Another "my horse needs a companion" thread...

[normandy_shores]

I’ve moved to 5 acres 3 months ago with my two horses. One is a jerk and just bullies the other one, so instead of sharing a paddock they share a fence line. All is good.

When I take one or the other away, they’ve always let out a few whinnies and then settled down. I can take either one of them trail riding solo and leave the other one alone. I’ve also taken each of them away for a weekend show, and the one left behind was fine in each instance.

Until now.

They’ve both been off for a few weeks. I’ve been pulling them out 2-3 times a week each to get groomed. I’ve enclosed a shelter into a makeshift stall so the more anxious (the sainted one, not the jerk). If left loose he’s started to run around, or if tied, paws and digs massive holes.

Today he escaped the enclose shelter/paddock while I had the other one out grooming. Just went BESERK. It’s a 5’ high fence with gates hung as high. He tried to go BETWEEN the fences. After he escaped, I swapped them and took the anxious one out for some ground work and to go for a walk down the street away from home. Got home, and he was just as fixated and silly about the other horse as before. I had hoped he’d burn off some steam.

It really sucks that the situation that was manageable just weeks ago is now not even workable to pull one out to groom. There are plans in the future (maybe less distant now!) to electrify all our fencing. We have round rail fencing, 2 board. Obviously 3 board would be more ideal, and is a modification we could look at doing.

SO the real question is, what do I get as a companion? A mini anything would require I redo lots of fencing. A standard donkey sounds alright, except I have a dog and I’m worried about the donkey being dog aggressive. The dog is only 4.5 months and has already learned the horse paddocks are a no-go zone, but it still concerns me. What about alpacas/llamas? Ideally I’d love something that I don’t have to do expensive fence modifications to, and would be ok if it was the only thing left behind. There are times where I take both horses on a trail ride or to a show.

Or am I stuck getting TWO more of something so that nothing ever gets left behind?

Help me, I’m a little frazzled today!

[SLW]

Personally I would get a fence charger and run a hit wire on top and on bottom of the fence in a pen or paddock. This paddock or pen is where the “one left behind” stays when the other one is removed.

This is the most cost effective correction. Adding a pony/donkey etc means more management (ponies & donkeys need dry lots not grass) and risk plus the two rail fence might not keep them in.

It is so frustrating to have them become buddy sour.

[katarine]

Small standard donkey. My guy is about hip high to me bought him as a weanling and he is good with our dogs. Almost no food bill, feet trimmed every other time.

Bigger fences won’t cure one from running themselves ragged and possibly hurting themselves
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204759481775555&id=1492791407&set=a.4050505389661.2176174.1492791407&source=43

[normandy_shores]

It appears I’m going to check out a small standard (by the lady’s description) tomorrow. He’s been around her care home entertaining the senior citizens, and had her grandkids climb all over him and ride him (they’re 7 or 8 now).

Our plans are to also electrify the fence. We already have the solar charger, just have to get and install the wires and grounds. Hoping it can happen before winter…

I should add that our property is perimeter fenced with no climb, and our property isn’t grassy outside of the paddocks. Very rocky and barren! We have 3 more paddocks in the works that will be tilled up and seeded next year, and I think the plan is to leave one more like a dry lot.

Our two current “big” paddocks are roughly 100 x 180 (similar size to my ring, though I haven’t wheeled them), and grazed down pretty far. I have a cob sized grazing muzzle already (though might have to see if that even fits him, who knows). Both horses are already on weight watchers as is

sigh

[Meadow36]

I have a 5 year old 14.1hh mare that was free. She eats hardly anything and gets along with mares, geldings or whatever. She ties, loads, stands for farrier/vet and is otherwise no fuss. Added bonus is she has a home and doesn’t face an uncertain life. She has some old injuries on her hind legs which prevent her from being ridden.

There are plenty of free horses out there; not all of them are high maintenance. Some are elderly and make great companions. Maybe think of offering board to a “retiree” - helps pay some bills and solves the buddy problem.

Personally, I’m not a donkey/goat fan. IME, I don’t think the horses “bond” to them as well, so it doesn’t solve the buddy issue. I’ve known a lot of horses that still go bonkers when left alone even with a donkey present.

[LSMarnell]

I would put a mat down, tie him up short and let him try to dig to China and get no where. Keep him tied until he settles. Just ignore him and let him figure it out.

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=Meadow36;7807105]
I have a 5 year old 14.1hh mare that was free. She eats hardly anything and gets along with mares, geldings or whatever. She ties, loads, stands for farrier/vet and is otherwise no fuss. Added bonus is she has a home and doesn’t face an uncertain life. She has some old injuries on her hind legs which prevent her from being ridden.

There are plenty of free horses out there; not all of them are high maintenance. Some are elderly and make great companions. Maybe think of offering board to a “retiree” - helps pay some bills and solves the buddy problem.

Personally, I’m not a donkey/goat fan. IME, I don’t think the horses “bond” to them as well, so it doesn’t solve the buddy issue. I’ve known a lot of horses that still go bonkers when left alone even with a donkey present.[/QUOTE]

Then when I take two to a show, or two on a trail ride, the companion horse gets left alone? Same problem as I have now…

[alto]

Do you have neighboring horses?

Rather than adding to your menagerie, consider advertising field board/retirement board for the urban people looking for such - this way they pay their own way & some of yours :yes:

In the meantime you might just “borrow” the donkey

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=alto;7807420]
Do you have neighboring horses?

