cosmo_sam
Well-Known Member
for those of you that have experienced a horse with it, how did it manifest? What things did the horse do?
Separation anxiety...
- Thread starter cosmo_sam
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fairhill
Well-Known Member
Neighing, door kicking, box walking, weaving, gate walking, stressing in the field, bucking, bolting... and napping!
cosmo_sam
Well-Known Member
Hmm see that's what I thought.
Anyone only have problems when riding??
Anyone only have problems when riding??
lisan
Well-Known Member
We moved to a new yard two weeks ago, my mare is very attached to her new fieldmate and if I bring her in when the other mare is not in its stable she goes mad neighing, spinning round, running at the door and will not calm down. But if I take her off the yard for a hack or out in the box without this other mare she is fine!! I'm hoping the more she settles the better the behaviour will get.
fairhill
Well-Known Member
The neighing, bucking and bolting were on a horse who only dispayed it whilst riding. Worst case was at a PC show, her friend was across the show ground. She bucked me off, bolted across 2 rings and neighed till she found her friend.
It's quite an extreme example... I've had some naughty horses in the past...
It's quite an extreme example... I've had some naughty horses in the past...
vieshot
Well-Known Member
We have two welsh cobs at our yard who until now had lived together, never leaving each other for years. They were really bad being taken away to start with and would both call to each other, pay no attention to their food, weave etc etc but they have been seperated for short periods every day and are getting better and better. Have not surprisingly had any trouble riding them apart though.
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
My old mare used to start screaming for her field mate as soon as we were within about half a mile of home, when we went out hacking on our own (she was fine if she had company). She also used to quicken her pace and try to jog all the way back. She couldn't be left on her own in the field either though (she was O.K. if she was turnout on her own and field mate was in the stable, but not if she was out with her mate and you attempted to bring the mate in). She was always fine in her stable though.
cosmo_sam
Well-Known Member
You see this is just something I've thought of very recently.
Dragon has always been a handful to ride, and was VERY spooky.
The spookiness though, was the sort where he could be going along perfectly fine then POW he'd leap sideways/spin. We put that initial spooking down to him being tight in his topline as that was when his owner first bought him and we felt he had been over worked prior in draw reins etc.
He's now much freer and developing a lovely topline as a result.
He's also fine in totally strange situations (say at a strange yard etc) - a little lit up but nothing like as dramatic. He hacks for miles in company and is generally a different horse.
Recently though I've done more schooling. I've noticed that the times when he is on his own in our outdoor he's a nightmare!!
Not like he used to be, not the same out of the blue spooks, just much more worried and on the look out for things in/over/under the hedges etc.
He adores George, and I realised over the winter we mainly schooled at the same time (Mike and I) for convenience reasons. Now we have more time it's become apparent.
I may recommend his owner puts him back on a calmer (he was on Magcalm this time last year), but I just wondered if anyone else who perhaps has two horses that have been ridden together alot has found this?
Dragon has always been a handful to ride, and was VERY spooky.
The spookiness though, was the sort where he could be going along perfectly fine then POW he'd leap sideways/spin. We put that initial spooking down to him being tight in his topline as that was when his owner first bought him and we felt he had been over worked prior in draw reins etc.
He's now much freer and developing a lovely topline as a result.
He's also fine in totally strange situations (say at a strange yard etc) - a little lit up but nothing like as dramatic. He hacks for miles in company and is generally a different horse.
Recently though I've done more schooling. I've noticed that the times when he is on his own in our outdoor he's a nightmare!!
Not like he used to be, not the same out of the blue spooks, just much more worried and on the look out for things in/over/under the hedges etc.
He adores George, and I realised over the winter we mainly schooled at the same time (Mike and I) for convenience reasons. Now we have more time it's become apparent.
I may recommend his owner puts him back on a calmer (he was on Magcalm this time last year), but I just wondered if anyone else who perhaps has two horses that have been ridden together alot has found this?
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
If it's any consolation, my old mare did improve with time.......but it was years rather than months.
ColleenIsh
Well-Known Member
There is also a mare at our livery yard who is out on grass because personally thats where I think shes happy , even if she doesnt have company .
