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1K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  JLynn 
#1 ·
I am going to house my Appaloosa mare on my property, but because she will be alone and at the advice that I've gotten on this site, I am going to get her a companion animal. Many have mentioned goats, some mini's, and other pigs.

Which are the easiest keep? I'm concerned that the goat will eat more grass than my horse. My paddock area is minimal although many have told me that it's plenty, I still plan to supplement with hay outside.

I'm open to all suggestions. If anyone is around Western New York, Rochester, Batavia, Buffalo area and knows of goats, etc. for sale, please let me know. I cannot say enough thanks you's for your advice and knowledge. :D
 
#2 ·
All except pigs are fine for companion animals JLynn, except that goats are escape artists.

There's an old saying, 'If it won't hold water, it won't hold a goat', so your fences need to be as goat proof as possible if you want to go that route.

Goats will eat the weeds your horse won't touch though, so that's on the plus side of the equation.

Don't get pigs. Once they become sexually mature, many of them become aggressive. Plus, they need someplace to wallow as pigs have no sweat glands.

A mini or two would be fine, but you have to worry about foundering them if they get too much grass.
 
#5 ·
Person from my local forum keeps big sheep as a companion. They ride together (sheep follows the horse on trails)! Hard to believe but I've seen pics.
 
#14 ·
Sheep are dumber than a box of hair, but that might be preferable to the sneaky cunning of a goat! :-p
I was considering getting a goat (to milk it). And dropped the idea just because I was told they get through almost any fence... :(
 
#8 ·
Hi and welcome!

Angel, my grey horse, had a few bovine companions over the years when she was not in with other horses. First she shared 15 acres with Rocky and Rolly, two adorable (and friendly!) two calves and they all got along quite well.

Then she shared 10 acres with Daisy (original huh?) and she loved Daisy but Daisy did not love Angel.

Angel's favourite thing to do when I let her go into her paddock after riding was to round up Daisy and drive her all over the paddock, from one end to the other and back again. Although, Daisy was morbidly obese so I figure it was just personal training. Other than that they got along just fine and could usually be found grazing together.
 
#10 ·
Keep in mind with sheep you will have to shear them every summer since they don't shed like goats do. They are also more prone to skin diseases like ring worm as compared to goats. Yes, sheep are dumb and easier to contain than goats. If you go the route of sheep you will also have to purchase feed specifically for sheep as there is copper in horse feed. Copper is toxic to sheep and will slowly poison them to death. I showed sheep and goats back in high school, so I am speaking from experience.
 
#12 ·
Actually, llamas don't need to be sheared :) if you live somewhere where summers are very hot, you can find llamas with thinner wool, and there are also "suri" type llamas that have a thin, silky type of wool. We owned and showed llamas through a farm that had over 30 of them. The llamas with thick wool had their barrels shorn for summer, but the rest of them handled summer just fine as long as they had water and shelter!
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#13 ·
Let me just add some more info about llamas :)
Theyre very hardy and not prone to disease or illness. An adult llama on good pasture doesn't typically need any grain (but there is grain made specifically for llamas if you don't have good enough pasture). Depending on the footing where they're kept, they may or may not need their hooves trimmed (I believe we had ours done just a few times a year). Their wool will just stop growing if it isn't sheared, but if you do want the wool, you can shear it all off and make lots of different things from it. They're perfectly fine without other llamas as long as they have horses, cattle, sheep, etc as companions. Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

They're very inexpensive, low maintenance animals. If you did have an interest in them as more than a companion, however, they are a blast to own! They can be trained to pull carts, be pack animals for trail riding/hiking, they can be trained to jump (very high!), we showed our llamas in trail classes, halter and showmanship, and if they were properly socialized when young, they're very tolerant, kind animals. I trained and showed for years and years, and never once got spit at or kicked at, and they don't bite.

(sorry, can you tell I really enjoyed my llamas?)
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#15 ·
You guys are a wealth of information! Well, the goat is out because my 78-year-old mom doesn't want one. She is the kind of person that won't come right out and say it, but I can tell. She talks about the "baby horses" (miniatures) that I mentioned when speaking of a companion animal for Flash. I think she would like one. Flash is a sweetheart and my mom wants so badly to love on her, but she's big and my mom is petite. She gets so intent on reaching up to pet her that she gives no thought to where she is standing. The mini would be right up her ally. Now to find one that I can afford....ideas anyone? Keep in mind that I live between Rochester and Buffalo, New York.
 
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