I give up!! Separation anxiety??

[WJT]

My mare is a nightmare when it comes to being separated from her friends, in and out of the stable, she will not settle!
She is stabled overnight, approx 3:30pm till 8am.< When she is stabled at these times, all the horses on the yard are also in their stables.
Shes closely surrounded by 3 horses next to her paddock most of the time, sometimes 5 maybe 6 depending on who has turned out. (There are more horses around her but not as close as these, if all these leave her, she goes mad)

She always has company around the stable block when in her stable, but still goes mad if her friends (the closest ones to her paddock) are turned out before her, this only happens on a weekend as she is turned out before all others during the week. She will rear at the door, pace round the stable and run at the stable door. At an old yard she had actually jumped out her stable once.
The stable is only a problem at the weekend and through school holidays when she is not turned out as early as usual.

Now for her paddock, she is out at 8am (with hay) and her friends are usually out around half 9, she gallops about and upsets the others when they are being turned out, once they are turned out she will gallop about, her paddock is awful, she has churned A LOT of ground.
She is brought in at around half 3 (if she hasn't already escaped her paddock and brought herself up to her stable). She has electric, and still found a way to escape a couple of days ago, snapping the fencing. She escapes when she is the last one in the field, i can't stop her being the last one in the field as i can't get down until half 3 every day apart from weekends. If she hasn't escaped, then she's soaked with sweat from galloping about constantly.

This happens every few days, some days she's fine and hasn't escaped and isn't sweaty. But most days this does happen.

What can i do to help her stressing when she is left alone

Just to add, she isn't even left fully alone, she has horses around her that live out 24/7 (from a yard close by), so is never actually on her own, she just doesn't like it when the certain group of horses leave her.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

She obviously cannot cope with changes to her routine. She starts to panic when her closest compnions leve her behind. Horses are herd animals, so this is completely natural behaviour. I can only suggest that you go down at the same time every morning, regrdelss of your other commitments and ask someone else to bring her in on schooldays, so that she isn't left behind.

I must say though, that I think that 3.30pm to 8.00am is a very long time for her to be in.

 

[Morgan123]

My mare is like this: I let her live out. She is just miserable with any yard routines and hates stables because of being separated from others. Can your mare go in with others or could you move yards to the 24/7 turnout one? Or could you pair up with someone so she always has a friend in with her or next door?

Is this new behaviour?

 

[WJT]

She obviously cannot cope with changes to her routine. She starts to panic when her closest compnions leve her behind. Horses are herd animals, so this is completely natural behaviour. I can only suggest that you go down at the same time every morning, regrdelss of your other commitments and ask someone else to bring her in on schooldays, so that she isn't left behind.

I must say though, that I think that 3.30pm to 8.00am is a very long time for her to be in.

It's not a change in routine though she is turned out at the exact same time every week day due to being at school, and is brought in at half 3. It's not my choice to bring in at half 3, she gives us no choice but to bring her in at that time or she would no doubt bring herself up. That is because everyone at the stables has usually brought in at around half 2-3ish.
Apart from weekends when she is turned out a little later but i'm sure the majority of horses stabled will have a slightly different routine on a weekend.

We would have to pay for her to be brought in each day and we can't afford that unfortunately.

Also, i agree, i'm not a fan of her being in so early but i have no choice due to her being left on her own

 

[Littlelegs]

The stable issue is easy, just make sure she is turned out at the same time as others. The field issue isn't that hard either, make sure she isn't left alone. Imo if she's actually in alone, even with company over the fence, it won't be helping to ease her separation anxiety. I'd make arrangements for her to be in a field with others, & make sure she isn't ever left, either by making arrangements with yo or another livery.
I do believe all horses should really be able to remain relatively calm & safe for short periods alone in a stable or out with other horses in earshot. But, I think it takes time. Forcing them to deal with it doesn't cure it imo, leaving them alone to stress just reinforces the need to get anxious about it. I think the best way to cure it is to let the horse learn it isn't going to be left alone. And then slowly you take yours away from the others (not the other way) for literally a minute at a time at first. So perhaps putting yours out 1 minute before the others, or bringing in a minute before. But, it only works if the horse is confident the others aren't constantly coming & going, & if its calm & willing at each stage.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It's not a change in routine though she is turned out at the exact same time every week day due to being at school, and is brought in at half 3. .....................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
Apart from weekends when she is turned out a little later but i'm sure the majority of horses stabled will have a slightly different routine on a weekend.