Rather than adding to your menagerie, consider advertising field board/retirement board for the urban people looking for such - this way they pay their own way & some of yours :yes:

In the meantime you might just “borrow” the donkey ;)[/QUOTE]

No desire for a 3rd horse here, especially one that isn’t mine! There will be occassions where both my horses show or trail ride, and I’d rather have to get two small donkeys

There are neighbouring horses on the other side of the property, but those paddocks won’t be ready for another year and those horses have at least 5 acres to roam, so when they leave the fence my lone horse would be panicky

[alto]

Well then I definitely vote
TWO donkeys :yes: :yes:

after all the donkeys deserve same species comfort too :winkgrin:

[spacytracy]

I hate to say it, but eventually you have to face that a horse is probably going to be left alone at some point, and needs to deal with it.

I would do what a previous poster said. Lay a stall mat down, tie high, take the other horse away, and wait out of horse’s sight, but within yours. Grab a book. Let horse paw, act silly, and figure it out. Once he has settled, which might be just a few seconds, reward him. Repeat.

I have a gelding who acts like a fool when others leave. It took a few times of letting him freak out and deal with it, and he is much better now.

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=spacytracy;7807437]
I hate to say it, but eventually you have to face that a horse is probably going to be left alone at some point, and needs to deal with it.

I would do what a previous poster said. Lay a stall mat down, tie high, take the other horse away, and wait out of horse’s sight, but within yours. Grab a book. Let horse paw, act silly, and figure it out. Once he has settled, which might be just a few seconds, reward him. Repeat.

I have a gelding who acts like a fool when others leave. It took a few times of letting him freak out and deal with it, and he is much better now.[/QUOTE]

He was pretty ok with being left before, but has regressed to this point. He is so aggressive with the pawing and digging, I’m afraid he’ll take out the posts he’s tied to, even with a stall mat.

After yesterday’s fence post shearing fence line destroying antics where he was rearing at the 5’ gate, I’m not prepared to leave him. Maybe he’ll settle back down in the spring when he’s in work again, but I won’t risk the vet bill in the meantime.

[Simkie]

Routine. Routine, routine, routine. It’s the only thing that’s worked for my “the world is going to end” herd bound horse.

I would take each out and at least groom them every day. It sucks to make time for that, I know, when you’re trying to set up your place. Either drug the nutty one for the first few days and take the other out of sight or start by just taking the other one outside of the pasture or to the other side of the fence. Work up to out of sight.

If you leave this until spring, it will be that much harder to deal with. Make it part of their regular daily routine that they are each alone, even if for only 10 minutes.

Adding more critters won’t necessarily solve your problem, anyway. I have four and there are certain horses I CANNOT remove from the field without others losing their grip, despite two other friends RIGHT THERE. It is very tiresome. We’re working on it…

[S1969]

This is how I ended up with five horses. LOL. Ok, not really, but yes, partly.

If you end up truly needing another animal, I would not get a donkey – from what I have read, they are really quite different than horses, and may require a new learning curve. The last thing you will want is to end up with two donkeys that like each other very much, but neither of your horses considers them an adequate “companion”.

I’d go with another horse - a retiree or “free” horse with good manners (or two).

[katarine]

Oh dear, there’s little to learn with a donkey that isn’t fun to figure out. He really doesn’t flip out if left at home alone- he’ll pace a little but never break out of a walk then he’ll quit and go take a nap. They play with the donkey and he can hold his own, look at The Jenner’s Odie “the evil burrito”.

in the interest of full disclosure, this is my Chip horse having a full blown hissy fit when DH rode Archie away. Notice Donkey could not care less.

I was picking up around the barnyard and I let those two in to pick around and graze. Chip preferred to have a hissy. No one was injured in his hissy, and no, they aren’t turned out in this area, and yes, there’s a bucket over the spike on the tractor The more Archie is ridden away, the less likely he is to blow his stack. two rides in three days? He’ll whinny but no hissy

[Blugal]

I actually know of 2 donkeys looking for a new home. They are my grandmother’s but she is 90 and can no longer care for them in the winter. PM or email if you’re seriously interested.

[Beverley]

In my experience, the only reason horses don’t learn to cope with separation is our lack of consistency and resolve. I’d go with hot wire, tying with a mat as suggested, and let them learn that the other one is leaving but will eventually come back. Horses are like toddlers, real drama llamas until ‘the other party’ is out of sight and earshot.

[bathsheba8542]

Having a donkey (or 2) is the best! They are not high maintenance…they do get along on very little, but I’ve had my donkey for years now on grass with the horses and she has done just fine. Such good babysitters!!! And so funny to have around.

[S1969]

[QUOTE=katarine;7807946]
Oh dear, there’s little to learn with a donkey that isn’t fun to figure out. He really doesn’t flip out if left at home alone- he’ll pace a little but never break out of a walk then he’ll quit and go take a nap. They play with the donkey and he can hold his own, look at The Jenner’s Odie “the evil burrito”.[/QUOTE]

Well, just what I have read; mostly a difference in training for things like farrier, grooming and riding/work (if that is an interest). I am talking about standard sized donkeys, not minis. Big enough to be a pain in the rear if they refuse to stand for the farrier or be caught.

Probably they are just like horses - you get what you pay for. But, I’d be more inclined to take someone’s retired horse that is used to regular handling than something that might have been someone’s semi-feral guard donkey, and has to be sedated for everything.

Mini donkeys…well, they are just adorable, so…I could be convinced to consider one of those someday.

[CHT]

Get a big outside mirror and see if it fools your horse into thinking it has a buddy.

Donkeys. The only things I can think of is: your farrier may not want to trim it, and don’t they carry a certain type of worm we don’t normally deworm for so you have to rethink your deworming program? Lungworms maybe?