Separation anxiety - stable mirrors?

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Hi guys. I don't post very often but I'd really appreciate some help/opinions from the good people of HHO!

I keep my mare with my friend's rather neurotic TB, who tends to become very attached to her companion - there are just the two of them on the yard. I can't take my mare out of her sight - even for a minute - without her becoming very stressed, screaming, sweating up and box-walking.

I'm wondering if a stable mirror would help her? Has anyone had any good/bad experiences with using these for separation anxiety - my friend is concerned that her mare will react badly to it?

Thanks for your help!
 
I have a mirror in my geldings stable. He box walks when things are different or someone goes out for a hack. It tends to make him better. Another tip is to tie them up in the stable when you are taking the other horse away etc as it tends to calm them down. I do that - tie him to his hay though so if he panic he be ok and it tends to work. He is a silly x racer so has issues;)
 
My stable mirror is the best investment I have ever made - and it only cost me £30 from ebay!! Before I had it I was getting to a point where I had to tie my mare up outside to do anything with her, I couldn't groom, change rugs, pick feet out etc in the stable as she would get herself so stressed it was dangerous. She was OK if she had someone in the stable next to her but that wasn't always an option.

Now she is more chilled in her stable then anywhere else and often prefers to be in rather than out. I can do anything with her in the stable with her just loose and she is quite simply a different horse, not to mention the saving I've made on bedding as she doesn't destroy her bed in the space of 5 minutes anymore!!
 
My mare goes to her mirror and stands nose to nose with it whenever anything bothers her. I even moved her hay pile to underneath it as she would snatch a mouthful and then go to stand by the mirror to chew.
 
My stressy TB mare loves hers, and stands nose to nose with it a lot of the time. Definitely reduces (but not eliminates her box walking).
Have a friend with quite a dominant big mare, who tried to double barrel her mirror as soon as it was put up, she obviously saw itr as a threat to her.
Definitely worth a try (in my experience they either love them or hate them).
Fiona
 
my dominant mare developed a real loathing of her mirror, it ended up with 2 cracks and covered in deep teeth marks, she'd also boot her stable walls
crazy.gif
I took it down
grin.gif

ETS@ I'd still say it's worth a try though
smile.gif
 
Thanks guys. Sounds like it may be worth a go. Mare is not an aggressive or dominant type - I think my friend is more worried that she'll be alarmed by the mirror and will do something silly. She was stabled a while ago with a grill between stables and loved being able to see her neighbour. If it calms her enough that I can take my tubby mare for a quick bit of exercise without worrying that the screaming banshee will have colic when I get back I'll be more than happy!
 
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