# Two horses...one stall?



## Mominis (Jun 16, 2010)

I noticed at the show that many people stalled two horses together. I have a couple of questions about that. Shake lives in a 14x14 stall. We are looking at getting another mini who is 5" shorter and a year younger than Shake (Shake's a two year old). I was thinking about putting them in separate stalls for the first 30 days and letting them be turned out together and get to know each other, then stalling them together. Is that safe?

If so, then how do you make sure that each horse is getting the grain and hay ration that they are supposed to get? I was thinking about a foal feeder with the bars set so that only the yearling could eat out of the foal feeder, but that's for grain. What about hay? How would I make sure that they are both getting enough?

I'm making buying decisions right now, so I really need to make sure that both horses could be properly managed.


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## Little Wolf Ranch (Jun 16, 2010)

Is there any reason why you can't just continue keeping them stalled seperately during feeding time? I always seperate somehow with the grain but with hay, everyone tends to get their fair share.


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## Mominis (Jun 16, 2010)

I can't keep them separate during feeding. I board my horse out and can only get one stall for the two after the first month. The B.O. feeds breakfast and dinner, I feed lunch. It is mostly a self care situation. I measure out the feed and put it in Ziplocks and I measure the hay and put it in bags. The B.O. just dumps the brakfast and dinner feedings to them. I clean my own stall, do my own turnouts, etc., etc.


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## Zipper (Jun 16, 2010)

I just grain feed mine all separate. I put halters on everyone and tie them up allover and let them eat and this is when I run my hands all over them to check for lumps or cuts and clean their feet etc. and I can see if anyone is not eating and watch them and it gets them used to being tied with out a lot of stress. I just feed grain 2x aday.

They eat their hay all together.


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## kdhminis (Jun 16, 2010)

I know that at the shows - you will see 2 mini's in one stall. I was at a show this past weekend, I took a yearling and a 2 year old. I paid for 3 stalls. I kept my mini's separate the first night because a person was sleeping all night in the stall next to mine. But the next night the weather was suppose to have a chance for hail - and I knew my yearling would throw a fit when I wasn't there - so I stalled them together that night.

My mini's at home are never stalled - so it is new to my mini's at shows - and makes my yearling nervous. So I'd give her a break periodically during the show day and put her in her buddy's stall - so she could relax a little.

But as far as always stalling 2 mini's together - like at your Boarding facility - I personally wouldn't want to do that as a on-going thing. However the size of stall you are stating is quite large for a mini - would they allow you to put a couple of cattle/hog/goat panels or a plywood partial wall up to separate the one stall into 2 separate sections? That might work well. You will see people at shows doing this also.


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## Sandee (Jun 16, 2010)

If that's what you have to do then you have to. Everyone will tell you that horses (no matter the size) will find a way to get into trouble and two can find it easier than one. I thought I had the stall problem all figured out when we brought my 1 1/2 yr.old stallion home and only had the one extra stall. We put up a pipe gate divider down the middle of the stall between the new little guy and our old gelding. It worked fine ---until the one day they must have had some sort of argument and I came out to find the 12' gate off the hinges and out of the fastener and on the floor with my little guy cowering in the corner while my gelding stood to the front of the stall where all the room was. They really haven't gotten along since then. Even though they're in seperate paddocks they will "play" halter tag when they can reach.

We also had to separate two horses in the middle of night at a show. They were "fine during the day" according to the owners but sometime in the night they began kicking and screaming at each other. We didn't want them all scarred for the show so we put one in an empty stall.


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## midnight star stables (Jun 16, 2010)

Due to space at my house, sometimes I'll stall my minis together, but usually they each have their own stall - with the exception of our two old (late late 20's) boys. They have been stalled together for longer then I can remember.

So it is really what works for you. I could see it working fine with two in a 14x14 stall and they'll likely play constantly.






Best of luck!


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## mizbeth (Jun 16, 2010)

Hi

Maybe you could divide the stall somehow so they are seperated from each other. It is hard to keep two together as one will eat the others feed and you won't notice it until one of them has lost a considerable amount of weight. They can pick at each other too and leave marks, it could be they won't get along at all and butt kick each other and push each other in the corners terriorizing them. Lots can happen to horses especially when they don't know each other. They could of course get along just fine, but you will not know that until you put them together.

