Separation anxiety when left at home alone

J

judesong

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Dec 29, 2004
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Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone can please offer any advice or encouragement on my horses behaviour when separated from his companion?

2 months ago I moved from a busy livery yard to my own place. I bought a young filly as a companion for my gelding who is 9. They have settled in well, are turned out evey day together, and are stabled next to each other. I am not riding at the moment as I am pregnant, but wanted to address the issue of separation early on so that it wouldn't develop into a problem... alas the problem already exists!

When the filly is taken away, even for a short period (10 mins max), my gelding goes ballistic - snorting, charging around his box, and kicking the walls. So far he has caused a lot of damage to his box but not to himself thankfully.

I have been trying to take the filly away regularly for a short period each day to try and break this behaviour, but it's been 2 weeks now and there seems to be no improvement.

I have also tried the following but nothing seems to help...

He is normally a greedy boy - but food provides no distraction.
He seems genuinely distressed so I have tried to calm him with my voice and grooming him but he gets too bargy for me to be in the stable, and I worry about tying him up in case he panics.
I have tried to be tough and shout at him - this distracts him momentarily.
I have recently resorted to a magnesium calmer but I really don't feel comfortable using this long term.
I have just ordered a stable mirror to see if this might help...?

Can anyone suggest ANYTHING else I should try? Am I on the right track and it is just a case of being persistant? I'd be really grateful for any reassurance or advice.

Many Thanks!! xxx
 
I had the same prob, they couldnt do anything apart,
we had to resort to walking down the road together then taking seperate roads, had a bit of a paddy but got better as they realised that they had to go on to get back,
a bit of a prob as shes a filly, is there anyone that could walk her?

ETA, my sisters gelding is now quite happy to be left in the field by himself while I compete my mare, I dont think it is always one or three, just depends on the horses, whilst hes not antisocial just doesnt compleatly rely on the others!
 
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I was told (after purchasing my second pony) that you either have 1 or 3. :rolleyes:

I was also told that you dont pair up with the opposite sex as the pair bond is much much stronger. :eek:

So I would suggest you go out straight away and buy another. ;):D
 
I had the same problem until we got a 3rd pony!Then we had a problem when 2 went to a show and left the 3rd on its own so we then got a 4th!it seems the easiest answer i'm afraid!
x
 
Thanks for the replies! It sounds like a good idea walking then separating, we'll give it a try.

Had a bit of a break through today - turned out the horses separately then swapped at lunch time... it was mayhem to begin with but they both settled down eventually. Not quite the same as taking one away from the yard as they can still see each other, but it's a baby step forward at least!

I've also discovered tying up the remaining horse outside seems to be better than leaving loose in their box as they seem to get themselves less worked up. Athough it could just be the calmer kicking in...!

I'll be installing the stable mrrors when they arrive this week so watch this space and I'll let you all know if they work or not!!

Thansk again xxxx
 
we had the same, you need three not two. Molly has dreadful separation anxiety, in fact anxiety about anything, Rosie couldn't care less if she has grub in front of her.

Even when with the donkeys, molly would trash the field if rosie went out - but she has now got over it and is ok - a bit of running around but nothing too bad. She is worse in the stable, in the time it takes me to turn rose out in the morning molly has wrecked her bed and is usually sweating!
 
I have the same issue. My friend's mare goes mad when Sennie is taken out of the field or out of the stable block for me to ride. A mirror didn't help. What we have found though is that if she can't actually see him or anyone else, from the field she calms down and waits for him to come back. If she can see either him or anyone on the yard she resumes the panicking and charging about.
 
I tried leaving the gelding out in the field yesterday and took the filly away only for about 5 mins but he went mad, charging up and down the fence boundary. It's strange there are 2 ponies in the next field so he's not totally alone. Perhaps I should be brave and just leave him alone to deal with it... I'm scared he'll hurt himself though!
 
Oh god, I know all about this:eek:

Thunder is my baby, had him since he was 3, he's now 13. He was kept with Riley who died beside him in the field, he was panic stricken so we got another, Turner.

Turner could be ridden out with a friend's horse (she wouldn't ride one while I rode the other), but they would both whinny and Turner would try to nap home. Thunder would not leave the field.

I lost my confidence riding either of them as a result.

At Chrimbo, having had unrideable horses for 6 years, I decided enough was enough. I sent them to a friends to be backed, and they long reined Thunder who reared dreadfully, bucked, napped, did everything he could to get back to Turner. It was horrible.

Turner came home, and Thunder was ridden daily at/by friend, then after 6 weeks we swopped over.

Thunder is a different horse. I can hack out with limited problems, as he has no companion to fret over. I just needed them to go away and to have them split up and things are great now.

Turner was a bully and very dominant to Thunder, and Thunder never got as many loves and cuddles because he'd walk away from me when Turner approached us.:mad:

Thunder is slowly learning how to live on his own, he seems much happier and I will never get a companion horse again. I couldn't get a third, I don't have the time or resources as I also have 2 young children.:eek:

I wish I'd split them years ago:)
 
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