Mare with social anxiety or just in season? Help?!

[Autumn30]

Good morning,

I am wondering if anyone has experienced anything like this.

I've owned my mare around 8 weeks now, she's 16.3- so she is large, she knows her size (most of the time) she settled in as soon as I got her, I really felt like we clicked, a diamond in the stable just loved human attention and amazing with young children.
She's been good as gold up until Friday where she was moved into a field with other mares and its completely gone down hill.
Before I owned her she was kept stabled next to other horses but in individual turn out.

I've been told a mare she's really bonded in the field (she isn't stabled by the horses she's been turned out with) is in season and it now seems as she has come into season, she is fine to catch still but as soon as she's half way between the field and stable she starts to winnie and pull, when she is in the stable she's all over the place- very anxious. But she isn't alone in her stable block there is a horse opposite her on box rest.
She's an absolute nightmare to tac up as she wont stand still, I've tried to tie her up in stalls and she just wants to break away.
Once you get on her after a bit of a battle and 10 minutes she starts to focus and completely relaxes and she is fine.

When I was younger I owned a horse with server social anxiety and he did become quite dangerous- I think this is what's making me worry, as usually I would go with the flow.

It feels as if she is a new horse with a completely different personality. I'm just hoping its because she needs to settle or hopefully its to do with her in season and will tone down.

Has anyone else experienced this sort of behaviour before? Any info will help- I'm going to bare with it and just try not to let it affect anything and hopefully everything will settle down.

Thanks.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Imagine you have been kept away from interaction with humans, you can see them but not touch or talk or hang out. You don't understand the language of the people looking after you and Your suffering with stress as you have just moved house and jobs and are due your period..... you then finally get some comfort with someone you have clicked with, you feel safe and know what your doing...... abd then you think it's all being taken away again and you cannot communicate with anyone......

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Did the seller tell you anything about her previous 'normal' regime and any associated behaviour?

I think its difficult to give any advice over the internet and I think 8 weeks in is a good time to get a trainer to help you work on your relationship with her on the ground. They can help you establish the right communication between you when leading and handling.

ETA: cross posted with Gingerwitch who explains it much better

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yes, horses kept alone (even just on individual turnout) can become quite desperate to not lose their new friends once they are no longer alone. Essentially whet you are seeing is a herd animal that despite appearances of 'coping' with individual turnout, was actually unhappy being alone and doesn't want to be alone again.

My experience with this situation (mare previously kept alone, now in a pair) was that it did get better with time, patient handling and understanding. We put a lot of effort into training the horse to come away from and then return to her friend. It required tiny baby steps and lots of repetition but in the end we could hack either horse safely with the other one left behind safely. There was still the odd neigh, but no napping by the one ridden out or frantic galloping by the one left behind.

 

[Autumn30]

Imagine you have been kept away from interaction with humans, you can see them but not touch or talk or hang out. You don't understand the language of the people looking after you and Your suffering with stress as you have just moved house and jobs and are due your period..... you then finally get some comfort with someone you have clicked with, you feel safe and know what your doing...... abd then you think it's all being taken away again and you cannot communicate with anyone......

Thanks Gingerwitch, this actually made so much sense on what I haven't really been taking into consideration that much.

 

[Autumn30]

Yes, horses kept alone (even just on individual turnout) can become quite desperate to not lose their new friends once they are no longer alone. Essentially whet you are seeing is a herd animal that despite appearances of 'coping' with individual turnout, was actually unhappy being alone and doesn't want to be alone again.

My experience with this situation (mare previously kept alone, now in a pair) was that it did get better with time, patient handling and understanding. We put a lot of effort into training the horse to come away from and then return to her friend. It required tiny baby steps and lots of repetition but in the end we could hack either horse safely with the other one left behind safely. There was still the odd neigh, but no napping by the one ridden out or frantic galloping by the one left behind.

Thanks for the reply, I'm just working myself up over it- I think because everything has been so perfect, I don't want her to stress or be worried- and its not nice to see her stressed.
When he friend is taken out the field she doesn't seem to mind or even notice, its just when she is taken away from her- but hopefully when she realises and has a routine of them being separated and being put back together she will be a lot more relaxed.

 

[Autumn30]

Did the seller tell you anything about her previous 'normal' regime and any associated behaviour?

I think its difficult to give any advice over the internet and I think 8 weeks in is a good time to get a trainer to help you work on your relationship with her on the ground. They can help you establish the right communication between you when leading and handling.

ETA: cross posted with Gingerwitch who explains it much better

She was stabled a lot due to them not having the best turn out, in the 3 years she had her she was turned out alone and advised she was turned out with others in the home before that which was her first home (where she was foaled etc)

I think what Gingerwitch advised put it into fantastic perspective.

