Aby25
New User
In need of some expert advice. I’ve ridden and been around horses most of my life, but took a break for a few years (after my old pony died and work got in the way). Anyhow, for the last year I’ve kept horses at home - a rescued TB (now at retirement livery) and another ex-racer belonging to a friend. The friend’s horse is now back in full work at a hunt yard, so I decided to get a riding horse for me, with a friend’s 18yr old pony as companion. I searched for a suitable horse and long story short, I bought a 15yr old, gentle, sometimes lazy warmblood. I found out afterwards he has bad separation anxiety. He has now been here a month which is know isn’t long, but I’m a bit scared of him on the ground which feels awful. He is so spooky and always alert. He will spook at ‘nothing’ and if in the field, he will mow you down when he panics. He has nearly taken me out and was so flat out galloping around he once went over (through) a wheelbarrow in a 3 acre field (thankfully no leg damage). He is SO attached to other horses that he screams, kicks out at fencing and is in a blind panic if they are out of sight. I think he really could damage himself. I find they are too much to bring in together, if I can even catch them. If I take the pony out first, it’s as if the whole world has ended for the horse in a split second and he flies at the gate. If I try to take him out first, he won’t be caught and the 2 crowd me and get very spooky and bargy, I don’t want to be in the crossfire. When he is on the yard and the pony is around, he is fine, otherwise permanently high alert and sometimes box kicking. Any advice very welcome. (As above, I know a month isn’t long. He is on GH supercalm, chaff and hi-fi nuts, 2 small meals). I just want to enjoy being around him and I’m sure my increasing anxiety isn’t helping a bit!
