Separation anxiety at competitions

[Busybusybusy]

My horse has an issue with separation anxiety - he has always been nappy and does not like hacking on his own, however this is something that I overcame when we were at our previous yard and eventually got him hacking happily on his own. I moved yards in December 2012 and he had to have over a year off due to lameness and kissing spines. I have been back on board for a year now and we are starting to do small hacks round the farm on our own and so far he has been ok. I am trying to build it up slowly so as not to wreck his confidence.

However at competitions his separation anxiety is a real problem. Yesterday he was perfect in the warm up, working really well with the other horses. We then went into the arena and he threw his toys out of the pram big style and we managed a very explosive test and clocked up our worst dressage score ever and all of this is because he couldn't see his friend. In the second test he was much better, but still managed to have a moment.

Whenever we go out, during the tests he whinnies to everyone. And gets stressed if he can't see another horse. He is the same whether he goes on his own or with another horse, as he only needs to glance at another horse and he thinks that they are his 'new best friend'. I am finding that if he has more to think about he is better. He is a TB ex racehorse, I work him 6 days per week, he's 9 so he's not a baby and we go out 2-3 times per month to do different things so he hasn't just started competing.

I was thinking of giving him a calmer just for competitions to help his anxiety unless anyone has any other suggestions.
Does anyone have any experiences with calmers that are not magnesium based that can be used on an ad hoc basis?

 

[Laafet]

No help, but was going to post a similar thread! Mine comes from a hunting background, he is worse at the beginning of the competition season. He is not nappy at home, but on edge when hacking on his own, has a tantrum when horses leave the school, even if others are still in there. Your weekend sounds like mine, warmed up like a dream then had to face his worst situation, going into an indoor school out of earshot of the others, cue a test where he literally screamed the whole way round. He does get better the more he goes out and is good at venues where he can still see the other horses. At 12 years old, I doubt he will 'get over it' in the traditional sense but would like to try to find something that will help. I managed him not that well this time out and didn't do our usual tactic of leaving entering the ring until they really are ready for us, hanging around at the entrance for 5-10 minutes means he totally switches off and goes 'self employed'. So next time I will do that but he still gets tense during the test, he is the same jumping, just curls up and wants to cry, but the jumps help give him something else to focus on so he is a little easier to ride.

 

[Busybusybusy]

It's a difficult one isn't it? My boy is better when he can see other horses but this weekend he couldn't see any. It doesn't make any difference whether he travels on his own or with others but is probably slightly worse when travelling with others, but as my friend and I share a horsebox and we often go to the same comps it is not practical to always to go on my own (plus it is nice to go with others). I haven't been to a comp where the tests are indoors yet and I think he will be much worse in that situation.

In general he's not a stress head and only normally spooks at things he ought to (like birds in hedges etc).

At home he works so well that it is so frustrating that he acts like a complete idiot when out - it seems that other people have the opposite problem in that their horses get stressed with too many horses!!

I am thinking of trying some calmers but I know that he is not magnesium deficient so many of the calmers won't work as they are mostly magnesium based.

 

[leflynn]

Mine used to be like this and the answer was to do more! More solo hacking and more going places on his own seems to have helped a lot, he does occasionally call for others if he is at a new venue, but he is much better than he ever was

I also find not standing about and not waiting at an entrance and keeping him thinking about something helps. I have also gone for a little hack at a venue on our own so he realises its fine and isn't standing around screaming for friends

 

[stilltrying]

Mine can be like this, although less so as he has got older, but in the earlier years I'd just go by myself, as would be impossible to get a decent test out of him. I also gave him the syringed so calm beforehand. Tried other calmers but this was the only one that seemed to make a difference. only a tiny difference mind, but enough to stop him 'speaking' to everyone at the venue!

 

[toulouse1]

My gelding can be like this but has got better over time and a lot of practice, I used to give him one of those magic syringe callers, not sure if it helped him but it helped me which in turn made him more relaxed! I also make sure I'm doing a full warm up, sometimes twice to get him concentrating
I find that my boy is a lot less bothered if doing something he enjoys like jumping