HELP separation anxiety i think?!

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Kimmi9080

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I had a new mare arrive last weekend, i already had a little shetland gelding. All was going well but they seem to have bonded very quickly and now we can't take the gelding out of the stable (they can see each other in the stables) without our new mare going mental!!!

She rears, bucks, kicks the lot and i'm really worried she is going to hurt herself. She is also the same in the paddock, we have them separated by electric fencing and as soon as he's not in view she goes on one, info a full blown panic, its the same if she is tied up and he 'or she can't see him.

I really don't know how to tackle this problem, its something I've never come across. I don't want to lose my confidence with my mare but i'm worried when handling her when she gets in this state and i certainly don't want to go in a stable with her!!

She is also the same if it rains, it came down today and she was double barreling the stable block to get it, ideas how to solve this anyone??

she is not a young mare, she's 16 and came from a stud yard, i was told she was turned out all and stabled at night and during our viewing she was fine in the stable and out. She never showed any signs of this during viewings, she was so placid our 4yr old was handling her both in and out the stable!! i don't want her to shatter my confidence, i dont have tonnes as it is and i don't want my lovely little gelding not to have any attention because of her!!

Please help
 
This is most likely anxiety brought on by the move. It can take six months or more for horses (particularly mares) to settle in a new place with new people and horses. I expect what you saw at the stud was her true nature and once she has settled she will be fine. You have to remember that the bottom has just fallen out of her world at the moment.
 
Yes i was also thinking it could be the move and i know she won't totally settle for a long time, just don't want her to hurt herself getting there.
 
My mare had previously been at stud and she showed similar behaviour when she arrived at my yard. I wondered if she had learnt the behaviour during weaning and now did it when she was anxious. She bonded with my older mare and completely lost it if they were separated. She ran through a wooden gate, nearly bought her wooden stable down and once threw herself onto the ground by the gate in a massive strop when I took my older mare away!

The only thing I can say is that it did get better and very quickly...so hopefully it will be the same with yours. I think their new friend becomes their security and they latch onto them until they feel secure and confident in their new home. I did use one of the global herbs calming supplements for the first few months and I think it did help her settle down. Also if you can keep the routine completely clockwork for her I think that helps them settle in quicker. Good luck with your mare :)
 
Thank you, i may try a supplement. Hopefully she will settle, i'm really worried she will smash her stable to bits and hurt herself. She has really latched onto him and i think your right, he has become her security. I'm thinking of trying to separate them for short periods of time. A few mins in the stable and a reward, and keep doing it getting longer and longer over a couple of weeks until she is calm, hoping it might work :s
 
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