horse left on own- something they can get used to?

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amandaco2

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As title really. Can they get a tolerance about being left on their own?
Horse is left in stable while the other three go out on lorry....
I've put a mirror up and given her a treat ball with carrots in. she calls and sometimes sweats up. She's 26 so I don't know if u should just keep trying as I don't want her over stressed. First time she was fine,second time she got really upset, sweated up etc, third time she was slightly warm and had knocked water bucket over.....
Has anyone's horse got used to being left alone ....?
 
Of course they can! How do you think everyone manages with boxrest etc...

It's natural to worry, leave with hay, water but nothing they can injure themselves on and they can have a one horse party all on their own. Soon, the stomach will take over and they will find themselves angrily munching hay. Shut the top door if you think you might have a jumper on your hands but just be business-like about it. Let them have a strop. They will just have to get over it! In a few days, it'll be like "whats all the fuss?".
 
Mine is being left on his own in the daytime atm, although he can see his new livery buddies out in the field in front of the stable. He has a large hay net and a ball with treats in his has to push around. I'm not a fan of hay nets, but tying it by the door means he can look out and eat which hopefully will keep him happier. His first day was yesterday and I heard a couple of neighs when I left, but no banging. I sat in the car with the windows down to check! He seemed fine when I got back, horizontal in fact, having a lovely snooze :D

I'm sure she'll get used to it, can you vary it so sometimes she's left in for 10 mins when they get turned out? Just so maybe she doesn't always associate being in with being left for x hours? Oldies can be harder to adjust though, cunning beasts that they are - I would never be able to leave our 29yo in the stable alone, would come back to no stable!
 
I can leave or take any combination of my three all day and they are fine. I leave them in their stables with hay and water. Although they are pleased to see their friends come back they aren't sweaty or distressed. I just started by going for an hour or so, then gradually built it up. I'm sure you mare will be fine in time. Good luck. :) x
 
If she was better the third time than she was the second time I think she will come to accept it. She will gradually realise that her buddies do come back each time. Unfortunately, you can't explain to a horse that the separation is only temporary, you just have to persevere until they work it out for themselves. In a horse's world, being on your own is not safe and leaves you vulnerable to predators so it is understandable that they will initially get stressed.
 
I'm having this problem as well trying to get my horse used to being on his own. The main problem is his two mates call for him from the field, and I'm sure if they didn't call for him he would be fine. Even if I try and take him a hack the other two bomb up and down the field winding him up. The main troublemaker is the ring leader, and if she stopped calling for him and acting up then I think the other one wouldn't do it. The main trouble maker is up for sale (not for this reason, though partly!) and I will be so glad to see the back of her, she is causing so much grief.
 
She is literally all alone as the horses are kept at home. She can't see any other horses at all.
I've left my then 3yr old on her own in the stable before to hack the other two horses out...but there were lots of horses nearby then and she never bothered.

Took all three today. Old girl was pretty sweaty on her shoulders and stifles although she looked quite calm and only did one neigh when we got back.
I gave her a treatball with carrot in. This was empty but not sure if its cos she ate or scattered them box walking. The bedding is a write off.
Perhaps if I work her first it would help?
 
Yes it took me til she was 16 to actually put my foot down as she needed to be alone in the field for 24 hours and guess what after ten minutes of ridiculous behaviour she was totally fine. This horse had never stayed on its own for the 14 previous years because she went mental and I pandered to her. Now all of mine have to stay on their own regularly. I do find if they don't do it for a while, they can be silly initially but they soon settle down.

If possible take her away from them, rather than them away from her. Even tie her to the side of the lorry, load them, put her in her stable if you are single handed.
 
That's an idea, she would probably be much happier going away from them...
She was a complete loon when younger and would kick off of she was in her own field with horses next door. Had a tried it then I'm sure she would have jumped the door and the gate to follow.....
Will try to take them about 3x week so she has a chance to get used to it.
It's the sweating up and obvious box rest that is bothering me.....if she just whinnied I wouldn't mind!!!!
 
