Horse clinging to companion :(

Bryndu

Bryndu

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Hi,
I posted in October about having a new horse but no companion.....and asked peoples opinions regarding leaving said horse on its own or getting a companion. I don't like horses to be alone and you all agreed a companion would be best.

So....companion duly arrived....sweet person....now my horse has become so clingy it is depressing. They go in the field during the day ...not really near each other.....but when I bring my horse in first...total shouting and careering around the stable even though companion can be seen. I bring companion in and it continues :( This lasts for about 20 minutes.
I tried the other way round and same result....now I cannot get companion in to the field without my horse hugging the gate :(

I know it is early days...as companion has only been here since Sunday...but my horse seems to be getting worse not better...any suggestions gratefully appreciated...

Best wishes
Bryndu
 
Hi Bryndu, my youngster recently moved to a new yard and became very clingy with her field mates. If alone in the field she would run around crazily and be a handful to bring in, if I was in the stable and one of them was led past she'd barge at ehr stable door and circle the stable not caring about me being in the way.

3 months later shes a lot more settled, she is ok with going in the field first and being on her own until another horse comes in, she is waiting to come in most days but doesn't get in the way of other horses and doesn't react when they walk past her stable anymore.

Only thing I would say is it's harder with two horses because whichever one isn't being handled is left alone, ideally 3 together works best I think.

Good luck! Hope she settles soon :)
 
epeters91 said:
Hi Bryndu, my youngster recently moved to a new yard and became very clingy with her field mates. If alone in the field she would run around crazily and be a handful to bring in, if I was in the stable and one of them was led past she'd barge at ehr stable door and circle the stable not caring about me being in the way.

3 months later shes a lot more settled, she is ok with going in the field first and being on her own until another horse comes in, she is waiting to come in most days but doesn't get in the way of other horses and doesn't react when they walk past her stable anymore.

Only thing I would say is it's harder with two horses because whichever one isn't being handled is left alone, ideally 3 together works best I think.

Good luck! Hope she settles soon :)
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Thanks epeters 91....

Fingers crossed she will settle :)

Bryndu
 
If your horse has gone a while with no friends, then she may become really clingy for a while, until she realises her friend isn't going to leaver her forever! Epeters91 is right, 3 works best, not two.
 
I would give them some time to settle down together without worrying too much, like the others say, its probably because your horse has been alone for awhile. I got a new mare earlier this year and her and my older mare were very clingy for the first few weeks, then my older horse decided that her food was actually more interesting after all, it did take a good 3 or so weeks though. I found a fresh strip of grass was the most effective distraction. The newer one can still have the odd panic attack but I have found separating them for short periods and building it up has worked and I'm aiming to be able to hack them out alone by the time the spring comes. I have been using the dark evenings to practice leading one away from the yard for short periods and then bringing them back before any major panics. I started with a friend staying with the other horse on the yard, then moved on to leaving them with a haynet and taking the other one off for walk alone. It is a right pain but I think it can be resolved and I'd definitely prefer to go through this than keep one horse on its own.
 
This is very often a problem with horses that have been alone or even if they have moved yards and then come back. They are very insecure because of this and it can take them a long time to settle. I usually find things start getting better after three months. Things I find helpful is leaving some tasty feed or haylage in with the horse that is being left and the same tasty treat in the stable of the one you are getting in first. It really does distract them. Or if you can, bring them in together; they are often better behaved if you can do this. In terms of turning out, this is usually something that just takes time to settle. Stay in the same routine with the same one going out first and eventually they learn that there is no need to panic. But give it time. A last resort, if you are set up for it, is to allow them to go in and out as they please, or safely fence off the route so you can drive them in and out loose to and from the field.
 
WandaMare said:
I would give them some time to settle down together without worrying too much, like the others say, its probably because your horse has been alone for awhile.
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This ^^

I'd had my boy more than 6 years when I moved and had him at home. He was alone for a couple of months before I arranged a companion and he became very clingy for a few weeks after the companion arrived. Luckily I knew him so I knew he wasn't always like this and was able to wait it out. It helped that I also chose a very non-clingy companion - it was my main requirement when I spoke to the rescue centre.

I would leave them be for a week or so until yours has got over the excitement of company, then start to build them up with time apart as WandaMare described. Mine will still shout a bit if he is left and companion taken out but gets over it, especially if distracted with some food. He's fine now if he is the one taken out. Companion couldn't care less either way which is very helpful - it would have been harder work if the companion was also clingy though I think they would have still got over it in time.
 
Stick with it, it'll get better!! As everyone else has said, it's all a bit new yet and your horse is having a bit of a "moment" about there being a friend there! The best advice I can give is to set your stall out and stick with it until they learn that that's what happens! Easier said than done I know!

You don't mention how the companion is. If that's not acting like a moron too then you're half way there already (believe it or not)!

If it's any consolation, I have struggled for 5 years with various horses being at home and being horrendously clingy (even with 3)! My companion pony is a busy body and she's as hysterical as the others!! At the moment I have her nannying my 3yr old and they go out first thing ...... and stand and scream (between mouthfuls of grass) for my 5yr old who thankfully doesn't respond! However, it does make her very jumpy and distracted which is frustrating. I just repeat the whole "you two go out, the big horse gets ridden, then she comes out" routine every single ruddy day in the hope that eventually they'll get their heads round it! The 5yr old has only been here 3 weeks....

It's also the worst time of year - dark, wet, miserable and tolerance is not vast!!
Good luck, hope they settle soon for you! Drives you nuts!
 
Thanks everyone for your input....

Companion is as calm as a cucumber...just my horse that is clingy..

However...companion did the whole barge thing tonight to come in first....and was put firmly in its place by me....which my horse thought was awesome....and we only had one shout tonight.... :)

Thank you all so much for you experiences...it is really appreciated :)

Best wishes
Bryndu
 
Hi again...

So companion and my horse seem to be getting on well...all has calmed down....I can take both out of the field without the other stressing.....

Soooooo...they are both losing weight :( Do people think this may be stress related and they do not really get on? Or do I put it down to the bally awful weather and the grass just being water? They both come in overnight and have very good quality hay and a handful of feed...

Oh...and if anyone ha access to anti paranoia pills.....I will supply my address !

Thanks for reading.
Bryndu
 
Bryndu said:
Hi again...

So companion and my horse seem to be getting on well...all has calmed down....I can take both out of the field without the other stressing.....

Soooooo...they are both losing weight :( Do people think this may be stress related and they do not really get on? Or do I put it down to the bally awful weather and the grass just being water? They both come in overnight and have very good quality hay and a handful of feed...

Oh...and if anyone ha access to anti paranoia pills.....I will supply my address !

Thanks for reading.
Bryndu
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Good to hear things have settled down! I would say it's the watery grass - could you put some hay out for them during the day? My fields still have a lot of grass cover under the water but they still come in hungry (they need to lose some weight) - the horse that needs some weight on has a haynet in her field so she can fill up if necessary. She is a but stressed (being new) but she's putting in weight albeit slowly...

Oh, and if you get those pills please share as I'm at my wits end with my lot!! :p
 
Dazed'n'confused said:
Good to hear things have settled down! I would say it's the watery grass - could you put some hay out for them during the day? My fields still have a lot of grass cover under the water but they still come in hungry (they need to lose some weight) - the horse that needs some weight on has a haynet in her field so she can fill up if necessary. She is a but stressed (being new) but she's putting in weight albeit slowly...

Oh, and if you get those pills please share as I'm at my wits end with my lot!! :p
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Thanks Dazed'n'confused :)

I will send the pills when I get them :)

Bryndu
 
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