Needy mare

[Hormonal Filly]

Has anyone else had a needy mare that is obsessed with them?

My mare does have a lovely bond with me, but sometimes it feels a bit to much.

Our paddocks are individual (and looking for a new yard but seems impossible to find somewhere with all year turnout) but she has friends all around her she can touch. Although she isn’t really bothered by other horses, it’s all me.

She goes out with haylage but as soon as I go out of sight in the morning, she’ll call and run around. Once I drive off (she must hear the car go) she settles. Other liveries have sent videos and she’s happily grazing and relaxed.

Fast forward evening, my car pulls up mind her field is out of sight at least 200 metres away. She must hear my car. Instantly she will call (before I get out of the car) if I take the dogs for a walk first. She will listen for me and trot around looking for me (footpath goes below her field and across the other end of the yard) She can spot me from about 400 metres away and stares calling.

Shes like it in her stable, hates it if I do anything with any other horses.

She came over from Ireland and was hand reared, bred by Godophin.

Everyone says it’s nice how much she loves me, it is, but I’ve never seen a horse like it before. She is on DIY so I’m her sole provider. I honestly think she would be the same in a herd, time will tell as waiting for some yards to come back to me.

 

[meleeka]

I had a Friesian mare that was needy, but not to that level. I had 5 at one point, so she spent half her time being miserable that she wasn’t getting the attention she craved. She lived with the others and was just as clingy with the cob gelding. He was a reluctant beau. She used to trap him in the stable and hold him hostage . She’d lived most of her life alone and without human attention, so I think she was just making up for lost time.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

She’d lived most of her life alone and without human attention, so I think she was just making up for lost time

Oh bless her. They do have character! Mine was just out (living the dream!) in a herd, on lots of land pretty much living wild for the first 3 years of her life before I bought her, so maybe another reason why she is so needy.

 

[sassandbells]

I had a mare who would act similar when in a paddock on her own, if I put her back in with another horse she was less obsessed with me but still affectionate. she also didn’t care about the horses next door.

I guess time will tell if you get to move yards!

 

[Merrymoles]

I've got a needy gelding. Has to be out with "his" mare and not bothered about the other horses all around him if she is there. He goes out first and he calls until I appear with her and then saunters off. Meanwhile the mare calls to him until I put her out.

The mare is also slightly needy and both horses seem to be obsessed with their owners.

We tied up close to each other on the yard and if I even walk across to speak to the mare's owner or the mare, my gelding starts pawing and scraping and the mare does exactly the same if her owner comes to speak to me or my boy.

The hilarious thing is that really they only just tolerate each other when they are out together - my boy moves her on a fair bit (which is good for her waistline as she is a good doer) and if he gets too close, she waves both back feet at him. Fortunately, he is not in the slightest riggy so we manage fine, although we have to watch it if we are in the field doing jobs and one comes over as the other invariably follows and they move very fast!

 

[SEL]

My big mare was hand reared and I am definitely her human. She gets very jealous if I work with the others in her eye line and will often go for them when they're turned back out.

I assumed it was insecurity relating to her start in life resource guarding me, but she genuinely seems to want to spend time with me.

 

[Barton Bounty]

No, but I have a very needy gelding that wants to be with me every minute of the day, even if I have peed in his stable he has to be right there checking it out if im poo picking hes on my neck if I am at the yard he shouts on me till I get him, when I leave in the truck.. he runs the fenceline as if dont leave me, its cute but crikey he makes me feel guilty if anyone is near me he lunges at them , never biting but definitely lets them know im his .
He has knocked hubby away from me into a puddle

 

[eggs]

I had a home bred who really seemed to like the company of humans. He was out in a 22 acre field with other youngsters and would happily stay with you when the others galloped off. It did become a pita though when you tried to bring another of the horses in from the field as he would constantly be circling you. He would stand in his stable bucking if you took another horse out of their stable.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

My big mare was hand reared and I am definitely her human. She gets very jealous if I work with the others in her eye line and will often go for them when they're turned back out.

I assumed it was insecurity relating to her start in life resource guarding me, but she genuinely seems to want to spend time with me.

Aw. Sounds like my mare, if I’m just grooming her she loves it. Anything that involves me being there.

I realised at a show last year I couldn’t leave her tied to the trailer and walk off, she literally pined for me. I took her with me to get food in the tent. She’s ok when in the trailer, just hates seeing me walk off and leave her.

 

[Leonajlt]

I had a Friesian mare that was needy, but not to that level. I had 5 at one point, so she spent half her time being miserable that she wasn’t getting the attention she craved. She lived with the others and was just as clingy with the cob gelding. He was a reluctant beau. She used to trap him in the stable and hold him hostage . She’d lived most of her life alone and without human attention, so I think she was just making up for lost time.

I’m having this with my Friesian mare at the moment. Maybe it’s a breed thing We got her so my other half could ride as my pony was too small for him, but she’s not interested in him one bit, all for me!

 

[meleeka]

I’m having this with my Friesian mare at the moment. Maybe it’s a breed thing We got her so my other half could ride as my pony was too small for him, but she’s not interested in him one bit, all for me!

I believe it is a breed trait!