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x_Fiona_x

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This could be quite controversial, but bear with me.

Was speaking to a friend of mine about my horse who kicks her stable. Although she isnt so bad now, she always kicks at about 5:30 in the morning and we have to get up and let her out. Obviously this isnt ideal, so I asked my friend if she knew of any ways to stop her kicking. She mentioned an article she had read in a magazine, she thinks it was by Richard maxwell, but isn't 100% sure. It was something along the lines of a rope coming from the head collar through a roller and attached to a boot on the horses hind leg. When it kicks the rope pulls the headcollar and deters it from kicking, without hurting the horse.

I must say I am not a fan of such things, but desperate times call for desperate measures. My stables are getting wrecked and I want a lie in!

Please don't give me a lecture on how its cruel/unkind/unnatural etc. I know, I am not keen to do it, but having been putting up with her kicking for over a year and exhausting all other methods. She is an angel in all other aspects, just this one problem.
 
Never heard of it either - and certainly don't think it would be suitable for a horse left unattended....

24/7 turnout.
 
Sounds dangerous to me. Wouldn't like to leave a horse in a stable with ropes attached to various bits of it overnight. Supposing it lies down and rolls and gets all tangled up? Not good! Can you leave out overnight instead? :)
 
I know someone who put a pad over the stable door which when pressed squirted water at the horse which the stopped the horse kicking the stable, I don't know how they did it though.
 
Haven't heard of that one at all.

One of the methods that was recommended (pretty sure by Richard Maxwell) was to put an 'anklet' type thing on the leg (usually horses kick with the same leg). It was a strap with metal nuts (as in nuts and bolts) threaded through it, and went around the leg just above the coronet band. I think the idea was that when the horse kicked it felt uncomfortable.

I will try and look up some info or photos as I know a few people who tried it with success.
 
I think you are inadvertently reinforcing this horse's desire to go out at 5.30am by going down when she starts kicking her stable. I'd put some rubber matting, carpet or something else to help insulate the sound and protect her legs and leave her to it. So that she learns that she goes out when she is nice and quiet, not when she is kicking seven bells out of her stable door.
 
The only comment I have against that kwitkick is you would have to be careful about the height of the horse and the bar above his head. That horse v quickly snapped his head up and in, if he had been any taller he could of smacked his head very hard and done damage.

Other than than nigh time turn out, why not just leave her to bang and put rubber on the back of the door to soften the sound. if your getting up to put her out surely she is learning that kicking the door gets what she wants.
 
We have got a horse that does this on our yard, he started it because someone used to give him treats every time he did it so we never ever go to him when he starts banging. But unfortunately his owner cant stop it. He only does about 4 kicks at a time and its when he wants attention. You can have horses coming and going on the yard and he doesnt take any notice but when you walk past him he bangs for attention.
He has thick rubber pads on the back of his door which help muffle it!

I dont think i would be happy about leaving my horse in a stable unnatended with a rope contraption attached to it.
If it was me, i would let the horse bang all it likes and make sure that everyone on the yard knows not to go to it if its banging.
or as others say....24/7 turnout.
 
Is it just the door she kicks?

If so, just replace the door with one of the rubber/chain strips or the net door barriers?
 
Thats a good idea if 24/7 tuirn out isnt possible. I agree that you have probably reinforced this behavour by turning the horse out when it kicks.
 
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