Field phobia

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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 ?‍♀️
 
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.
 
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.
 
meleeka said:
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.
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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
 
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.
 
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