Sparation anxiety

[coen]

My 5yr old has become really attached to friends horse. They are stabled next to each other and go in the field together along with 3 other horses, lately mine has been reacting badly if brought in before him e.g. running around stable kicking walls ect.

They have only been stabled next to each other for a couple of months and the other horse will be leaving the yard next week but I am a little worried about how he will react.

Any suggestions?

 

[NELSON11]

On our yard we tend to not have field companions right next door as we have found it may cause problems, hopefully once his pal leaves he will setlle down. have you thought about bringing yours in periodically away from his field mates just for short periods and maybe groom/work with him then pop him back in his field. So he is not separated for too long but this may help him become a bit more independant. I think he has just got a little insecure.

 

[coen]

The thing is I work full time and don't get to the yard until 7 so bringing him in separately isn't an option. Although I will do so on the weekends to get him used to it.
Your right I should have realised it wouldn't be a good idea having them next door.

 

[Birker2020]

It is amazing the bond horses have with others in such a short amount of time. As Nelson points out horses at our yard don't tend to go next door to each other if they are field mates. We also have a rule where no horse is left on its own in a field unless there are horses right next door to it, as they can get very upset if left on their own. Seperation anxiety is a real problem and if left unchecked can escalate quickly. Lots of praise for short periods of time away from his field mate is the ideal starting point, gradually increase the time. You are lucky that you have a week to prepare your horse. You might also like to occupy his mind when he is left on his own with dangling carrots in the stable or chunks of apple left in his haynet, maybe leave a radio on low tuned into a classical radio station for company.

It always makes me smile that on the few ocassions when I have brought my horse back to the livery yard at night and upon walking into the yard loads of horses will whinny a welcome to my horse.

 

[coen]

He is in America barn style stabling so has other horses all around him when he is in but this probably made his attachment worse.
It has just come on so quickly, but I am considering moving him closer to home so that I can be around morning and evening.

I will definitely try your suggestions to keep him distracted.

 

[sarah0786]

I'd try and nip it in the bud asap, mine has it which is why he was sold to the previous owner, he box walks and gets really anxious if anyone leaves him in the field on his own (which they really shouldn't do but don't seem to take notice of that yard rule!). He is better than he was when he first arrived but I'm going to work on it with him more at the new place and I'm hoping the set up will be better for him.

Can you swap stables so he is closer to one that he isn't turned out with? Will someone else bring him in for you, surely they won't be so tight to leave him out to get anxious.

I got told to hang a swede up for Toby and provide snack balls but he doesn't bother with them, it might work for yours though. I've also heard conflicting things on routine, one person says stick to a routine the other says not to to push him out of his comfort zone and learn to deal with being alone for short periods of time.

I have been leaving him on his own for short periods, he tends to throw a bit of a wobbler to begin with (try and barge out of the stable, box walk and get vocal) but he calms down quite quickly now.