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 Expert
Posts: 5293
  
| Well, I made the decision to just own/run 1 horse instead of 2. Anyone own just 1 horse? The finished horse I kept is a little lonely tonight. I hope it passes soon! |
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| I got a mini donkey for a babysitter for mine. Has worked out great. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I too, have one horse and a mini - I love only having one! Less stress, lower feed bill and I can devote all my attention to him. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1117
Location: MI | Growing up we always had two- our old gelding and whichever horse I was running at that time. After he passed a couple winters ago, I've just had my barrel horse. I admit sometimes I feel bad, like I should get her a buddy of some kind. But in reality she never seems lonely.. Plus it's SO easy right now, I worry if I get a buddy it would stress when she leaves, or mess with the fence. And it's a lot cheaper feeding one! 
She definitely was stressing the first couple of days after Ben passed away but soon relaxed. Hopefully it'll be the same with yours |
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 No Name Nancy
Posts: 2715
Location: never in the right place | I have always had only 1 horse and it got along fine. For the past 2 yrs I have had 2 and only ride 1 so the 1 left home frets when I take the other one out. I prefer only 1 horse. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I do, but I board so the potential for boredom isn't there. Which is good, I'm pretty sure the nerd would be quite destructive if left to his own devices. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | My mare was an 'only horse' this past summer for 2-3 months when my colt went up for training. We had bought her in April and she was at a boarding barn, and a bit anxious when we brought her home, so I was worried that she would be a mess. But, in reality she was fine and calmed down awesome. I had her in our big pasture with our 2 calves for company, but most of the time they were on opposite ends of the pasture. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1392
Location: Central Texas | My horse has been an only child for the last year. I was worried at first because he has spent most of his life on a polo string but he has adjusted just fine. He does share a fence line with the neighbors horses but I almost never see him hang out with them. He seems content to do his own thing. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | I've always only had 1 horse. Then that 1 horse got hurt. Had to get another to run while he healed.
I've got 1 horse right now (different one). And he's been hurt/lamen more than he needs to be this year. I cannot WAIT to start running my coming 3-year-old when he's old enough. I want a backup horse for a change!!! |
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Expert
Posts: 5293
| Thanks everyone. Good news is he nickers quite a bit but he scarfs down his feed like he always does and is not running like a mad man in his pen. This will be the first time in my life I just have one, but right now, thats whats best for me. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| My gelding is an only horse. He is too aggressive torwards other horses for me to turn him out with any before I moved him home, so it really wasn't any different. He has the neighbors calves to hang with, but I really just see him doing his own thing, which is grazing all the time or running around. Seems happy enough to me. |
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 Roan On The Range
Posts: 7889
Location: Stephenville, TX | I kept one horse by herself for a few years and she quieted down after a week or so. A few years later, I had a different horse, just one, and moved to a place where the other horses that lived there came and went quite a bit. So sometimes he had friends and sometimes he didn't. When he didn't he ran the fenceline like a maniac. So I bought a mini mare to keep him company and she's been well worth her purchase price, feed and upkeep.
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 Water Weight Barbie
Posts: 6829
Location: Oz, Kansas | Mines been an only child for a few years & it doesn't bother him at all. It's so nice to haul because he doesn't nicker for anyone. We do have cows around him & he licks the calves over the fence. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 151
| Oh boy! I hope my husband doesn't ever see this thread-lol!! This is a dream of his...unfortunately I am an addict, and I have FIVE!! |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I only have one horse, but I pasture board with a friend who has one horse. Personally, I'd like to keep my horse by herself because she buddies up with her pasture buddy and can be harder to catch and can be herd sour when taken from her on trail ride (but not in a trailer ). But I like my friend, so I put up with a little inconvenience. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | I'm down to one and someone times I feel guilty about him being alone and then I remember he didn't like the other horse and is probably glad he is gone..LOL
What he does do is whinny when he sees a grey horse. He use to be a bulldogging horse and the hazing horse was grey. I would love to be able to find him and let them retire together.
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | At one point we only had 3 horses but mine lived out in the front pasture by himself and the other 2 were separated in the back pasture. He never saw them. And he was perfectly content eating all day. He's so laissez-fair about everything. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | I am down to just having my little guy with me (lost my navicular horse and gave my good guy to my mama) and he does just fine by himself. I can tell he is a little lonely because he stares at the horses down the road sometimes but for the most part he is content to just chill in his pen. I make sure I spend at least an hour a day with him even if I can't ride just to give him someone to hang out with and I've spaced his meals out to three times a day so that keeps him entertained for a little while longer as well. He has a huge pen so he isn't just standing around in a stall or a run all day either. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | I only have one at the moment, and its been rough on me. I live with family who also have horses, so my guy has company (he has lived alone before and was fine; besides, he lives in his own pasture anyways!) He was hurt almost all of last year which worried me to death and left me without a mount. Were getting back at it now, but I feel like ive lost my game. Im hoping to hit some small jackpots soon to get back into it... |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 521
Location: Lone Star State | Up until recently, I've had only one horse. Had him from a weanling to a 4-yr-old. He did fine and I liked not having any buddy sour issues. He did watch the horse across the road often but was ok. I did put him in with cows but he would chase them into the pond every afternoon. Lol. I recently put a mini in with him to keep him company but my horse is such a bully. He torments/chases her and he wants all the attention. He's a bully and doesn't know how to play well with others.
They're all different personalities though. Maybe your horse will get over his loneliness. |
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