HELP! Mare kicking walls, any idea how to stop it?

[KatB]

My mare has been kicking the walls when she is fed. She has always done it to some extent, but this last week has put 2 panels through

I'm worried because 1 I dont want her to injure herself, and secondly I cant affor dbig repair bills!

It is just when she is fed bucket feed, and she used to do it once, when she first got her bucket, but apparently is doing it repeatly now and obviously with more force than before. I havent seen her doing it as I havent been doing her this last week

ANyone had any experience of this? And how did you stop it?!

 

[Ranyhyn]

See Toasts thread

 

[connie1288]

One of my mares did it to the extent of damaging loddon boxes!! and her own legs!!
Our stables had the grill above the wood, and it helped if she couldnt see any one else, so put wood up on the grills. Also hung floor matting on the wooden part, so that when she did kick, 1 she didnt hurt herself, 2 hear the noise or 3 damage the stable!
The other option is hobbles behind during feeding, put last resort as a pain and not too nice for her long term.

 

[lisa_dundee]

My gelding has done this for years to the extent where he has gone nearly all the way through the breeze block! I have to rubber mat his walls and in the past when he was going through really bad phases I electric taped one side of his stable wall (the side he kicked).

 

[monkeymad]

Ditto rubber mats on the wall.

 

[KatB]

Yeah these are scotts stables so decent walls!! And solid ones, so she cant see anyone else. Will have to invest in some rubber I think...

Thanks.

 

[Evil_Cookie]

Have her teeth been checked? My mare used to do some odd things when her teeth weren't right, pawing, banging etc... during dinner time, almost a frustration kinda thing?

 

[MrMeldrew]

I would look into why she does it.
Are there horses either side of her? Are they solid walls or can the horses see each other? If so, can you move her to a box where she is not overlooked?
Is there alot going on at feed time?
Is she low down in the pecking order? She is protecting her feed so it would seem she is feeling a bit insecure IMO.

 

[KatB]

Evil_Cookie, yes her teeth were done about 1 mnth ago. She was also vetted about 3mnths ago, and is very soft over her back etc. Definitely not physical.

coswallop, she has horses either side, but they are solid stables, no way of being overlooked at all. I have asked the people who feed her (I'm broken at the moment so havent been able to do her this week) to make sure they feed her last thing with everything else and when nothing is going on on the yard. The yard is very quiet anyway.

She does it in the field too, and she is turned out individually, and is fed nowhere near other horses. I think it is partially an excitement thing as she squeaks

when fed sometimes too! She did live in a "herd" in ireland which I think is probably where it came from.

 

[KatB]

Thanks Kitsune

 

[TheMule]

Water pistol- a large syringe works too