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AHayesHorses · May 2, 2019 6:50 PM

I am at a loss. I just don't know what to do :(

So, my sister moved to Kentucky (from Michigan) back in October. She took her quarter horse who is still in training with her but left her Tennessee Walker up here with me since at the time, she couldn't afford to take both horses with her. So her Tennessee Walker has been my Appaloosa mare's only pasture-mate since October. My mare is 17 and has never been kept by herself. Now, at the end of the month, my sister is coming home to take her Tennessee Walker back down to Kentucky with her to be free leased as a therapy horse. Leaving my mare to be pastured alone. I wish i could afford to get a second horse but i just can't afford the upfront cost of a new horse. I am pretty good at budgeting for feed, farrier, etc, but i just can't afford anything over $300 right now. I have two pygmy goats that go in and out of the horse pen and Angel doesn't mind having them hang around but whenever i take Classy (the Tennessee Walker) out to do something with her, Angel loses her mind because i took Classy away, and she ignores the goats. I feel like the worst horse mom on the planet because she's gonna have to live alone for who knows how long. We are not set up in any way, shape, or form, for boarding so that's off the table. And i can't take in someone's older horse because my mare is too intense and makes her pasture-mates run with her and kicks them when she wants them out of her space. I don't want to risk her injuring an older horse. I can't do a mini/pony because Angel detests them (and if my sister's 14.2 quarter horse can slip through the only non-electric part of the fence, a pony would have no problem getting out). I can't afford nor am i interested in leasing because i don't want to be responsible for a strangers horse. And to top it all off i can't afford to board her anywhere. If i could get rid of my dang goats and rabbits then i could save money a bit easier but i can't find a single soul on the planet who can take a CAE positive goat and his two buddies, nor anyone to buy my lot of rabbit equipment. I feel like such a failure right now :( It's getting closer and closer to Classy's departure every day and i am no closer to finding a solution.

If you read all that, kudos to you lol I'm sorry to complain but i just need encouragement right now :(

Williams005 · May 3, 2019 1:47 AM

I'm sorry. I wish you the best >:D<

Iceshadow · May 3, 2019 2:24 AM

Pardon me, but what's CAE?

AHayesHorses · May 3, 2019 3:14 AM

@Iceshadow CAE is Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis. It is a horrible virus in goats :( You can read about it online. Thankfully Tom (my positive boy) doesn't show any symptoms or any discomfort but he did test positive.

AHayesHorses · May 3, 2019 3:14 AM

@Williams005 thanks :)

FallenShadows714 · May 3, 2019 3:38 AM

Sending you all the hugs in the world right now. I’m not sure how plausible this is, but could you use a stable blanket on Classy to get her scent? Just for an hour or so here and there until she does leave, so you have it for Angel to smell? It’s a long shot, and definitely doesn’t replace the actual horse, but maybe having the scent will help. And definitely try to spend as much time as you can with her after Classy goes home.

4StarShowPonies · May 3, 2019 4:14 AM

I would see if someone would be interested in boarding their horse with you.

AHayesHorses · May 3, 2019 4:49 AM

@FallenShadows714 I can certainly try that :)

@4StarShowPonies I mentioned above that we are not set up for boarding at all :( We have a single small pasture behind out house with no real riding pen (I ride in my uncle's field) and no trails (I ride down the road for trail riding). It's one big mud pit here. And the fencing is not exactly perfect. So boarding is just not an option. Not to mention, i don't have really any horse-y friends and i don't want the responsibility/stress of caring for a stranger's horse.

Cheers · May 3, 2019 5:02 AM

Could cattle be an option? You might be able to find a “potty” calf cheap? Just throwing it out there.

HTRanch · May 3, 2019 2:27 PM

We have a similar set up to you - two horses and a herd of goats. A few years ago we sold one horse and my *extremely* herd bound gelding was alone for a few months before I was able to find another horse. He bonded with the goats just fine. He was alone again for a few months while I attempted to lease the other horse out and again, bonded really well with the goats. Obviously he prefers horsey company, but the goats became his family for a bit.

AHayesHorses · May 3, 2019 4:01 PM

@Cheers she's terrified of cattle lol she runs from them on our trail rides (and my dad would never allow me to bring cows home lol)

@HTRanch I'm hoping she'll learn to love the goats :( I'm planning on getting either getting a round bales or large square bale to put in the pasture for her to be on 24/7 as a hopeful distraction lol

Cheers · May 3, 2019 10:14 PM

Well shoot.... I hope she really bonds to the goats then! It just was an option you hadn’t mentioned in your initial set of eliminated possibilities. !

