Extremely stressed in the stable

dwi

dwi

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Lil is now calm and lovely to ride but the poor lamb really hates being put in her stable. I caught her in this afternoon and took her into her stable for a groom and a snack before I rode her. I don't think it helped that it was really windy but she went crazy. She was box walking, weaving, banging and even bronking in the stable she was so wound up. Nothing I tried seemed to settle her so in the end as awful as I felt I left her to it. After an hour she had settled to a gentle weaving but otherwise not too bad so I was able to go back in to groom her.

Any tips? She had a small bucket of chaff, a slice of hay, water and a snack ball so the stable was inviting but she just wasn't interested.
 
Are there any other horses in when you've brought her in - is she leaving "loved ones" behind? My new boy is much the same at the moment unless I bring the ponies in with him too - he gets separation anxiety :(
Kate x
 
There weren't any other ponies in at first today but she carried on doing it as the other ponies were brought in. She can see the fields from her stables so its not like she was completely on her own. She'll weave even if the whole yard are in but the bronking tonight was a new thing and quite distressing to see.
 
Have you tried a mirror? One of our yougsters used to stress and still does, but since we put a mirror up the box walking is much reduced and he even stands there admiring himself.
 
I agree, get a mirror.

My pony wouldnt go anywhere near any kind of enclosed space. We gained her trust enough to get her in the stable but she would weave and box walk something chronic so I bought a stable mirror. Best thing I ever did! She loves it. She feeds by it, stands by eat, sleeps next to it and no more weaving!! He stable is clean and following injury, was more than happy to stay on box rest.

Best investment!

http://www.stable-mirrors.co.uk/

I collected the mirror in person and gratefully received a huge discount!
 
Mine throws herself around the box if she is on her own or if horses are coming and going and it does stress me out. I have found that she is better if I ride first and then put her in for an hour.
 
Personally I don't understand why the mirror works, it seems to keep mine busy!! He sometimes catches a look of himself or something and almost preens himself. Its worked so we've left it in there.

One of the old ponies we have with poor eyesight really hates it, so its obviously not for everyone.
 
Do you think she could be coming into season and that could be causing her to get a bit stressed about parting from the others especially if there are geldings in her group or near by that she likes.
 
She doesn't like geldings! She tries to take off poor Bruno's head if he comes anywhere near her. I think she's more one for the ladies...
 
Is there no way she can just not go into stables??

I know what its like to have a horse like this, Vision hates them becuase she was on boxrest. But when Ginny went further away from Vision than she would have liked then she turned mental. Even if she could still see her. The only real cure was to let her out - she was just going to hurt herself in the stable (think spinning around, bucking out, rearing, pawing/kicking with her front hooves etc. someone asked us if she was a stallion becuase of the noise she made neighing)
It just wasn't worth it. :(

She is now happy to live out though, even though the rest of her life she has been kept inside during winter or all year and she has coped quite well.
 
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