Those of you with clingy horses!

S

spotty_pony

...
Joined
29 July 2005
Messages
12,552
Visit site
I have recently moved my two horses to a lovely little private yard on a farm. There are only 4 horses on the farm and it's lovely and peaceful. The main problem I am having ATM is exercising them individually and leaving one behind as my Appy is so attached to my ISH that he just calls and calls for him and box walks. :( YO has said that I can bring the other two horses in when I ride to keep the one which is left behind company but I ride most days and don't really want to have to bring other people's horses in everyday! They are hopefully going to be all turned out together as a 4 soon which should make life a bit easier… hoping eventually to be able to the leave the one I'm not riding out with the others.

Anyone else have this problem? How did you overcome it? I don't want to stress my Appy out more but I do think he needs to become less dependant on my ISH.
 
We got THIS:

http://s942.photobucket.com/user/jer1488/media/Hugo_zps8f5e3513.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Probably not a practical solution... and now when the two big ones go out together, he's the worst of the lot for shouting and trying to escape! We are trying stable toys (a ball with a handle, as we didn't want him stuffing himself full of treats or sugary licks), and have been thinking about a stable mirror, which a friend of the owner's has found worked really well for her anxious youngster.

One of the 'real' horses used to get stressy about being alone. We practiced taking her out alone, so she was leaving the others behind, rather than seeing them walk away from her. She is now much more confident about being on her own. The pony helps in the stable or field, but she used to get very stroppy if her friend left while she was being ridden. She is now fine as long as you keep working her and ignore the other horse going to the far side of the field or behind the trees (if you look for it, so does she!).

I think distraction seems to be the best policy. Pony, work, toy, mirror, anything which takes the focus away from "Oh my god, I'm alone, whatever shall I doooooo!"
 
agree with food and distraction! but it also just takes them time to get used to it, as they are clearly used to being together all the time. also some horses will always show anxiety with separation.
mine live in a barn together and get turned out together, but if i ride one i try to make sure there i another horse in view. if i leave haylage both of them tend to call out for a few minutes and then tuck in! then they call out really loud on return.

when on loan my boy was sometimes left alone for the weekend as the horse he was kept with went away showing- they got him a stable mirror and apparently that helped.
 
I agree that it takes time, and repetition. My mum's gelding got very attached to her mare in the year they lived alone together - he is fine going away, but would kill himself if left alone. My gelding arrived in January, and the mare went on loan in February. We had no way of introducing the geldings to eachother as mum's turned himself inside out if a fence was put between him and his mare. When the mare left, he was so stressed and galloped round, but eventually wore himself out and after a few days he was much better. The mare came back from loan four weeks later (long story!) and he isn't bothered by her much any more - he's really got used to them being apart as long ad he does have a friend in with him.
I would have far preferred to do it gradually, but letting him get on with it and get used to the idea over time really helped him. He's still clingy, but he'll now cling to whichever friend he has instead of just the mare!
 
spotty_pony said:
I have recently moved my two horses to a lovely little private yard on a farm. There are only 4 horses on the farm and it's lovely and peaceful. The main problem I am having ATM is exercising them individually and leaving one behind as my Appy is so attached to my ISH that he just calls and calls for him and box walks. :( YO has said that I can bring the other two horses in when I ride to keep the one which is left behind company but I ride most days and don't really want to have to bring other people's horses in everyday! They are hopefully going to be all turned out together as a 4 soon which should make life a bit easier… hoping eventually to be able to the leave the one I'm not riding out with the others.

Anyone else have this problem? How did you overcome it? I don't want to stress my Appy out more but I do think he needs to become less dependant on my ISH.
Click to expand...

Oh I feel your pain!
I don't have any useful advice I'm sorry. I moved to a small yard with my mare and she got so bad she would get colic if she was away from the herd.
Iv ended up moving to a really big yard and she's a changed animal.
Good luck it's such an awful thing x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top