> The question for me, however, is am I creating a monster by encouraging > this > bonding between them? Will I have trouble when I need to separate them > for > whatever reason?
I think it depends on the horses. There's so many things that come into play, and one of the most important is the relationship that the horse has with the owner. If the horse prefers another horse, or to be at the barn, he is considered herd or barn sour. But if he likes his owner, and either by inherent personality or by seeing benefits for himself in leaving the herd / barn, it may not impact his bonding with another horse or his living environment. With two horses, one may be OK with leaving, and the other may not be OK with leaving (or being left!). I try to separate my filly at times, so that she gets used to being alone or out of site. Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
