Doesn't like being without friends - help!

[dellaelyse]

So my old boy (24 this year - and still fit as ever!!) doesnt like being brought in and tacked up without his friends.

We moved to a new yard over the winter and he has two new field buddies, making him the 3rd at the yard. He's fine to catch, bring in, lead, and has good spacial awareness but sometimes just doesn't care where I am if he gets spooked by something or it catches his attention.

What he's started doing when brought in to be tacked up is pacing in his stable, slamming himself against the door, and if tied up he will just pace and rear.

I think he just doesn't like being without his friends but that doesn't solve the problem of what I do with him when he needs to be brought in to be tacked up or groomed.

Even hay doesn't always calm him down! Not sure what to try, aware that 'you can't reach an old horse new tricks'... But he gets dangerous when he's like this and has knocked me over before.

Thanks for all answers in advance!

 

[L&M]

What is he like tacked up outside the stable, or even in the field - somewhere he is still in view of his buddies?

My sons new pony suffered terrible separation anxiety for the first couple of months, and would act in a similar way, but if we the him up with a net on the yard, and he can still see his friends, he is a lot more relaxed to deal with.

On advice from here we also bought a stable mirror, which has been a godsend, as there are occasions when he needs to be stabled alone and was doing 'wall of deaths' around the stable, but now just sits and stares at his friend in the mirror! A mirror may act as a distraction for you lad too….

Whatever solution/path you go down I would not personally be tacking up in a confined space as he may do you an injury….

 

[toulouse1]

this sounds like an exact discription of my boy and know how you feel ...esp at this time of year when the grass is coming through

for years i would always bow to his demands and try and make sure he could see his friends and put him in the stable etc
but recently got sick getting dragged around and swished and bought a dooley (?) head coller which has worked a treat, you do have to spend that little extra time at the start, like letting him know he comes into the stable and stands where asked, but mine seemed to catch on really quick and is getting better by the day, i can even bring him in with out his girlfriend now and he respects me more (still a way to go)
its easy to use but you do get advice on the website and the MR books