Keeping one horse at home

[rhymes_with_orange]

Husband and I are facing the reality that we are going to end up with only one horse at home very soon. His retired horse is in his late 20s and has noticeably slowed down in the heat of the last few weeks. My own personal horse is only 15, and still active and ridden regularly. Husband has no interest in getting another horse, and I do not have the time for a second one either. We have discussed getting a companion animal, but for now we will be having one horse at home, potentially for a while.

I understand that horses are herd animals. Nevertheless, one of the reasons we are likely going to end up with one horse at home for a while is because my horse is, well, he is a jerk. When he was boarded he was frequently housed in his own pasture because he needed very resilient herd mates, even when housed with different species (donkeys and cows were both tried at one farm). The last place he was boarded at before he came home, he was turned out with a very boss mare who didn’t put up with his crap, and that was a match made in heaven (then that mare left, a different mare was swapped in briefly, and that DID NOT work).

My horse may or may not notice, due to his personality and previous experience having to be segregated from other horses for their safety. Has anybody made this work long term? I really do worry that anything we bring home to keep him company is going to end up injured or worse. He’s a good boy under saddle, a good boy for his humans, he just does. not. like other horses.

[clanter]

@rhymes_with_orange

he just does. not. like other horses

I suspect he will do fine being the only one there since he does not get along with others anyway

We have a now three old that had to be isolated for many months after surgery, confined to his stall for the first six weeks before being allowed into a very, very small paddock that would not give him room to run. I thought he would go nuts in a few days however he adjusted without an issue. Currently he is still in a private limited space paddock but does have other horses in sight.

His former pasture mate is currently gone several days a week, when she leaves he is not happy but does settle quickly to being alone (currently she is in a paddock next to his)

[luvmyhackney]

He will probably be fine.

You could always try a goat but that’s its own craziness.

[endlessclimb]

I have the worlds goodest boy who had to be solo for a month. While he didn’t kill himself or mangle property, he was notably stressed out. It’s the reason I agreed to take on my friend’s horse - every time I take Grundy off property, he is quite stressed.

The neighbor horses make things worse, honestly. He became very attached to them, and the neighbors bring them in and out at somewhat random times. That made him feel extra-extra alone.

Edit: Sorry, forgot my conclusion - I wouldn’t plan on it for an extended period of time, but it’s worth a shot if he won’t kill himself.

[ParadoxFarm]

Do you have more than one turnout area? Can you get a companion horse/pony and put it next to him so he can see the other horse/pony? If not, can you divide your turnout into two?

[Bluey]

If it works fine alone, no worry then.
Is good to have plan B and C on hand, but wait to go there if there is a real need?
We have had horses that clearly preferred to be alone.
We tried very hard to find them company, but after several tries, realized they were happier by themselves anyway, it was us that thought it had to be different.

[2DogsFarm]

The only certainty is that he’ll let you know if he needs company.
My TB was racebred & when he showed no speed, H/W trainers kept him as a pony.
So he was never alone for his first 6yrs, then boarded when I had him for the next 15.
I brought him & my other horse home when he was 21, #2 was 10.
I took 2 away for a weekend & checked with the farmsitter the first night. She reported no upset behavior.
When we got back, 2 got a thorough sniffover, then they carried on like usual.
OTOH, when TB had to overnight at the vet clinic, 2 paced the fence & called for him.
Not continuously, but all night long.
It was summer, my windows were open & I’d hear him.
Same Welcome Home.

You may be enough company for your horse.

[rhymes_with_orange]

Not currently, no. We only have 5 acres. Initially we had our pastures divided, but that was causing some issues even with careful rotational grazing. Now we have one large 2 acre pasture with a smaller lot for winter sacrifice.

[trubandloki]

@Bluey

If it works fine alone, no worry then.
Is good to have plan B and C on hand, but wait to go there if there is a real need?

This!

I would give it a try with one horse and see how he does.

Some horses do fine alone.

[JB]

@clanter

I suspect he will do fine being the only one there since he does not get along with others anyway

I have one who doesn’t care to keep company with the others, but he totally stresses if they go out of sight. Getting along with another horse is second fiddle to the desire to have same-species company and as a result feel safe®. Many horses prefer, and need, solitary turnout and are totally ok with that as long as they can still see other horses

But most horses, while they may adapt and be “fine” without even another horse to see, they won’t be as healthy and happy as if there’s at least one more and at least visible at least most of the time. That’s a horse thing

@rhymes_with_orange I agree with the others who are saying "try it but have a plan to try to get a companion quickly if he just doesn’t settle. You can try local area FB groups to try to find a horse who just needs a retirement place, maybe the owner can’t afford to board 2 horses but also wants a rideable horse. Of course, the horse (and owner if it’s a low key boarding situation) would have to be vetted to fit your situation, but that’s just one option. I think more people than one might realize have those Boss Mares who would also benefit from having someone they can put in their place

[cayuse]

I’ve kept many horses alone and they have been fine. One or two I know would’ve had a fit if I tried it (luckily they were here when I had another) but for the most part they were content.

