Can you have just one?

[A Yankee In NC]

Please help me...

I am afraid if I get a mini and leave him as the only animal in the pasture that he will be lonely.

My neighbor has a full sized horse alone and he seems happy and healthy.

I know that my husband won't go for 2 horses....at least not right away.

Thanks for any input!

Happy New Year!

ellen

 

[Jill]

Horses do need company to be happy. A goat can be better than "nothing" but the best companionship is another horse (and most don't feel it's safe to mix minis and biggies). Does your neighbor's horse fence and yours share a line? If so, that will actually go a long way towards giving both your mini and the big horse companionship by socializing over / through the fence.

 

[TN Belle]

I have to board my mini and at the first place we were at, he had a seperate paddock, but was surrounded by other horses and was content, no vices or pacing. Now, when we moved him to a different place, he had his own paddock again, but was isolated and could see other horses in the distance, on the other side of the barn. He would just stand in this one corner all day where he could see them. He would call to them and pace the fence sometimes too. After I bought a mini donkey and put them in together, he has completely changed. They aren't best friends by any means, but they appreciate the company. They graze together and there is no pacing the fence or moping in the corner, so yes, it does make a difference. The pecking order is there too, so my mini almost bullies the donkey around, but like I said, there is no more moping in the corner. They can even share a hay bale, on opposite ends of course.

 

[wildoak]

Horses are herd animals, and need the company preferably of other horses. As Jill said, a goat or other small animal will give them companionship, but another horse is really the best solution. Horses in the wild are prey animals - strength in numbers LOL, if they don't look out for each other they get eaten. That's the instinct that still drives them even though we keep them safely away from predators. Two small horses aren't really much more work than one.

Jan

 

[targetsmom]

I think a whole lot will depend on how close the neighbor's horse will be. Before we got our first mini, I had a riding horse as my only horse. We live in a very horsey neighborhood and he could often HEAR nearby horses but not see them. Then he would stand by the fence and look wistful. As long as he didn't hear the other horses, he seemed very content by himself. When we got our (first!!) mini, we kept them in separate but adjoining paddocks and they were both very pleased with the arrangement. So if your mini can see the neightbor's horse, they may both be quite happy.

Of course, now we have 7 minis, going on 9, but the big horse loves them all - from across the fence.

 

[Champ]

I have a mini who is quite content living by himself....he tends to not like other horses.....however most don't like to be by themselves......when you go and look at minis and if they aren't already stabled by themselves ask the owners

how they are when they are taken away from the other horses and then if possible see for yourself by walking the mini away and out of sight from the other horses.....

ask how he/she is for trailering by themselves and how do they do....

then if you can watch how he interacts with the other horses while out in a corral, does he tend to stand by himself or is he always wanting to play with the others

Have fun and good luck looking for your first mini

 

[Mini Mouse]

I almost didn't read this thread because I truly hate to see a mini by himself. Horses are herd animals and are very lonely alone. Some people say getting a goat or other small animal is enough, but if you can take care of another animal it is actually easier to take care of another mini. You don't have to buy seperate feed and tend to special needs of another kind of animal. Personally if I couldn't have two minis, I wouldn't have any. I am the same way with all animals. I think everything needs to have one of its kind around.

Maybe you could buy two from the same farm and get a special price.

 

[novachick]

Yeah, a question I can finally give a little perpective to! Being a newbie here I just do a lot of asking and reading, but finally I can answer!

I just recently got my first mini horse and was told that we would probably want to get another and that she would be lonely and depend on us for companionship a lot. At the time, we only wanted to get one, because we were not sure about the costs and the amount of work that it would take. We wanted to make sure everything we read through our research was correct. Also, since I was told she would depend on us more for companionship, I thought that might be good in building a bond with us. So far everything has been fine, but it did take an adjustment period for her to be away from her herd.

That being said...we are planning on getting her a friend, because I do agree that it would be good for her. And my husband (who at first said only one!) is now fine with 2 and I actually caught him saying "look, we could put a third stall over here in the barn if we wanted". So let me tell you, they are addicting, and if you are seriously thinking you only want 1, think about it long and hard, because it is hard to hold back and not get another. I have failed already and Goldi has only been here a little over a month!

 

[Joanne]

I think most of us can say we started out with one, but quickly had another. I do think they are best with a second one. And that second one if best around the same age, though there are exceptions.

If I bought a foal, I would rather have another foal with him. Mares especially seem to want another mare around.

 

[Marty]

Yes they are a herd animal and should not be alone with out another of their own species.

I have a sale pending again providing they find another horse or no sale here. I don't want any of my horses to be alone. I don't sell any of mine if they are going to be the only horse.