Cheers · May 3, 2019 10:17 PM

(I suspect based on your description of the property that fostering a horse for whatever your local rescue is wouldn’t be an option, but you might look into it anyway. Usually the expenses of the foster horse are covered by the rescue (vet/farrier/feed) but they usually require certain standards of fencing. Might be worth looking into though. You also might talk to your vet. They may know of a retired horse who needs someplace to stay that might be able to keep up with your mare. I know you don’t want the responsibility of boarding or the expense of taking on another horse, but would be worth it to ask your vet anyway. They also may be able to help you brainstorm other methods of calming your girl once her companion leaves....because if worst comes to worst you may need chemical help anyway....

AHayesHorses · May 4, 2019 1:41 AM

@Cheers i will definitely mention it to my vet when he comes to do spring vaccines on the girls this month (which reminds me, i should actually schedule that appointment lol)

AHayesHorses · May 4, 2019 8:26 PM

Well y'all... To top all this off, i am 90% sure my goat is pregnant (not supposed to be since the buck is her son) and she would be due any time. Her udder is starting to fill up and her belly is starting to drop. And i am pretty darn sure i felt a little baby hoof in her belly :'( I literally do not need this right now. I am kicking myself for not removing Olaf sooner... I just had nowhere to put him at the time. Please pray for my sanity y'all and that i can find someone, somewhere to take the three boys i have. If only there were a rescue near me that took CAE positive goats :(

kintara · May 5, 2019 12:26 AM

Sounds horrible, but there are worse things than dead, maybe you need to think about getting the boy goats put down. Putting them down means taking responsibility for them rather than trying to pass on to a rescue. As for the mare, sounds like most options are out so she is going to just have to get used to being on her own for a while, and enjoy goat company LOL!

BlaxkDiamond · May 6, 2019 1:54 PM

Well it sounds like you don’t have any perfect options right now. But uf it helps my mare has spent a lot of this spring by herself, and besides being a bit of a mentall wreck the first day or two she’s been fine. She was extremely heard bound, now she’s attached to me she hears my car and trots to meet me. I know she’d love company but it wasn't an option for me either. I think of it as a good training experience for her to have.

I would recommend making sure your fence is extra secure, because while she’s going nuts she will probably try to get to her budy and it wouldn’t be good if she got out. My mare did that scared me to death, but now the pen is secure so she stays put.

Other than that she should be fine. :)

AHayesHorses · May 6, 2019 4:50 PM

@BlaxkDiamond Thanks! I will definitely be sticking close to home for the first few days just to keep an eye on here. Also hoping to get either a large round bale or large square bale to put in the pasture to hopefully keep her distracted :)

BlaxkDiamond · May 6, 2019 5:07 PM

Glad to help :)

Looper · May 10, 2019 9:46 PM

Have heard that horses that absolutely "NEED" company are very smart horses. What about toys and puzzles until she either gets used to being on her own or you find her a companion? Tactile and visual stuff:

https://www.thehaypillow.com/blog/horse-boredom-busters-toys-enrichment-tips-for-stall-or-pasture

https://www.chewy.com/b/balls-1684

https://www.statelinetack.com/item/itchin-post-grooming-pad/E017591 BRN/?srccode=GPSLT&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjbm6iPeR4gIVraOzCh3OkgtNEAQYBCABEgIUrfD_BwE

I've heard of folks cutting and sanding holes in water barrels and putting treats in them the way you stuff a Kong for a dog.

SmokinBlack · May 13, 2019 5:58 PM

I bet there is some kid or young woman who can't afford a big fancy stable, and would be grateful to board at a smaller more homey place, I boarded a woman's horse at my place for 4 years , all I had was my field split in half, her Arabian was 28 years old and she actually put weight on with me, maybe look for someone who has an older horse they want to retire and ride once in awhile

Windigo · May 15, 2019 3:11 PM

She will likely go bat crap crazy for the first couple days, so definitely keep an eye on her. She should settle out of it though, and it will do her some good. I have three mares that are very attached to each other. Two are sisters that got reunited a couple years ago and have been pretty much inseparable ever since. When we reunited them, a couple weeks later all of a sudden I had trouble catching any of the three. My mares don't like to be caught on a good day, and I work EXTREMELY hard to keep them very catchable. It drives me crazy to have to chase any of them lol. Long story short, I found the root of the problem was Lady (the boss) not wanting to be caught and pushing the other girls off, keeping them moving. Lady got herself separated from her sisters and kept away from them for a month. Within a week she was meeting me at the gate begging to be caught. Her focus turned from hollering and pacing looking for the other girls to looking for me fairly quickly. I've done this to the other mares at various times with the same result. Lady is now my easiest to catch and hunts for me even with the other girls right with her.

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