Second horse.. companion or project?

Question

So in a few years, my family wants to move to a house with a small barn and pastures, enough for 3-5 horses at most.

Right now i have an older TB gelding who will live with me 'till the end of days but hes my only horse..

i know that horses don't do well living alone so we'll need to find/by something to live with Beau, but heres the question.

.

should we get an older (or younger) companion only horse, or like, light (walk, maybe trot) only horse..

or should we get a project for me to work with. I have experience with young horses and training horses so that's not a problem.

I honestly can't decide.. i figure we could take in a younger companion only.. like a lame horse (i don't want an old horse to have to see die..) and give it a home, but by that time Beau will be phasing out of as much work as i'll like him to do..

any opinions welcomed..

Answer 1

If you want to keep riding, I would think you would want a younger horse.

That's very cool your going to keep him till the end. I wish more people would take responsibility for there horses that way. I hate it when someone has a horse for a long time then when they get old, they just sell them off. I wonder what they would think if there kids did that to them when there old.

Answer 2

i would say that if your horse gets along with other horses ok, then to get a younger horse, that is started.. if you get one that is started,  you will still have time to do things with your first horse, and not have to completly focus on training the new one.. if you believe your experienced enought to train, then get one that you can teach, so you will have another horse that you connect with, and one that will help with the pain when your first horse (Beau) leaves you... hope this helps with your decision!!

Answer 3

Tough question.  If you have the time and desire I would take the project horse. You can still do a rescue, as there are a lot of horses that are young or troubled that need a home, as well as the old broken down ones.  You might even consider a companion pony to be a pet for Beau when you take out your project horse to work on.  It is hard to put a couple of horses together and then take one out to work on - they can get pretty dependent on each other, but a third one can always stay behind and babysit.  Either way, you sound like you are putting a lot of thought into it, so I am sure you will do what is best for the horse you already have.

Answer 4

I think you should get a younger horse that you can train and ride. So then when are are no longer able to ride the horse you have now you will still have a horse to ride

Answer 5

Dang thats a hard decision. Is there anyway you could get both? It would be great if you could get a younger horse as a project that you could bring up for when your older guy is slowing down AND get a horse that has no other place to go and just needs a good pasture to live out the rest of his days.

If not though, I would go with a younger project horse just because its the more realistic option. Horses are a lot of time and money so the best option is to get the one that can at least work off his expenses. Although my heart bleeds for all the ones that have worked their whole lives and are now being dumped or who were ruined at a young age due to the greediness of humans.

Good luck with you're decision. Either way you'll be providing a deserving horse with a good home in such an uncertain time.

Answer 6

get a green broke one. chances are (if ur TB is that old) tht u might possibly have health issues with ur TB eventually. So u'll want a horse that u wont need to spend alot of time with incase ur TB needs extra medical or physical attention.

thts wat i would do :]

Answer 7

I would go for a project horse, that way its a two in one poackages you get a companion for your hrose but you will have a horse you can ride and work with as well. I would say he has atleast anouther godo 10+ years to live though. I have a 27 year old amre, and i know some one who is showing a 32 year old gelding who is in teh greatest and healthiest shape ever

Answer 8

Hmm you could get a middle aged horse that doesn't need a ton of work?? Just a good horse for you to ride. Other companions are miniature horses, goats, donkeys and mules.