I have a horse that has severe separation anxiety and throws a fit when she's tied in the barn or outside away from the others. She'll scream and dance and rear and move all over the place and it makes it very difficult to groom her and tack her up. She has well established ground manners and is not pushy at all she just blows up with anxiety. She even has anxiety for a bit when I turn her out from me leaving. What should I do to begin the road to the curing this as best I can?
eventingdiva162012-12-09T13:11:27Z
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My sisters first pony was extermely herd bound that lead her to bolt, refuse to load in the traier and many more nightmarish pont behavior. To cure her we brought her home to live alone. We live in a very wooded area with no horse neighbors. She lived alone for about eight months and she was about 17 when we did this. She is much better now She now lives with other horses and we can now haul her by herself, she no longer bolts back to the other horses, she can be ridden alone and stands patiently.
So far you have two answers and I think there is a lot in both. Separation anxiety is an emotional issue. I would say all the suggestions are based on the idea that your horse has to learn how to handle its own emotions. That comes from practice. I would not say that all animals suffer from separation anxiety. I don't think that snakes do or turtles. I think the key here is social animal. Any social animal is hardwired to be around others of their kind. If they can't be around others of their kind, they can sublimate (substitute) other kinds of animals to fill the gap/the need. With warm blooded animals, when a need is frustrated, such as hunger or need for social interaction, there is a whole section of our brain hardwired to make us try harder and harder to get what we want or need. This comes out as frustration, anger or anxiety. Further complicating the situation for a horse is its position as a prey animal. A horse alone is dead; they are walking meat markets for predators and they know it with every fiber of every cell in their bodies. The trick is to make sure that your horse is never alone. They should have companionship for times when you are away. They should know that when they are with you, they are not alone. This is done by proving to them that you are strong enough, wise enough and sensible enough to take care of them. This is why they test. They want to find out how strong, how wise, how sensible you are for themselves. If you pass, they trust you and all is well. If you don't, they are without protection in your presence and they know that they are going to die at any second. If that's how you thought, you would be anxious too!
Groundwork! First you need to get her moving. As soon as she starts showing tension and anxious behavior, distract her with a job to do. Send her out, ask her for direction changes and keep her focused on you. Get some solid progress on the ground, then start confidence building. Horses can only learn self confidence through an experienced, confident rider. Whom is capable of leading a horse to the right decisions without making them for the horse. Thus, reinforcing the horses's confidence.
Horses need to make some decisions and they need to be held accountable for their actions and decisions to have confidence. You lead them to the decision, let them make it, and you react according without the situation ever getting out of control. If she makes the right decision release pressure and give praise. But always be prepared. Plan ahead. Well before you get her to the decision you leave her to make, think about what incorrect answers she may possibly give and be ready to counter and block them before she goes through with her wrong answer. If you can block the wrong answer, you don't have to discipline or get on to them hurting their confidence. She will trust that the decisions you make are over her head, and that she can handle the ones left for her to make.
Once you have some groundwork under your belt and establish leadership with her, you can build her confidence, and then you will no longer have a herdbound insecure horse.
Well, I have had this problem be for with my experiences, I work at a stable. What you sould do is have her stand by herself more, but with a salt lick and a horse toy coverd in mosselss. After a couple of weeks she should be fine... if she is not let her stay in the paddock with more toys... But dont forget to let her visit with you and other horses (only let her visit with the horses for 1 hour of less) but groom and tack her as muck as you can so she will get used to being with no other horses around... After a couple of weeks of both (about 2-4 weeks) put her back with the other horses, and then she how she does:)
Get serious and do something about it! Tie a big ring tightly in her tail, take her to the arena put a rope around her girth and then one from that around her chest to keep the girth rope from slipping back. put a snaffle bit on her, take both reins and run them through the girth rope, bring her head around twoard her barrel and tie the reins to the ring, step back quickly. Get on the horse that is her pal and ride away from her, let her panic and spin and spin. Watch so she can't get her head low and step over the rein. Have someone watch her and ride out of the yard. Come back and change her direction. She may just take a fit that is OK . When she sill just stand while you ride away go to her and loosen up the reins. and ride some more. Tired will take a lot of wind out of a crazy horses sail. When you ride her and she takes you to another horse, let her go there and ride the tail right off her around the other horse in circles or rolling back on the fence near the other horse when she is tired and wants to stop, ride her to the end of the arena or away from the other horse and let her rest. Let her know that near other horses just means hard work.