Youngstock - do 2yos need a ‘nanny’ still or ok on their own?

[maya2008]

I did have my two rising 2yo fillies in a field with an adult gelding. It was amazing - he let them play, but kept them in line, and he was big enough they didn’t argue. As in my other thread I have now temporarily lost the use of that field (toxic sycamore seedlings) and the gelding has died. They’re now in with the main herd, causing havoc. One is the daughter of one of my kids’ ponies - she’s the same height as her mother and has been literally jumping all over her. The other struggles in large groups and is miserable as anything. I need them out of there asap.

So…offer of two local fields to put them in. One is 2 acres, so I can only have the two of them in there. The other is 3 acres, which means an older companion is possible (but there’s a ton of grass).

If I put them in the smaller field on their own, are they going to just get more and more badly behaved, or is 2yo old enough I can just leave them be to run off their energy with each other? Finding an adult to watch over them who won’t go down with laminitis in the bigger field might be a challenge!

 

[ihatework]

I’d be more concerned at them getting silly/clingy with each other.

I’d be fine with it as a temporary solution but probably wouldn’t want to allow them to become too pair bonded over longer term. So it just depends what they are like really, some are fine, some get daft.

 

[maya2008]

They play well together but if given other options separate. The one that struggles in a big herd isn’t that attached to anyone or anything. The big gelding protected her, but she holds herself apart from other ponies - just how she is. The other is more sociable. I don’t think they’d get much more attached than they are now - they have been together a year and have separated like lightning in the main herd.

 

[irishdraft]

I had 2 weanlings that stayed together until one was sold @ 6 years. They played endlessly when youngsters, I put my older mare in with them when they were 3 but never had any bother with them, they were geldings.

 

[MissTyc]

I am a firm believer that mixed age "play"/behaviour grows the most sociable reliable adults -- in all species, to be honest!
Until fully mature themselves, they will hugely benefit from an older horse to set some boundaries. My colt grew up with another same aged filly + my adult gelding and mare ... I'd watch the two youngsters have the time of their lives and adapt their behaviours preferentially to the older horses (gelding has a sense of humour; mare does not).
So not nannying as much as guidance -- if possible! Sometimes, it's not possible of course and you can't beat yourself up about that either.

 

[Patterdale]

They'll be fine but separate them in winter or they’ll get too close. Better to have a bigger group than two but it’s fine for a few months.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I'm sure they will be fine just the 2 of them.

 

[Trouper]

I'd speak to the charities and explain what you would be looking for in a "companion" and, like @MissTyc , I firmly believe they are better educated with an older one to keep order - to keep over-exuberance in check but also to give confidence to the shy one until they find their feet.

 

[Horseysheepy]

I've been in a similar situation, but I made sure they were trained to be separated for short periods of time so it became the norm.

 

[maya2008]

I've been in a similar situation, but I made sure they were trained to be separated for short periods of time so it became the norm.

So like taking one for a walk and leaving the other behind? We’d be walking them out this summer anyway so that’s not an issue. I would feel happier if the one left behind had a buddy though, so I guess I am talking myself into the slightly bigger field…

We’re going to go to the sales in June to see what there is, with a view to just handling anything new over the summer before backing in the autumn. So if their friend were to be 3 or 4yo, but bigger than them, is that old enough?