My horse wont leave his friend

A common problem that many owners face  with their horse is separation anxiety. Their horse is herd bound, some can be particularly bonded to one horse and even when left with other horses will become very anxious when left. 

So what can be done to help a horse that suffers with separation anxiety. A common resolution that people try or advise is to permanently separate the horse from others or from its bonded pair. We need to look at the motivation behind the separation  anxiety in the horse to understand that this could work to make the problem worse in the long term. 

Horses are herd animals. If a horse is separated from the herd they are much more likely to be picked off by a predator. I have witnessed Zebra with big injuries from a lion attack. Those that managed to stay with the herd had a better chance of  survival than one that was separated.  I observed a herd of Przewalski in Mongolia that altered their daily routine for several weeks to ensure a foal was able to stay with the herd and close to water so it could recover from an injury, wolves were in the area and would have been a threat to the foal and mother if they were left by the herd. 

So your horse has a good reason to be anxious when removed from their herd. This is normal behaviour but it is behaviour that doesnt work for us in a domestic setting. So how can we help your horse comfortably leave their herd? This is where trust and good training is essential, I prefer to think that we are training a horse to be able to confidently leave their herd rather than just expect them to leave their herds. 

However, some domestic horses have a much harder time leaving their field companions than others. Why does your horse get completely stressed about leaving their herd and yet other horses will walk out on their own with no problems at all ? We now have to consider how a horse was raised. Early life experiences, how a horse is weaned, how their mother reacts to situations, what training they had as a youngster will all affect how they bond with other horses when they are older. Horses with a secure attachment will find leaving easier as they know they will come back to their herd and time away from their herd is not stressful for them. 

A good systematic training plan that will help to stretch your horses comfort zone and increase the trust your horse has with you will help you manage and reduce your horses separation anxiety. It is a behaviour that takes time and work to resolve.

If you would like help resolving your horses separation anxiety contact a horse behaviour Consultant who can advise you of a specific training plan to help your horse be more confident when leaving their herd.