Trying to take buddy sour horse off property. HELP!

My normally non reactive horse is now boarding at a very quiet barn and finally has a best friend. He has always been last on the totem pole so having a bestie makes me super happy.
We like to go have lessons across the street but he has a hissy fit. They both do.

Is there a supplement I can give to help with the madness? Not looking for a daily if possible. Magnesium? I am brand new to this situation so any help would be great. THANKS!!

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It’s going to be a training issue. There’s no magic pill unfortunately.

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The best thing for a buddy sour horse is routine. If you can’t actually take him off the property daily, take him away from his friend daily. Make it the norm. They get over it pretty quick once it’s part of the daily routine.

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But I want the magic pill!!! lolol!

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Agree on this. Now that DLS is in effect, we both get back into a routine. He has been on his own basically all winter.

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Leave buddy horse with a high value snack. Like a pile of alfalfa.

Practice going out of sight on the property.

Ground work and clicker training with your horse can help build a repertoire of ways to get his attention.

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Just like there is no magic supplement that can turn your horse into a World Champion, the only thing that will accomplish to fix the issue is TIME and TRAINING.

Who cares if they have a hissy fit? Work through it. (Of course, so long as buddy left behind isn’t going to run through or jump the fence or anything dangerous.) If they run around and whinny for 20 minutes, let them. They’ll eventually learn to get over it. Might take 2 months, but it’ll get there.

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There IS a non-daily “supplement” that can fix this…Dormosedan! For your horse, the buddy horse, everyone! (Edit: I’m kidding, this is a terrible idea unless it’s an emergency).

Besides that, exactly what @Scribbler said + lots of practice of varying durations away. Routine is really helpful, but if your work is quality I have found that my horses build confidence and attention span even when I have days/weeks between sessions. Life on our (4) horse hobby farm makes the separation challenge unavoidable.

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YOU have to be the most important and influential being in your horse’s life. Currently, by definition, you are NOT. It’s great that he has an equine buddy. But YOU have to take precedence over his buddy. Put him to work. Be the person he needs you to be. Good luck. Sometimes it’s not easy.

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How long has your horse been at this barn?

I just bought a new mare and she’s clingy to my other mare, my horses are at home. Every time new mare calls out or looks for my other mare I’m presented a training opportunity in “focus” on me no matter if I’m grooming, leading or riding her.

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I’ve been there about 2 years. Small private facility which also happens to be right next to my house. A dream come true actually. I think between winter and rain, there really has been no time to ride properly. I have never had this type of thing happen since I have had him 12 years. It’s new for me. LIke many have said, it’s time for me to become alpha and get to it and get the shenanigans to stop. It will take time. I have a hobby farm across the street and am welcome there anytime. Trainer across the street at big farm. Heck, I can even put him in my yard on occasion. We’ve got this!!

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Oh gosh, yes, if you’ve been there 2 years it’s a communication/respect issue. You can turn this around!

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YUP! He’s just been a freeloader all winter with his pal. :rofl:

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Something to consider. Work in 30 minute increments. Allow an hour and half- do whatever with your horse for a half hour keeping his attention on you. Leading or riding him away from his buddy. Redirect him when his mind wanders. After a half hour put him up- in his stall or tie him somewhere for a half hour. After that work him again for a half hour. If he is fractious it might have to be broken up into 15 minute segments to start.

A cowboy friend trains horses. He has 6 in at a time. He can’t ride 6 horses at once but he can work 6 at a time. In the morning he determines which 3 are ridden first. They are saddled and tied throughout the facility. His theory “if you control the horses feet you control their time and mind. They give us “time” in exchange for room & board.” After he’s ridden a horse it goes back to being tied until the morning horses are done. Yes, water is available to the tied horses.

The horses to be ridden in the afternoon may spend some morning time being tied if he feels the horse needs it. Anyway, in the afternoon the other 3 are saddled and tied waiting to be ridden. Whenever he is leading a horse his horses noses are just at or right behind his shoulder- the horse never leads the way. His results are safe, patient horses trained in whatever skill set the owner has requested.

Good luck!

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I like that. I will modify it because I work during the week but weekends are a good place to start. Poor, spoiled boy is about to make some changes. lol

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I go through this every spring when I put my TB mare back in work after hanging with her buddies all winter. The buddies seem to take longer to get over it than the one in work, but I just start with basic ring work and slowly expand the bubble. FWIW, the TB is primarily a trail horse and we play with flat work, but in the spring I don’t dare try to trail ride her alone (in company she’s almost always good), but by early summer she is more independent. She is bottom of the herd as well

My TWH, who is a boss mare, OTOH doesn’t care. I can get on her after months off and go anywhere, alone or in company.

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I ran across this Warwick Schiller video about how he handled horses with separation anxiety when he was riding in the Gaucho Derby in Argentina:

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I took on a rescue mare with terrible separation anxiety and like the others said it’s just daily practice. You start small and work up. I have just two horses on my property and I’d take my other horse away and we’d come back in 30 seconds, then a minute, then 5 minutes. Never far away. Now I can leave with my other horse and be gone and she is calm. She knows we’re coming back.

THEN, then my rescue girl needed to leave for major dental surgery and that meant leaving my new mustang alone and I figured he’d never been alone a day in his life, right? Once I got the news she had to haul out for this work I knew we needed to start asap for him being alone.

The first time I took her away from him and we disappeared around the barn he lost it! He’d always left her and never displayed any separation issues. Wow was he bothered with her leaving. So, we came right back. Rinse and repeat. Over and over every day for a week. And sure enough in a matter of days he took notice but stayed quiet. Got to the point where I left with her for 15 min around my property and he was fine.

I will add I do turn them out on grass so they are more distracted. The rest of the story is cute.

The day of the big test was me hauling her out and him watching us out the driveway the whole way. He stayed calm but was out grazing (muzzled). I dropped her off and came right back home to be with him while she was gone - 5 hrs or so. I did all kinds of barn work and he kept an eye on me and I kept assuring him she was coming back.

When it came time to haul out and go get her I pulled his muzzle for EXTRA special focus on “Oh wow I get to eat this grass!” When we came back he was happily out grazing all alone.

It can all be done. Keep it fun, positive, and it will take time.

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I do have another thought. Does she come to you or at least NOT leave when you go out in the pasture to get her? That matters.

My other idea is always end a session of her being away - no matter how far - with a little grazing. Next thing you know they’re always associating you with something positive. They see you and think, “I like her.” :grin:

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He comes to me, no problem. I have gotten good responses and have a plan in place. I just need to step it up and get it done. Thanks everyone!!

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