Should i get 2 horses? or one?

Question

ok, the deal is, that i'm going to get my first horse. and i have a sister that wants one too. but i'm unsure if i should only get 1 and share, or get 2. there is trouble with both.

1. if i get only 1 horse and share, then i wont get a 100% bond with my horse.

2. if i get too, the horse's might not want to leave eachother if i want a ride, the other horse will be a distraction when i ride.

but, if i get too, the horses wont get bored.

what should i do?

please help (:

Ta. x

Answer 1

I would get one and see how it goes. After a couple months, if sharing isnt working out and you can afford another one then go get one. It is easier to buy another one than sell the one you on in this market.

Answer 2

I had one horse for a full year and a half all by himself and he was fine. The horse will bond with you and your sis both if you spend lots of time with him. My old horse was bonded to both my mother as well as me. The advantage to having 2 horses is that, yes, they have companions, but to 1 is that it will bond closer to you (unless you aren't bondable, in which case your horse won't be happy).

My reccomendation just so you know is that you should definately get an older more experiencedhorse. I'm talking about a horse in it's 16+ range, even in the 20's is a good idea. With proper love and care a horse can live to be in it's 30's, mine lived to be 38 and we were told he'd die withinthe first year of us having him,well he lived 10 years after we got him at 28 so it can be done with proper care!

Get a trainer or someone who knows how to ride to teach you and your sister. Don't get a young pony, it'll go badly, get an older well broke horse. If need be, lease it for at least 3 months first to see if it works with you.

Good luck, if you have the money you can think about looking for 2 well trained horses.

Answer 3

why don't you just get 1 and share it you both will have a strong bond with the horse and then maybe you and your sister will have a stronger bond.

Answer 4

i think you should get one..two is alot more responsiblity..im not doubting you just saying....but i would try the one horse out and then if hes lonely bring in the other. but make sure you establish a bond with the first your sister and you can take turns on the one horse. good luck

Answer 5

i think you should get both if you can. horses are herd animals and could get very lonely without a friend. we have 14 and only 1 hates being away from the herd.

bonds are very strong. if you make a strong bond with a horse your sister shoulden't bother that bond unless she is a horse hog.

I would get both....

Answer 6

If you are both very keen get two. The upside way outweighs the down.

You will go out and catch your horses together.

You'll groom together, washing etc

You'll ride together.

You can go to competitions together.

Deffinately get two if you can, my children just love so much riding together. And my neice that rides my hack just loves going out with my children. It is so much more fun if you can ride with someone else.

Words can't describe how keenly I feel about you getting two horses - just do it. See how much you enjoy it, if one of you becomes disinterested you can always sell the worst of the two horses later on. JUST DO IT!!!!

Happy horse hunting you lucky things :) PS my children are out catching their ponies right now while I have a quick cup of coffee before joining them. It's such a fun family thing to do and a great bond for sisters.

Answer 7

i think u should get 2, but plz plz plz make sure u can afford it 1st. not just the horse but all the bills and feed and stuf

Answer 8

Horses are social creatures and having equine company is almost a necessity for them. Horses kept alone often start showing undesirable behaviors because being alone is such a psychological stress for them.

I suggest you get at least two horses if you plan to keep them on your land or otherwise by themselves. Yes, it is possible for them to get co-dependent, but that is a problem that can be handled by separating them during work and being strict about good manners and obedience. If you plan on boarding with others, having one horse is fine. He will make friends with others at the barn. You don't need 100% bond to have a good bond with your horse.

Answer 9

If it was me I would get to horses. It all depends on how much attention you are going to be giving your horse. If you are going to have hime out a lot everyday everyday then only get one but if you are going to let him go for a few days at a time then I would get to. If you have to horses they stand close together to get flies off and just get company. Whatever wrks out better for you.

               Good Luck = )

Answer 10

If you can afford two horses, then get two horses are herd animals and often get stable vices if they don't have compansion ship.  Horses do bond with each other so you will have to make sure neither one of them get barn sour.  from the beginning just take one horse and ride it around for awhile.  Leave the other one in the barn.  then have your sister take the other horse out for awhile while horse number one stays in the barn.

Answer 11

get two but make sure your sister is fully up for looking after it 100%...you guys can always ride together..horses love being together..so they don't get bored..and if ur in australia remember  feeds very exspensive...good luck...

Answer 12

If you can afford it, you might want to get two. The horses won't get lonely and I doubt one will be a distraction to the other. Also, since your sister wants a horse too, I assume you will be sharing the responsibility.

On the other hand, if getting two horses is constraining your budget, getting one horse may be more appropriate. You'll bond plenty with him/her and you'll learn lots about horse ownership, but you won't have the full responsibility of two horses.

;) Hope this helps

Also, if you decide to get one horse I suggest you get a companion animal, such as a goat or a miniature horse.

Answer 13

Horses are herd animals and need company so you can never have just one.  I wouldn't worry about the bonding issue or the 'herd bound' issue.  Those things can be addressed with training and communication.  This is the deal, as I see it, when horses have more than one rider, it usually makes for great difficulty for the horse.  Riders have different abilities, different goals, different personalities, different smells, etc.  If things are not relatively "equal", it only serves to confuse the horse and that places great limitations on what can be accomplished in your riding.  Example:  There was a wonderful man (71 - rode every day) I knew and he was a very accomplished rider.  Two days a week, he took dressage lessons with a trainer and so did his wife.  His wife, nice lady, but was a poor rider and just confused the heck out of the horse.  The man could never progress with his horse, because every good thing he accomplished by undone by his wife when she rode.  There was no consistency with the poor horse.  He was trying as much as he could, but the riders were so very different, it was an impossible situation for the horse.   My personal horses are extremely well trained and responsive and I  would never let anyone else ride them because it would just confuse them and they wouldn't know what was going on.  Our relationship is so refined, no one else could communicate like we do, and I think they would be offended and insulted.  I would never do that to them.  I have spent a lot of time and money to get them where they are and I would never put that or them at risk.   Just another viewpoint, something to think about.  If it is a possibility, it will be all good if you can have 2.

Answer 14

I would definitely start out with one, and then when you feel confident, get a second. Horses are lots of work, and double the horses means double the work and expenses.

Your fear that you won't get a '100% bond' with your horse is nothing. Horses are herd animals, they bond with more than one individual.

If you get two, your horses will be fine separated. Some horses can get seperation anxiety, but this isn't something you should worry about unless you actually encounter it.

If you're boarding your horse, your horse will bond with the other horses living at the boarding facility.

Answer 15

Begin with one horse as your post sounds like you don't know a lot about horses.  You should check cost of hay, and boarding if you don't have these things.  Believe me, you and your sister can both "bond" with the same horse and horses don't need much to keep from being bored.

Answer 16

Please get what you can afford. And i don't mean what you can afford to buy them they need food, farriers, meds...ugh to much to explain. but if you can afford it then I say go for both!!!!

Answer 17

well if you get 2 horses that are used to people riding on them then im sure it wont be a problem. plus then they have a companion. i hope this helped ! =]

Answer 18

id get two...i went to this camp a few summers ago and me and this girl had to share a horse cuz there wasnt enough and there just wasnt enough riding time when u share so id get two LOL :)

good luck

Answer 19

The question really be what can YOU afford? Can you afford to feed two horses? Can you afford the vet bills on two horses? Can you afford the farrier bills on two horses? Can you afford training and other things for two horses? And finally can you even find two horses that are in your price range, Well trained and suitable for your purposes and suitable for your use?

Although it is good for a horse to have a companion, it doesn't always have to be another horse.