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Elite Veteran
Posts: 738
  
Location: Anywhere my horses are ! Lost in Texas!!!!! | My 5 yr old mare has separation anxiety pretty bad. She can't stand not having an eye on my other mare. What things can I try to help her. |
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  Crazy Chicken Chick
Posts: 36132
 
| I have one that gets VERY upset when her buddies, or any horse tied by her at the trailer is taken away. She's not patterned yet, but I think she has talent. If she proves me right, I may just break down and buy a mini to stay with her. She HATES being stalled, so I'd stall the mini with her so they could be traveling buddies.
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | Work the nut case first and be sure to tire her out some then work the other one. She'll be happy to stand at the trailer. Some time I tie on the other side of the trailer so they can't see each other. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 464
| Hobble it, and be done with it. I wouldn't haul another horse around, and feed it 365 days a year just to please one. On a day your home, find a tree with a low limb, way away from the others. Stake it out, till it settles down. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 738
Location: Anywhere my horses are ! Lost in Texas!!!!! | Is the mare always going to be a nut case or will she grow out of it. She has gotten a little better about standing tied alone.
I understand the hobble. But how will hobbling help her ? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 464
| She needs to learn patience fast. Anything you do to help a horse like that is just going to enable the behavior. Teach her to patienty stand alone. |
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| I was given an older, talented mare that has INTENSE separation anxiety. She self exercises (which is really nice this time of year) if she cannot see the dominant mare (who all but tried to kill her a first), by pacing and running in the pasture past being covered in sweat. She also kicks at feeding time even if there is not another horse close to her. I cannot see ever being able to stall her at a show or rodeo.
I don't think tying her at the patience tree is going to do much for her at this point (she will be 20). She is a gritty thing and placed me at some rodeos this summer despite me getting thrown around and messing her up. Maybe I will give Rescue Remedy a try? |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | Question.....do your release her from where she is tied as soon as she starts to act up???
With that.......tied for hours and/or hobbles (supervised and get help if you've never used them before) OR pen separate!
Growing up we had a gelding who till the day he died at 16 would pace when tied, we did everything to get him to stop and it just didn't happen, he was a heck of a horse who anyone could ride and he was never dangerous when tied....
My 5 year old used to have violent separation episodes that I did EVERYTHING to get him over...hobbles, separation, tied for hours (over a few years)....it did not help....to him it would only cause even more anxiety and being penned seperate caused an overload on his mind when he actually was around other horses. This situation I decided to pick my battle, he has matured out of the dangerous behaviour.......but still gets concerns when separated. He is not a dead head and needs stimulation so easier to have a buddy with him....he is a very smart/talented horse so I'm making things work for us all.....
Edited by dream_chaser 2014-11-28 7:18 PM
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Member
Posts: 6
Location: Out Wickenburg Way | So, can you ride her alone or away from other horses? Either way, I'll just address the standing tied issue. Hobbling won't hurt. It's good for any horse to know, and it would encourage her to keep her feet still. Of course, introduce it in a safe, calm environment in stages if necessary. Anyway, I would set things up so that when she's near her buddies, she's always busy. I mean working hard. Lunge her at a lope in small circles with lots of direction changes. When she's dying for a chance to catch her air, tie her somewhere a little outside of her comfort zone for a few minutes to rest. She may not take advantage of the opportunity, but offer it to her anyway. Then take her back to where she wants to be like you can't wait to get there so you can lunge her some more. Rinse and repeat. It could take a lot of repetition, but even the hottest, thickest-headed horses will look for the easiest place you offer them if you're consistent. |
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I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| jbsell - 2014-11-29 5:44 PM
So, can you ride her alone or away from other horses? Either way, I'll just address the standing tied issue. Hobbling won't hurt. It's good for any horse to know, and it would encourage her to keep her feet still. Of course, introduce it in a safe, calm environment in stages if necessary. Anyway, I would set things up so that when she's near her buddies, she's always busy. I mean working hard. Lunge her at a lope in small circles with lots of direction changes. When she's dying for a chance to catch her air, tie her somewhere a little outside of her comfort zone for a few minutes to rest. She may not take advantage of the opportunity, but offer it to her anyway. Then take her back to where she wants to be like you can't wait to get there so you can lunge her some more. Rinse and repeat. It could take a lot of repetition, but even the hottest, thickest-headed horses will look for the easiest place you offer them if you're consistent.