Good luck in any case..........

B


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## mydaddysjag (Jun 16, 2010)

I wouldnt do it. Ive considered doing it before to be able to board at a nicer facility, but after researching here, decided against it. For one, someone is going to end up eating their stall mates food. I also have a friend who has this issue. One horse bolts it's feed, then bullies the smaller horse off of its feed. They ended up with one show horse becoming obese, and the other being skinny. Not a good look for either horse. They now tie the bully horse when feeding, but you said you cant do that. Also, simple things like just opening your stall door can become a pain with two horses in a stall. I cant remember is shake has an attached paddock to his stall, for some reason I wanted to think he did. If so, could they feed one in the paddock and the other in the stall, so they arent standing next to each other to eat? Or possibly make a stall divider. A 14x14 is big enough to divide into two stalls.

I know at shows people stall two minis together all the time, but shows are normally 2 days long or so, so its not like long term one horse isnt getting enough to eat, etc. I would ask about a stall divider honestly, just make sure its something sturdy, that they cant take off its hinges.


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## Marty (Jun 16, 2010)

Hi Mominis!

When mine are out loose, they frequently will go stand together in any open stall when I leave the doors open and they came come and go at will.

However, I would never in a million years lock two horses up together in the same stall where one could not get out and away from the other. I don't care if they are the best of friends, its a recipe for disaster especially at feed time. Someone is going to be clobberd.

I also wouldn't think of dividing the stall as I personally don't feel a 7 X 7 is ample room for one horse to manuever around and be comfortable.

You are really catching the mini bug in a big way but I am sorry to say I would not consider the purchase another horse until I could provide his own space for him.


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## Taylor Jo (Jun 16, 2010)

I stall my horses together two at a time at shows. I take 8 horses and my trainer has 3 right now and she stalls them separate and one is a stallion. The other 5 I have go together except Oreo the odd man out has his own stall. Financially, I couldn't afford everyone their own stall and they all get along at home and eat their own grain while at the show but HAY that's a different story. I tend to feed more hay at the show to make sure "everyone" gets their fair share even though the PIGGY sure as heck gets MORE then their fair share.

BUT, at home everyone has their own stall. I learned from the beginning when I got my two boy's it wasn't going to work. They were both yearling's and Sonny being the bigger one out eats Dakota 2-1. So we took some of our 12x12 stalls and divided them in half and put Sonny in one and Dak in the other. I now also have Polly in one and Honey in another one. I have two more that are like that and then 1 12x12 stall my stallion goes into.

I wouldn't have it any other way. Every horse needs their space and if one wants to relax and the other one wants to play there's a conflict. Just "like" kids.

We have pipe corrals and it works out really good, they can still visit yet have they're own space.

Plus, your two year old is liable to "pick" on the other one being naturally dominate over the other one and you don't want that.

Also, my horses are turned out after breakfast every morning weather permitting too, plus they get exercised. They have 5 acres to roam on and another 5 if I wanted to put them over on it.

Good luck in your decision, you can get those light weight panels to put down the middle at TSC for a pretty reasonable price if you decide to do that. We have a 8 ft panel on ours and then my husband put a 4 ft gate on the outside of ours but your putting yours in the middle, if you just put a light weight one and move it back and forth that should be pretty easy.

TJ


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## mydaddysjag (Jun 16, 2010)

Dividing the stall would make it 7x14. As long as you turnout, I dont see that it would be too small. Well, unless your putting big ponys in it, but I wanted to think shake is either 35" or 37"?


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## jleonard (Jun 16, 2010)

I have stalled mine togeather on a couple of occasions. When we first got our second mini we were still in CA, but we're planning to move to KY in the near future. In that instance we had a 12x9 stall/ run combo we had built for the one mini (6x9 stall connected to a 6x9 run seperated by a door). We would feed one in the run, and shut the other in the stall at feeding times so each could eat in peace. It was not ideal, but it worked for the month or two that we were in that situation.

When we moved to KY, each had a 12x12 stall for a while, then we got another big pony and the minis ended up sharing a 12x12 again. They were turned out durring the day, and kept togeather at night. I can't remember exactly how we seperated them, but we always did at meal times. They now have their own 12x6 stalls we built in an open 12x12 area.

