paranoid

[tashyisaudrey]

Hi everyone. My horse has become really paranoid. I can't leave her alone for one second without her stamping and neighing the whole time. It happens even when I go to get things from the tack room or just potter about. If I go to get her a bucket of water, she stops eating her hay and watches me frantically to check I'm not going anywhere. If I go to get another horse out the field and she hears me calling them she goes mental at me not being there. My YO said she is becoming really difficult when I am not there, and as she is on workin livery, she was being a real nuisance with other riders but was fine when I was on her. At first I thought it was just her needing company, but other horses and people don't calm her down, she only stops when I am there. I can't be there all the time - she doesn't do it in the field but as soon as I arrive - frantic whinnying, and my YO said she waits for me at the gate. She's always been a bit like this but now its even worse. If I even jst go to get my groomin stuff she is watching me the whole time to check I don't go anywhere.
Bit concerned.....

 

[PapaFrita]

Are you still at that horrible yard? Has anything in her environment changed/ routine changed? I'm not sure what to suggest, except perhaps a companion pony/goat/sheep (there are loads of sheep at the Jockey Club in Cordoba, which amused me)

 

[tashyisaudrey]

yes still there

am looking for somewhere to move her but its a bit difficult to find somewhere

Nothing in her environment or routine has changed. There are 24 horses to keep her company! she is fine in the field, but waits by the gate and is just paranoid on the yard without me there...

The only thing that has changed is that they are all in the winter field now. There is actually less work for her to do at the mo - she mostly gets ridden by me .

 

[tashyisaudrey]

I had to eat my lunch sitting with her !!

 

[allijudd]

audery ...are you too far from us....

rowan is needy...he has a temper tantrum if i leave him...i just let him get on with it...he knows eventually i will come back and when he behaves he gets a cuddle......

ive had awful trouble containing hos strops...when his enviroment changes ie when we had to move him into a smaller stable to acoomodate a larger horse...

is something going on on the yard which is upsetting her....

 

[tashyisaudrey]

No-one is cruel on my yard but they are not very friendly. No-one hurts the horses and they are treated well, so nothing upsetting as far as I know.

 

[Peanot]

My mare is like this too. It started about a week after I had her. When she is being shod, I have to sit with her the whole time and if I walk off to the loo or fetch water etc, she just watches me then when I am out of view, she will spin and fidget until I get back into sight, then she sighs and calms!
When I go in the mornings, she whinnies when I get there, which is normal, then she doesn`t like it when I go out of sight. If I have to go and fetch hay etc, she stands and watches and waits until I am back in view, which is good for her, as until earlier this year, she would rear up at the door and panic, it was horrible to watch. I couldn`t even empty my barrow. I can empty it now as I just had to ignore her and then hurry up back and then give her a treat when she was quiet. I think that it is quite sweet , but it is a pain sometimes. I have just come to terms with it now. She is fine in the field, but if I go in to poo pick, she follows me round.
I think that it is an insecurity thing and she needs to know that you aren`t going to leave her. She obviously loves you.