[Annie10]

Lots of horses are only children and they do just fine. Especially since you’re still riding him and doing stuff it will keep his mind a little busy as well. He will be fine

[MapleFarm]

When I first got my mare, her breeder recommended keeping her alone for a year. She was quite herd focused and very dominant. Four days of me really stressing (and her EXTREMELY stressed) - she ran the fence and called between being calm. She ended up being fine, and I think it was good for her ability to be alone - I now have a second horse who I can take from the farm without issue.

I agree with above posters… Try it out but have a backup plan. Be prepared to wait at least a week before trying you’re doomed.

[punchy]

I have intermittently kept (and currently have) one at home. He’s fine, they’ve all been fine. One time a new-to-me vet was out and we were chatting and she said, totally out of the blue, sounding surprised, ‘You know, I had a mare I had to keep by herself once, and she was really happy!’ So I do think we tend to assume horses need friends, but many do just fine—sometimes better—alone.

[Bluey]

@JB

I have one who doesn’t care to keep company with the others, but he totally stresses if they go out of sight. Getting along with another horse is second fiddle to the desire to have same-species company and as a result feel safe®. Many horses prefer, and need, solitary turnout and are totally ok with that as long as they can still see other horses

But most horses, while they may adapt and be “fine” without even another horse to see, they won’t be as healthy and happy as if there’s at least one more and at least visible at least most of the time. That’s a horse thing

@rhymes_with_orange I agree with the others who are saying "try it but have a plan to try to get a companion quickly if he just doesn’t settle. You can try local area FB groups to try to find a horse who just needs a retirement place, maybe the owner can’t afford to board 2 horses but also wants a rideable horse. Of course, the horse (and owner if it’s a low key boarding situation) would have to be vetted to fit your situation, but that’s just one option. I think more people than one might realize have those Boss Mares who would also benefit from having someone they can put in their place

Right, except there are more than we think that are loners and fine any place with other horses or just as fine alone.
We had several of those, four over many years come to mind, that truly thrived alone.

One ten year old gelding was pastured with a dozen others and would come and go on his own, not with the herd.
At feeding time he would stand with all and get along well, but then mosey over to graze in a different direction than the herd would go. They were in a pasture with several canyons, may hot have been noticed in a small pasture.

Another older geldingn would hide when other horses came to train in our arena and would not come out of his shed corner until everyone was gone.
When we tried one more gentle sweet gelding with him, he used to sight and lay down for a long nap every time we took buddy away to work cattle and not care at all if or when he was back.

In general, yes, horses do best with company, if in the same space, or nearby.
Watch your horses, remember they may change and not want company today, miss company another day, another times, then try to accommodate until something clicks.

[JB]

@Bluey

Right, except there are more than we think that are loners and fine any place with other horses or just as fine alone.
We had several of those, four over many years come to mind, that truly thrived alone.

Right - most may seem ok, but really aren’t, because most horses want and need some company, even if only line of sight. Some won’t be ok at all, some will be 100% ok.

The point was it’s not fair to say that just because a horse doesn’t like other horses, that he’ll be just fine totally alone.

[Bluey]

@JB

Right - most may seem ok, but really aren’t, because most horses want and need some company, even if only line of sight. Some won’t be ok at all, some will be 100% ok.

The point was it’s not fair to say that just because a horse doesn’t like other horses, that he’ll be just fine totally alone.

Very true that, not liking some horse doesn’t mean they want to be alone, or would thrive alone, just as liking others doesn’t meant they won’t like it alone, as our old horse and others taught us.

[stargzng386]

It would be helpful to journal his normal behaviors now especially sleeping. How often when and where does he sleep? When is he grazing or just hanging out. Give him some time when he’s solo to adjust and see if those behaviors are staying the same. Even if not running around upset he might not be as comfortable sleeping. I had one barn owner tell me the horses were fine with no hay because they were quietly standing in their stalls. They were freaking starving but we condition them to hang out and wait.

[Janet]

My experience is that ir depends entirely on the horse.

I have had two that were “only horses”. The first one hated it. If we went out he alwys walked faster going away from home, in the hope that we would see another horse, and walked slower going home. He jumped out and ran a mile down the road to a place where there were other horses. I ended up taking in a friend’s hore to keep him company.

When I had another situation where I was going to have a (different) horse alone, I made preparatory arrangements to take in another friend’s retired broodmare to keep her company. But she was apsolutely fine with living alone for several years.