Alright, I have a question about getting another horse when the horse you have has a tendency to get buddy sour. I’m gonna give some background on Zoe and I’m sorry if its super long. Zoe is a 14 year old bay Morgan mare. I got her at the beginning of last month after she had been mistreated and not handled at all for four years. She was underweight and no manners so I took her to a training facility and dropped her off. I go there a few times a week to spend time with her and train. But the last few times I’ve been she’s been acting out and acts like she can’t function unless she’s with the other horses there. Doesn’t follow direction when we ride and tries to run out of the barn as soon as she sees the other horses. She did have a companion at the place she was before but he died during the winter from neglect and she went into extreme depression. Now that she has been with the other horses at the training barn she’s perked you a lot. However, with the perkiness has come a buddy sour horse. She’s getting ready to come home at the end of this month so my question is should I get her a friend before she comes back or not? Will she go back into depression or will she be okay? Thanks for the answers in advance and sorry for the drawn out story.
I’m not sure from your post if there will be other horses around when she goes home? If she is going to another barn with other horses, she will get comfortable with those horses and should be fine eventually. If she will be by herself at home, she needs a friend. Doesn’t have to be another horse, you could try a goat, cow, even a barn cat if she will bond with it. But she needs some kind of herd - it’s a need for horses, not a “nice to have”.
Fleet_Run thank you for your answer. As of right now we don’t have anyone for her to come home to except two cars but I would really like for her to have a friend other than them. I plan on spending lots of time with her but I understand that’s not the same. Hopefully, I’ll find her a buddy soon.
You might look for someone wanting retirement board for an older or lame horse, if you are willing to take on a boarder. You won’t make money on it, but it would give your mare a friend without you having to purchase another horse yourself.
