Two horses one problem

pistolpete

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Well if only there was just one problem! One of the problems I have is my old semi retired arthritic boy has to stay at the field while I exercise the belligerent highland.
Long story short. I’ve been shutting him in his stable while I ride. He shouts and twirls around in the stable. I worry it’s hard on him. No other horses around and no one to let him out once I’ve gone.
I tried getting a friend to let him out today after I’d gone and he went a bit nuts. Galloping and sweated up. What would you do? Field is on a slope too do even worse in wet weather.
Been trying to get him used to it for three months. Not changing.
 

exracehorse

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I’m lucky as my elderly retired mare takes the opportunity to have a snooze. Before she was retired and I took her out solo , my gelding went through his fencing because he couldn’t cope. Despite other horse in adjacent field. No advice I’m afraid.
 

Pc2003

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Slightly different age ranges but I bring my 2yr old in when I ride my other horse. They share a field and there are other horses on one side but it’s a good opportunity for me to handle him a bit. He only shouts when he hears me coming back apparently. I think I will build up to him being left out but they’ve only just gone out 24/7 so will continue to bring him in.
 

PapaverFollis

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Deep bed in the stable, with a big pile if very tasty haylage and a bucket of his favourite feed, and let him get on with it. I had to do that with Granny horse while exercising The Beast once the field got too muddy for her fence walking antics. She actually kind of settled in the stable eventually. She'd kick off a bit when we left, then she'd settle and eat most of the time we were gone and only kick off again she she heard us coming back. Some days she would randomly be awful again but then the next she'd be spot on. I'm sure if probably didn't do her joints any good but it wasn't the arthritis that finished her off.
 

splashgirl45

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i would leave him in the stable with hay on the floor, wouldnt risk a net if he is spinning round, your field doesnt sound suitable if he is galloping around....my mare was much worse if left in the field so had to get used to being in the stable when her friend went out, she did settle after a while.not sure how long it took..
 

pistolpete

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Thanks folks. He’s okay with a net and he’s always left with something yummy and hay. I know he frets because he poos and then mashes it into bed!
 

HashRouge

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I had this trouble with my elderly Arab. She shares a field with my sister's gelding and they are very attached, so she would get very stressed when my sister took him out to ride. She didn't really improve over time either and I used to really worry she would hurt herself. Fortunately her field mate is now retired too so they just do everything together - if I have them on the yard and I want to wash their legs, they even have to go to the hosepipe together! I think keeping them in a pair can be tricky if you have one that is a bit neurotic naturally, as it can be really hard trying to get them to settle. The only idea I have really is to get a pony companion, but that might not be possible for you. I tried rescue remedy but it didn't help.
 

Mister Ted

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Well if only there was just one problem! One of the problems I have is my old semi retired arthritic boy has to stay at the field while I exercise the belligerent highland.
Long story short. I’ve been shutting him in his stable while I ride. He shouts and twirls around in the stable. I worry it’s hard on him. No other horses around and no one to let him out once I’ve gone.
I tried getting a friend to let him out today after I’d gone and he went a bit nuts. Galloping and sweated up. What would you do? Field is on a slope too do even worse in wet weather.
Been trying to get him used to it for three months. Not changing.
 

be positive

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Simple answer get a companion, obviously not what you need to hear but if he is no better after 3 months it is likely he will never really improve, a mirror may help and would be worth trying.
I also wonder if the highland hears him calling and that is the reason you have issues at times, it would explain why it is inconsistent as it would depend on wind direction, hearing the call at the right/ wrong time, I would want the one left at home to be totally quiet before I ruled it out as the reason and went into a full veterinary investigation, it is a piece of the puzzle that I don't think was mentioned on the other thread.
 

Mister Ted

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Best to keep him in while you are out with his buddy.Its a problem I had with my Welsh pony he would go frantic. Its very hard to try and change the behavior.The only solution is to get him a wee companion pony if thats feasible.
 

pistolpete

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Thanks again. I can’t get another as barely enough grazing for two sadly. The highland doesn’t seem to mind. But he is an introvert. It would be hard to tell if it bothered him.
 

PapaverFollis

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It's hard. I absolutely hated leaving Granny horse knowing she could get herself in a state. But The Beast needed worked, so we just had to get on with it. I did everything I could to provide a safe and comfortable environment. But at the end of the day the health and well-being of the younger horse required taking her out for exercise! She wasn't kicking through walls or dripping in sweat and she ate while we were gone even if it was mouthful snatched between shouts on the worst days. It was an hour of her day. Occasionally a bit longer, but rarely.

