25/10/2023
Full social contact is so important to horses and how we choose to house them has such a huge impact on their wellbeing as well as their behaviour and trainability as described so well in this post!
Many people are afraid to paddock their horses with one another for fear of injury or separation anxiety.
If this sounds like you, read on!
“If I had to describe my 5-year-old Warmblood a year ago I would have said he was highly sensitive, reactive, distracted and unsettled.
His behaviour escalated when we moved properties to the point where just leading him from the paddock to the stables was super stressful. Forget trying to ride! He was unsettled in his paddock too, rarely lying down to rest and regularly flicking his head and neck aggressively. At the tie-ups, he would paw at the ground, try to nip me constantly and would not stand still even if a hay bag was in front of him.
I literally tried everything to help him be a happier horse. This included feeding supplements, taking him off grass, and having him scoped for ulcers and assessed by a number of therapists.
At that same time, my daughter purchased a new horse, a beautiful young stock horse, which went into the paddock next door.
It was Manu whose suggestion made me think outside the square and consider group housing. I, like so many, was always hesitant to do this due to concerns about injury and separation anxiety. At that point, I really didn't understand the importance and benefits of group housing and just the innate need horses have for touch and connection.
Putting our young horses in a paddock together could honestly not have gone any smoother. There were only a couple of initial squeals, a few minutes of running around, and some tense moments for me as I watched on from the sidelines. Within about 10 minutes they had begun to groom each other, and you could see the bond forming instantly.
In the following days, it was quite amazing to witness the transformation of both horses. By day 3, they were even napping together, flat out, side by side in a deep, restful sleep. Both horses appeared to be more content and spent their day picking grass side by side or just resting happily in each other's company. Any head tossing or behaviours that would indicate stress had diminished. I have spent so much time since enjoying watching the beautiful interaction of these 2 horses from my kitchen window.
Much to my surprise there was minimal fuss when taking one horse away from the other. There was a little bit of running and calling out initially. However, before too long I think the horses were confident that their buddy would be returned and as a result became quite relaxed about it all.
The rideability, trainability and general attitude of my young horse improved out of sight in the weeks and months following. I truly believe that he gained so much confidence from having companionship which translated to a more relaxed, attentive and safer horse for our training sessions, outings and even trail rides.
It's safe to say, all my horses will have a paddock mate from now on as I can truly see how important it is for every horse no matter what the circumstances are."
