"clingy" horse

T

TriggerHappy

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I need some advise/help!!

My horse becomes very frighten when he's left alone and panics, he'll try to jump over fences in the field or tear them down. Or try to bull dose the stable door down or try to rear to get over the stale door.

I've tried everything ...being with him, ignoring him, shouting at him, reassuring him, giving him food, walking him to see other horses, or even driving off in pure fustration and hoping that when i get back the next day he'll still be in one piece!

Does anyone have any suggestions to how we can get over this? I understand that horses like company but he's never alone for more that an hour tops (if ever) and he knows other horse are about. I just find it very upsetting him seeing him like that and feel helpless
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horses are herd animals, therefore they feel very vunerable and unsafe on there own. to save your horse anymore undue distress, why dont you team up with one other person on the yard.devise a plan that if one of you puts there horse out, then they would do the other one also. they same goes for bringing in. this way your horse will never be alone. you could even go as far as doing opposite ends of the day, so one does the morning for both horses, and the other does the evening. this will save each of you a trip to the yard. so not only do you get peace of mind that your horse is not getting stressed out, but you will have more time . you could also provide him with a stable mirror, i bought one recently off ebay for £20. x
 
He is turned out with his 'buddie' who he moved with to a new yard a few weeks ago and we do team up already! So he does have the security but he is becoming too clingy and is in a field where he only see's this horse which does not help (he was fine with being out by himself as long as he could see other horses about at the previous yard). He is brought in and turned out with this horse but dislikes being left even for a few minutes :/ and he's a big horse that throws his weight around
 
I have a big lad that is like this. He can see others in a few fields down, but still gallops flat out round the field calling. I used to pander to his needs but now I just let him get on with it. Harsh it may sound, but some horses just are clingy and nappy. One the other hand I have a 4 year old that has been on Box Rest since July and couldn't give a monkey's what horses are about if any. He is fine as long as he has my full attention or food! The worst he will do is give me evils when I am dealing with another horse lol.
 
All horses are different, you need to turn him out with others he is telling you this stop refusing to listen. It sounds like all your probs with him would be solved if you turned out with others
 
I've a similar problem with a pony, she's always needed company and I have always catered for this, so she doesn't get stressed out.
Her problem seems to have taken on a whole new level, its now about one other pony in particular.
They have developed an unhealthy dependency on each other and its become basically dangerous, these are kids ponies and if not ridden together, they are dangerous for the kids to ride.
I think the problem is going to be taken out of my hands, the other pony is on loan and is probably going to go back to her owners yard, in which case mine isn't gonna have any choice and is just going to have to learn to cope without her.

I know building time apart up slowly can help, but its time and patience and doesn't always work, some horses will never be happy on their own.
 
Thank you all for your advise
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I will try just leaving him too it as i always get stressed out so he must pick up on that. He is fine if he is the one taken out its just if he is left ...but he knows he will always have company in the end.
 
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