Shes 27 yrs of age, sometimes acts like a 3 yr old prancing and tail up in the air kinda thing , When shes stabled she works herself up into a lather, sweating and snorting, box walking the usual .
Her owner is of a slightly weird "disposition" as she brings her in for one night (weather is fine ) and sticks her out the next, she doesnt ride her hasnt been as far as Ive been there . The mare gets herself worked up and its my opinion that its not fair on the mare, bringing her in and out like a yo yo .
shes better out 24/7 (shes a real good doer)
Shes 27 yrs of age, sometimes acts like a 3 yr old prancing and tail up in the air kinda thing , When shes stabled she works herself up into a lather, sweating and snorting, box walking the usual .
Her owner is of a slightly weird "disposition" as she brings her in for one night (weather is fine ) and sticks her out the next, she doesnt ride her hasnt been as far as Ive been there . The mare gets herself worked up and its my opinion that its not fair on the mare, bringing her in and out like a yo yo .
shes better out 24/7 (shes a real good doer)
fairhill
Well-Known Member
TBH sounds more like a lack of self confidence rather than separation anxiety. Lots of horses are more edgy when schooled and hacked on their own, and most will improve with practise
xp0u4076
Well-Known Member
My gelding does a similar thing...
Absolutely fine if you take him out on his own, on a hack or out in the box etc. But if you take our mare out of the field (even though there are other horses there) he works himself up galloping up and down. Same thing if you take them to a competiton together but if you take him on his own hes a quiet as a mouse.
Strange!
Absolutely fine if you take him out on his own, on a hack or out in the box etc. But if you take our mare out of the field (even though there are other horses there) he works himself up galloping up and down. Same thing if you take them to a competiton together but if you take him on his own hes a quiet as a mouse.
Strange!
tabithakat64
Well-Known Member
My gelding suffers from speration anxiety will neigh and box walk if Lady and I both leave him, he's fine if she goes riding with someone else and I'm on the yard or if I leave him in and Lady's in as well, if he's out with the other horses and Lady's not he will neigh for her and sometimes run up and down the fence line. Out riding we don't have a problem (although Fudge does lack confidence in general) unless Lady is with us and goes off in front then he will try to jog to catch up (he's happy letting all the others apart from the shetland go off in front). I'm trying to keep them seperate for short periods of time (Lady in whilst Fudge is in the field or him in whilst she is ridden, lunged etc) so Fudge will get more used to being without Lady and it seems to be helping. Funny thing is Lady doesn't care if Fudge is there or not
cosmo_sam
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
TBH sounds more like a lack of self confidence rather than separation anxiety. Lots of horses are more edgy when schooled and hacked on their own, and most will improve with practise
[/ QUOTE ]
I think you're probably right
and I'm glad I asked on here
It will be easier I suppose when we have some rain as our arena is so deep at the mo I'm reluctant to lunge him before I get on, and am trying to keep his work very simple was as not to push him
Is there EVER such things as a perfect time of year to own a horse?!?! (weather wise)
TBH sounds more like a lack of self confidence rather than separation anxiety. Lots of horses are more edgy when schooled and hacked on their own, and most will improve with practise
[/ QUOTE ]
I think you're probably right
It will be easier I suppose when we have some rain as our arena is so deep at the mo I'm reluctant to lunge him before I get on, and am trying to keep his work very simple was as not to push him
Is there EVER such things as a perfect time of year to own a horse?!?! (weather wise)
BethH
Well-Known Member
My horse used to get panic attacks if another horse left him when out riding and especially at a show if a friend left. Even if just he didn't know the horse and just passed it on the road or walked past on a footpath, he was a bit of a nightmare, would try to bolt to be with them or just get really tense and uptight. I thought was a youngster thing to start with but I now think it is a routine thing and him not being confident enough alone. I have spent a lot of time over the last 12 mths bringing him on to yard by himself for a nice brush and feed and hacking out alone/schooling alone. Started off 5 mins and gradually increased time and now he hacks out for 1.5hrs alone no fuss and can cope with seeing other horses out and about. Takes time and you need to feel brave enough to tackle it (took me alot of courage as my ned can be more than a little sharp!) but I am really glad I persevered, I think you just have to keep working them alone until it becomes a normal part of life.
Hope that helps
Hope that helps