Operation Independence

 Since the show  I've been directly targeting Quaid's separation anxiety.  It really wasn't rocket science. What I'm doing is brining both horses in when I ride. So one is in the ring and one is in the stall. It's been a bit of PITA, to be honest, but has shown some interesting things. 

fall colours are coming out

As expected, Quaid was a bit tense the first few times. Also, as expected, both horses are better being the ones leaving vs being left. There were a lot of sad whinnies. And a few outraged ones (looking at you Carmen). 

Surprisingly, Carmen is the one struggling the most with this. Like she is not a fan at all. Quaid's crying is causing her all sorts of tension and worry. Even when he's quiet, she's more tense.  I say that this is surprising because she seems totally okay with this when we travel. But it's possible/probable that it bothered her more than I realised. 

Qaid: 'DON'T LEAVE ME!
Carmen: be brave and I'll be back. Probably. 
Also, don't eat all the hay while I'm gone. 

She is just now starting to settle a bit. It helps that that whinnying has died down significantly. 

Quaid, however, seems to be better with it. At least when being ridden. After a couple tense rides he's settled into work like everything is fine.  When Carmen whinnies, he cocks an ear and that's it. He is struggling more with being left but is doing way better. There is much less calling.  

I feel that, at the very least, they will learn to ignore the calling when we travel. It's a theory, anyway, so don't burst my bubble.  

Some other interesting things have happened too. I've noticed that both of them are much more attached to me even when I'm out doing other things. Especially Quaid. He'll come trotting up to the fence when he sees me.  

The other thing is that they have figured out that one of them will be locked up so when I bring in one. It use to be that whoever I haltered, the other would follow. Now the other tries to stay out in the field. 

I'm fine here. Really. Carry on. 

When I go to get them they come right in but it's kinda cute. Every now and then I leave one out to see if they become fixated.  So far they do not. 

Is this the answer? Hard to tell until we go somewhere and I ride them separately. But it is helping my rides at home.  So we'll see.