Over the last year I have got back into horses after many years away having family etc. 3 months ago I bought a rising 3 Welsh Section D gelding. He has a VERY strong personality and can be quite bargy. I have plans to do some natural horsemanship techniques to establish myself as herd leader when the ground conditions improve as I have no access to a school. He was being kept on his own when I bought him but I don't like horses living alone so borrowed a pony from my sister to keep him company. He was quite aggressive towards this pony so while I looked for a permanent companion he was integrated into my sister's herd of 6. Here he was second bottom ranked horse but lived fairly companionably for 6 weeks except when separated from his first friend (who he had been so aggressive towards!) at which point he'd get so distressed he'd go through electric fences if necessary to get to him.
I found a perfect companion, a sensible, gentle but firm mare, the same size as him and took her on 6 months loan. They were put together last Sunday and it went really well all week. She was boss, told him off when he misbehaved but not in a nasty way. Firm but fair. But overnight something has changed and he is chasing her very aggressively and relentlessly till they are both puffing and blowing. I have been forced to separate them tonight though they now hang over the fence to each other.
He's also been much more bargy and boldly with me. I'm not scared of him and I'm being really firm. I've had a 3 year old which I trained myself before. This horse is so difficult at times though, I don't know what to do next. I am not wealthy and cannot afford expensive consultations so here are my options as I see them.
a) I send the loan pony back and keep my boy alone (which I hate the idea of. I think he'll be bored and not learn how to behave around other horses)
b) I keep the loan pony, who is an absolute dream to work with compared to my boy at the moment, and admit defeat and sell my horse.
c) I keep them separated for a few days then try them together again.
It's not an option to keep them over the fence from each other for long.
He is also very nappy around other horses and needs company to go everywhere. He's much easier to work with on his own. He so desperately loves company though, I feel it's cruel to keep him lonely. I'm so worried by all this I can't sleep. Please help. I'm usually very strong and confident around horses. In the years I didn't own my own, I still rode frequently but at the moment I'm feeling like I've bitten off more than I can chew and I'm panicking a bit.
I found a perfect companion, a sensible, gentle but firm mare, the same size as him and took her on 6 months loan. They were put together last Sunday and it went really well all week. She was boss, told him off when he misbehaved but not in a nasty way. Firm but fair. But overnight something has changed and he is chasing her very aggressively and relentlessly till they are both puffing and blowing. I have been forced to separate them tonight though they now hang over the fence to each other.
He's also been much more bargy and boldly with me. I'm not scared of him and I'm being really firm. I've had a 3 year old which I trained myself before. This horse is so difficult at times though, I don't know what to do next. I am not wealthy and cannot afford expensive consultations so here are my options as I see them.
a) I send the loan pony back and keep my boy alone (which I hate the idea of. I think he'll be bored and not learn how to behave around other horses)
b) I keep the loan pony, who is an absolute dream to work with compared to my boy at the moment, and admit defeat and sell my horse.
c) I keep them separated for a few days then try them together again.
It's not an option to keep them over the fence from each other for long.
He is also very nappy around other horses and needs company to go everywhere. He's much easier to work with on his own. He so desperately loves company though, I feel it's cruel to keep him lonely. I'm so worried by all this I can't sleep. Please help. I'm usually very strong and confident around horses. In the years I didn't own my own, I still rode frequently but at the moment I'm feeling like I've bitten off more than I can chew and I'm panicking a bit.