Bit of a strange question .. snarky mares

[Spangles]

So, we have two mares stabled next to each other whereby the doors are fairly close together enabling one of the mares to annoy t'other which results in a lot of squealing and recently kicking of wooden stable walls. Moving one of them is not really an option so I'm thinking of fashioning some sort of 'divide, like a blinker' in the shape of a shallow half circle with the straight side vertically attached to the wall between the two door, to stop the snarky mare lunging at t'other.

Just wondering if there is any such device already on the market ? Or any other suggestions/ ideas worth considering . They may well calm down as they have only recently moved stables.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I can’t quite envision the current set up. Can you post a pic of the stables?

Is this for when one is led in or out past the other?

 

[Spangles]

I can’t quite envision the current set up. Can you post a pic of the stables?

Is this for when one is led in or out past the other?

Hi, the stables are next door to each other but the doors are close together looking out onto the yard. The horses can stretch their necks to encroach on each others space and one mare will lunge and bite the other which obviously upsets the mare, I think it's a jealousy thing if one thinks t'other is getting something they're not ! The horses are in a new yard so it's all new to them. The stables have an overhang so I have had a couple of ideas but obviously it needs to be safe.
1. A wire or wooden half circle attached vertically between the stables at the open head height. Shallow enough to deter the lunging and not be dangerous/ obstructive when leading horses in and out and also not to obstruct view totally.
2. We have an overhang so wondering if a fabric mesh stable guard hung from the top might work better ? They are weighty so probably wouldn't bloom about but I'd be worried they'd pull it down ?

Don't like weave grills so I am a bit stumped.

 

[JenJ]

Hi, the stables are next door to each other but the doors are close together looking out onto the yard. The horses can stretch their necks to encroach on each others space and one mare will lunge and bite the other which obviously upsets the mare, I think it's a jealousy thing if one thinks t'other is getting something they're not ! The horses are in a new yard so it's all new to them. The stables have an overhang so I have had a couple of ideas but obviously it needs to be safe.
1. A wire or wooden half circle attached vertically between the stables at the open head height. Shallow enough to deter the lunging and not be dangerous/ obstructive when leading horses in and out and also not to obstruct view totally.
2. We have an overhang so wondering if a fabric mesh stable guard hung from the top might work better ? They are weighty so probably wouldn't bloom about but I'd be worried they'd pull it down ?

Don't like weave grills so I am a bit stumped.

I'd go with the fabric stable guard idea, and maybe play around with some bungee cords to fasten it top and bottom. if it's reasonably taut, I don't think they'd be able to pull it down as they wouldn't really have anything to get a grip on. And being fabric it will offer a bit of give if they do hit it going in and out of the doors.

 

[Spangles]

I'd go with the fabric stable guard idea, and maybe play around with some bungee cords to fasten it top and bottom. if it's reasonably taut, I don't think they'd be able to pull it down as they wouldn't really have anything to get a grip on. And being fabric it will offer a bit of give if they do hit it going in and out of the doors.

Sorry to be dim but how would I fix it at the bottom to stop it swaying from side to side or if grabbed - I'd only need it the length of the top door. Wouldn't it just hang down and blow around a bit ? I'd probably cut the width to half or 2/3rds so it didn't stick out so much but hopefully act as a 'blinker'

 

[ihatework]

You could possibly look for a head divider used in horseboxes

 

[Jambarissa]

The easiest option would be to screw a board (cut into a semi circle if you like) into the doorframe so it sticks out however far you want. If you're feeling handy you could put it on hinges so it could be fastened back when not needed.

They will probably settle though.

 

[Prancerpoos]

I think I would look at separating them. One of my mares was stabled next to another mare that hated her, in a similar situation with the doors side by side. The other mare was constantly bugging my mare and lunging at her with her ears back and teeth bared etc. and my mare was clearly unhappy, but the livery yard would not move either of them. My mare died of colic after a few months, which I hope was unrelated (!) but I always felt guilty for leaving her in such a stressful situation..

 

[JenJ]

Sorry to be dim but how would I fix it at the bottom to stop it swaying from side to side or if grabbed - I'd only need it the length of the top door. Wouldn't it just hang down and blow around a bit ? I'd probably cut the width to half or 2/3rds so it didn't stick out so much but hopefully act as a 'blinker'

You're not being dim, you just can't see what I'm picturing in my mind right now!

Bear with me, art is not one of my strengths...! I was thinking something like this - brown is your overhang, yellow are bungee cords, and blue is your stable guard. So the stable guard is attached at the top by two bungees tied to two rings fastened to the overhang, and at the bottom by two bungees tied to one ring low on the door frame/front stable wall. The bottom right of the guard would be pulled out of shape by fastening to the left side, but you could adjust the length/tension of the bungees to suit.

 

[Spangles]

You're not being dim, you just can't see what I'm picturing in my mind right now!

Bear with me, art is not one of my strengths...! I was thinking something like this - brown is your overhang, yellow are bungee cords, and blue is your stable guard. So the stable guard is attached at the top by two bungees tied to two rings fastened to the overhang, and at the bottom by two bungees tied to one ring low on the door frame/front stable wall. The bottom right of the guard would be pulled out of shape by fastening to the left side, but you could adjust the length/tension of the bungees to suit.

View attachment 145844

Oh I see, yes that’s a good idea. I could cut the corner off the stable guard to make it sail shape thank you !

 

[Red-1]

I don't like weave bars but that is my solution to this issue. They can still see each other but not encroach on space. It is a 5 minute fix and easily removed. Kicking at walls can injure them, as well as damage the stable, so it may be the best of a bad situation.

I wonder if you could fix bars to just one side of each door, so not as tight as a weave grill but still stopping them from encroaching on the other. It would still open with the door, so not faffy, and not sticking out into the yard.

 

[joelb]

I had this situation as my mare is a face puller, I just used a regular rubber stall guard fixed a foot or so above the door. She could get her head over to look out but not her neck so she couldn't reach to intimidate the next door horse being led past. Worked really well with our layout.