Pair bonding

[I don’t like mondays]

After lots of bad luck we’ve recently started loaning a pony. She came from a home with one other mare where they were very pair bonded and she got very stressed if they were separated. Our livery yard is small and quiet and wherever you are, you can see other horses (tie up area, school, field).

I’ve split my field so my existing pony is in one half and new pony in the other. They also have pony neighbours (so new pony is never alone). Existing pony isn’t bothered by new pony, he’s easy going

New pony is already pair bonded to my other pony and worries if he leaves the field or if he goes back to the field before her. She doesn’t seem to get any comfort in having direct neighbours or other ponies on the yard.

it’s early days and a huge change for the new pony so I know it’s going to take time, and at the moment we’re not putting her into stressful situations and taking it slowly

my question is, with ponies prone to getting pair bonded are there any dos and don’ts with this situation? I think she’s more clingy due to being in a totally new home but I want to help her as much as possible and also not make anything worse for her. I’ve had a horse with separation anxiety before but he was ok if he could see a horse whereas this mare just wants my other pony (who she’s only been a neighbour with)
Thanks

 

[suestowford]

I've just recently been through a similar thing when my pony died. I also have a little pony on loan to me, they'd been friends for a long time. My neighbour has a pony who is another old codger, and rather lonely, so I asked if I could pair them up.
Mine was very clingy with his new friend almost right away. He would get really upset if he couldn't see him, even if it was only for a few seconds. Like you, we tried to avoid stressful situations as much as we could, and it has all settled down a bit more now. That did take about 3 months though, to get to that point. I would think that once your new mare has had time to work out that she's in a safe place, and that your other pony always comes back, she will hopefully find life a little less worrying.
I think keeping her to a routine as much as possible, while she is settling in, so that she begins to know what to expect, and when, might help her.