Keeping a horse alone. - Health & Supplements - Health & Supplements - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 7/2/2010 4:15:05 PM

Anyone have any experience keeping a horse alone. I had to euthanize my older gelding in January. I had a boarder but they pulled out. It would be nice to only have the expense of one horse. He's been doing fine. Not insecure, even laying down in the field this morning when I went out to fly spray and mask him and didn't even bother gettting up. He's been more in my pocket than when he has a horsey buddy but I don't really mind that. He's focused on me not his buddy in the barn. I just want to know I'm not causing so damage to him down the road. Does it just depend on the horse?

akyramoto

Posted : 7/2/2010 8:06:59 PM

Since horses are gregarious, it's best that he have a buddy, even if its a goat or a donkey, if you can't afford another horse.
Its nice that he's getting really attached to you, but it would help him mentally to have another equine there when you're not.

I had to get Daisy a buddy, she had really bad pawing issues ( from her previous owner/living arrangements) getting her a buddy really helped alot.

wundahoss

Posted : 7/13/2010 2:56:05 AM

I agree with aky. Horses can & do survive when kept in solitary confinement, but I like my horses to have a better life than just surviving ';-)'

I believe it's also better for their health. My own horses have been kept alone occasionally for short spells, when it couldn't be helped for some reason, but I avoid it wherever possible. It's great that your horse is bonding to you more because he's more needy, possibly still grieving the loss of his mate, but you don't live with him, so he's alone for the vast majority of the time.

trailrider1234

Posted : 8/3/2010 3:13:40 PM

I have to agree with everyone else. Horses are very social and they need a buddy. With all of the horses out there in need of a home, you would not only be helping your horse, but another horse also.

Trickie

Posted : 9/21/2010 12:07:28 AM

I have a 20 year old horse that a boarder left behind.She is a Peruvian Paso, and going to have a March foal by a 17 hand Tennessee Walker stud. The foal would be called a "Tenuvian" and they are calmer than Peruvian Paso's, and have a nice 4 beat gait. I would love to find her a home with someone capable of loving her, feeding her, and super imprinting the foal. I'm in Penn Yan, NY. I have her on good quality hay, still some pasture, sweet feed and roasted crimped soybeans twice a day. She needs her grain.

tripleluckyprince

Posted : 9/22/2010 10:33:12 PM

been there done that!!! for 3 years it was kind of tough cause i could tell my horse was lonely, but when you cant afford it you cant afford it, however when i did get my new boy i noticed an immediate change i mean immediate change in my older boy (he even lost weight! he wasnt overweight but i noticed it lol)
i think your horse will be ok just make sure to let him know that you still love him, i agree though a goat or donkey is a good buddy too and if you cant afford that either your horse will be just fine ':)'

TanyaC97

Posted : 10/1/2010 2:28:18 PM

I have done it and it was ok. I had to make sure I spent time daily with my horse as they needed that "buddy" fix. I totally understand wanting to keep only one. You might me surprised what you can find though for a pasture pal cheap to free should you chose (goat, donkey, pony, etc.)

I will say that once my lone horse did get a friend they went the other extreme to being borderline herd bound.

wundahoss

Posted : 10/8/2010 4:33:57 AM

I have her on good quality hay, still some pasture, sweet feed and roasted crimped soybeans twice a day. She needs her grain.

Hi,

Personally I would def. ditch the sweet feed(junk food), especially as she's in foal and replace it with a healthy, grain- & molasses-free feed. She may need extra feed than the hay, but there are far healthier things than grain & sugar. You can find out a lot about this & recent studies on line. Problems from grain such as hind gut acidosis and insulin resistance can also effect the foal in utero so it is born with probs, or far more susceptible to those type probs than it's mother may be. I would also suggest a good quality complete nutritional supp, to ensure they're not lacking & the foal's not sucking the goodness from the mare.