When I take both to a show I often have them share a stall as it is just too expensive to get two. When I feed at shows I place a bucket in opposite corners and watch them carefully while they eat to make sure they stay in their respective corners. There was one instance when one was on a special diet, and in that case I took her out of the stall and held her while she ate. For hay I make two piles so if one gets pushy, the other can just go to the other pile.

I would not want to stable them togeather permenently, it's just too much hassel, but for short periods of time it can work (if the horses get along that is).

The barn where I took lessons when I was younger had two minis that shared a 12x12 stall. They had a gate that ran diagonally across the stall so each horse had it's own space. I don't know where the bought it, but it was very handy.

I think a 14x14 stall is plenty big enough for 2 minis, perhaps there is a way you can find to split it so they can share the stall but be seperated.


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## disneyhorse (Jun 16, 2010)

Being that you seem to be a "particular" person (purely judging from your posts) I would guess that you would NOT be happy with having two horses trying to live and eat together.

First of all, if they don't get along 100% (or if they do, and play too rough!) they will constantly have nicks and scrapes all over them. They may eat each other's manes and tails.

Secondly, since you want to show and seem very interested in conditioning, it is extremely difficult to tailor feed/supplement programs for horses that have different metabolisms/sizes/food aggression. One horse will always eat faster or more than the other.

I have kept horses in together and tried to tie them up just for grain when I was there, and had some limited success.

When it all came down to it, I bought a divider for the stall. I am MUCH happier keeping my horses separate.

Even though minis are physically small, they have the same needs as big horses. With show horses of ANY size, it's much easier to condition and care for them and keep them in show shape if they are all by themselves.

You can turn them out together for playtime though!

That's my two cents.

If in the future you are no longer showing and graining them, you may find keeping multiples together to be more appropriate. Then you can just throw as much hay as needed for the skinniest one, and the fatter one will be... well... fatter.





Andrea


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## Taylor Jo (Jun 16, 2010)

disneyhorse said:


> Then you can just throw as much hay as needed for the skinniest one, and the fatter one will be... well... fatter.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*I cracked up at that Andrea, that's a good one...... TJ*


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## Barbie (Jun 16, 2010)

I have 12' x 12' stalls in my barn. From time to time I have more than 4 minis here - well, up to 7 once. When that happens, I use the metal panels and divide my stalls into 2 6' x 12' stalls. Works fine and horses really like having company.

Good luck!

Barbie


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## hobbyhorse23 (Jun 16, 2010)

I'm watching this thread with great interest as it's a subject coming up here as well.



The boys have begun to work things out but Kody still jealously defends his stall at dinner time and I can only imagine the angst should I try to feed them together!



Kody doesn't care about the food itself so much but it infuriates him if the other horse won't clear out when he tells them to and he considers refusing to leave the locked stall to be a mortal offense.



I've ordered a telescoping steel divider that I'll pick up at the next show so at the very least I can section off one stall and have a small tack area (three stalls is way out of the budget) but I will probably experiment with briefly having them share a divided stall just to see how bad it would be. They're fine sharing separated space in the trailer and are learning to stand tied near each other without roughhousing but stalls, in Kody's book, are completely different things.

I could probably get them to split space temporarily if I put some sort of mesh across the top of the divider so they can't go after each other and give Kody the front so he feels properly alpha but I'm not sure it's worth it. I don't need a full tack stall anyway!







disneyhorse said:


> First of all, if they don't get along 100% (or if they do, and play too rough!) they will constantly have nicks and scrapes all over them. They may eat each other's manes and tails.


So true.



The non-mane side of Turbo's neck is a MESS from Kody's biting and Kody's tail has been steadily disappearing. And that's from occasional turnouts together and reaching through a pipe gate, respectively!



Turbo was okay in the winter but now that he's clipped the bites are leaving major marks.

Leia


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## Mominis (Jun 16, 2010)

I made an offer on the yearling and I'm waiting to hear back, but after reading this, I think I've come to a decision. I get a break in my board for teaching the English lessons at my boarding barn as they are a mostly Western facility. If I pick up just a few more lessons per month, I won't really notice the extra stall fee to get the new guy his own pad. In fact, this month, the barn will owe me $45. LOL! So, I guess I'll have to put my nose to the grindstone and pick up another lesson or two for the little man's own place.

