, they've had it. Since he's had his own paddock he has really chilled out and looks much happier. But he is a definite exception to the rule. There are some horses that eventually adapt to solitude but I believe it is a case of 'learned helplessness'.
 
No, absolutely not.

My pony is 'happy' on his own (doesn't run about screaming) but would be so bored and depressed. He spends many happy hours grooming, playing and just chilling with his friends.

Like many, I believe friends are essential and it's cruel to have them alone. There is the occasional horse who can't tolerate others but there is something clearly wrong with them. And being made to live along can really mess up their heads and their attitude to other horses in. the future
 
I can't vote as it's 'Yes', and don't try putting her anywhere near one if you don't want it kicking to shreds!

She can see another and chats to it almost every day over a gate on hacks. She lives on a livestock farm and has gone to PC camp this week so not lonely. She is just very dominant and grumpy. Likes her own space. Never clings or whinneys to others, not even her old pals when she comes home to stay for short holdays.
 
I keep m,y horse on her own, I would get a companion if she needed one, but she doesn't. She lives with cows and sheep and seems so much happier now as she doesn't have a herd to worry about. She can see another horse from her field and passes two everyday but never whinneys to them or even barely acknowledges them.

So yes i would sell a horse which was to be kept on its own but it would be dpendent on the person and the horse. The exact same way as I didn't sell a horse to someone who wanted to keep it on a large livery yard as I knew this wouldn't suit her!
 
Absolutely not! I couldn't live without regular human close contact and nor would I expect my horse to live solo, it's very unnatural imo.
 
Now now, not all horses crave for this "herd" feeling, my horse is out alone and before you say its cruelty, if any horse was to be put in her field she would chase and chase and chase until they are out of her field, this means pulling down fences, destroying anything in her way just to get the other horse away. She likes her space to herself.
 
I think selling is different to loaning. When I put my last horse out on loan, I insisted that he had company (she had to get another pony on loan!) as I felt that although I was no longer looking after him on a day to day basis, he was still my horse and his welfare was still ultimately my responsibility. but if you are selling then you have to hand over that responsibility to his new owners, in the same wasy as you can't dictate what food he eats, tack he wears or work he does. It's hard enough selling horses anyway, and if you've got an otherwise perfect buyer I would let the horse go to them.
 
caitlin95uk said:
Now now, not all horses crave for this "herd" feeling, my horse is out alone and before you say its cruelty, if any horse was to be put in her field she would chase and chase and chase until they are out of her field, this means pulling down fences, destroying anything in her way just to get the other horse away. She likes her space to herself.
Click to expand...

Whilst I agree that there are horses like this, it is completely unnatural and untypical behaviour. I believe that it is caused by some trauma in the past and even by being kept alone when young so have not learnt to socialise. Horses such as these are socially damaged individuals. We have one here, and I know exactly what caused it. He was run down and cornered by a rig and badly kicked. Now he runs down any horse that he is put in with, and so has to have individual turnout. Before his scare, he was a peaceful and sociable member of the herd. If horses have always been kept with others and not suffered any scares from other 'damaged' or unsocial horses, then they all prefer to be in a herd situation.
 
Tass said:
I think selling is different to loaning. When I put my last horse out on loan, I insisted that he had company (she had to get another pony on loan!) as I felt that although I was no longer looking after him on a day to day basis, he was still my horse and his welfare was still ultimately my responsibility. but if you are selling then you have to hand over that responsibility to his new owners, in the same wasy as you can't dictate what food he eats, tack he wears or work he does. It's hard enough selling horses anyway, and if you've got an otherwise perfect buyer I would let the horse go to them.
Click to expand...

Surely your last responsibility as the owner of the horse is to ensure that it goes to the most suitable home possible. If you found out someone was not going to attend to another one of its needs such as shelter, food, rugs, foot trimming etc then you would not sell? Company is a fundamental need of all horses.
 
kittykatcat said:
I turned down a loan home as the stupid woman was going to keep my horse with a goat....erm....NO!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't think that it would be that bad an idea actually. Prey animals do tend to be more accepting and tolerant of other prey species, even forming bonds. I have a friend who has a little gelding who has paired up with her pet sheep, graze together, follow each other and they even play together despite there being other horses in the field. Another friend keeps her goats with her horses and they get along well. Goats/Sheep and horses will graze and co-habit quite well.
 
Nope- Have turned down homes because of it. Don't think any of them would be that worked up about it, but just out of principle.
 
Certainly not.
Had my mare six years and she just won't tolerate being alone i.e when there is no other horse on the yard or out in field/within her eyesight.
Why should she have to live alone anyway ?

Recently had an issue with moving her to a yard where there will be 3 horses, and the YO wants to hack with my mum whilst i am at college. Ergo my horse left alone. When we told her my mare won't tolerate being alone her response was 'oh she will get used to it...' well, no she won't. we've had her 6 years and she never did so why would she now?!
As it is may end up leaving my horse at her present private yard.
 
Ours is kept on his own, we did ask his owner if he'd be okay with us keeping him that way. They came and looked at our yard and said they were happy with what we were providing. The dogs are out most of the time and my brother so there's lots of stimulation and things for him to explore. He can sometimes go to the gate and see other horses about 5 metres away but doesn't really bother, they get a bit silly when we go past to ride but he ignores them. When he's loose he sometimes comes to the house to see what's going on inside! But he's not anxious at all :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top