Putting horse on their own for the first time

[Ginn]

When my YO had her 2 pts a few weeks ago she sensibly borrowed a friends pony for a few weeks until we came to a more permenant decision. YO is going to get another horse but understandably wants to wait a bit - this could be all of another few weeks or a good few months.

I had a very long chat with my instructor who now knows us both inside and out (and has years of experience with horses of all ages and personalities) and she said that if anything it would do Tilly good to learn to cope on her own for a while (as she gets herself so het up when others are taken away from her and naturally there are going to be times when she'll have to cope on her own.) So sometime in the next 10 days her current companion is going home and Tilly will have to cope on her own for the first time ever!

When Solly and Rusty were pts my YO (on my instruction as I was away) gave her some sedalin to help her adjust as she stresses very easily and we didn't want her either injuring herself or going for the "new" horse as she is in foal. Would it be wise therefore to give her some sedalin for the first few days, dropping the dosage each day?

Also, should she see the other horse going so that she doesn't frantically run round searching for her?

Is there anything else I can start doing now to help her with what is going to be a very stressful time for her? When she can't see the other horse(s) she freaks out and runs round flat out screaming and I really don't want her hurting herself. My instructor is adament that if we ride the storm for 2 or 3 days she'll be fine but its those first few days which are worrying me! Would a longer term calmer also help? And if so which one?

Thanks in advance and well done if you made it to the end!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Anyway of separating the horses for short periods now.

My horse is always worst if she sees her field companion being led away, but if they are brought in together and then she is put back out, she settles much more quickly. She will still trot around and call particularly if horses in neighbouring fields are brought in/put out, but nothing too silly.

Is your horse field kept, or do you have access to a stable? If stabled then I would make sure she was slightly hungry when she 1st went out on her own (nothing like an empty belly to make a horse just want to put its head down and eat).

 

[Ginn]

Can't really separate the horses now as would only be able to do this with a strip of electric fance and she will either jump it or pace!

She is field kept and although I have a stable she stresses when in it - if the other horse is removed from the field she copes much better than being truned out in an empty field.

ETS: When they are separated I will open up some of the long grass as she loves her food and hopefully it will act as a distraction.

 

[acolvine]

Honestly there is no easy way of doing it. I have two mares both of which moved to Scotland with me last year. They then became inseperable to the point where you couldn't lead one out of the stable block without the other going crazy.
In the end i put them in different blocks which sorted that issue.
Then in November my small older mare (Gemma) got colic and had to go for surgery. She was away for three weeks and then on box rest.
The other one had no choice but to just get on with it. There was nothing i could do. She called for about 2 - 3 days but eventually got over it and settled.
She does suffer from stress colic so that was the one thing i had to watch for turning her out on her own. The last thing i needed was a second horse with colic which would have been just my luck!

They are now back out together but i can at least take one out of the field and leave the other without worrying so some good did come of it.
You could try temperelax as it is brilliant and just takes the edge off in the early stages.

 

[Ginn]

Thanks for that, Im sure she'll cope just fine but I can't help worrying!

 

[MagicMelon]

Do you really need to put her on her own? It can really freak horses out, especially if they aren't used to it. I feel it can be pretty unfair as horses simply were never designed to be alone. Sorry, I feel quite strongly about it as one of mine was kept on his own for a few months as a youngster and as a result he doesn't seem to know how to socialise well with other horses and can be quite insecure.

If you must do it, I really wouldn't do it for long as it's not fair on her. I'd put her on some sort of usual calmer, nothing too lethal which can be fed long term (sorry, you just said that!). Maybe NAF Magic, or Equimins do Serenity which can come in tube form if she's picky. Otherwise if you believe herbs work then try Dodson n Horrells calming ones, I tried these once - didnt work on one horse, but on another it sent him to sleep, he was very lazy all day which was very odd for this horse so I think it worked!

I dont think it makes much difference if she sees the other horse going or not really. Its up to you as to how you think she'll react best.

Id put brushing boots and over-reach boots on to help minimise any injury from her charging about. Otherwise keep riding her daily to take her mind off it. You could also try giving her loads of hay or buy one of those paddock licks or toys to help amuse her?

 

[_jetset_]

When I first bought Hannah I admit I didn't know too much about horse care. I had looked after a lot of horses but never really had to make the decisions.

At the first yard I went to Hannah had to be in her own field (each horse had its own parcel) and she had never been on her own before. I made sure she was hungry when she first went out and she seemed quite settled. I won't lie to you, she did stress out for a bit when she realised she was on her own, but after a few days she chilled out and became quite happy on her own.

Because of this, she will now go out in the field on her own, be left out on her own and is so easy to have because of this. I never have to worry about other people having to bring her in because she is last out because I know she is absolutely brilliant on her own!