My mare seems to be almost constantly in season, in agreement with our vet we have put her on 'regumate' to suppress her cycle and she is much calmer and more manageable as a result.
We have been at our new and much smaller yard since September and she was very calm and liked by everybody when we first arrived. As my husband's gelding (who becomes very attached to her and very protective of her) was not allowing her to graze, the horse were seperated into two adjoining padocks.There are now three geldings and a wee mare in the filed. We tried to have the mares together but my mare was just bullying the wee one. My mare has a shetland pony for company in the same field. Over the winter however she has completly cut up the field and was often seen charging about or running into the fences that seperate the field.
The owner now thinks she is crazy, or dangerous becaus he thinks she takes off for no reason at all.
I try very hard to think back to how she behaved in September and I also recall that she was very difficult at this time last year.
While there is clearly a link to her seasons could it be, that she is simply lonely. Could it be that she is simply full of life when she charges about? If they are all in one field, how could we stop our gelding becoming overly attached to her?
There is talk now that the shetland and the wee mare will be in one field and my mare and the geldings in another. Could that give me even more problems?
Hello ,interesting to read your posts,I also have separation anxious horse,life grew complicated as soon as I got a second horse.Wish I had just kept one!The other gelding has become a magnet so my old horse migrates towards him instead of seeking me out so much as his buddy. I regulariy separate them and make every effort they both get enough fun and excersise and I take my time when we get back home to not reintroduce them in a hurry.I leave some hay for the horse left at home so he has pleasant associations of being alone.Plus,having used the Dually halter in training I can easily ask either horse to stand still and respect my space even when he is calling out and nervy.I do it for quite a few minutes until the horse is quiet,exhales,drops head and relaxes,only then do I walk on.I hope Monty replies to your post as it's complex as you have the mare issue as well.I think that it has to do with us being THE team leader and that the horse, wether it is male,female or gelding,totally repects us as that .Back to groundwork?Stay safe.
Thanks for your comments and yes I agree we have to go back to ground work and training with the Dually halter. We also bought the gelding (called Gamin) a lick when he is in the stable on his own. Can't work him out so as he keeps barging out of his stable if Sashja ( my mare ) is tied up outside and he is in the stable, although he can see her. Thank god we can ride either of them out without any problems or hardly any. My husband now has a cracked rib as Gamin pushed out of the stable as he tried to close the stable door so watch this space as we really need to sort this problem before anyone gets seriously hurt. Also the owner is now suggestion more and more voilent methods and while we need to stay safe I don't really want to get violent or see somebody else going down that route, however we need to be very firm with him. Any other suggestions: YES PLEASE.
Hi, this is a very complex set of problems and difficult to advise without studying and watching the horses in the paddocks to see how they are reacting with each other (which probably isn't very helpful sorry!). However, I do have a couple of thoughts:
1. Sometimes we intervene too soon because we think horses are being 'mean' to each other but often they will work it out themselves but if it means one isn't getting any food or is getting hurt then of course it's right to step in, but I cannot overemphasise the value of quietly watching them for a few hours (take a picnic!) to understand the subtleties of their behaviour.
2. You are right that the barging out of the stable must stop, it is a bad habit that will get worse and someone could get hurt, so yes "back to the Dually" and consistent continuous messages.
3. I presume when you say "the owner is suggesting more violent methods" you mean the owner of the yard, but these are YOUR horses and noone has the right to commit violence against your horses, nor encourage you to do so, and it's good that you are reluctant to take the advice - describing the horse as 'a nutter' may seem 'no big deal' but it sets the scene for aggressive/defensive body language as soon as the owner or others see the mare so she reacts accordingly and a vicious circle sets in.
I therefore suggest that you get a professional trainer in to help with this rather than 'muddling through' and trying to work it out which could make the situation worse by confusing the horses, but be careful, some advocate violence as you know - mentioning that you support Monty's methods usually sorts out the wheat from the chaff; those that think his methods are 'rubbish' will tell you so and then you will know you don't want to work with them!!
Good luck.
Without wanting to appear disloyal to Monty Roberts or anything I find studying Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling very helpful,(you tube),certainly in certain specific situations I find his techniques very helpful indeed.
Sashja is there a pasture or paddock where they can spend some time together each day? You could try taking him out first.They are herd and prey animals being alone means danger to them.