Some never get used to it. Our 3TBs - one couldn't care less about other horses as long as he's got some food, one shouted first few times which we totally ignored and he soon became quite happy to be left in when others all went out or if he was only one brought in. The third one gets more and more stressed. He is now in late 20s and just as bad as when he was at 10. He gets so worked up and sweaty that the weight drops off. If possible, I turn him out but if he's on box rest, another horse has to be left in with him at all times or he re-injures himself. It depends on their temperament and, I suspect, on their position in the 'herd'.
 
mine never could no... but my current mare will happily

not in the field admitidly as she will jump gates if shes left alone (she jumped out of my 3.5 fence field when she was 1.5....not something id like to repeat..) but stable kept she literally has to be dragged out of it - she LOVES her stable. :)

so yes as long as they arnt jumpers - leave with hay/treat ball etc and let them strop it out.
 
Most will get used to it but there will be the odd horse who doesn't.

I have one whe can't cope with one particular field mate being taken out of the field so she has to come into her stable if the field mate comes in despite there being other horse's out in the same field. She is safer in the stable as she just gallops about if she is left in the field.

I recently had one of my horses in on box rest. I would have bet good money that he would be a right stress head but he settled immediately and very happily. I always kept one of my other horses in but if it wasn't for the fact that I was at work so couldn't keep an eye on him I think he would have been perfectly OK if no-one else was in. He certainly didn't worry when I swapped his companions over at lunchtime.
 
Thanks guys. I feel a bit better about persevering now....
I wouldn't leave her out, she would gallop about and she's an old tendon injury I don't want her to antagonise (she's sound and I'd like to keep her that way!!)
 
Yes! Mine used to have hysterics if I left her in the stable while I rode her field companion! She used to run round her stable, barge the door, piaffe at the door, shriek hysterically for the entire time he was out, poo continuously - it was a nightmare! She even fell over once because she was running round so fast! But she is much better now, she whinnies for him a bit, and walks the odd circle round her stable, but mainly she just eats her hay and waits till he comes back. The main things that have helped have been doing something with her everyday (even if it is just walking out) so that she gets used to being away from him, and introducing her to my YO's ponies properly (they are normally in separate fields) so that she knows he isn't the only horse around!
 
Mine is on boxrest currently and alone during the day. He doesn't even look out the door now when they go out in the morning. Long as he has hay. Not bothered at all.
 
I knew one that was left on her own in a small paddock while her field mate was away. She trotted the fence line all day, everyday for the whole week. She went in fat as butter and came out at an ideal weight, if a little tucked up! Some will never settle.
 
one of mine lived on him own for 7 1/2 years before i got him and now hes surrounded by horses... still wants nothing to do with them he just chills out all the time... doesnt care if horses are in or out if hes in on his own or out on his own he actually doesnt care. so yes horses can get used to it. some horses take longer then others but it happens eventually :)
 
It depends on the horse. Some will always panic when left alone. I have a pony who is left for about 3 hours while the other 2 are hacked out. He accepts this. I make sure he has plenty to eat to keep him occupied. Once they realise that the others will come back most horses would accept this.
 
What would you do with a horse who tries to go over the door? A full grill or just shut the top? I have two at home and when one is in the school and the other is in his stable, the stabled one tries to go over as other horse is out of view. I want something to put up while i work on the issue - Increasing time apart slowly so eventually I can go out for a hack on the other and he'll be ok. That or a Shetland companion and always have this issue :(
 
zoon said:
What would you do with a horse who tries to go over the door? A full grill or just shut the top? I have two at home and when one is in the school and the other is in his stable, the stabled one tries to go over as other horse is out of view. I want something to put up while i work on the issue - Increasing time apart slowly so eventually I can go out for a hack on the other and he'll be ok. That or a Shetland companion and always have this issue :(
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I'd get a mesh type grill myself and sort the issue. Or just give me Dottie?!:p

Definitely sort it, you may find a Shetland companion won't actually solve it anyway, as they will still want each other.
 
Mine have to get used to it, I can't be doing with having to plan my life around not leaving a horse alone while I ride another one, or only need to get one in etc.

They all get used to it. Usually the problem is seeing the other horse taken away, so at first, take BOTH horses out of the stables (2 people, one leading each) walk until you're out of sight of stables, then one horse carry on, and one horse be led back to stables. This usually helps at first and just gradually leave them for longer till they're ok.
Make sure they have food etc.
 
I would take her with me but no way can four fit on the lorry-space or weight!!she could do with going out a bit more....maybe a few trips out will make her realise she doesn't really want to go with the others.
I think part of it is she used to be a very active horse- competing, trips out, lots of attention....now she doesn't understand why she's not still getting that...?
 
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