Separation anxiety in horse - Major behavioural change - HELP!

[mizzbiz]

Hi all

After some advice regarding my 12 year old tb.

I've had him for four months now and we never had this problem before - he's like a different horse!! He's become extremely reluctant to leave his field companions to the point of running away from me in the field (whereas before he would come to call) napping when i do catch him, rearing, bucking and bolting back to them. This is since he has moved to a field with MUCH more grass than before about three weeks ago with two younger horses (a 3 year old cob and a 5 year old tb -both geldings). He quickly became the 'boss' of the field clearly displaying dominant behaviour over the others. He also gained a lot of weight which was the reason I moved him as the grass was poor where we were before and he was skinny.

His behaviour has got worse and worse - it started off as me having to go catch him rather than him coming to call as he did before (which naturally i didn't think much of as he has decent grass now!), then him being fidgety and pratting around when tied up and i was grooming him rather than standing calmly as he did before, then napping on rides and spinning attempting to bolt back home where he loved going out hacking before and was incredibly forward going, then when tied up breaking his leadrope and galloping off, to now barely managing to catch him and when I do getting dragged and risking getting kicked.

I do have the option of moving him to a field on his own where he can still see the others (not fence to fence though) but i'm worried that this might stress him out and he might attempt to jump to get to the others. He hasn't been on his own in a field for a long time (if ever!) (with previous owner of six years he was always in company). At the last place i had him he was out with 3 other geldings then 1 other then another different one and never displayed any of this behaviour. He's also started imitating the other tb's windsucking (not actually sucking but latching onto fenceposts) which he never did before.

Any helpful advice or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Pigeon]

I don't think putting him out by himself will help things at all, in fact it might make him worse.

If he's suddenly getting a lot more grass, he's probably feeling very fresh. Hopefully the grass will be grazed down quickly and he will calm down. In the meantime, catch him and bring him in for a feed (chaff!!) and a groom, then put him straight back out, so he doesn't always associate being caught with work. I'd be tempted to use a bridle with a lunge line attached for catching, so if he does get kicky you can get out the way without letting go, and you'll have a bit more control with a bit - this would mean he's not getting away with that behaviour, and it's not re-inforced.

Can you try hacking out with other people for a while? If he is genuinely napping, it is a case of patience and not giving an inch. Are you able to literally NOT LET HIM spin round on hacks? Even if again it means someone on the ground with a lunge line?

I do wonder if there is something physiological going on - perhaps his digestion is a bit off after suddenly going onto lush grass, could be very slightly colicky, esp because you mention windsucking. Would be tempted to feed a gut balancer, and also perhaps get a physio to just check nothing has changed? Is he girthy when you put his saddle on?

 

[AnnaGHDT]

Really sorry to hear about your problems with your horse - sounds as though there is a lot going on and you must be very worried. If you can say where in the country you are I may be able to recommend a good equine behaviourist in your area who will be able to help you solve the problems. I really feel for you - not a nice one to have to deal with, but it will be possible to work through it - try not to get too disheartened.

 

[mizzbiz]

Hi guys thanks for your responses.

Yesterday he was good as gold I caught him no problems took him straight out the field and tied him in the one next to it and he was fine! He did whinny for the others and pull on the rope a lot fidgeting but no nasty behaviour. This is what confuses me even more because some days he is ok (still not as good as he used to be) and others he is a nightmare!

He is definitely "girthy" with his saddle going on trying to bite as you do it up but then fine once it is done. Catching with a bit won't work either as he grits his teeth and raises his head when I do his bridle now and we have a battle to get it on (another new thing - before he used to take saddle and bridle fine). When I rode him out he was ok just spooky which is normal for him - no napping or spinning. He seems to actually be worse when we go with others?! I then turned him out in the field next to the others on his own and watched him as I poo picked. At first he was calling the others pacing up and down but after about half hour he was just munching as normal so I left him to it. My friend checked on him later in the day and said he was just eating grass not fussed at all.

Think you might be right re bit colicky cos of the grass - what balancer can I get for him? I was planning on changing his feed anyway as before the move I had him on alpha a and speedibeet trying to put weight on and obviously now he is nice and fat because of the grass so just need a calming conditioning style feed hadn't worked out what though... Any recommendations?