I posted a while ago about separation anxiety with Mayoral and if anyone had any suggestions. Thought I'd let you know what happened when I moved him down to our place... sorry it's a bit long
Went out with my friend riding for two hours lon Tuesday night up the mountains and down again (my butt is getting really sore, that's the third time in less than a week I have been out on a long trip). Took Mayoral home to my place after we finished as the electric fence is now fitted and his stable was all nice and ready for him. Put him in the pen for a while to chill out and cool down and then put him to bed in the stable wih his dinner. He would take a mouthful of food and then come and stick his head over the door, then started walking round and round, getting really stressed out, pawing at the floor, kicking the door and then he tried to CLIMB OUT OVER THE STABLE DOOR - bearing in mind it comes up to his throat nearly and he managed to get both front legs up and over it so he was like hanging by his armpits I nearly had a heart attack and I thought he was going to kill himself. OH and I were there all the time trying to calm him down and OH had to get the big broom and push him back off the door into the stable. This all built up over about 2 hours and we had stayed with him all the time. We managed to get a headcollar on him and we just put his tack on and took him back to the yard because he was hysterical and panicking Poor thing he was wringing with sweat, like he'd been soaked with a hosepipe. I thought he was going to gallop like crazy home but as soon as he realised he was going back he just walked all the way. This was about 11.30 at night, in the dark! I put him back into his old stable and he was as happy as a sandboy, just the same as usual. Went to see him in the morning and YO said he was fine and she can't understand it. (She heard us arrive and rushed out thinking he'd escaped) I thought, Yeah well you deal with 500kg of panicking horse trying to leap out of a stable in the dark and see how 'fine' that is! She said maybe we should have left him out in the pen and not stabled him but I know he would have either crashed through the fence or jumped it electric wire or no wire he was that strung out, he would probably have done himself a real damage if the poles had broken. God, knows how I would have coped without my OH, he was great. Must say though, it says a lot for Mayoral's basic character that he never got nasty and was prepared to listen to us even though he was so stressed.
We don't think Mayoral will be able to live down here unless we get a companion for him, as he has never been on his own in 11 years and has a complete wobbly when he can't see another horse. Bit of a bummer really, considering all the time, money and effort that we have put in to getting the place ready for him but , hey, he's got to be a happy boy. I don't want a stressed or depressed horse, I would feel so guilty. YO has told me to take one of her others down with him until he gets used to our place and the new routine and then gradually 'wean' him off by separating them for longer and longer periods. Actually, YO has a mare on livery who's owner has b******d off and not paid for months and she has told him she is going to sell the mare to cover her costs so I might ask if we can have her on loan for a bit before she sells her. Only thing that bothers me is will the mare throw a fit if I take Mayoral out riding and leave HER on her own?!!!!!
Went out with my friend riding for two hours lon Tuesday night up the mountains and down again (my butt is getting really sore, that's the third time in less than a week I have been out on a long trip). Took Mayoral home to my place after we finished as the electric fence is now fitted and his stable was all nice and ready for him. Put him in the pen for a while to chill out and cool down and then put him to bed in the stable wih his dinner. He would take a mouthful of food and then come and stick his head over the door, then started walking round and round, getting really stressed out, pawing at the floor, kicking the door and then he tried to CLIMB OUT OVER THE STABLE DOOR - bearing in mind it comes up to his throat nearly and he managed to get both front legs up and over it so he was like hanging by his armpits I nearly had a heart attack and I thought he was going to kill himself. OH and I were there all the time trying to calm him down and OH had to get the big broom and push him back off the door into the stable. This all built up over about 2 hours and we had stayed with him all the time. We managed to get a headcollar on him and we just put his tack on and took him back to the yard because he was hysterical and panicking Poor thing he was wringing with sweat, like he'd been soaked with a hosepipe. I thought he was going to gallop like crazy home but as soon as he realised he was going back he just walked all the way. This was about 11.30 at night, in the dark! I put him back into his old stable and he was as happy as a sandboy, just the same as usual. Went to see him in the morning and YO said he was fine and she can't understand it. (She heard us arrive and rushed out thinking he'd escaped) I thought, Yeah well you deal with 500kg of panicking horse trying to leap out of a stable in the dark and see how 'fine' that is! She said maybe we should have left him out in the pen and not stabled him but I know he would have either crashed through the fence or jumped it electric wire or no wire he was that strung out, he would probably have done himself a real damage if the poles had broken. God, knows how I would have coped without my OH, he was great. Must say though, it says a lot for Mayoral's basic character that he never got nasty and was prepared to listen to us even though he was so stressed.
We don't think Mayoral will be able to live down here unless we get a companion for him, as he has never been on his own in 11 years and has a complete wobbly when he can't see another horse. Bit of a bummer really, considering all the time, money and effort that we have put in to getting the place ready for him but , hey, he's got to be a happy boy. I don't want a stressed or depressed horse, I would feel so guilty. YO has told me to take one of her others down with him until he gets used to our place and the new routine and then gradually 'wean' him off by separating them for longer and longer periods. Actually, YO has a mare on livery who's owner has b******d off and not paid for months and she has told him she is going to sell the mare to cover her costs so I might ask if we can have her on loan for a bit before she sells her. Only thing that bothers me is will the mare throw a fit if I take Mayoral out riding and leave HER on her own?!!!!!