 

[Elno]

You could try NAF oestress, maybe. Helped a fair bit with my mare and also with my friends mare when they were in season and became more herd bound. But I agree with others, she has been without a companion and now that she has one she bonded with her and doesn't want to leave.

 

[popletaa]

I wouldn't worry about it yet, I would think it's highly likely that this behaviour is just because she's in season. My mare is exactly the same, she's normally a saint on the ground and happy to hack alone, but in season she turns into a little demon to be honest! It got to the point my vet suggested putting her on a calmer or Regumate, but I decided to go down the supplement route first and had huge success with Naf Oestress (the liquid version). She had intense separation anxiety when she was in season (wouldn't tie up, won't stand still etc. as you described - very strong and bargy) and this vanished to the point I barely even noticed when she came into season. Or you could try agnus castus which I believe is the active ingredient and may be cheaper.

ETA that she may just need a combination of the above plus settling into her new home a bit and realising her new friends aren't going anywhere.

 

[Elno]

I wouldn't worry about it yet, I would think it's highly likely that this behaviour is just because she's in season. My mare is exactly the same, she's normally a saint on the ground and happy to hack alone, but in season she turns into a little demon to be honest! It got to the point my vet suggested putting her on a calmer or Regumate, but I decided to go down the supplement route first and had huge success with Naf Oestress (the liquid version). She had intense separation anxiety when she was in season (wouldn't tie up, won't stand still etc. as you described - very strong and bargy) and this vanished to the point I barely even noticed when she came into season. Or you could try agnus castus which I believe is the active ingredient and may be cheaper.

ETA that she may just need a combination of the above plus settling into her new home a bit and realising her new friends aren't going anywhere.

I agree with trying the liquid version! ? It worked better than the powder on mine.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I ll just throw in the following for consideration too...we often get a “honeymoon” period with a new horse and then as they settle into the new home a testing phase or true behaviour surfaces. Keep being consistent and calm ..that will help whether in season/anxious or not.

 

[COldNag]

Yes, horses kept alone (even just on individual turnout) can become quite desperate to not lose their new friends once they are no longer alone. Essentially whet you are seeing is a herd animal that despite appearances of 'coping' with individual turnout, was actually unhappy being alone and doesn't want to be alone again.

My experience with this situation (mare previously kept alone, now in a pair) was that it did get better with time, patient handling and understanding. We put a lot of effort into training the horse to come away from and then return to her friend. It required tiny baby steps and lots of repetition but in the end we could hack either horse safely with the other one left behind safely. There was still the odd neigh, but no napping by the one ridden out or frantic galloping by the one left behind.

Echo this.
Ours was kept alone for several years before we got him (properly alone, no others in sight or hearing).
We bought him and kept him on a friend's yard with a few others.
He got incredibly stressed if any others were taken out of their stable for him - ended up having to get a grille as he was looking like he would jump out...

He did settle down eventually and coped fine with being last to go out. But to this day he can get stressed about it and is very aware of where his field mates are and if they have gone off without him - even though there will be others in the next paddock. But he is a million times better.

 

[ponynutz]

You could try NAF oestress, maybe. Helped a fair bit with my mare and also with my friends mare when they were in season and became more herd bound. But I agree with others, she has been without a companion and now that she has one she bonded with her and doesn't want to leave.

I'd agree with this. Doesn't have to be a long term solution but that stuff is liquid gold imo, and it might just help to take the edge off while she gets settled

 

[Autumn30]

I'd agree with this. Doesn't have to be a long term solution but that stuff is liquid gold imo, and it might just help to take the edge off while she gets settled

Thank you, I think I am going to give it a go and see how she responds to it- Its funny as soon as she knows her friends are no longer out without her she calms down completely.

 

[Autumn30]

I agree with trying the liquid version! ? It worked better than the powder on mine.

Great, I have ordered it. Fingers crossed it relaxes her and she's so stressed and its horrible to see.

 

[Elno]

Great, I have ordered it. Fingers crossed it relaxes her and she's so stressed and its horrible to see.

I buy it by the litres ?? Stopped during winter and couldn't quite put my finger on it why mare slowly seemed more stroppy, high strung and well, mare-ish. We also moved yards recently, so it wasn't actually until this thread came up that I suddenly realised what was missing.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

As a general point with mares and issues with them. I always think that it is wise to ask yourself how you would handle it or what you think would be wrong if the horse was a gelding. Too many mares have issues that are nothing to do with their ovaries/hormones/being female, but that is what gets blamed and the issue isn't investigated further or considered beyond that.

So yes, try the NAF liquid oestress but bare in mind what I said above.