 

[Boinky]

I had a single big horse for years while growing up and she was perfectly fine and content. thats not to say she didn't like companionship and now that she has it she loves it but i don't think it's a death sentance for a horse to be on it's own. In many ways haivng only one horse is a good thing. They tend to be far more affectionate their person and you don't have to worry about herd boundness ect. If it were me i'd just see how it went with the one first and then worry about getting something else later if it seems to always be upset or sad about being alone.

 

[HGFarm]

I have had a few horses over the years that were solitary animals, with none other in sight. They did just fine. I was their buddy, not another horse, goat or what ever...... Never had any problems with them dealing with it. Actually we bonded even better I think. They didnt mind when other horses were ridden by or whatever, and they certainly were not 'horse sour'! LOL

 

[albahurst]

I agree with having two horses or no horses. One of our horses will even stop eating if it doesn't have a buddy in the same pen- through the fence won't even work- helps, but not good enough. I think you might find your horses will be easier to care for if there are two of them, as they will be happier.

Peggy

 

[maplegum]

From my experience, I can say that one horse can be a sad sight.

When i first bought Bailey, he was only 4 months old and came to us as an only horse. We were lucky that he had some big horse company right at our back fence. My neighbour also has a shetland pony and Bailey and the shetland would have play days together a couple of times a week. The problem came when we had to seperate them again and Bailey would fret.

My hubby surprised me with Bailey's 1/2 sister recently and I can honestly say he has never been happier. It warms my heart to see them laying together in the sun and mutual grooming.

They really do enjoy other horse company.

 

[wwminis]

I almost didn't read this thread because I truly hate to see a mini by himself. Horses are herd animals and are very lonely alone. Some people say getting a goat or other small animal is enough, but if you can take care of another animal it is actually easier to take care of another mini. You don't have to buy seperate feed and tend to special needs of another kind of animal. Personally if I couldn't have two minis, I wouldn't have any. I am the same way with all animals. I think everything needs to have one of its kind around.

Maybe you could buy two from the same farm and get a special price.

I agree with this statment 100%!

Bill

 

[LeosPocoDan]

Some horses (generally the older ones) are content by themselves. But it is pretty rare.

My mini isn't in the same pen as other horses but her pen is in the middle of a pasture that houses my two full sized geldings and she is just fine. But she will freak if we take the other two on a trail ride, or just out of her sight.

Full sized horses are just the same. When I got my first gelding when I was 11 we bought him off of a large ranch out in west texas. We bought him home and he paced the fence day and night for three days until we could make the 4 hour drive again to go get a mini/shetland/pony type cross to put with him. He was so happy when he got his buddy. I think we still have a picture of him seeing the mini for the first time. He was estatic.

 

[Sixstardanes]

While we only have 1 mini we do realize the importance of horsie interaction & activities for Saber so we take him in our van to places where he can get that enrichment

We are located in southern California and so far have taken him up to Big Bear

http://www.6stardanes.com/saberBB.html

to Griffith Park

http://www.6stardanes.com/gpsaber.html

and just recently to Norco

(I haven't uploaded those pixs yet)

Saber loves to travel!

He hasn't shown any signs of being lonely.

Saber has a real good relationship with our Great Danes and plays with them.

With one of them (Rooster) they'll take turns chasing each other sometimes which is fun to see.

Here's a video of Saber & Rooster -

 

[A Yankee In NC]

Thank you all for the input..I have read and carefully considered all responses.

I love it here .... everyone is so helpful!

Thanks Again!

el

 

[Margaret]

I have one mare that wont lay down unless there is another horse-friend present.

 

[Bunnylady]

Can you stand another "Betsy story?"

When I got my silly mule, she was the only equine we had for about 3 months. She entertained herself by chasing the goats, chickens, and ducks on occasion, and interacted with me, but it was clear that we weren't enough. She would gaze off into the distance and let loose with that sound that only a mule can make!

I knew she had a buddy at the place she had come from, a mini weanling named Syd. Syd was having problems of her own. She was the only horse in her pen, and had become a regular Houdini at getting into the other pasture. Problem was, the only other horse there was a 3-year-old QH gelding that bullied her ferociously. She seemed to feel it was better to be with someone who beat her up, than to be alone.

Syd's owner and I agreed that Syd should come live with us. Syd had never been trailered, not even trained to lead, so my daughter and I led Betsy down to help us walk Syd back. When Betsy saw Syd, she became so excited she almost flipped over backwards! When I let Betsy loose in Syd's pen, they immediately began mutual grooming. With their necks curved around each other, it looked for all the world like a horsey hug.

Yes, I do have buddy problems with Betsy. She hates to leave our place without Syd - unless it was her idea to go in the first place! I can work with Syd solo, no problem there. When I see them playing together, I'm sure this is the best solution for all of us (the goats, ducks and chickens might have a different opinion!)