Getting pony to use field shelter

[Suby2]

I am the proud owner of a new mobile field shelter put up yesterday. My pony is in a restricted area (for health reasons) around it and has not yet set hoof inside it despite the fact that it is pouring with rain.

It is obviously very early days but I was wondering whether it would be best to leave her to make up her own mind or whether anyone has had success with encouraging theirs by leading in and out, feeding in there etc. (I did leave some hay in overnight but it wasn't touched).

 

[Bede]

My old boy ( a suspicious person by nature) refused to go anywhere near his field shelter when it first arrived.
I led his companion in, old boy followed reluctantly, both had a carrot, we repeated the exercise and it slowly improved from there. It did take a while for OB to be at ease in there but he loves it now.

If your pony is still not going in, leading in, feeding in there and just hanging out in there with her would probably all help. It feels such a waste to provide a potentially cosy space which they then ignore

 

[*hic*]

Lead your pony in there, tie it up, hang up a haynet, groom it. Once it's learnt that the shelter is available it will choose whether it wants to be in there or not. Presumably that's why you bought the shelter, to give it a choice.

 

[unicornystar]

I used to tie a haynet in ours.....the monkies used to have a mouthful and go and stand in the pouring rain. They just were not bothered about using it!!!

 

[Wagtail]

Some horses just never get used to a field shelter, but most will get used to it after a while. I have found over the years that very few horses use them to shelter from the rain. But in the heat of summer they use them a lot to get out of the sun and away from the flies. But rain, wind and snow, and it doesn't seem to occur to them. My youngsters like to go in it for a good roll (I put bedding in mine and it has become mixed up with dusty earth). The youngsters are the only horses out 24/7 at the moment, and if it's wet I think it is important for them to have some 'dry time' for their feet to dry out etc. Therefore if it's going to be wet I make sure I put their haylage in the shelter. They will then stay in it until all the haylage has been eaten.

It will take time for your mare to get used to her shelter. I would do as others have suggested and take her feed in there and tie her up. Treat it like a stable. She will get used to it and hopefully use it more than mine do.

 

[Emby]

I'm very undecided whether or not to buy a field shelter for my Sec. D Mare. We moved to a new yard in the summer where she is allowed to live out all year round if I want her to, but in the past when she has had access to a field shelter, it was as wagtail said - she would use it to go in during the summer to get away from the heat and flies but would stand out in all weathers in the winter.
In the winter I use to put her hay in there and she would go in and eat it - but once it was gone - she was out again.

 

[Ladyinred]

If you want him in there then the best way is to tell him not to and drape a bit of fence tape over the entrance Works for our miscreants!

 

[Dry Rot]

They'll go in when they want. I used to worry as they'd be out in the worst weather. Then I noticed foot prints and poo inside after a night of hard weather. Why worry? It's their choice! I think they are happy to put up with some bad weather so long as they can see what's going on!

 

[Annagain]

The only time my old boy used his was to get away from the flies and sun in the summer.

 

[Mrs McGoo]

My old pony moved to a new yard and the yard owner fell in love with her. He spent hours clearing out a field shelter for her. She was absolutely horrified by this invader in her field and refused to go near it unless I put her feed in - she would eat the feed and rush out. I was very embarrassed and felt obliged to put feeds in when I knew the owner was around. He never cottoned on fortunately.

Funny thing is that she was a very bold pony but never got used to that shelter.

 

[Supertrooper]

If you want him in there then the best way is to tell him not to and drape a bit of fence tape over the entrance Works for our miscreants!

Worked with mine, I put my slip rails on it and he was so interested that as soon as I took them down he was in it ;-) He's a nosy devil though!

He's not used it at all since the summer, he's always out in the rain and he's not rugged. It makes me feel better having it though ;-)

He's not started having hay yet but when he does I'll stick it in there xx

 

[Wagtail]

If you want him in there then the best way is to tell him not to and drape a bit of fence tape over the entrance Works for our miscreants!

 

[Suby2]

I did buy it to give her a choice but also because she has to be separated from her companion (only by leccy fence) due to the fact that her diet has to be restricted. This means she cannot access the existing shelter and I would prefer to leave her unrugged. I am also hoping that I will be able to use it to restrict her access to summer grass if necessary (it does have slip rails).

