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Re: [RC] Horse bonding and bad manners - Bonnie DavisHi Chris: I have two of those -- Bud and Sig. They've live together side by side in two stalls and paddocks and only are trailered horsecamping together and in 9 out of 10 rides, been side by side down the trail. They have really bonded which can be a problem. My horses also will leave each other from the barn. Especially when I just put one in the trailer and ignore all the whinnying. They never rear or fight -- just whinny!!! Drives a person crazy. So I just yell at 'em to "Quiet". Sig gets quiet but whinnies under his breath -- sort of a sob. Bud, ears back, one more loud whinny and then the evil eye for the rest of the ride. But you have the same problem I do. And I'm correcting it now by seperating them. Sig has Cushings Disease and is on Bute so I left him in his home stall. Bud has been moved to another barn and can't see or hear Sig. The last three or four days have been noisy. But with a lot of extra hay and attention he has begun to quiet down. He's in a small stall and paddock so he can't panic and try to jump out. He's done a lot of fence rushing, spinning and rearing. But he won't touch a fence and other than going hoarse from whinnying and sweating a lot, he's doing OK. I won't take him back to or around Sig for at least 30 days. Sig didn't eat for two days. Whinnied. Paced. Sweat. Again, attention has helped him. He keeps looking in the paddock and whinnying like Bud's in the stall but just won't come out. What I might do is put him in Bud's stall and let him look into his own. Haven't really decided on that yet. Seperating two buddy horses is actually HARDER on the owner than the horses! We get stressed out too. I spent the first night at the barn in my camper. Just in case...... Horses can't rationalize where their buddy has gone. And I figured I'd do it now because when one dies, the other has to get along on his own. I've had people ask me what about if Sig dies from stress -- if that's the plan of life and God wills it, it will happen. If Bud dies, the same for him. But I don't think either are going to. I'm working to seperate them not to be able to ride them -- I can ride Bud now -- but to make it more quiet!! Plus once they've broken that bond I'll move 'em closer together. I figure they can still see each other and hear each other but they can't rub noses or stratch each other's withers. The bond of 20 years will never completely go away but it will be less. Bonnie Davis ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Ditomaso" <cditomas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <Ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 3:42 PM Subject: [RC] Horse bonding and bad manners Can anyone give me some advice as to how to manage a horse that has bonded with the horse that it came with? The vet checks are a real problem because my mare doesn't want to stand still unless her horsey friend is standing right next to her. I have tried a stud shank (she has reared up) and a lesson in good manners with my trainer prior to attending the event. Does anyone use a product like Quietex or Rescue Remedy to calm their horse? Thanks for any help that you can give me. Chris D. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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