We would have to pay for her to be brought in each day and we can't afford that unfortunately.

Also, i agree, i'm not a fan of her being in so early but i have no choice due to her being left on her own

That is the change in routine that I meant, although it's not so much the time as the fact tht instead of going out first, she is going out last at the weekend.

 

[WJT]

My mare is like this: I let her live out. She is just miserable with any yard routines and hates stables because of being separated from others. Can your mare go in with others or could you move yards to the 24/7 turnout one? Or could you pair up with someone so she always has a friend in with her or next door?

Is this new behaviour?

I could move yards but i really don't want to, this yard i am at is really good, no bitching, stealing etc. It has good facilities and hacking. I also actually wake up on time for school now because of having to turn her out every morning lol

She always has friends next door on weekdays as she's the first of her group of friends to be turned out every morning, i'm not too fussed about her stable problem, it's mainly the field problem, i would have to pay each day to have her turned out and brought in with a friend so that isn't an option

 

[WJT]

That is the change in routine that I meant, although it's not so much the time as the fact tht instead of going out first, she is going out last at the weekend.

The stable isn't as big a problem as the field, i will start turning her out early on a weekend to stop her messing in her stable. It's the field that is the main problem.

 

[Littlelegs]

Ok if you can't pay someone to bring in, ask another livery to do it in exchange for you doing something for them, such as turning out, moving muck, cleaning tack etc. Or get a paper round straight after school & use that to pay for bringing in. And for the mornings, just get to yard same time regardless of whether its a school day or not.

 

[WJT]

The stable issue is easy, just make sure she is turned out at the same time as others. The field issue isn't that hard either, make sure she isn't left alone. Imo if she's actually in alone, even with company over the fence, it won't be helping to ease her separation anxiety. I'd make arrangements for her to be in a field with others, & make sure she isn't ever left, either by making arrangements with yo or another livery.
I do believe all horses should really be able to remain relatively calm & safe for short periods alone in a stable or out with other horses in earshot. But, I think it takes time. Forcing them to deal with it doesn't cure it imo, leaving them alone to stress just reinforces the need to get anxious about it. I think the best way to cure it is to let the horse learn it isn't going to be left alone. And then slowly you take yours away from the others (not the other way) for literally a minute at a time at first. So perhaps putting yours out 1 minute before the others, or bringing in a minute before. But, it only works if the horse is confident the others aren't constantly coming & going, & if its calm & willing at each stage.

Yes i'm going to start to make sure she's out at the same time as others on a weekend. I will try that thankyou. I will have a word with liveries and see about her being in a field with others. I try my hardest to make sure she isn't left on her own as i hate it when she stresses but that would mean asking the liveries who own her group of friends, they both have two horses each and i don't like giving them a 3rd to be responsible of, but they do help and bring her in for me if i ask them to, which i do every so often.

 

[WJT]

Ok if you can't pay someone to bring in, ask another livery to do it in exchange for you doing something for them, such as turning out, moving muck, cleaning tack etc. Or get a paper round straight after school & use that to pay for bringing in. And for the mornings, just get to yard same time regardless of whether its a school day or not.

Yes i've had a livery at the yard bring her in a few days for me, but the owners of my mares friends both own two horses each so i don't really like giving them a 3rd to have to bring in
Hopefully in summer this problem should go, all liveries should be bringing in at about half 5 6ish so it shouldn't happen through summer (i hope!!)

 

[Littlelegs]

If you volunteer to do something for them instead though its not adding to their burden, its just an exchange of duties.

 

[madmav]

She obviously cannot cope with changes to her routine. She starts to panic when her closest compnions leve her behind. Horses are herd animals, so this is completely natural behaviour. I can only suggest that you go down at the same time every morning, regrdelss of your other commitments and ask someone else to bring her in on schooldays, so that she isn't left behind.

I must say though, that I think that 3.30pm to 8.00am is a very long time for her to be in.

3.30pm to 8am in stable is very normal on livery yards, at least round here. Some don't even have every day turn-out. Or even any in winter.

 

[PandorasJar]

Am I reading correctly that she's on individual turn out?
I'd say that will be a big issue with something with separation anxiety.

I don't like individual with most horses. I had to do it with mine briefly (a couple of days) and she's fine alone while other horses are out working or overnight but was much harder to handle after a couple of days. In with 1 or two companions I find them okay and in a large group my lot are so easy. One with issues like that is just reinforcing them.

