Handling separation anxiety in new horse?

[khalswitz]

Hi all.

So my new horse has been through her two week quarantine period away from the other horses, and finally got introduced to her new field mates last night over a gate in the barn and this morning in the field. All has gone well, they’re all nice people and no chaos.

However. When on quarantine she was quite stressed, to the point where she had to be turned out 24/7 because being alone in the quarantine barn freaked her out so much and she got into a state. She’s been very spooky to ride on her own during that period which is understandable.

But from the moment we went to turn them out this morning she was dragging me along absolutely determined not to be left alone, and it’s got me thinking about how to manage taking her away from the others to feed and ride. Any tips for managing a horse that has been pretty stressed out alone and may now be a bit nappy until we settle into a routine?

She hacked alone etc in her previous homes so I know she can do it all fine once settled, just getting to that settled point!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I'd just say to give her time, give her a month off and spend some time with her unridden. She'll get there, it's been a lot of change and a lot of stress.
I'd also probably feed her some protexin or aloe vera in case she's ulcer prone.

 

[khalswitz]

A month seems quite a lot for a horse that has been in regular work? When I’ve moved previous horses in work, I’ve ridden them within a day or two at most - and I’ve ridden her this week whilst she’s been on isolation.

My worry is just that, as expected, she got quite upset when I tried to bring her in to feed her away from them tonight. Not a chance I could have ridden her tonight. Other than feeding her away from them just to reinforce that she gets something nice and then gets returned, is there any other method of handling it?

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would just keep bringing her in like your doing if she is fresh or being silly I would lunge for a bit then just get on when she is calmer.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Just hang on in there and stick to your routine and she ll learn her pals are still around, it’s just going to take some time.

 

[claret09]

she will be fine

 

[khalswitz]

Well, it’s getting worse at the moment. I tried just taking her the other side of the gate into the barn, so that her new friends were literally touchable, with her feed bucket tonight, and she was stamping and shouting and very cross. I’ve not managed to groom her or change her rug in 48 hours let alone even think about riding.

I’ve clearly been spoiled with my geldings in the past as they never batted an eyelid really about being moved, maybe we’re looky and called a bit but nothing more.

 

[Caski]

In season perhaps?

 

[khalswitz]

In season perhaps?

Ding ding ding, went up this morning and her legs are a total mess.

Here’s hoping it settles!

 

[Caski]

Ding ding ding, went up this morning and her legs are a total mess.

Here’s hoping it settles!

Fingers crossed!

 

[Lotsoflemons]

Ding ding ding, went up this morning and her legs are a total mess.

Here’s hoping it settles!

My new mare came yesterday and shes come in to season too, April is about the time that they start breeding mines an old broodmare too so we have just kept her turned out 24/7 overnight and kept to normal routine in the day she has seperation anxiety over the geldings luckily my gelding is really good and there coming in and out together atm but hes very protective over her

 

[khalswitz]

My new mare came yesterday and shes come in to season too, April is about the time that they start breeding mines an old broodmare too so we have just kept her turned out 24/7 overnight and kept to normal routine in the day she has seperation anxiety over the geldings luckily my gelding is really good and there coming in and out together atm but hes very protective over her

Yeah she’s out with two geldings, and they’re out 24/7, so the issue is getting her to come in and settle at all for grooming/riding. The feeding her seperately is currently not working well!

Going to wait a couple more days and then bridle her in the field and take her out in hand up the lane for 20 minutes or so, get her moving and thinking. A routine of that and the season ending will hopefully settle her enough to get riding!

 

[Lotsoflemons]

Yeah she’s out with two geldings, and they’re out 24/7, so the issue is getting her to come in and settle at all for grooming/riding. The feeding her seperately is currently not working well!

Going to wait a couple more days and then bridle her in the field and take her out in hand up the lane for 20 minutes or so, get her moving and thinking. A routine of that and the season ending will hopefully settle her enough to get riding!

Yeah fingers crossed! Ive been bringing in and taking my 2 out riding together and they seem fine I took her alone today but she would squeal neigh etc she seems perfectly fine in company so I think whenever shes in season she needs another horse there she is 21 but has lived with a mare for 3 years so I think its all quite new aswell

 

[khalswitz]

An update - left her with them all day yesterday, just fed her in the field. Today, I went in the afternoon and groomed her in the field, put her bridle on, and then took her out on a lunge line with a schooling whip and a pocketful of treats. Took her for a ten minute walk up the lane and back.

Every time she started shouting, I put her on a small circle round me and got her moving til she paid attention to me. When she halted on command and looked to me, I offered her a treat and a scratch, then we walked on again.

Whilst we walked I got her to leg yield away from me across the track now and again as well, and do an occasional halt and then walk again, just keeping her attention. When we did the transition if she did as I asked I gave her another treat.

She’s very clever - she sussed this out quite quickly and started paying attention to me. At no point was she barging and spinning like she had done previously when I tried to just feed her away from the others. She jogged a bit in places but was listening to me. And when we arrived back, she was tense but didn’t barge me at the door.

So I’m going to just do this every evening for the next few days and see how we get on. Hopefully she susses out that we go out, she gets treats when she does as asked, and then she goes back to her mates after. Fingers crossed but I think this is a good sign, considering how stressed she was on her own in isolation before this.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Well done hopefully after a while she will really calm down and be fine about leaving them.