Too attached... advice needed

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_jetset_

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A few weeks ago I posted about Grace being super attached to Hannah. Whenever Hannah is taken away from the stables to go out in the field or for a walk, Grace goes absolutely bonkers.

She screams and walks around her stable.

She has been getting better as I have been taking Hannah away fo short periods of time and completely ignoring Grace's tantrums. This seemed to be working, and the last time I took Hannah away Grace neighed once and then carried on eating her net.

But I am currently on holiday (it's very hot and sunny ) and the lady who is looking after them said Grace was going bananas yesterday when she put Hannah out and was rearing in her stable.

I have never seen her do this, and have not been overly concerned because her reaction is usually vocal.

Could it be that she is trying out this lady because she is someone new? I have told her to completely ignore her and get on with what she is doing, but she is obviously worried that Grace will hurt herself.

I was really pleased because there was a good improvement before I went away, but now she seems to have reverted and even become worse!

Can anyone offer me any advice...
 
Lucky you in the sunshine! It's pretty vile back home
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I'd say Grace is probably unsettled by being looked after by someone new. When she says she reared up what exactly does she mean? People's definitions are very different! To me worrying rearing in the stable would be right up on hind legs, head about to smack the roof, but she might just have meant she was doing little half rears and therefore easily ignorable. Our grey Snort bounces round his stable when his field mate is out in the school or on a hack without him. He'll do half rears and generally wreck his bed. We just ignore him because he's just being an idiot and isn't going to do himself any harm.

It sounds like you were making good progress before you went on holiday and I'm sure you'll be back to where you were with her once you get back. In the meantime if the woman looking after your two is worried I'd tell her to boot Grace up before she takes Hannah anywhere, that way if Grace is bouncing round her stable she's extra protected against damaging herself
smile.gif
 
Thanks... I don't think it is a full on rear because I have never seen her do this even in the field etc. I suspect she is just bouncing about a lot.
 
I have spoken to her owner and she said she has become attached before but she solved it by taking the other horse away for short periods and ignoring the bad behaviour. The reward for her being quiet was having the horse brought back again...

So I have being doing the right thing and it sounds like Grace is quite a clever girl and is just trying out the woman who is looking after her!
 
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