You are right, guys. I'm far too picky to have dings in my horses' coats. I also am obsessive about my feeding program. I just got Shake's feeding program organized and it is working really well for him. I don't want to upset that delicate balance. I also don't want my husband's little guy (last week the new guy measured 32" and Shake measured 37" at the show we took him to) to get bullied all the time by the big, bad Shaker-doodle. lol


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## Frizzle's Gal (Jun 16, 2010)

I have two that are stalled together, they eat on opposite sides of the stall and are fine. I do have a divider made of wood down the middle where they can still see eachother but cant get on the others side.


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## Royal Crescent (Jun 16, 2010)

I stall 2 together all the time, in fact they don't like to be without their buddy. They eat out of their own buckets, but together. Of course, you have to make sure that they get along first and the stall has to be big enough for them to lay down, but I have never had a problem.

Barb


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## Shortpig (Jun 16, 2010)

Wow! Right now I feel like the luckiest person on earth. I think it pays to have the horse family I have.

Duckie, Ariel and Jasmine all share a 10 x 16 barn. Buckets on one wall are set up so its feed, water, feed, water, feed, water. They know which bucket is theres when they come into the barn. They eat out of their own buckets once in awhile Duckie will snitch a bite from moms when mom isn't paying attention. No one touches Ariels bucket and they know it. They share a pile of hay shaken loose across the front of the barn. No marks, no kicking no fighting. God forbid one gets left outside or there is a frenzy till that one comes in. I have done this since Duckie was a foal.

Now then Koda shares a 10' x 12' barn with his Dad and same thing there except that the buckets are on opposite sides of the barn and they each get a pile of hay in separate corners. Same thing here no marks no bites no kicking and they are joined at the hip. One stands over the other when sleeping and they take turns. But room for all to lay down at the same time.

But I would never throw a stranger in that mix. The new one would not survive I'm sure of that. Now a new foal will be a family member and totally acceptable. I have no doubts about it. When it is born both Ariel and Jasmine will keep it between them as much as possible they always have.

Whew! How lucky am I.


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## ljc (Jun 17, 2010)

I've had my two minis sharing a 12X12 stall and small field for the last two years with no problems. I got them both as yearlings (from the same breeder, so they knew each other) and they've gotten along fine. I will say that Ollie (bigger by four inches) does get more hay than Trickster because he eats faster but he's not huge and Trickster isn't thin so somehow it works out. I feed them their grain separately and spread their hay feeders as far apart as possible under a huge overhang outside the stall that is matted. In rainy weather, both get their hay in the stall (separate corners) and no problems yet. I think I'm lucky in that Trickster doesn't mind being bossed around - if I had two horses with Ollie's dominant personality, it wouldn't work. The field is large enough they can each get away from the other when solitude is needed. I do have a stall gate I can put up to keep one in the stall and one outside if necessary, however. After reading these comments, I'm really feeling very lucky it worked out as it did!


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## Katiean (Jun 17, 2010)

I have 3 stalls and 4 horses. I have 1 6x8 foot stall and 2 8x8 stalls. My stud has one of the 8x8 stalls and 2 mares share the other 8x8 stall. I bought those feeders that are made out of the 50gal plastic barrel. It has the rack for the hay and plenty of room for grain. I have one feeder tied in one back corner and one tied in the other back corner. One mare is right up there when I am feeding but the other goes right up once I tell her it is ok. By all appearances of these 2 mares, they are both getting what I feed each of them. But then I used to feed the grain in those little black rubber tubs and I would feed them in a small circle and no one bothered the others grain.


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## alphahorses (Jun 17, 2010)

I stall mares, geldings,and young horses together all the time. The size of shared stalls are 8x12 (only for weanlings!), 12x16 (2 adults or 3 babies), and 24x14 (for up to 3 adults or 4 juniors). We have "B" minis, so my general rule of thumb is that you need about 100 square feet per adult horse and less for juniors if they are closed in the stall. Less space is needed for run-in areas. Our horses are almost never closed in their stalls, except during the winter.

