Hi everyone. I've just joined and I think it's going to be a bit of a lifeline for me.
Sorry long post to begin with....
I'm back into horses after over 20 years. I'm 48 and used to ride regularly up until I was early 20s, not going to shows, but more hacking out. However, I never had any proper riding lessons; the ponies I rode were always someone else's and I never really got trained in horse management.
I've got two - Rupert an unbroken 4 year old 13hh Appaloosa/Welsh C and Ruby a 14.2hh 10 year old New Forest/Warmblood. I bought Rupert first in March 2014 - he was living in the paddock at the back of our old house. I got to know him and couldn't face life not seeing him again if he was sold! He's a darling and loves to learn. I'm learning to back him now and he's doing fabulous at lunging (unlike his mummy!!).
Then I got Ruby to ride last August. She's also a darling and although 'season week' is a bit fraught, she's a well trained pony and will teach me loads. I'm having a few lessons which I'm finding hard going, but coping fine! My instructor loves Ruby and said she's perfect for me.
However, I've just got my own paddock/stables on a yard with another experienced lady and her horse (5 acres in total). It's lovely to be off a busy yard and it's the first time I've managed a paddock and I'm really enjoying it. Now here's the problem which I'm sure you have all experienced - I want to ride Ruby out with the other lady and her horse, which means sometimes leaving Rupert alone, until he can come with us when he's backed. There are only my two and hers at the yard.
Both R&R together in the same paddock. The lady I'm with believes horses should live on their own. I don't. I like to see natural behaviour rather than them standing on their own looking forlorn and sad. I'm working on being 'top mare' and when I'm in the paddock, both behave well.
However Rupert does go a bit mad when I remove Ruby from the paddock for lessons. It's stopping me going out with the lady from the yard as Rupert would be completely alone. If I have someone else there, he seems calmer as they wait with him whilst I go out. It's not ideal though.
I realise it's a fine line between watching them be horses and enjoy their time together in the paddock grooming each other and living a lovely fun life, against having the separation issues, but to be honest if they were in separate strip grazing, I know the issue would still be there from experience at my last yard.
Please can anyone offer me some advice? I have thought about a couple of sheep or goats to keep company? The trouble is we can only have three stables at the yard at present, so I'd have to get a companion who didn't need one. I do have a horse shelter though.
Thanks ever so much and sorry for appearing a bit novice.
Wendy
Sorry long post to begin with....
I'm back into horses after over 20 years. I'm 48 and used to ride regularly up until I was early 20s, not going to shows, but more hacking out. However, I never had any proper riding lessons; the ponies I rode were always someone else's and I never really got trained in horse management.
I've got two - Rupert an unbroken 4 year old 13hh Appaloosa/Welsh C and Ruby a 14.2hh 10 year old New Forest/Warmblood. I bought Rupert first in March 2014 - he was living in the paddock at the back of our old house. I got to know him and couldn't face life not seeing him again if he was sold! He's a darling and loves to learn. I'm learning to back him now and he's doing fabulous at lunging (unlike his mummy!!).
Then I got Ruby to ride last August. She's also a darling and although 'season week' is a bit fraught, she's a well trained pony and will teach me loads. I'm having a few lessons which I'm finding hard going, but coping fine! My instructor loves Ruby and said she's perfect for me.
However, I've just got my own paddock/stables on a yard with another experienced lady and her horse (5 acres in total). It's lovely to be off a busy yard and it's the first time I've managed a paddock and I'm really enjoying it. Now here's the problem which I'm sure you have all experienced - I want to ride Ruby out with the other lady and her horse, which means sometimes leaving Rupert alone, until he can come with us when he's backed. There are only my two and hers at the yard.
Both R&R together in the same paddock. The lady I'm with believes horses should live on their own. I don't. I like to see natural behaviour rather than them standing on their own looking forlorn and sad. I'm working on being 'top mare' and when I'm in the paddock, both behave well.
However Rupert does go a bit mad when I remove Ruby from the paddock for lessons. It's stopping me going out with the lady from the yard as Rupert would be completely alone. If I have someone else there, he seems calmer as they wait with him whilst I go out. It's not ideal though.
I realise it's a fine line between watching them be horses and enjoy their time together in the paddock grooming each other and living a lovely fun life, against having the separation issues, but to be honest if they were in separate strip grazing, I know the issue would still be there from experience at my last yard.
Please can anyone offer me some advice? I have thought about a couple of sheep or goats to keep company? The trouble is we can only have three stables at the yard at present, so I'd have to get a companion who didn't need one. I do have a horse shelter though.
Thanks ever so much and sorry for appearing a bit novice.
Wendy
I have just my 2 and leave hank home alone while I ride jess, he can see horses either side on the neighbouring properties but still squeaks and tears around, however I have reliable info that he only does it for 5-10 minutes when I leave and again when he hears us returning so I let him to it, he gets better the more regularly I go out. Could you get a cheap stable mirror to put in ruperts stable so he still has company when you are out