# separation anxiety



## zarazag (Nov 22, 2009)

My mare who is 26 got really stressed the other week when I took my pony out to ride - she could still see all the other horses in their fields and they were next to her. She somehow got a puncture wound which resulted in an infection in the coffin joint - she made it after having it flushed and we borught her home on tues - she's been in for a couple of days which again has been a bit stressy when horses are moved about. i have sectioned off an area an dput her in there - she is next to my daughter's pony who she has shared a field with in the past - my pony was down the far end and she was calling and looking for him - he is next to her tonight as they are the only ones out but I am seriously concerned about her behaviour - when we went to leave tonight she became a bit agitated - I watched from a distance and she did settle but I want to move alex onto the other field during the day so he doesn't become dependent on daughter's pony and obviously there will be times when both ours are out - I cannot understand her reaction = she has got a bit stressy before when they;ve gone out but if I moved her near the others she has settled but it seems to be alex who she cannot do without - I am at my wits end after all the emotion of whether we were going to lose her, but now she is home it seems even more stressy.

thanks!


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## Zayna (Apr 19, 2009)

How old is your other pony? The mare I used to loan was stabled next to my friends filly and they formed a real bond, i think the mare (who had never been able to have a foal) thought that rose was her baby and she would get very stressed if rose went into the field before her or came in from the field before she did. She ended up cutting her neck weaving up the gate one day.

my mate was planning to introduce her back with the other mares hoping that she would form other attachments and not be so stressed about rose but she then had to go back to her original owner so we never got to try this out.. i think it may have worked though


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## zarazag (Nov 22, 2009)

Zayna said:


> How old is your other pony? The mare I used to loan was stabled next to my friends filly and they formed a real bond, i think the mare (who had never been able to have a foal) thought that rose was her baby and she would get very stressed if rose went into the field before her or came in from the field before she did. She ended up cutting her neck weaving up the gate one day.
> 
> my mate was planning to introduce her back with the other mares hoping that she would form other attachments and not be so stressed about rose but she then had to go back to her original owner so we never got to try this out.. i think it may have worked though


My pony is a geleding and he's 7 - my daughter's pony is 10 - but it seems to be Alex theone she has formed the bond with. All 3 have been in together over the summer but then my daughter's pony got lammi so we separated her off leaving just alex and zara - sometimes she would get a bit anxious when alex and pride went out but nothing like at the moment - we had moved the fields around and it seemed to be the field which caused the problem - coincided wit bonfire night too, but even in the new bit she was still stressed - am dreading going down this am as really want to ride and also put alex on to new grasss - as no need for him to be on restricted


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## VickyF (Nov 26, 2009)

My shetland has a problem with this when the horses get brought in for the night.He has a strong bond with a little Welsh pony.The week before last I had a phone call to come and fix the fence as he broke the fence post trying to get to his friend when they were bringing him in.This week I was at the bottom of the track on the way to the winter field and I saw my pony running towards me down the lane so i caught him.When i got further up i found the welsh pony was being taken out of the field so he escaped through the gate this time.so the only way i can leave him in the field is if i bring him in before the welsh pony which is a pain.I dont know any advice about your horse being stressed in the field as i am a newbie but if it is stressed in the stable try a battery operated radio.My Shetland loves it.It is on a station where there is talking and stories so he thinks there are people around.


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## XxemmafuriaxX (Dec 17, 2009)

Hi sorry i cant help you as i suffer from the same problem i had two spanish mares 1 22 and the other 7 the 22 years old is fine when hacking pays no atention what so ever to the 7 year old but all the youngen can do is pay atention to the other its dificult to ride her because if i stay further back so she doesnt get used to always being next to the 22 year old she pushes foward alot but if i let her next to her she wont follow my commands! sorry for the comment on you thread :S maybe we can both get a joint answer
also they are in stables that face eachother and if the 22 year old gets taken out she will get really upset and kickes her door paces back and forth and just gets plain stressed


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## XxemmafuriaxX (Dec 17, 2009)

Hi sorry i cant help you as i suffer from the same problem i had two spanish mares 1 22 and the other 7 the 22 years old is fine when hacking pays no atention what so ever to the 7 year old but all the youngen can do is pay atention to the other its dificult to ride her because if i stay further back so she doesnt get used to always being next to the 22 year old she pushes foward alot but if i let her next to her she wont follow my commands! sorry for the comment on you thread :S maybe we can both get a joint answer
also they are in stables that face eachother and if the 22 year old gets taken out she will get really upset and kickes her door paces back and forth and just gets plain stressed


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