 

[mirage]

I and my dad have spent a considerable amount of time and money building a shelter for knobberpony [who refuses to be stabled].She won't go in it unless her tea is in there,and then there is much head waving,snorting,face pulling and trying to kick until she gets up the nerve to go in.She comes straight out again though and won't even go in there for her hay.
I have put her field mate who is in at night,in there,and she is quite happy,I just put a strand of tape across the door to keep her in.I got down to the field on Sunday morning,to turn her out,only to find that knobber pony had beat me to it.She'd barged through the electric fencing and had some how removed the tape across the door way and 'liberated' her mate.Quite how she had undone the tape I don't know,and she'd moved it right to one side,as field mate is scared of tape and won't even walk over tape on the floor.Ponies are the work of the devil.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

My pony rarely uses his field shelter during the winter, in fact I could shut the door and he wouldn't care. In the summer he's hardly out of it. He prefers his hay outside. Let your pony decide what they want to do. Maybe frustrating to spend money for them to stand outside with their backside to it now but I bet you in the summer they'll be inside.

 

[joulsey]

Is her body language actually indicating that she is wary/scared/unsure about the shelter? I agree with everybody else about them using it more in summer than winter. Where we used to be we had stables opening straight to the field. In winter she would eat her breakfast and tea with haylage up and would stay in until she had eaten it then was straight out into the wilderness of wind/hail/rain/snow/tornado's. Odd time I went up she would be waiting in the stable for her tea. In summer I quite often found her dosing in there. When it was blowing a gale, she reluctantly went in for her grub and haynet as she hated all the bangs and rattles the wind causes.

I would just give feed and or haynet in there and leave her too it. At least its there if needed

 

[Suby2]

She doesn't seem scared, probably wary and just avoiding going in there. She is quite happy close to it and standing under the overhang and I am putting her hay just inside so that she has to put her head in to eat it. I have also put a trug with a couple of scoops of her chaff in it so that I can check if she does go in there (ever!).

 

[fawaz]

Is the front completely open or is there a half wall with a door way or a full wall with a stable door sized entrance? My gelding would never use anything that wasn't open fronted as he hated stables. He originally wouldn't use the shelters either even if I left feed or hay in there unless I stood with him.... So I did. Now at the first sign of wind or rain he is straight in there.

 

[Suby2]

it's 12x10 and the entrance is 8ft wide so not too spooky. She is a fairly sensible type so I am a bit optimistic that if this incessant rain ever stops and I get the chance to spend some time taking her in and out, she may choose to use it on occasions. Ideally I want to put her hay in there as it is already soaked so dont need it getting any wetter and the ground is now sodden.

 

[*hic*]

it's 12x10 and the entrance is 8ft wide so not too spooky. She is a fairly sensible type so I am a bit optimistic that if this incessant rain ever stops and I get the chance to spend some time taking her in and out, she may choose to use it on occasions. Ideally I want to put her hay in there as it is already soaked so dont need it getting any wetter and the ground is now sodden.

Did she use the previous shelter?

 

[wiglet]

It's early days yet OP - give her time and I'm sure she'll get used to it and then start to use it. I would like to say that my girl really only uses the shelter on hot sunny days to get away from the flies... but actually, she's always in the thing As soon as it starts to rain she trots down the field with her field mate and stands in it to stay dry!

 

[Suby2]

Yes, jemima*askin she did use the original shelter but it is quite large 4m x4m and completely open fronted.

UPDATE!! With the help of some sugar free polos she has now gone into the shelter and is happy going in to eat her hay. She still prefers to be outside but that is fine as long as I know she is not afraid to go in it if she wants to.

 

[3OldPonies]

Yes, jemima*askin she did use the original shelter but it is quite large 4m x4m and completely open fronted.

UPDATE!! With the help of some sugar free polos she has now gone into the shelter and is happy going in to eat her hay. She still prefers to be outside but that is fine as long as I know she is not afraid to go in it if she wants to.

Result! Well done.

My boys never use the stables when I open them up in bad weather (I don't have a shelter - dratted planners), yet they loved the ramshackle thing we had while they were away from home at the beginning of the year. It was could barely stay standing, and they could only get in the front part of it, yet they were in there loads. At the previous place we were at, they had a lovely shelter and wouldn't use it at all - ever.