Comments | equestrian: Gelding attached to "his" mare?

acoustic11 in equestrian

Gelding attached to "his" mare?

May 05, 2012 01:07

I don't really know what I'm looking for in this post, or if it's even too early to be worried like I am, but it would be nice to get any opinions from you guys ( Read more... )

herdbound, training problems

Comments 13

infinitlight May 5 2012, 10:45:16 UTC

I had two geldings who hated each other for years. One got sick and I moved him to a new place. A month or so later I moved the other gelding to the new place too.

I swear they started calling to each other before they could see each other, and they reunited like someone just got back from the war. They were super super attached to each other for a while (freaking out if I took one of them out) and then they just calmed down and went back to normal. I figured it was maybe something to do with the stress of the move.

acoustic11 May 6 2012, 02:48:59 UTC

I'm hoping he just calms down after a while, but in the meantime, I'm getting so frustrated. :(

walter_oesau May 5 2012, 14:05:56 UTC

YEP! My boy, who's about as old as yours, has HIS mare - she's an OTTB and he's bound to her like no other. It's a pain in the ass, and can be a REAL pain when I take him for his walks ( ... )

acoustic11 May 6 2012, 02:54:49 UTC

I think that's a good idea - the baby steps - because trying to work through it isn't working so well. I'm glad to hear that someone has worked through an issue like this! Thanks.

neaghesquiere May 5 2012, 15:28:29 UTC

I knew two mares who acted like this as well. I wish I had more input as to why or how to fix the problems it causes. We had a lot of couples in our pasture but they were the only ones who were brutally annoying when apart for a day.

beybladesabre May 5 2012, 17:08:21 UTC

I've dealt with several situations like this, and the only solution I've found that works long term is to totally separate them, the farther away the better. Like not being able to hear each other whinny distance, if possible. They get over it pretty quickly that way, usually within a couple days or a week. You can keep them together and work through it, albeit at a much slower rate of success. It's not impossible obviously, but in my experience keeping them together and just ignoring it usually doesn't improve things over time.

What I don't like in this situation is his blatant disregard for you when they are separated, that's when it can start to get dangerous if not addressed right away.

ihorse May 5 2012, 17:50:53 UTC

My thoughts as well. My girl used to be SUPER herd-bound to her mini pony, and when we got my dad's horse, they would get upset if they were separated too. Then I moved Andie to a new barn where she was stalled and turned out in her own paddock (with neighbors), and she was great to ride in the arena or in the back acres. When I brought her home, it was just Mason (our mini has a new home with adorable little girls who adore him), and they haven't bonded like Andie and BJ did, but if I take Andie out for a ride now she is completely fine, whereas she was completely unrideable when I had her at home before. Mason throws a fit and she just ignores him. On the flipside, if Mason is taken out for a ride and Andie is left alone, she gets very upset. Neither of them like being alone in the pasture, but are fine with their people, which has been VERY nice. I've actually been able to ride fairly consistently since I brought Andie home!

So again, would suggest completely separating them.

acoustic11 May 6 2012, 02:56:50 UTC

Unfortunately, I can't separate them. Separate fields is the most I can do.

And I know. I'm hard on my horses and demand the best manners... I used to work with track babies and am NOT one to put up with disrespectful behavior, but nothing gets through to him when he's in this mode. Ugh.

beybladesabre May 6 2012, 03:44:27 UTC

Separate fields would be better than nothing, it sounds like. Even if you could do it for a couple weeks or something. I've had to deal with some pretty crazy herd boundness, and it's super frustrating when the horse totally tunes you out, you could be beating them with a whip and they still wouldn't notice you're there:P So I totally feel your frustration! Baby steps, for sure.

Best of luck with working through it! :)

alkthoniel May 5 2012, 17:08:25 UTC

We've got an old retired gelding at our yard called Rosco. He gets like that with mares. For years he was just in a paddock with Lottie. Any time Lottie's owner took her out he would go beserk. Charging up and down, calling, weaving, you name it. Lottie's owner decided to move her to a different yard, and we thought it would be the end of him. So she went away - cue the hysterics, but a week later he was all "Lottie who?". We were all so surprised how quickly he just settled down, he always acted like the world was ending when she left the paddock. We seriously didn't think he'd be able to cope without her O_o ( ... )