help....what to do with my nutty mare ??

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keekee

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we have recently moved to a new yard where there are 3 other mares it is a small private yard and we are really happy there however my mare is becoming very inseprable with the otheres ...for instance i had to go and see to her slightly earlyer than normal which meant bringing her in on her own and feeding her i then left a shouting imbaseal which i thought would settle wen i had gone i then called the girls half an hour later knowing they would be there by then to ask how she was they said she was compleatly lathered up and sweat was running down her legs .....i was really worried but the girls saw to her for me several other insedances have happened , but i have just got a new job and so she willl have to go out early and come in early some times i dont want to start asking people to do her 4 me this needs addressing b4 it gets even wore what do u reccomend....
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How long have you been there with her? Try and bring her in for shorter periods of time if you can on her own maybe at weekends. Try and improve her independance, she is probable feeling a bit insecure if youhave moved to a smaller yard. Is there no way you guys can work something between you all to take it in turns if you are working late/starting early?
By varying what you do with her when you are there will hoepfully make her stand on her own two feet a little, take your time though anf build her up to it. Good luck
 
get some help. Since my horse moved to a very small yard, he doesnt like it in on his own (was fine at other yard). He spins around in circles, looks out the door then spins around in circles again !!!. My friend helps. If she is down first she puts him out with hers, if im late she will leave her horse out and I will get them both in. We both help each other. some mornings i have a lay in (yippppeee) as she will feed and turn out then visa versa. It great and makes horse owning less of a stress and more of a pleasure.
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Ask someone to help.
 
a lot of horses are insecure like this. mine is ok in the stable on her own but i could never leave her in a field without her mates. we help each other out on our yard, so maybe someone would be happy to team up with you. I wouldn't stop bringing her in on her own though, but i would stay with her til her friends come in. she will soon realise that that's the routine and they will be in shortly. Once they get used to a routine then things improve.
 
It's perfectly normal for your Mare to act this way. She's in a new yard, being left on her own etc it's tricky I know though.

What you need to do is bring her in so she will be alone for a few minutes at a time and then the other horses come in. This will need to be increased (time away from other) depending on how she is dealing with it. If she improves but only slightly, keep the few minutes rule for longer before increasing etc. As soon as she is settled in her new routine, i.e she is brought in and the others do come she will soon settle down as she knows the score.

It will take a bit of work though and I know it will be hard but you may have to call on their help for now, but knowing she will be settled in the long run should you not have time due to work commitments.

Also, can you give her a lick or something (like horselyx) to assume her whilst she is solo. Anything you can think of she loves to try and take her attention away.
 
Some horses take ages to settle when you first move them. I think it's really important to establish a routine as soon as possible - but this can be done by degrees.

So bring her in perhaps a littler earlier, only, than the other horses so that she gets used to being on her own there - but doesn't completely turn herself inside out.
 
I will watch this with interest because my mare is exactly the same.... stands with her head over the door staring non stop in the direction of the field and does the spinny/head banging thing untill the others come in.....

I find it very stressful because i think she is going to hurt herself (her lickit keeps her occupied for 30 seconds then she is off again)
 
I also experienced this recently with my tb mare, she had been living out but had beenkicked in field and had to go for surgery.
Returned on box rest having been stood in fine at the vets - and was exactly the same. Only my two mares on the yard, turn out big mare every morning and tb in half an hour throwing herself about like a wild thing and dripping with sweat. Vets said sedation, tried and failed. I've had to move her to a different yard where she is fine. It was separation from my other mare.

Its an issue dont know how to solve but she couldnt behave like that for 6 weeks she was meant to be resting.

I have seen it in my big mare too but with her it was an issue taking her out of the field away from the others. I have been working with her with big improvements, she does almost everything on her own now so she isnt worrying about where the others are but its a big battle.
I wish you luck. I'd like to know useful tips too for coping with this.
 
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