Seperation Anxiety Within A Young Horse - Nipping It In The Bud

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Hey guys!
My horse (4yo) is usually the dopiest chilled out horse you'd ever meet.
However, I took him home from uni at Christmas and due to various factors he could not be turned out with other horses/at all. When I first tried him he jumped over two rows of post and rail and a 5 bar gate. The lady who I kept him with rarely turned hers out so he was cooped in all day which he didn't enjoy. One day she turned her lot out while Obie was wandering around in enclosed part of his yard and he went ape and jumped all the 5 bar gates (onto concrete) in his way to get to them.
Now I'm back at uni, he's settled in okay to new yard, however field situation isn't great. We can turn out when we want and he's currently with 3 other mares, a 7yo (navicular), 5 yo and a 12 yo in a huge field at the end. All the other horse are in fields next door closer to the barn. He used to be able to stay out all hours, if I wanted to rock up at 8 at night and lug him in with another horse, he wouldn't bat an eyelid, but now if other horses start to get bought in and taken away from him he freaks. He's jumped out his field twice now and is winding up the other horses. At the moment I'm just taking him in first which is okay, but it's really inconvenient for me, and I want him to be out enjoying himself more. Is there any way I can nip this anxiety in the bud?
He's turned 'screamy', especially out hacking also.
Thankyou in advance!
 
Sorry I haven't really got any ideas for you, I think some horses are just independant and others aren't I have 2 coming up 2 year olds 1 can be put out first, bring in last and never bats an eyelid, the other screams for friends although not like your boy he will stay put in the field just shouts alot!! I do wonder if their weaning methods had anything to do with it, the indepenant one was weaned by his breeder alone and probably very abrupt, whereas the other one I bred and he was weaned in company so was never alone, therefore never gained independance. I'm thankful that I have 3 horses so can bring any one of them in at any one time reducing dependance on any particular horse and still providing company. If it was a stable issue I'd say to try stable mirrors. You could try a non equine companion, i.e see if there is a goat or sheep etc he could go out with? Doesn't always work, but I've known some tight goat/equine friends!!! You could also ensure there is enough food/grazing available, if he has food as a distraction he may not worry so much if the field is pretty limited in it's grazing at this time of year? Just a thought? Good luck whatever x
 
Evening
I have a similar problem with my big boy, although he doesnt jump out, he fence walks and gets all stressed out to the point when he does come in he is all sweated and can loose condition in one day from the stress and the fact he is allergic to sweat doesnt help!!!

I got my friend to put her horse with him and he settled down quite nicely and he is always out with her. Although I now have a lame horse, as she kicked him today on his shoulder and he has now a very large swelling on his shoulder - vet coming tomorrow.

Its strange because he can stand in his box all day on his own, all others on yard outside and he doesnt bother, schools by himself and we go to shows on our own, although never hacked him on his own yet so not sure if I might have a problem with that side of things!

I feel for you! Youngsters who would have em! I have no suggestions other than what "competitiondiva" has mentioned.

Let us know how you get on! x
 
Never underestimate how psycologially damaging making a young horse spend extended periods of time of their own is :( Sounds like the time spent on his own over Xmas has really messed him up.:(

We have a horse very similar: she spent a couple of months living on her own when she was younger and it's given her serious seperation issues which haven't really resolved. No help to you I know but a word of warning to others.

He's now back out with company but gets upset if they're taken away? Or is it if the horses not in his little herd are taken away (which is pretty extreme!).

How about practising taking him and friend out then putting him back straight away and whittling it doesn to just catching him, taking him to the gate then letting him go again? It sounds like something you'll have to do in small steps.
 
As K says, it sounds as though your horse - still very much a baby - is finding all the changes a bit too much. I wouldn't call it separation anxiety - that term is usually used for a horse that has overly-bonded with another one. What your lad is trying to tell you is that he's a baby horse and he needs turnout, routine, familiarity and COMPANY for reassurance that all is right in his world. It doesn't sound to me like he's getting much of any of it. I know it must be difficult because you're at uni but you're laying the foundations for an anxious, stressy, spooky, worried adult horse, never mind the potential for him seriously injuring himself.
 
He's never been alone alone, completely by himself, this isn't how I do things. Horses are herd animals, and I would hate for a horse to be by itself. He never ever has been and never will be completely by himself. Horses have always been in the field next door, he's done this before. He was by himself before I bought him. He has never been like this, he's always never batted an eyelid but I suppose moving yards and being put in a whole different routine has made him go a bit loopy.
The incident the other day, he was with another horse in his field, 2 horses were in the field next door, yet he felt compelled to jump out.
I don't know what to do. There are always sheep in his field (they can wander in and out, but his field is the biggest so sheep are usually in there).
This morning I was the first to turn out in his field (another horse next door) and he called and called and cantered around anxiously for a while and then settled. I might have to start doing this to get him used to the idea again. It's so heartbreaking seeing him like this.
Just shows how one dodgy yard experience can mess your horse up.
 
Have you tried the "okey cokey"?

You take one out, you bring him back. You take another out, you bring him back....

This sounds hellishly tedious but it does work. They learn that when you take away a friend, the friend always comes back.

Start with short periods, the gradually build up to ten mins, half an hour, an hour, half a day.

You'll need a whole weekend and probably a few more after that. horse will eventually think oh I'm not to worry, he'll be back soon.
 
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