# Pros and Cons of pasturing just two horses in a paddock?



## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Sorry for all the recent threads lately, am just trying to prepare myself as much as I can for the big move next week. 

It's not really a 'big' move, but will be moving my two literally a half a second away from my house and will be doing complete self care. (explained in a previous thread)

Now, my two will be pastured together in a two acre field with a huge run in. I will be paying $250/mo per horse and I completely take care of them myself. 

I have one mare, and one gelding. What are the pros and cons of pasturing only two horses together? Especially a mare and a gelding?

Where we are now my mare is bottom of the pole and frequently picked on. Her and my gelding are not in the same pasture currently but they have been put in the arena together with no problems at all. My mare actually will get a bit 'marish' with my gelding but he usually just keeps his distance anyway. 

I know they could very possibly become extremely buddy sour. (let's hope not!) because they will be the only two in their pasture even though there are surrounding horses and pastures around them. 

Any other pros/cons? I'm literally trying to gather anything up that I can before the big day. I'm already extremely paranoid about the move and if they'll be okay, etc. I worry way too much.....
Also, would you feed round bails in the winter to only a field with two horses or would you just buy square bails so the round nails won't get wasted/ruined?


Thanks!!
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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

You contradicted yourself in the title, you don't "pasture" a horse in a paddock. You can keep them in a paddock but pasturing is just that, letting them out to pasture to graze. Only cons I can see with your scenerio is the gelding is going to fall in love with the mare & that will make him do stupid things. Men! Other than that, sounds good to me.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Lol sorry....it's late...

I'm interested to see if he'll fall in love with her. I mean he was previously pastured with 4 other geldings and a mare and he hung out with her but otherwise could careless. I think they all just thought she was 'one of the boys' to begin with anyway. ****. 

I really hate to just pasture the two of them alone because If I decide to ride one the other will probably have a canary, but they will just have to suck it up and deal with it!
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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

As long as you establish yourself at the top of the totem pole for both of your horses it should be fine. I just have two horses here, just two, none around them. Candy has no hesitation leaving, Casey will stop a couple times but after being smacked she will go on.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I brought my gelding home from a free off-site lease many years ago after his lifetime buddy died and bought a miniature mare to keep him company. He has been incredibly buddy sour ever since, which was only intensified as we brought other horses home and he felt like he constantly had to guard her CONSTANTLY from the other horses. If I take her away to bathe or groom her, he'll work up a lather running along the pasture and screaming for her, and if I turn him out to pasture with other horses and leave her in the barn, he stands at the gate and refuses to graze. As a result, the darn miniature is here for good.

It doesn't always end up like this, but unfortunately, it sometimes does. ;-)


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

You pay $500 bucks a month to take care of your horses 

I pay $50 a horse and I do everything for them (out there everyday)

Anyways thats besides the point, the only thing I can think of is they might become buddies. Well im almost sure they will. My friends mare and my gelding are together and she picks on him and is top horse but the second mine leaves she goes crazy haha. Thats until we move them back with the other horses though. Otherwise I think you should be ok  the pro: they have a buddy, the con: they wont when you ride one

Good luck!


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

> the darn miniature is here for good.


Isnt that how it always happens?!


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Thanks. they call to eachother but don't completely freak out. As soon as we moved them the next day I started taking One out so the other gets use to it. 

Anyway yes $500...for $50 more per horse I can just have the Bo feed my horses and supply hay and grain.... But whatever my horses are in safe fencing now so that's all that matters.
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