seperation anxiety!

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pixiebee

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my tb has been stabled for a few months next to a mare called impy. they are now all out in the field and i am having a nightmare bringing mine in without a rearing fit and calling out like mad! when in the stable whilst i brush/tack up he box walks and doesnt care where i am, he is so busy fussing about impy!!! i rode him in the school yesterday and he was quite on his toes. normally you could brush him all day!!! i have tried bringing my other pony in to keep him company whilst i tack up but it only makes a tiny difference!! what do i do??
 
Hello!

My horse has a tendancy to get very attached to her friends. It is not fun at all! She has done all the things you described there in the past.

I have found over the last year she seems to have gotten over it a little but it has taken a long time - I find the only thing that has helped is just sheer determination not to let her beat me!

I try my best to bring her in - alone - as often as is possible, even if it's just to eat her feed, have a quick brush/cuddle and then back out again.
The more often you do it, the more he will realise you are not trying to keep him away from his pals for ever. Bring him in to do nice things, he will soon learn it's not so bad.

Build it up gradually, even 5 mins at a time - as long as he will tolerate but always try to end it on a good note i.e not as soon as he starts creating a fuss - wait till he's had a couple of minutes of calm and then put him out - when you have decided!

It's a bit of a slog but worked for me.... she doesn't bother so much at all now and will stand in alone for a good hour or so now.

Good luck!
 
Agree that you just need to keep working away with him. My TB is just the same when he is in the yard on his own. If I tie him up so that he can still see the others he isnt too bad but if they wander off he starts to jump about and kick out. If I put him in his stable he box walks and barges me out of the way so I always keep him tied. He doesnt call to them and he isnt difficult to bring in although he can rush a bit on the way back out. If he tries to rush I make him back up, turn a circle and start again. I do bring him in every night for a quick brush and check over, whether or not I plan to ride and he is certainly better than he used to be, I think he now trusts me enough to know that I will make sure he is safe when his mates aren't about. Good luck with him, it can and does get better although I think some horses are just naturally more anxious than others, Che will never be the sort of horse who can be left completely alone but I now know how to manage him.
 
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