We can only do the best we can and sometimes you've got to prioritise the needs of one over the preference/full comfort of the other. As hard as that is. FWIW...other horses meant nothing to Granny. It was The Beast or nothing. A permanent companion might have helped but it would have taken time anyway. At least 50% of the time she was kicking off there were other horses around.
 

JennBags

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I started off by taking my ridden one out for a minute, maybe less, then bringing him straight back. I kept doing this, until I didn't get any reaction from the retired one (who I'd left stabled with a pile of haylage), then increased the time. Do it as many times a day as you can, and he should steadily improve. I think I could probably leave my retired one in the field now but I'm not taking any risks until I'm certain that he won't gallop round.
 

be positive

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Thanks again. I can’t get another as barely enough grazing for two sadly. The highland doesn’t seem to mind. But he is an introvert. It would be hard to tell if it bothered him.

He is showing you that something bothers him when you are hacking, even if not consistently, so I would not rule it out so quickly, I have had a few that definitely react to hearing a field mate whinney and if that field mate was distressed I think the reaction could be to cause increased tension especially in a more introvert type who thinks he is the herd leader and should be there to help.
 

JanetGeorge

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It's a very long time since I only had two horses - the one a nutty 4y CBx and the other a slightly more sensible hunter mare for OH. I HAD to leave the CB (called Bramble) in a stable with a grill when I hacked out the mare - and he went beserk every time. I tried everything I could think of - nothing worked! And he regularly got colic - always late at night after the mare had gone out without him. I DID try to rope in people to hack out with me - but the mare wasn't 'easy' - and Bramble was worse, so not many volunteers! After his most severe night colic when a twisted gut was expected (and 'cured' by a lorry ride to hospital during which he went even more berserk - and that 'cured' his colic) I got a companion pony mare who stayed in with him and he finally settled down a bit when left without his favorite mare. And he never got colic again. A mirror MIGHT help - but probably unlikely. And time didn't help - I tried to teach Bramble to stay on his own for about 7 months - during which the vet's bills just kept going up and up!
 

pippixox

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My retired tb would do loose poos in the first 5-10 minutes and trample them but then settle and eat. So it looked bad when I got back but my friend assured me he quickly settled after the stress poo and brief pace to give me more work cleaning up!
Of course I would rather he had company and since I lost his pony mate I would sometimes lead him with my mare as all other horses are not directly next to my field at the moment. But he can’t keep up for long and meant less work for my mare

If in three months they have never injured themselves and quickly calm on your horses return I would just continue bringing them in
 

Sussexbythesea

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I’ve got a similar issue to you but luckily my old semi-retired guy has now calmed down about being left in stable. Younger horse (10) though throws his toys out if I take my old guy out. He cavorts around the stable, double barrels the walls and threatens to come over the door. I do have a rider to hack my old guy so we often go out together which helps keep him ticking over whilst not having to separate them. Younger horse is totally happy to be the one going out but not happy being the one left behind. It can be a Royal PITA but no solutions except hope they get used to it eventually.
 

Ceriann

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I have 3 - one was added as a companion to avoid this issue with old mare (who I have since lost). The companion is the biggest pain and calls/frets when I take my riding mare out. I’m currently box resting my riding mare and as I ensure she’s always got company in, companion is habing to get used to one horse going out or her being turned out alone. She still calls when im rehab walking the box rested mare but she is improving slowly! She will never be happy with it but the stable doesnt look like a bomb site anymore!!
 

Boulty

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Buy a teeny little mini Shetland or a mini donkey or something similarly tiny, create its own instagram account & document its adventures 😁
 

catembi

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FWIW, I had my ID mare & companion Shetland, and Shetland used to scream every time we hacked out, which would then upset the ID. Their voice travels for quite a surprising distance, & it's amazing the volume generated by one little pony. Then I got a companion NF for the Shetland, & the next time I hacked out, they both screamed their heads off. **sighs** Neither gallop around or do much...they both just seem to enjoy shouting. ID is now sold as I couldn't get her to settle hacking (they are at home & I have tried & tried to get a hacking companion to no avail), so we await the next chapter in the adventure.
 

DD

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put him in the stable and get him a pony companion. or don't ride the other horse and have the 2 as field ornaments.
 

Goldenstar

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It’s a case of leave him in the stable or get a pony .
My horse Harvey was here a year before he settled to being in the stable or field alone
If all he’s doing is making a mess of the bed I think it’s fine .
Do you separate them every day ? If you don’t do so .
I would try bringing in your horse and leaving the other in field for short periods while your there .
 
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