Why does it happen?
Horses have evolved over millions of years to live in herds — for prey animals, there is safety in numbers. They depend on the other herd members to alert them to potential danger and watch over them while they sleep. So, in nature, horses make strong attachments and will often form a “pair bond” for life — a close relationship with another horse, often a similar age, height and size to themselves. In contrast, domestic horses are often kept in individual paddocks and stables, unable to touch and socialise with others. Alternatively, they may be turned out in constantly changing herds, never having the opportunity to form such friendships. Some horses can become distressed by this upheaval and become clingy to certain individuals. Horses who are isolated or have little equine contact can become extremely anxious. To them, being on their own is a potentially dangerous situation and they must be constantly vigilant — any lapse of concentration could be a matter of life or death. They have no one to stand guard over them while they sleep, so they never have the chance to totally relax. This means they’re often exhausted and at risk of physical problems related to stress. When they’re then introduced to other horses, they’re understandably likely to become fearful of leaving the safety of the group again and can develop separation anxiety as a result. Ideally, youngsters need to have a good relationship with their dam and stay with her until around 10 months old, before being weaned gradually without either of them becoming anxious. However, we are now routinely raising foals who are weaned at six months or less, and many have a sudden, traumatic, forced separation from their dam. These horses are likely to suffer from separation anxiety in later life. It’s important for us to remember that although we have domesticated horses, they still have an innate, hard-wired drive to stay safe in the company of their friends.