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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
 
| Ok so I'm wondering what everyone else does with their horses . This isn't a huge problem , I just want people's opinions on it . I haul two mares together , I have one mare who has really bad separation anxiety . When I tie them together at the trailer, she's fine .. When I take her buddy away she's pretty good too .. Just calls for her . Her buddy is a 4 yr old that I haven't had long enough to see how she does when I take her buddy away . Sometimes I will tie them on opposite sides of the trailer , the mare with anxiety actually seems to he fine if you do this . She does worry about her buddy for a while though . Soo my question is , do you tie your horses together or separate ? Like I said mine aren't that bad .. What aggravates me the most is when I'm riding one of them & they call for their buddy instead of focusing on me .. That's when I question putting them separate . They aren't too bad about that either . The mare with the anxiety is my seasoned 1 d horse . She never calls when you are on her , the young one I believe will though . Do you recommend keeping them separate , or together ? I know they are herd animals .. Also , I know the mare with anxiety is way more prone to ulcers , so I just didn't know if I should cater to her & keep her quiet as much as possible . I think I've explained it as best I can .
Edited by Fancy Lass 2014-08-20 12:48 PM
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
   
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | If I'm understanding you correctly....
You have one mare that hollers if you take her way but that's all she does.
You have one mare that gets anxious if you tie them separately and she is prone to ulcers.
If that's correct, I'd keep them tied to together to keep the 2nd mare from being anxious. Ulcers and anxiety can escalate. | |
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 Saint Stacey
| We are so pathetic. We bought Vegas a mini pony. When we haul Vegas and the 3 year old, the mini still goes so neither one has to be alone when one leaves. Keeps them both quiet and happy. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| Lol that's too funny about the mini ! Yes , they really just holler .. That's it , sometimes they paw .. But as long as its the ground & not my trailer I don't mind lol . Soo I will just keep them together then ! | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330
| I have a different opinion.
Right now, the anxiety isn't that bad. Some yelling, but mostly, just a little anxious. Since the hauling is somewhat new to the 4 year old, I would expect her to get better with time. BUT, not if you keep appeasing her by always giving her a buddy. In my opinion, the best time to prevent buddy-sour horses is NOW, while it's not that bad. If you always have them together, you're more likely to support heading in the buddy-sour direction. Regarding being ulcer prone: if you're hauling them, I would hope you have them on a preventative anyhow, so some anxiety from being separated while at the event shouldn't be a concern. Whatever you gave them for prevention of ulcers while trailering would take care of that.
As far as one of them screaming to the other while you're riding...not acceptable. The horse needs to be focused on the rider. When my horse does this (and it's not often!) I will put him to work, harder than before. Make him think and make him move his feet. If he's unfocused enough to be worrying about the other horse, he's not focusing on you anyway, and that's not acceptable. Rollbacks, circle spirals, lead changes, etc. Give him something to do besides worry about that other horse. | |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Treat for ulcers, vet check for soreness. Haul a few times a week, even if it's to a friends house to unload and tie out, then load back up and go home. Make sure they always have hay in front of them, it's very comforting for horses. If it doesn't get better, seperate them where they can't see or hear each other until they quit calling for a few days. If that doesn't help, chlorpromazine to haul and do trailer waiting for a few times. | |
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| SKM - 2014-08-21 6:40 AM We are so pathetic. We bought Vegas a mini pony. When we haul Vegas and the 3 year old, the mini still goes so neither one has to be alone when one leaves. Keeps them both quiet and happy.
I do this too for my ulcer prone mare... i got a free mini that had been foudered so this is her new job. My mare isn't a buddy to any horse in particular just doesnt' want to be left alone. i can take her anywhere and as long as me or another horse is next to her she is great. Granted if i leave her alone she bucks,rears, kicks anything and everything... i had her even tear down a tongue and groove stall wall cuz she was at a show and couldn't see another horse... mini now goes in the stall with her... I hate giving in to her but we tried for about a year to get her over it and the ulcers just kept coming back... this is way easier! | |
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Saint Stacey
| Kgirl - 2014-08-21 6:57 AM
SKM - 2014-08-21 6:40 AM We are so pathetic. We bought Vegas a mini pony. When we haul Vegas and the 3 year old, the mini still goes so neither one has to be alone when one leaves. Keeps them both quiet and happy.
I do this too for my ulcer prone mare... i got a free mini that had been foudered so this is her new job. My mare isn't a buddy to any horse in particular just doesnt' want to be left alone. i can take her anywhere and as long as me or another horse is next to her she is great. Granted if i leave her alone she bucks,rears, kicks anything and everything... i had her even tear down a tongue and groove stall wall cuz she was at a show and couldn't see another horse... mini now goes in the stall with her... I hate giving in to her but we tried for about a year to get her over it and the ulcers just kept coming back... this is way easier!
Yep. I call it being smarter than the thing I am dealing with. Vegas is like yours. She's fine as long as someone is with her. You leave her alone and she frets. She has too much try and talent to risk taking it out if her by micro managing something that is easy enough to work around. That's how I see it. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 559
| SuckerForHorses - 2014-08-21 7:08 AM
I have a different opinion.
Right now, the anxiety isn't that bad. Some yelling, but mostly, just a little anxious. Since the hauling is somewhat new to the 4 year old, I would expect her to get better with time. BUT, not if you keep appeasing her by always giving her a buddy. In my opinion, the best time to prevent buddy-sour horses is NOW, while it's not that bad. If you always have them together, you're more likely to support heading in the buddy-sour direction. Regarding being ulcer prone: if you're hauling them, I would hope you have them on a preventative anyhow, so some anxiety from being separated while at the event shouldn't be a concern. Whatever you gave them for prevention of ulcers while trailering would take care of that.
As far as one of them screaming to the other while you're riding...not acceptable. The horse needs to be focused on the rider. When my horse does this (and it's not often!) I will put him to work, harder than before. Make him think and make him move his feet. If he's unfocused enough to be worrying about the other horse, he's not focusing on you anyway, and that's not acceptable. Rollbacks, circle spirals, lead changes, etc. Give him something to do besides worry about that other horse.
I agree with you .. Usually I tie them together unless they start getting really dumb at the trailer when I take one away .. Or the one I'm on start hollering for the other one . That's when I feel I should tie them alone , that way they don't want to get back to the trailer to their buddy bc they won't be next to them when they get there . I do always have hay in front of them also . | |
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