What is your take on "friend guarding"? Have you done it or experienced it from others?

Friend guarding: when a person tries to protect a friendship from a third party (often stemming from friendship jealousy): looking out for rivals, monopolizing the friend’s time, and making sure they don’t leave you.

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hartfire

I've only experienced it once.
I have a dear friend with whom I share interests in yoga, horse riding and art.
Caroline has another friend whom she'd met 20 years earlier via the national trail riders association.

When the three of us joined a week's camp for trail riding, Cherry parked her tent beside Caroline's, her horses in a yard beside Caroline's sat with her at all meals, choosing corner positions that meant the only place left for me was some distance away. If I attempted any chat with Caroline, Cherry would interrupt.

I reacted by retreating and getting to know those who were camped beside me and my horses.

Back home, Caroline told me Cherry had been doing that ever since they'd first met.
Since then, I've avoided any situation where Cherry is likely to be present.