Are horses herd animals or prefer being alone?

Question

Where we board, our mare doesn't get along well enough with any other horse to be put in a field with them. She is put out alone. We are buying our gelding and hope to eventually turn them out together.I think at the barn they can't really turn out someone else's horse with another boarder in case someone gets hurt, but with our own horses, it's ok. We do know to introduce them slowly, they will be stalled next to each other.Our mare is spoiled rotten as well as our gelding will be. So, do horses feel better having a buddy or being a loner?

Answer 1

if she is spoiledd  she might get mad because your turning your attentinon to you gelding but genrally they like a pasture buddy they calm down way more

Answer 2

They prefer a buddy.  I have a gelding who i think hates every horse but a mare i have, they are buddies and they get turned out together with no problems...If i put another gelding with him the battle wouldn't stop, he is a bully.

Answer 3

horses are herd animals so yes they normally feel more comfortable together in a big pasture. if your mare does not get along with the horses it may be because she is a dominant mare and one of the other horses is a dominant as well. keep tryin to find a horse that can be with her, so she does not have to be alone.

Answer 4

horses, for the most part are heard animals. and heards have a pecking order, maybe you're mare is more dom, and was put out with a more dom mare as well, there in that cause would be trouble and those two wouldnt get along. in the case of gendlings, you may stand a better chance putting her out with him (once they got to know eachother and work things out tween themselves).  

we had a mare and a gelding out, both were fine with other animals, but once we moved and kept it just those two, we couldnt take them apart. i couldnt go on trail rides because my nut gelding would run up and down the field looking for her, screaming as loud as he could. we'd have to take them out together or not at all.

that being said, some horses may perfer to be alone, but most are truely heard animals and it does depend on their pecking order.

Answer 5

Definitely a herd animal. I'm betting that after being stalled next to one another then turned out together she and your gelding will work it out pretty quick deciding which will be alfa and get along.It's possible that she may still stay off doing her own thing but she will be happy to have him in sight.

Answer 6

Horses are definetly herd animals and can be lonely if they don't see other horses often

Answer 7

horses are mostly herd animals... some barns put everybody 's horses out together... some like to be alone others don't... usually all depends on the horse....

Answer 8

Horses are, by nature, herd animals. They rely on each other to alert them to danger and for grooming and  many other things.

With a herd comes a pecking order, and horses are very precise!!! I am thinking that at one time your mare was a lower ranking member of a pecking order and doesn't ever want to be that way again, so she has become very aggressive (learned from those horses who used to push her around), making her possibly dangerous to other horses. She also could be the foal of a dam who fits the above description. This is the case with one of our mares.

We have a morab (morgan arabian) mare who is a real snot to new horses and we have to be very careful when introducing horses to the herd because of her.  The surprising thing is, she's not even the boss mare! Our lead horse is a big apendix / morgan gelding (The one in my pic). As long as no one bothers him, he's a marshmallow. Our problem mare is third in line of 8.

When you get your gelding and you finally release them together, she will cahse and bite and kick and you will wonder if she's completely lost her mind. But after a few hours she will slow a bit (If he is submissive. If he's as aggressive as her, I would be very worried.) After a few days they will settle into a pattern and peace will return (Intermixed with the occasional scuffle.) Your mare will always be the first to drink, the first to roll, and depending on the size of your shelter, she may never let him inside with her.

This doesn't mean she doesn't like him. If you remove him, she will cry for him. And, once the relationship is created, he will cry for her. It's kind of a love/hate thing. I wish your mare was an easier going gal, it would be much easier, but you can introduce another horse with a happy ending.

Just a note of info: When you release them together, a round pen works best as there are no corners for the gelding to get caught in, should your mare try to pin him. We had a neighbor who lost a horse becasue she got a new horse and the new horse was the aggressive one and she kicked the exisiting horse in the hip, shattering it. Our neighbor had to put her horse down. It was a very sad day.

Good luck!

Answer 9

Give them enough space for turnout...they will either hang together or not...ours bicker but don't fight...they do watch over each other when one or the other takes a good deep-sleep nap.  Alone is cruel for a horse.

Answer 10

herd animals. if the horse doesnt get along with other horses then try a pony, goat, or a llama. thats what they had at my old farm.

Answer 11

herd animals. they rely on the lead stallion or mare 4 protection/survival

Answer 12

They are definitely company craving creatures.

Answer 13

Horses HATE being completely alone.  If she won't get along with the other horses, try a pony or a goat.  Take her for long walks or trail rides with the new horse you're introducing her to - keep them out of kicking distance until they seem to be getting along.

Answer 14

Horses are heard animals and it is cruel to expect them to live alone.  Most horses live happily with each other although some might not like a particular animal.  

You sound like a sensible person and it is often mares that are difficult, geldings are usually much more placid, so putting a gelding with a tempremental mare sounds like you are doing the right thing and moving slowly.

As long as they ahve enough space to get away if one takes a dislike to another.

Answer 15

Horses absolutely are herd animals and should always have buddies.  There may be some sparring at first but this should disappear relatively quickly.  If you stall them next to each other and they can see and smell each other (no solid wall between them), the transition will be easier.  It they can be across a fence from each other that would work to introduce them to each other.  It takes 3 days for a proper horse introduction.  After that, let them work it out.  You can't help them with that, but horses rarely get into a situation that is life threatening during an introduction between two.  There may be some scrapes or bruises on the gelding but they will eventually decide who gets to be the boss.  It will be good for both of them to have a regular buddy.

Answer 16

No matter what happens ( whichever horse you put her in with) there are going to be fights. They need to sort out the pecking order amongst themselves. Horses constantly fight when a new horse is introduced so really if your barn has that policy they are going to run out of places to put new horses. I would talk to your barn owner/manager. THey are herd animals and they need companionship. Horses can get depressed just like people and if they are left  alone they will become a different horse.

Answer 17

horses ARE herd animals cause in the wild they are together all the time but some like being alone!

Answer 18

Horses are herd animals and most do not sleep really deep unless there is another horse around to watch over them.

Once you intorduce your gelding to the mare and they get to know each other over the fence then turn them out and let them sort of the pecking order.

They will.

Unless she beats him up really bad all the time give them some time and expect some fighting but they should get things sorted out.