clingy horse

[helenhorse]

Hi, mare has started to get very clingy and 'fretty' when a horse is taken away from beside her in a stable and takes a good 15 minetes to settle back down and can get bargy and disrespectful untill she does calm down..She's fine when being taken away from horses, just not the other way round, i know perhaps practising taking horses away from her will let her know that nothings going to happen, but should i be doing anything else??..Thanks

 

[Snowysadude]

We had this problem with some horses, ignoring her when she makes a fuss might work- the more you comfort her the more she will think there is a problem and fret more (negative attention, its kind of like having a small child).... Then when she calms down go over and fuss as usal! That worked brilliantly for an ex - racehorse on our yard, and he has almost completley stopped fretting!

 

[helenhorse]

ahh interesting, cheers..tonight i was in with her stroking her trying to get her attention, but she was just mowing me down as if i wasnt there, so il leave her to it, untill she's settled and then go and give fussis

 

[gails]

It is the same as dogs. If you comfort her while she is in a panic you are reinforcing that there is something to be bothered about.

As has already been said, wait until she has calmed down and then giver her loads of fuss, if she starts again, completly ignore her.... calms again, reward. She will soon get the message that you are not bothered and it is much nicer to be calm, good luck