A quick thank you

[LHIS]

A little while ago I posted asking for advice on my bad traveller. A mirror in the trailer was suggested to me. I bought a few acrylic mirrors and put one of the spares up in the stable of my other horse (unofficial non ridden companion) who is a bit stressy when left. The sheer delight in his squeaks and grumbles as he spent a good while talking to himself whilst I worked my other horse was just amazing. It didn’t occur to me that I might be solving two issues in one.
He is totally enamoured with chatting to himself and I can’t tell you how happy this made me. I feel guilty at the best of times that he isn’t ridden anymore, and that I favour my other as a ridden horse (owing to time constraints and my own confidence riding him). So hearing him so delighted with his new pal was just lovely.
My bad traveller was improved too, though not quite to the same degree, needs more work, but couldn’t be happier with the unexpected resolve of my other.
So thank you to that helpful HHOer who suggested it

 

[Sukistokes2]

Aaaah this is so sweeet 🙂

 

[Shady]

I have never thought about trying this and it could well be the answer to my own problem. I can't keep both of my horses fit as one of them doesn't like being left on his own and i worry about him when i ride the other so reduce my time out. The friend i had who rode with me is now too busy so i'm really struggling and the result is both horses are now more unfit than they've ever been and i'm stressing over it.
How big are the mirrors LHIS and where did you place them within the stable please? x

 

[Red-1]

I love stable mirrors, Jay Man would have long conversations with himself, he would even fight himself at feed time, scowling and threatening to keep the other horse away! I found the mirrors on a roll were not good, and because it was in a stable I decided against acrylic. We have stainless steel from a company on Ebay, still good even with teeth marks in!

We have one in each stable, one in the arena, one in the shelter and one in the lorry.

What I was not expecting was for the horse to use the mirror for a mirror's usual purpose, for looking into. No, not as a vain horse, but if one is eating hay and we come onto the yard, they look into the mirror to see round the corner. I guess it just puzzled me that they worked out that the image is an image of what is in the opposite direction. I didn't think they would organise their thoughts that way.

These are the people who sold me mine... http://metaloffcuts.co.uk/shop/unbreakable-mirrors/unbreakable-mirror-vandal-proof-mirror.html

To be fair to the company, the mirror was 7 years old already when this photo was taken! It was a lot smarter before 7 years of being a friend in damp conditions.

 

[Shady]

I love stable mirrors, Jay Man would have long conversations with himself, he would even fight himself at feed time, scowling and threatening to keep the other horse away! I found the mirrors on a roll were not good, and because it was in a stable I decided against acrylic. We have stainless steel from a company on Ebay, still good even with teeth marks in!

We have one in each stable, one in the arena, one in the shelter and one in the lorry.

What I was not expecting was for the horse to use the mirror for a mirror's usual purpose, for looking into. No, not as a vain horse, but if one is eating hay and we come onto the yard, they look into the mirror to see round the corner. I guess it just puzzled me that they worked out that the image is an image of what is in the opposite direction. I didn't think they would organise their thoughts that way.

These are the people who sold me mine... http://metaloffcuts.co.uk/shop/unbreakable-mirrors/unbreakable-mirror-vandal-proof-mirror.html

Thanks for posting this Red, that was my next question Mr P is destructive ! what size did you opt for ?

 

[Red-1]

Thanks for posting this Red, that was my next question Mr P is destructive ! what size did you opt for ?

They will make any size, the smaller ones are cheap, as they literally are offcuts, but the larger ones are made to order.

I would say go for the largest one you can.

They are not indestructible, the one in the arena is where we do winter turnout, and Jay Man would rear at it and strike it, so plenty of dents, but that one too is 7 years old, it outlasted a wooden backing we used and for the past 4 years has just been screwed in 4 places on a post and rail fence with no backing. It bends in the wind but is still going strong.

I would say that they are not good enough as actual arena mirrors, as the image is distorted over a long distance, but for companion mirrors they are great.

 

[Shady]

They will make any size, the smaller ones are cheap, as they literally are offcuts, but the larger ones are made to order.

I would say go for the largest one you can.

They are not indestructible, the one in the arena is where we do winter turnout, and Jay Man would rear at it and strike it, so plenty of dents, but that one too is 7 years old, it outlasted a wooden backing we used and for the past 4 years has just been screwed in 4 places on a post and rail fence with no backing. It bends in the wind but is still going strong.

I would say that they are not good enough as actual arena mirrors, as the image is distorted over a long distance, but for companion mirrors they are great.

Thanks Red. Iv'e never managed to put anything in his stable to entertain him as he just destroys things including hay nets and forget anything that's attached by chain or rope, no swedes or licky things for him , you can never leave anything within his reach which is frustrating, but something flat to the wall might just make it and being as vain as he is i imagine his own reflection would be heaven, although i am a little concerned he might attack it instead. I had a horrible experience with him once where he went all stallion on my friends horse and they had a godawful fight .

 

[LHIS]

I have never thought about trying this and it could well be the answer to my own problem. I can't keep both of my horses fit as one of them doesn't like being left on his own and i worry about him when i ride the other so reduce my time out. The friend i had who rode with me is now too busy so i'm really struggling and the result is both horses are now more unfit than they've ever been and i'm stressing over it.
How big are the mirrors LHIS and where did you place them within the stable please? x

Sounds very much like my issue, I had a rider for mine too but no longer.
I bought 3no A3 size mirrors from EBay - A3 because this is the biggest size I could fit in my trailer at the nose, but you can get bigger. There is a website if you google Perspex stable mirrors they will come up. They’re about £21 I think with smooth edges and drilled holes from memory, I am going to get one of these in a bigger size for my non-ridden. Good luck! X

 

[Shady]

Sounds very much like my issue, I had a rider for mine too but no longer.
I bought 3no A3 size mirrors from EBay - A3 because this is the biggest size I could fit in my trailer at the nose, but you can get bigger. There is a website if you google Perspex stable mirrors they will come up. They’re about £21 I think with smooth edges and drilled holes from memory, I am going to get one of these in a bigger size for my non-ridden. Good luck! X

Thanks LHIS
I am feeling a lot more hopeful now thanks to your post . Trying to keep 2 very different horses fit and happy this year has been very challenging and although they are happy they are certainly not fit!!
Going off now to google mirrors, thank you very much, hugs to you and Red 1 too. xxx