It doesn't sound like a great set up at all tbh and entirely agree with littlelegs post

 

[WJT]

If you volunteer to do something for them instead though its not adding to their burden, its just an exchange of duties.

I don't really have anything i can do for them, they're already done on weekdays by the time i've got to the yard, and on weekends her daughter is at the yard and would prefer to do her jobs herself. I'm stuck on that one

 

[WJT]

Am I reading correctly that she's on individual turn out?
I'd say that will be a big issue with something with separation anxiety.

I don't like individual with most horses. I had to do it with mine briefly (a couple of days) and she's fine alone while other horses are out working or overnight but was much harder to handle after a couple of days. In with 1 or two companions I find them okay and in a large group my lot are so easy. One with issues like that is just reinforcing them.

It doesn't sound like a great set up at all tbh and entirely agree with littlelegs post

Yes she's in her own paddock with no company in it with her, it's not my choice i think it is maybe a yard rule that they have individual turnout, i could ask the YO if she could share a paddock though.

 

[WJT]

3.30pm to 8am in stable is very normal on livery yards, at least round here. Some don't even have every day turn-out. Or even any in winter.

Very true

 

[maxapple]

I have a pony who is very similar - he really wouldn't cope being out on his own - even if there was a horse in the paddock right next to him. He is obsessed with my other horse and gets stressed if I take him in the school and he can't see him!

The key is to turn your horse out at the same time as the others and with other horses.

 

[WJT]

I have a pony who is very similar - he really wouldn't cope being out on his own - even if there was a horse in the paddock right next to him. He is obsessed with my other horse and gets stressed if I take him in the school and he can't see him!

The key is to turn your horse out at the same time as the others and with other horses.

Yes, turning out isn't really a problem as she has hay when turned out so will probably still have hay left when her friends are being turned out, it's the bringing in, me or my mum can't get down before half 3 to bring in, everyone has usually brought in before 3.

 

[smellsofhorse]

You need to come to a deal with someone on the yard to turn out and bring in with another horse or pay someone to do it?
Also is she in a paddock alone?
She would probably be happier in a herd situation.

Could she live out?
How about the yard with the 24/7 turn out?

Reading your replies you arnt going to solve the problems.

Something HAS to change if you want your horse to settle.

So saying i cant do something isnt good enoigh.
You HAVE to change something in order to change the situation, whether that be pay someone to help or move yards!

 

[Pinkvboots]

How long have you had her? Has she always done this or does she just do it at this yard, is it just some horses she is attatched to? Sorry for the questions but I went through months of this and there are so many things you can do to help this, how many horses does she go out with? Is she the top mare in the herd it all makes a difference.


My mare was stabled in a few different yards and some made her worse, she would also rear in the stable, jump out of her field and try and chew her way out of her stable, my mare is only really happy living out but I dont have the facility to do it at home really, she was really attached to my gelding and would be dangerous if I took him away.
I found any change in routine would make her worse, better if ridden everyday I also feed her magnesium which also makes a difference.

I have had her just over two years and keep her at home now with my gelding, i can leave her on her own when I ride my other horse and she is ok, I can ride her on her own no problem but she still will not be turnout out alone but she is so much better.

 

[smellsofhorse]

could it be a hormonal problem?

Does she cycle regularly?
How about in winter?
Is she a tart?!

 

[WJT]

You need to come to a deal with someone on the yard to turn out and bring in with another horse or pay someone to do it?
Also is she in a paddock alone?
She would probably be happier in a herd situation.

Could she live out?
How about the yard with the 24/7 turn out?

Reading your replies you arnt going to solve the problems.

Something HAS to change if you want your horse to settle.

So saying i cant do something isnt good enoigh.
You HAVE to change something in order to change the situation, whether that be pay someone to help or move yards!

She is in a paddock alone, and i will try to work something out with a livery in exchange for bringing in for me. I don't want to move yards as this yard has no bitching, stealing or any other problems apart from this, this problem should go in summer when liveries bring in later meaning mine won't be the last to be brought up, thankyou

 

[WJT]

could it be a hormonal problem?

Does she cycle regularly?
How about in winter?
Is she a tart?!

She might be in season although thinking about that i have't noticed sticky legs, a week or so ago she did have a tart moment with a gelding as i was turning her out, she has also started to go to kick me when i am changing or fixing her rug if she is eating her dinner, i feed after i fix/change rugs now though to stop that. She is only 5 i should have added so she will be going through her moody teenager stage.

