Field phobia

[For the love of horses]

My 6 year old mare seems to have acquired a field phobia ! On turn out at 3ish as they’re out over night come in during the day ! And have been in the same routine for 18months . She panicked and takes herself off to the top of the field by a fence and stays there , we are putting hay out at night now so we give her a pile there by the fence , we’ve tried moving the hay to other areas but she stays where she is ! She occasionally gallops flat out then comes back to same spot ! They have 2 fields to go into , when I go up to get them in around 8 occasionally they’re waiting at the gate chilled , but if not she’s in the bottom corner of the field then comes flat out out to the gate the other 2 are grazing quite happily ! She’s not bullied by them if anything she is in charge of one of them and the other is herd leader of them all ! Once in her stable she’s as calm as you like ! Previous to me she lived out all her life and last summer was as happy in the field as to be in the stable ! I’ve tried everything ! She was also a rug runner so after months of desensitising her to rugs I’ve taken it off as I thought it was this that was causing ! But not ?‍

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Deleted, I asked questions answered in the OP.

 

[meleeka]

What’s she like if turned out during the day? It sounds like she’s had a fright and is dwelling on it. Can you change fields? My boy developed a fear in one particular field. I think a dog had come off the footpath and chased him. He was however fine In the other field right next door.

 

[Red-1]

What is she like if you bring her in at night?

If she des not have a rug, could she be cold?

Is there something new in the area (pigs? Sheep?). OH's horse had a fit when sheep moved in nearby.

 

[For the love of horses]

What’s she like if turned out during the day? It sounds like she’s had a fright and is dwelling on it. Can you change fields? My boy developed a fear in one particular field. I think a dog had come off the footpath and chased him. He was however fine In the other field right next door.

I think I may have worked it out , I reckon it’s her turn out rug ! The bottom field is where she was turned out first with a rug on a year ago and she panicked and went through a post and rail fence ! (My fault entirely ) I took all summer desensitising her to the rug and I though she was over it ! But she associates the bottom field with the scare ! She’s been out with out a rug for the past few days , still a little on her toes but just playful ! Back to the drawing board I think ! Thanks for your reply thou

 

[TheMule]

My old horse was like this with a turn out rug. Without the rug he was fine and there was no trying to trick him, we tried leaving the stable rug on, just using a bib, all sorts.

 

[For the love of horses]

My old horse was like this with a turn out rug. Without the rug he was fine and there was no trying to trick him, we tried leaving the stable rug on, just using a bib, all sorts.

The hard bit is having to groom all the mud off before riding ??

 

[TheMule]

The hard bit is having to groom all the mud off before riding ??

Tell me about it- mine was grey and a total mud monster!