Most of the paired horses are stalled together beginning at weaning, but not all. I am very careful about how I select who will be stalled together. I watch how they interact in the pasture and especially in run-ins and only stall "friends" together in a stall that is large enough to accomodate both comfortably. I also stall horses together who receive similar amounts of hay. In the beginning, candidates for "paired" stalling use the stall as a run-in. That way if there is trouble, the less dominant horse has a way to escape and I can determine if they really can get along. There are always horses - even weanlings - that will need their own stalls and I always stall stallions alone. I have also found that mares will pick on geldings, so, expect for babies, I do not mix sexes in stalls.

There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to stalling together as opposed to splitting stalls (we've done both). A bigger more open stall allows the horses to move around and even roll safely on those rare days when I cannot let them outside. Air can circulate better in the open areas. Stalls cost much less to build. When I have fewer horses, it allows the remaining horses to have a bigger stall, without me having to remove walls. If I have a year when everything doesn't sell, I have room to "squeeze" that extra weanling or two in until they do sell. I have also found that it saves a lot of bedding, as they tend to all go in the same spots along the outside walls.

The disadvantages are the occasional fights (we almost never have them - and have never had an injury), difficulty isolating a horse that is ill or injured or for foaling (I try to always have at least one open stall) and feeding. If the less dominant horse gets more grain - or if the horses are feed different foods/supplements - feeding takes more time asI have to tie them near their own feed buckets and wait for everyone to finish. But I find that standing tied for short periods of time is good training for shows.

I do not recommend it for everyone.. but it has worked for us.

I do have two 8' gates hinged to the center of my 24x14 stall, so if necessary, I can close those gates to split the stall. I think I've used them twice in the past 10 years.


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## My2Minis (Jun 17, 2010)

I have two minis sharing a loafing shed, it is one stall but they are able to come and go as they please into the paddock. They have small fights but also groom each other and I haven't had any big problems. I feed them far apart.

I couldn't close them in one stall, especially at feeding time or they would likely hurt each other.


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## Blue rose (Jun 17, 2010)

Temperament of the individual horses has a lot to do with safely stalling them together. Most of my horses are fine being together but I have one mare that will kick the crap out of anyone who gets near her food. She has her own stall. Also all of my stalls have large paddocks and the horses are turned out almost everyday so they do not get to bored and pick at each other.


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## beetlin (Jun 18, 2010)

Hi,

I have 3 mini fillies in a 12x12 stable only at night, there are fine with that, there is enough room for them to get out each others way if need be and all lay down at the same time. Never have any problems or injuries. I feed them all together but keep an eye to make sure the speedy eater doesnt pinch the others or I just take her out and feed her seperately.


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## Thinking small (Jun 18, 2010)

The inability to separate them at grain time could lead to issues. Since we are a mini only farm, ours share the barn... however, they were from the same breeder and born only days apart so literally grew up together and came home as such. I would say they are a bonded pair they will separate to graze and such and even for eating hay but must be within eye sight of one another or totally freak out.

All that said and done we do separate our barn during grain time so this ensures they each gets their portion and eliminates fighting, i would have to show pictures of our set-up for someone to understand the arrangement, but it works for us. Now of coarse being this is our own property, this isn't complicated to sort out, but at a boarding facility it could be quite complicated. We also have double of everything, two water buckets, 2 hay buckets, even a jolly ball on each side





Our mini barn because of the current decent weather is left fully open(we tie our door back) so they can come in & out as they please throughout the night, however in the frigid winter, when we were battling -25 temps



we did close the barn, but again they are a bonded pair and it would be a horrible mess if they were forced to be separated especially if unable to see & touch one another.

I think each situation is unique though, i don't really feel their is a right or wrong answer, their are so many variables affecting how well this can work.


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## ~Lisa~ (Jun 18, 2010)

I have out of 8 minis only 2 that I can stall together at a show. I have kept them together over the winter in a stall as well however that stall was a 16x16 run in with a huge attached pen. They had enough room to get out of each others way. They are very different in size 29 inches and 36 inches but both do eat the same amount of feed. I do prefer though to feed them and keep them separate and would not keep them in the same stall (meaning a 12x12 for any length of time)


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