 

[WJT]

How long have you had her? Has she always done this or does she just do it at this yard, is it just some horses she is attatched to? Sorry for the questions but I went through months of this and there are so many things you can do to help this, how many horses does she go out with? Is she the top mare in the herd it all makes a difference.


My mare was stabled in a few different yards and some made her worse, she would also rear in the stable, jump out of her field and try and chew her way out of her stable, my mare is only really happy living out but I dont have the facility to do it at home really, she was really attached to my gelding and would be dangerous if I took him away.
I found any change in routine would make her worse, better if ridden everyday I also feed her magnesium which also makes a difference.

I have had her just over two years and keep her at home now with my gelding, i can leave her on her own when I ride my other horse and she is ok, I can ride her on her own no problem but she still will not be turnout out alone but she is so much better.

I've had her a year and almost 4 months. She's never been stabled every night in her life before (shes's 5), at old yard she was out 24/7 with company so never had this problem. It is 3 horses that she is attached to, which are the ones that are in paddocks opposite and next to. She doesn't have anyone in her paddock with her, but is usually out with 3 horses in paddocks around hers, sometimes 5 depending if a livery turns their two out or not.

 

[SallyBatty]

It sounds like she is very stressed in her current situation. Can you ask your yard manager/owner if she can be turned out in the same field with her friends? You would also need to make sure she is turned out and brought in at the same time as the others so she is not on her own either in the stable or in the field. I know my mare would not be happy with individual turnout even if she was right next to a horse in another field. I would also think about what feed she is getting and maybe change her on to a fibre only diet if she is currently on cereals.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Is she better out in company can you not try this? Reason being as she has always lived out she is not used to being out alone, you may find once she has company she may get better as long as they all go out and in together, I think this is your main problem she is feeling insecure so is clingy to the 3 nearest to her, if you cant put her with company I would change yards it wont get better.

My mare also lived out for years before I got her, mine is happier in a big herd but will live with my gelding now as she knows he always comes back but she will not go out on her own even now.

 

[WJT]

It sounds like she is very stressed in her current situation. Can you ask your yard manager/owner if she can be turned out in the same field with her friends? You would also need to make sure she is turned out and brought in at the same time as the others so she is not on her own either in the stable or in the field. I know my mare would not be happy with individual turnout even if she was right next to a horse in another field. I would also think about what feed she is getting and maybe change her on to a fibre only diet if she is currently on cereals.

I will ask YO, and she is on happyhoof, i've never changed her off this and she's been fine on it. I think i need to either ask to share a field or arrange something with a livery. Thankyou

 

[Littlelegs]

Speak to yo about company in with her. And ask the other liveries what you can do in exchange for bring ins. They may well like doing jobs, but you could put their hay in the paddock am, turn out for them etc, if you ask I'm sure they'll find something.
I've got one from the point she would completely lose it if I put the other in a stable & left her outside the door, or even having one either side of the field gate. Even if they could still touch she couldn't cope with a barrier between them. She was completely glued to her 24/7. Now she'll go anywhere alone, stables alone, & will even settle being left in the field alone provided she can see other horses in adjoining ones. But, she could only begin to stop stressing about getting left when she relaxed & realised she wasn't getting left alone ever. They can't stop worrying about it, until you've removed the cause, which of course is being left behind.

 

[WJT]

Is she better out in company can you not try this? Reason being as she has always lived out she is not used to being out alone, you may find once she has company she may get better as long as they all go out and in together, I think this is your main problem she is feeling insecure so is clingy to the 3 nearest to her, if you cant put her with company I would change yards it wont get better.

My mare also lived out for years before I got her, mine is happier in a big herd but will live with my gelding now as she knows he always comes back but she will not go out on her own even now.

She does have company around her but not in the same paddock, 2 of her friends are in the paddock next to her, and her other friend is in the opposite paddock. I am going to see about sharing a paddock. This is the 3rd yard i've been at in the 1 year and 4 months i've had her, for the first 2 months of having her she was out 24/7, and would be alone with no company at all some nights, she had no electric fencing either! I then moved to the 2nd yard, where she was kept in a paddock of her and 2 others for the majority of the time i was there. She gets easily attached to other horses, the last yard i was at my mare and a liverys mare were almost inseparable.