seperation anxiety

1973horse

1973horse

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hi all
i moved my 2 horses to my own place in may time. im having trouble with seperation anxiety,my three year old tries to scale the stable door and on advice i shut the top door,but sometimes he will catch me off guard then he will pace and call for my 16yrold mare,she will fret but not in the same way and it makes doing anything with any of them impossible.i had to keep them in for a few hours the other day while i did some fencing and because i let my mare out first my three year old decided to barge me out the way (hes a good 16hh) and clear the yard fence from a stand still (it was 3ft 9).he was a bit bargey when we had him as a 2 yrold and hes loads better he just gets so stressed.sorry for the ramble,hes an absolute angel otherwise,
I cant really afford another horse and i didnt really want to have anyone eles on the yard.ps on the old yard there was 6 horses altogether and never had a problem.i really am a proper fart when it comes to making decisions:( ps give me a nice safe plod any day im to old to be bounced and pulled around by a baby he he the less stress i have to cope with the better
 
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Having two horses at home is a problem for lots of people. I have a shetland who is the "companion pony". He complains when he gets left alone, but he accepts it without getting too hysterical. If you have plenty of grazing, is it possible to get a small pony to make your life easier, or even a couple of sheep ?
 
I am sure someone will have a better plan of action but if I were in your shoes, I would take one of the horses out of the field for 5 / 10 mins and then put back and so on over a few weeks slowly lengthening the time so that your youngster gets used to the idea that "yes friend is going away" but she does come back at some point...
 
A third equine would help,maybe from WHW or similar,just a companion so that the youngster is not so bonded with his only friend.
A stable mirror could also help for when he needs to be kept in.
 
I have very recently been in exactly the same situ as you. I was in livery for many years with my cob...then we were lucky enough to buy our own land. I bought a youngster to bring on and for company for my older cob but of course separating them to do things is not easy. I can't leave my youngster in the field when I ride the other as he would be through the fences and along the road with us....without a shadow of a doubt!

I've battled with the situ for months now and I've got stable mirrors for him in both the stable and trailer...which has helped massively but I knew his confidence wasn't what it should be and he was anxious being alone, but just tolerated it! I also didn't want three horses to look after but this weekend I was gifted a standard size shetland pony from a friend who's owned him for a long time specifically as a companion pony for her young dressage horses!

It's early days, but my youngster will stay in the field with him while I take the other one away...and I'll try and ride away from my fields later this week whilst leaving hubby at the stables to check the reaction on those left behind. I know our little shettie won't bother but I want to make sure my youngster will settle.....so far the signs are very positive. Plus these two can play together and thats really important.

So, my conclusion is that although I didn't want 3 horses, this way when I want to work one of them I only need remove them from the field and concentrate on that rather than making sure a have the stable ready to bring the other one in and worrying about him all the time I'm out! Not easy I know, but I hope that helps you a bit. Good luck!
 
cblover said:
I have very recently been in exactly the same situ as you. I was in livery for many years with my cob...then we were lucky enough to buy our own land. I bought a youngster to bring on and for company for my older cob but of course separating them to do things is not easy. I can't leave my youngster in the field when I ride the other as he would be through the fences and along the road with us....without a shadow of a doubt!

I've battled with the situ for months now and I've got stable mirrors for him in both the stable and trailer...which has helped massively but I knew his confidence wasn't what it should be and he was anxious being alone, but just tolerated it! I also didn't want three horses to look after but this weekend I was gifted a standard size shetland pony from a friend who's owned him for a long time specifically as a companion pony for her young dressage horses!

It's early days, but my youngster will stay in the field with him while I take the other one away...and I'll try and ride away from my fields later this week whilst leaving hubby at the stables to check the reaction on those left behind. I know our little shettie won't bother but I want to make sure my youngster will settle.....so far the signs are very positive. Plus these two can play together and thats really important.

So, my conclusion is that although I didn't want 3 horses, this way when I want to work one of them I only need remove them from the field and concentrate on that rather than making sure a have the stable ready to bring the other one in and worrying about him all the time I'm out! Not easy I know, but I hope that helps you a bit. Good luck!
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thankyou this has been very helpfull ive been looking at the blue cross.just need to be very nice to partner he he :D
 
We kept our mare and gelding together in a field, then moved them to a livery yard, if I took the gelding away the mare would try and jump out of the stable and rear up at the walls, awful to see and very dangerous, we tried everything and the only thing that worked was putting her on the horse walker while we took him away, when she came back she didn't really realise he had gone so was fine, it took a good few months of this and I cant ever turn her out with just one horse as she gets too clingy, I know many people that have the same problem with two horses, if you could work out a way to get him not to see your other horse leaving as I think this is the biggest problem, thing is as his young you cant even get someone to work him while your riding the other one, it definately helps if there mind is taken off the fact the other horse is leaving. Good luck.
 
Our mare was like this, very bargy when stressed, she broke my OH's ribs
not once but twice barging out of her stable. If she was brought out first she would stand until asked to walk on.
We gave up and mare now lives with my daughter down south, she is kept by
herself next to others and is a different animal, they did try putting another horse in with her and within a week she reverted to being a lunatic, she bonds too quick
Seperate areas may be the answer
 
This may be something that improves with time. Often, when horses first move somewhere new, they are extra clingy to others. However, at times, it does not resolve itself and the only solution is to get a third equine. You could get a mini shetland. They are very cheap to buy and to keep. I was offered two yealings a couple of years ago for £100.
 
I have two at home and have the same problem. I already have a companion horse for my tb so realistically would rather get a third horse that I can ride. At the moment I'm struggling to find the time to ride one horse, let alone two so it's not much of a problem as I'm not out competing. I won't be able to hack though without a third as I'd have a death sentence upon me if I rode and lead my two! In time I do plan to get a third horse, once my daughter starts school, either that or a pony for her :)
 
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