Tried this with a couple of problem horses only the problem ones always end up having WAY more endurance than I have......  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 738
Location: Anywhere my horses are ! Lost in Texas!!!!! | No. I do not release her when she is acting up. She is standing calm when I let her go.
I ponying her first,to wear her down. When I am riding away from the other Mare.she gets somewhat concerned. But I keep her moving forward. She will get upset if she cant see the other mare. |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | I passed on buying one of the coolest horses that I've had in a long time for the very same issue. He would hurt himself or tear anything around him up when he was left alone. He tries to climb out of a stall if he's in the barn alone...and he starts it immediately when the last horse is out of sight. Incredibly broke, beautiful, and fun to ride, but it's just not worth it. They cause themselves ulcers and tear up more than they can win back.
Glad I did too, because I saw him just last week and he hasn't gotten any better! Horses like that take the fun out of it. |
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 Mouhahaha
Posts: 1786
Location: British Columbia | rachellyn80 - 2014-12-01 10:20 AM
I passed on buying one of the coolest horses that I've had in a long time for the very same issue. He would hurt himself or tear anything around him up when he was left alone. He tries to climb out of a stall if he's in the barn alone...and he starts it immediately when the last horse is out of sight. Incredibly broke, beautiful, and fun to ride, but it's just not worth it. They cause themselves ulcers and tear up more than they can win back.
Glad I did too, because I saw him just last week and he hasn't gotten any better! Horses like that take the fun out of it.
My yearling is the same, but it is SLOWLY improving. I have to work with her every day and I use a rope halter just because it puts more pressure on her when she has a little fit. But the fits are becoming fewer. She no longer rears or strikes out when I lead her and doesn't kick anymore. Just stomps impatiently at the trailer and does not stop jittering around.
Obviously if I haul she will have to have a buddy or she'll wear herself down at the trailer. But atleast now I'm able to take her away to work with safely.
ETA- The first day we brought her home she scaled a 6.5 elk fence into the neighbours pasture, so we stalled her and she literally tried to climb out of the stall until we put a mare next to her.
Edited by TMEquine 2014-12-01 11:32 AM
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| These types of horses have deep rooted insecurities, and allowing them to have buddies is like giving a kid candy after he threw a temper tantrum. I had a mare who was like this. What worked for me was not hobbling or letting her stand tied for hours, but taking her and working on her insecurity problem. She couldn't handle large stress environments without a friend, even at home (such as taking her on a trail by herself). Working with them on the ground and then consistently putting them in new environments, engaging their brain (without a friend), is what will help tremendously. Teach them to be confident in themselves. Sure it's not going to cure it completely, but it will help.
The only time I give in and give a horse like this a buddy is if there is immediate danger (ex. trying to climb out of a stall, or making a scene at a barrel race/rodeo)
Hope yall figure it out!! |
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Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | If all else fails cover a fly mask with duck tape and tie in her/ his own stall. Place fly mask on horse. Stay to supervise actions. Or leave horse loose in own stall.Sometimes a blindfold will work wonders. |
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| I had a gelding that got extremely upset when other horses were taken away from him too. When I hauled him alone he was great but when we took him with another horse he was a idiot. So we separated him when at home from the other horses by putting him in a pen of his own and when I would haul him I would load him first on the trailer and put some Vicks in his nose so he couldn't get a smell of the other horses. Then he was tied on the side of the trailer all by himself so he didn't have a chance to buddy up with another. He eventually grew out of it and he is great now. Although many do not grow out of it, most do so I feel it is a maturity thing. JMO |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 738
Location: Anywhere my horses are ! Lost in Texas!!!!! | thanks for the replies  |
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