Horses, being herd animals, are not really designed to live a solitary life.  They are a highly social, herd-based individuals that rely on herd mates for survival.

Although some horses can adjust to a life of solitude, Snoops was not one of those individuals.  When left alone, he would run at break-neck speeds around the ranch, all the while whinnying and “calling” out to anyone to come to his rescue.  He would ramp himself up into a frenzy.  I was, in fact, concerned that he would severely injure himself in these frenzied “run-abouts.”

Fearing for his safety, and wanting him to be comfortable, I sought out numerous ranch-mates for him.  Some of these “babysitters” included other horses—even a billy goat.

Well, the short version of this story is that I never found the billy goat within a week of it’s arrival.  The other babysitter horses I borrowed ate just as much as my big, handsome horse did.  After a thorough review of the situation, including a glance at my checkbook of ranch expenses, a friend helped me find “the cutest little donkey in all of Texas.”

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