Two miniature horses in one stall?

[misty'smom]

My two girls are now 18 months old and are in the same stall at night. They have been together since they were born. They spent the first 4 months together in the same paddock with their Moms then were weaned together, then I brought them home!! They are together 24/7 and I have never seen any sign of a problem. Their stall is 12x12, I watch over them when they eat their feed morning and evening and make sure there is plenty of hay for the night. They are out in the pasture all day and come in at dark. If they loose sight of one another in the pasture they quickly look around to catch up with each other!!!

If ever a problem should occur as they get older I will divide their stall. So far it works for Misty and Josie which by the way are half sisters!!!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

It does work, and sometimes it does work well, but I think that, as with a lot of things, it is not something that would be ideal. Two babies, brought up together are usually going to get along fine, especially when they have a sensible owner who takes care of them. Two colts that had just been bought form and auction? Not so much, I think we would all agree. My colt (well, I guess I am going to have to get used to calling him a stallion as he turns four this next year) and my gelding (who is a monster!) get along great right next door to one another, and really like each other. On the odd occasion (actually it is quite often as I am an ***** ) that I forget to put the chain on Ariel's door he will open it and go in with DC- they don't fight, in fact they are normally to be found sharing DC's hay- but I would not leave them together as an ongoing situation as I do think that, like us, they need their space. I have put them in one big stall at a show, for three days, and they were just fine, no arguments, although obviously they were tied up to be fed. I think it can work, but it is not something I would recommend. There are always good exceptions, is what I think we could agree on?

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Depends on the horses. My Sunny and Sammie are best buddies. If one goes to a show, the other goes, too, and stays in the same stall. (Safety and personal reasons- had a farmsitter not lock a gate and my guys got into the feed. Sammie was with me at Centrals, but Sunny was home. I was frantic for the rest of the weekend. Now, if one goes, BOTH go.) These two live together in a small paddock at home and get turned out during the day in a bigger field with the other geldings. Sunny protects Sammie from being bullied by the other geldings.Yet, I can take one out and work him and the other is fine being alone.

I don't think I could do this with any of my other horses, though.

 

[horsehug]

I guess I'm in the minority. Most of my mares do live in pairs in my barn at night. They are all turned out together in the daytime and go into their stalls at night. Over time I have figured out which ones make the best stall mates for each other. I do have a few that are newer to the herd that I have in separate stalls at night still, as I have not figured out who would be best with them yet. But I only have 9 stalls in my mare barn, and built it to be 2 to a stall on the average.

When I have found any that do not get along, I have changed it and found others that they did get along with. It is always interesting to me to watch their different personalities.

Susan O.

 

[wingnut]

Unless the two horses hate each other, it should be fine. Our first year, we only had 2 stalls, 6x12 in size. We also had 3 blizzards that year. We paired them according to their ability to get along. They did just fine. We now have 4 stalls and 5 horses. 99% of the time, we do not stall them. The new baby is stalled at night right now as part of our process of her assimilation into the herd. By next month, I'll only do it so she can eat without being trampled by the others.

Often, we find all the horses in the ONE stall together. When we had two other horses (a total of 6 at that point), we'd often find 5 of the 6 in one stall. On purpose, of their own choosing.

Here's is one of my favorite pics:

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

We made a partition! It works great, easy to use and it still leaves the stall a full size until you swing out the partition.

I love this, too! Do you mind if I download the pics so I can make some? They look great! Is that a wheel that I see where the the strap hinges are?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

All my boys (six stallions and geldings) squash into a 15 X 12 shed at night but there is NO way I would shut them in! Every so often there are minor explosions because someone tried to eat someone else favourite bit of hay.....(they have a bale a day as bedding) but size id the key point here, and age. Babies will go together well, but it is not a good idea as they become reliant and need to be "weaned" all over again. Some geldings get along just fine, some do not. If the stall is big enough to take care of the sulks that happen in any friendship, it can work.

 

[happy appy]

I love this, too! Do you mind if I download the pics so I can make some? They look great! Is that a wheel that I see where the the strap hinges are?

I just have a small support board in the centre to make sure it doesn't sag. They aren't heavy and very easy to use. I just sandwiched in some very heavy gauge mesh between to 1x4 boards and screwed them together. Installed 2 sets of hinges so that they both work the opposite way and attached it to the wall.

 

[Tab]

I do it without a problem. For larger groups you have to make sure they have plenty of space to get away from one another, but 2x2 will be fine as long as they already get along well. I stall my senior stallion by himself, but everyone else is kept in groups.

 

[AnnaC]

Amy, in your original post you said that you WILL have two minis this winter. Does this mean that you have a second mini arriving soon (or one that has not long arrived)? If so, then I think that I would not be keeping them together in the same stall - or trying it - for a good while yet, as any differences of opinion could spring up at any time until they have proved to you that they really are going to be best buddies!

 

[dannigirl]

I still say to be very careful putting two horses in the same stall. I have been at shows where people put two together and say they are together all the time and since I sleep in the stalls at most shows I see and hear things that most owners do not. There is nothing more scary than a horse fight at 2 am in a 10 or 12 foot stall. The dominant one will just kick the snot out of the other and the other can do nothing. Who knows what set them off, but it always amazes the owners when I tell them about it or call them at their motel and tell them to listen over my phone. If they have not been together since birth, I would be wary of stalling them together now.

 

[MajorClementine]

I stall my two together all winter. The stall is 12'x12' and then there is a 12'x36' run attached that I leave open for them. Never had any problems. I like that they can stand next to each other when it gets really cold.

 

[HGFarm]

I also would vote no on this. All my mares run together in a large lot. Would I stall them together in a space that small? No way. And they have been raised together for years, but there is always the 'pecking order' that they have to make sure everyone knows. I agree with dannigirl too- the fights at some of the horse shows are unreal when horses are stalled together. I have heard/seen a few of those myself! I would divide the stall to be safe. It's not that hard and would ensure they are both safe and secure.

 

[Vansplic]

I have been wondering about this as well. I have a mother daughter pair (Topaz is officially weaned) and the way our barn is set up there is one 13X10.5 stall and one tiny stall. Right now momma is in the smaller stall because Topaz likes to climb cattle panel when she gets bored so mom is stuck with the smaller stall (which has a cattle panel door).