Destructive filly! At my wits end with her!

P

petite-girle

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2010
Messages
139
Location
Kent
Visit site
My 17 month old filly has become really destructive recently! I had her in one field within electric fencing because the YO said the fences were weak so electric fencing was essential. Every single day my filly had ripped down the electric some how. So I then had to move her to another field with secure fencing - post and rail. She is now literally eating through the wooden fencing. There are huge chunks out of it everywhere and some are nearly eaten right through. Why does she do this and how can I stop her?? My YO is getting so fed up and so am I!! :(
 
OH NO! Little bugger!!

All the quick checks:
1) Field companions?
2) Enough food?
3) Any field stimulation?

Sounds bit like boredom?? Do you bring her in daily or stable her at all?? What's the strength of the electric??
 
Probably teething or short of vitamins! Not much help I'm afraid but she will grow out of this phase ...in a few years!!!:D I don't bother with electric tape either simply because my youngsters do exactly the same thing, the wooden fencing does get chewed sometimes too - put a molassed mineral lick out for her so she has something else to grind her teeth on, does she also have access to a salt lick? Is she out with buddies - or is she trying to get to another horse?
 
ThoroughbredStar said:
OH NO! Little bugger!!

All the quick checks:
1) Field companions?
2) Enough food?
3) Any field stimulation?

Sounds bit like boredom?? Do you bring her in daily or stable her at all?? What's the strength of the electric??
Click to expand...

Yes she is a bugger!! Does anyone want her?!

She has 2 field companions. And sooooo much grass! I put a salt lick out there aswell for her yesterday but she still prefered the wood. I will try getting another field lick aswell?

We did get a horse ball for them to play with but they didnt touch it. So there isn't really any field stimulation. Any tips?
 
Oh and she isn't stabled, she screams when put in the stable and barges the door. Seems rather upset by it! She does come in for a groom and I do take her for walks up the lane from time to time but probably not often enough as I have 2 others and work full time so have to juggle things between them. It's already dark in the evenings when I get up there now so its a fight against time!
 
The wooden fencing needs to be creosotted. Most horses enjoy a good chew on wood - and fencing is ideal. And if the wood can't be treated - run properly connected eletric fencing along it so that she also has a physical barrier.

Try putting a dirty great big tree log in there for her as well, because teething is also a reason to chew.
 
With the electric fencing you have to actually teach them what it is for. A youngster with no experience of it will barge through it as they don't understand. My poor filly has burn marks across her chest because of it :(

If you back her up in hand so she gets a shock on her bum she will learn to move away from it. As soon as they go forwards into it at any speed they panic and just continue :(
 
I would put her on a good herbal calmer straight away, and I'd get her teeth checked asap - youngsters can get very sharp edges, I have to get Shy done every 6 months.

Hope that helps. sm x
 
shysmum said:
I would put her on a good herbal calmer straight away, and I'd get her teeth checked asap - youngsters can get very sharp edges, I have to get Shy done every 6 months.

Hope that helps. sm x
Click to expand...

That's interesting, when the dentist was last out I asked him to look at my filly's teeth and he said no, babies teeth don't need touching until around the age of 3, leave her be! :confused:
 
Is she having a feed? Try adding cider vinegar to it - it may be that she is eating the wood as she is deficient in something. Can't think why, but cider vinegar helps and doesn't cost the earth! Going through the electric fencing as well may just be coincidence.
 
OMG no - without meaning to contradict your vet, the teeth are growing especially fast at this time, and when I had Shy done when I bought him, at 2 1/2 the vet let me feel them and they were like daggers further up the jaw. Again six months later, they were getting sharp as nails. This is totally normal, and I would insist that they are checked asap. I am going to keep Shy's done every six months at least, especially as he has a bit in.

I could be wrong, but that could well be the reason for eating the fence. Try googling it for more info. The pain could be causing the behavioral probs too.

Hope that helps, sm x
 
1 - Find a new dentist. Stinky has had his teeth done from the age of 18 months and way before he was 3, he had sharp edges that needed to be rasped.

2 - Put a large wood log in the field - my two are now 6 and still love their log to chew and kick. I also gave him a space hopper which he liked to pick up the by horns and run around and kick. He liked me to kick it whilst he chased it.

3 - Stinky again from the age of 16 months has need constant work - I am talking about starting off with 5 minutes of handling and building up to 10 minutes three times a week until he was 2 and we then started with tack and long reining. Without having some "think time" he destroys anything in the field and is a bolshy cob.

Once he started a bit of handling - turns, halts, backup, walked between poles and over them etc he came a far nicer youngster. It has also set him up for life and he is now (nearly all the time) a joy to have and can be handled by anyone.

Leaving him in the field for more than a week is asking for tubs to be turned over and drummed, anything that can be got at, kicked and chewed and a real pest to people and horses where he is bored - and he is still like this at 6 and I think will always be a type that is easily bored and likes to be out and doing things.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top