Separation Anxiety

[WelshDiva]

Getting really frustrated by one of the geldings I have just bought, both horses have been kept together prior to me purchasing them and have grown a little too attached to one another. The older gelding is much worse and shouts constantly for the younger one even if just taken out of his stable to be lunged in the pen at my yard. My sister rides the older gelding and we can't always take them down to the paddock(at another yard) at the same time. For the last couple of months we have been struggling taking them at the same time and have been separating them for short spaces of time e.g. Bringing the older gelding in from the field for 20 mins before the other gelding comes in. However, it is getting incredibly frustrating and resulting in the horses not being ridden on as regular basis as I would like. Suggestions of how to stop the older gelding getting so stressed is really what I need help with?
Thanks for sticking with me if you've got this far 😃

 

[sport horse]

Separate them and keep them apart out of calling distance for a few weeks.

 

[Shay]

Exactly. Can you send one away to another yard for a bit?

Separating them and then re-uniting them whilst one is still calling only re-enforces the behaviour. Call - and you get your mate back....

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Try taking the more stressy one away, rather than leaving him behind. Make sure that he has something tasty to eat when he gets to his stable/wherever, so that he knows there is something to look forward to, when he sets off. Start by separating them for no more than 5 minutes and gradually build up the tiime. Have they got other horses around them? If not they are bound to rely on each other.