Anti weave bars/grille - would you?

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ecrozier

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Just had a call from yard, one of the girls said she has just finished up there (I am usually last to leave) and she said roo is weaving!?!
He does 'headbanger' as I call it (bouncing head up and down) in mornings sometimes when waiting for feed, and then if finished eating will do the same in impatience to go out in field, and I have seen him do that and the odd sideways movement on the rare occasions that he is in, ridden and fed and stuff still going on on the yard.
Have always said I think he would weave if in 24/7 or in a more rigid 'routine' on larger yard, but never seen him what I call 'properly' weaving, but she said that's what he is doing tonight :(
Should I put weave bar on stable to nip this in the bud?! Would it help? Know determined weavers will weave behind the door but he's so nosey I can't see him not having head over door.
Now of course I am worried he is secretly weaving all night when no one is there to see him!!
Re management and routine I think he's as good as can get really - out minimum 12 hours a day, ad lib forage overnight, fed on Pure Feeds. Just had chiro appt nothing bad to report and going very nicely under saddle so can't think of anything 'causing' this in his routine?!
 
i wouldn't have a problem with having one up. on my current yard and last yard we have them as standard anyway (monarch/lodden stables) and the horses can still look out through the 'V' shape. think that it must help to discourage them. my grey horse used to weave but only when very stressed and he'd do it in the middle of his stable anyway
 
Personally I wouldn't put weave grills up but I am soft in that respect and would rather put a rubber mat at the door to protect their feet from wearing down if they are proper weavers.

Millie does the 'head bang' and also likes to flip her bottom lip about when she is frustrated or excited about something- I wouldn't try and stop it as it does no harm.

If you are worried, I would just monitor for a few weeks and see if he is even weaving as imo sticking a grill up after one person has seen him, maybe, weaving seems a bit like overkill.
 
Mine is similiar and it started with the head nodding then some swaying at feed/going out time. I put up a grill and she hasn't done it since even when stabling away from home. Like yours, she lives out as much as possible and gets ad lib hay etc.. I think the brighter ones are just more prone to it!
 
Thanks guys - yes he is a very bright 'active' minded horse, aka extremely nosey! Always watching rest of yard. Definately wouldn't say he is a stressed type tho and as my friend who I rang in a panic last night described him, he is 'festively plump' so not worrying weight off or anything like that!
Already has rubber mats, and pattern of muck in stable definately points towards most of night spent at haynet not over door weaving!
Will monitor for a couple of weeks and if needed get a grill.
 
Rather than a grille, hang a 4 pint milk carton from the middle of the top door - if you see what I mean. If he's just having a go at it, it might be enough to put him off. Failing that, he's got a new toy to play with!
 
I've got a weaving grill up for one of mine, not because he weaves but because he chews the wood on either side of his stable door! The grill stops him being able to bend his neck round far enough to get a good grip on it.

I wouldn't have a problem with putting a grill up at all. The other thing I have done in the past with a weaver is screwed a solid piece of 4x2 wood on the door that goes up to the frame at the top. They can put their heads out either side of the wood but can't weave.
 
The bottle idea can work really well but beware the rattle - I've had to take them away from horses a couple of times and replace with non-nosy options because they upset the neighbours.
 
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