anxiety in horses

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katetmouse

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Has anyone ever known a horse that expresses his anxiety by getting down and rolling in the stable. 5 months after we bought him our 7 year old Gelderlander started to do this when put in his stable to keep him safe while his two companions were out being ridden. They live out 24/7, but use the stables when we get them ready to ride, or have to leave one behind. First he dungs, then he rolls, three or four times, and it is clearly due to separation anxiety (he is the boss of the 3). We are worried he may get cast, and it is also very inconvenient because he coats himself in dung. Has anyone else experienced this behaviour? He is not obsessively anxious about their presence, i.e. he will ride out alone and he will be boxed on his own. We don't know what to try to stop this behaviour.
 
Both of my Exmoors did this at one time or another. My gelding did it in the field when very stressed and my mare threw herself to the ground when put into a particular stable on the yard when waiting for the vet (dentistry visit). She never did it in another stable, so I'd maybe try swapping things around. Is he the one always left behind? If so, would he not be better left out with a pile of haylage or hay?
 
Make sure he has forage and try to make it so he isn’t left alone or can see others, if you don’t want him to get cast use an anti-cast roller
 
It can be quite usual for a horse to go in to his stable and have a good old dog and roll when first brought in. Especially if they’re wet.
 
Fransurrey said:
Both of my Exmoors did this at one time or another. My gelding did it in the field when very stressed and my mare threw herself to the ground when put into a particular stable on the yard when waiting for the vet (dentistry visit). She never did it in another stable, so I'd maybe try swapping things around. Is he the one always left behind? If so, would he not be better left out with a pile of haylage or hay?
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Thanks for your suggestions. He rolls whatever stable he is left in, and no he isn't always the one left, and sometimes we don't leave him, he just comes in to eg. wait for the farrier, with the others, but because he thinks he is going to be left he dungs and rolls. He is left with his favourite haylage but doesn't eat it until the others come back. We can't leave him out, he has crashed through a new 5 bar wooden gate to get to the next field the others were in, when they were only 20 feet away. But oddly enough, as I said, he will leave them to ride out alone or load into the horsebox alone.
katetmouse said:
Has anyone ever known a horse that expresses his anxiety by getting down and rolling in the stable. 5 months after we bought him our 7 year old Gelderlander started to do this when put in his stable to keep him safe while his two companions were out being ridden. They live out 24/7, but use the stables when we get them ready to ride, or have to leave one behind. First he dungs, then he rolls, three or four times, and it is clearly due to separation anxiety (he is the boss of the 3). We are worried he may get cast, and it is also very inconvenient because he coats himself in dung. Has anyone else experienced this behaviour? He is not obsessively anxious about their presence, i.e. he will ride out alone and he will be boxed on his own. We don't know what to try to stop this behaviour.
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GypsGal1718 said:
Make sure he has forage and try to make it so he isn’t left alone or can see others, if you don’t want him to get cast use an anti-cast roller
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He always has forage but doesn't eat it. There are no others for him to see unfortunately, and he didn't do it for the first five months after he came (nothing changed). The anti cast roller is a good idea, thanks.
 
Amymay in a manger said:
It can be quite usual for a horse to go in to his stable and have a good old dog and roll when first brought in. Especially if they’re wet.
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I wish it was just that but it is clearly anxiety with him. Perhaps he would be different if all three came in at night but they live out 24/7. We make sure that he isn't left every time we bring the 3 in but because he thinks he may be left he dungs and rolls immediately. Then if we want to ride him he has to be bathed.
 
Have you tried a calmer.
My newish horse was getting very anxious in the mornings and expecting to get put out immediately after breakfast by box walking.
I’ve been giving him NAF Magic calmer daily supplement and he’s much calmer now and just munches his morning net.
I didn’t need it for riding and so far it’s not affected that. I’m still in week one though!
Might be worth a try ?
 
katetmouse said:
Has anyone ever known a horse that expresses his anxiety by getting down and rolling in the stable. 5 months after we bought him our 7 year old Gelderlander started to do this when put in his stable to keep him safe while his two companions were out being ridden. They live out 24/7, but use the stables when we get them ready to ride, or have to leave one behind. First he dungs, then he rolls, three or four times, and it is clearly due to separation anxiety (he is the boss of the 3). We are worried he may get cast, and it is also very inconvenient because he coats himself in dung. Has anyone else experienced this behaviour? He is not obsessively anxious about their presence, i.e. he will ride out alone and he will be boxed on his own. We don't know what to try to stop this behaviour.
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I'm wondering if this has as much to do with dominance as anxiety ?
The dominant pony in our feral herd is always the last to roll, - so he leaves his scent in the rolling place, I think.
Rolling in his own dung sounds like he is making really sure that his scent is in that stable, once the others have gone.

Just thinking aloud really but what would he do if put into a stable that really stinks of him -his most horrid old rug in there, some of his dung in the corner ? (If you are going to try this make sure no one sees - they will think you have gone off your rocker!)
 
Stable mirror? I had a horse that travelled and hacked beautifully but couldn’t be left alone in field or stable. Rolling is tension/anxiety colic twinges imo. Mine just used to jump out.
 
If just to avoid the dung-heap look/smell before riding, can you leave him tied? At least until you can nip in and remove the offending article? I'd be much less sure about leaving tied while alone and anxious for any time, but possibly doable if you can have someone close by to observe whether it makes things better or worse.
 
Horses roll for many reasons including releasing tension and leaving a scented warning for other horses of danger.
So I'd say he is indeed rolling because he's stressed.
Would something like a treat ball or a haynet with carrots and apples hidden inside help to distract him ?
 
Trinity Consultants Even Keel made a huge difference to my anxious horse, they do one with, and one without valerian, so you can still use it if competing. Mine was also quite unbothered about being the one to go out alone, but being left in her familiar stable was unthinkable. But then I got another horse, so she was never alone anyway!
 
katetmouse said:
I wish it was just that but it is clearly anxiety with him. Perhaps he would be different if all three came in at night but they live out 24/7. We make sure that he isn't left every time we bring the 3 in but because he thinks he may be left he dungs and rolls immediately. Then if we want to ride him he has to be bathed.
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My boy is fine taken out on his own, but has serious separation anxiety. This got worse when he lost his soul mate nearly 2 years ago. He's now on Coligone, and has 50ml 30mins before my sister takes her horse out, leaving him on his own. He is nice and chilled and content. I am happy now leaving him on his own now. To tell you how bad he was he had to see Bonnie at all times as even taking her out of sight resulted in a meltdown. He'd scream, roll, get up and charge, not interested in any feed. I was at my wits end as didn't know what to do. He is my world and I am so relieved now. He also has a maintenance dose to help his stomach as now he's older he's more prone to mild colic.
 
I suspect that horses who this may suffer gut discomfort when stressed
Tatts my Dutch harness horse did this when came to us he had lived semi feral for a couple of years and was also a very mixed up quirky creature.
It’s certainly worth trying gut soothers to see but I think with Tatts it become a habit he was very active and liked throwing himself about .
You could trigger him by doing various things .
He did settle himself as he aged and trusted us more .
 
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