separation of six yo would panic if left alone

[Hackneymad]

I have just taken a hackney x welsh sec D on a months trial, he is 6 years old and I already love him very much. He has never been away from his mummy and his sister, he has been moved to my yard 20 miles from his own home. I personnally think it will make him grow up, I have never come across this before he is a terrible panicker if he thinks he is alone (even if he isnt) I am concerned for his welfare and am taking every precaution to make sure he isnt left alone until he settles, is there anything I can do to alleviate his problem for him. I feel I should go back to basics and start from the bottom which includes leading him out on a headcollar, he is broken but is very green. I really want this to work.

[Piaffe]

Hi Hackneymad!

I am assuming that you have other horses at your yard?

What is your routine for your new horse? - is he stabled at night, out during the day, or stabled 24/7 or out 24/7?

How long has he been at your yard now?

He sounds lovely!

[Hackneymad]

Thanks for replying, there are about 30 other horses on the yard, I have had him for a week on my yard now, he is presently out during the day with the horse in the next door stable whom he can see through the bars and will be put in the field with about 4 - 5 others and his new friend on Saturday and he is coming in at night which he is used to. I am hoping to have him out 24/7 in about 3/4 days time.

He comes in on his own OK and goes into an empty field OK, but if I take the horse next door to him out of the stable even for a few minutes he scoots around like a mad thing and even rears in the stable and throws him self at the door and bangs it very loudly with his feet, I am afraid if I didnt bring him back after a few minutes he would either bang the door down or try to jump out the stable! I am frightened for him. I have mentioned this to his previous owner who said she just used to leave him but he was only threatening to rear with her.

I would like to be able to take his new friend out of the field and hopefully he wont bother because he is in with the other geldings, we will have to see.

He is lovely and has some lovely ways about him, I am just scared that he will hurt himself. I am a bit panicy as I have not long lost a horse to colic and I dont think I will ever be the same again after that.

He plays with everything and gets bored very easily, I have put a lick in his stable and I will have to try and find a few more toys for him to play with.

I love him dearly but I dont think I could cope if this continues long term.

[Piaffe]

If he hasn't been out with others, only his next door neighbour, it isn't surprising that he goes mad when the horse leaves him, whether in the field or in the stable.

I think once he goes out with the other horses, he will feel more secure, make more friends and not totally 'rely' on his neighbour for company.

You've only had him a week, and it normally takes a little longer than this for a horse to settle into a new home, especially as he'd been at his previous home for such a long time and it was the only home he'd ever known.

When he goes out with the other horses, don't be surprised to see a lot of 'sorting out' in the field as they establish the pecking order. Give him time, probably about a month. I'm sure things will calm down, he will know you better and have made new friends. good luck!

[Hackneymad]

Hi there

Thanks for the reassuring reply. He has gone out into the field now with the other geldings there hasnt been any trouble at all sorting themselves out, I think this was due to them running alongside for a week, it has done the trick. Also Saturday morning I was determined to get him settled in the stable without his mate next door, so I tried my best to ignore his calls his banging on the door and scooting around, I stayed close and swept the yard and filled water buckets until he finally settled down to eat some hay - phew! My partner has now fitted an anitweave bar on the stable for me which has taken out the worry of him trying to jump out of the stable if I am not around. I have been giving him calming herb cordials which has taken off his nervous edge. I have also been on my maiden voyage this morning I rode him out with his mate and he was a very good boy indeed, I was proud of him. His mate has been out of the field without him and he has settled to eat grass with his new friends, so far so good. I was very concerned about him hurting himself in the field etc. by being panicky!

I have also accidently discovered that when he is banging the door loudly all I have to do is pick up the broom and he stops it, I dont know if someone has given his stable door a loud bang with the broom !!!

[Piaffe]

Good to hear that things are settling down now!

Give him and yourself plenty of time- within a few months you'll wonder what all the worry was for!!

Good luck and enjoy!