Horse that barges the door and reverses when rugging - any ideas!?

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ChestnutConvert

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At the mo my girl has a habit of barging her chest against her door at certain times, ie near feed time or waiting for turnout. It's not every day but still an annoying habit and can't be nice for her.
I don't think a chain across in place of the door would work, worry too much of her doing damage! Any ideas on how to stop it? I've tried ignoring her to no avail.

Also she has the odd occasion when she decides to reverse towards me when i am pulling her tail over the fillet string etc. Ideas to stop this would be great too before it gets worse and i get squished!

She is a lovely girl just has these odd quirks!
 
Yep dandy brush, knuckle, elbow or end of hoof pick at the ready for the reversing. My haffy is an absolute tank you can barely move her unless prodded/prods herself!
 
My (new) horse is the same. When I approach with the rug and (quietly) throw it over him, he either backs off, or shoots forward, and I had a foot painfully sqashed in the process last week - yet he is good to mount (stand quietly by the mounting block et al) He is a just backed 5 year old, and to date the riding out is going V well (fingers crossed)

I am tackling this, by tieing him up to rug, though my tieing ring still sadly gives him scope to leap forwards and backwards.......I am sort of hoping that practice might make perfect? Some of our natural horse people amongst us - might suggest that a bit of chucking ropes around / desensitising might do the trick - but with my horse, I instinctively feel that would not be the solution - I think that I just need to continue to get on with rugging him up, being a bit agile on my feet, not make a big deal of it - and eventually it will be part of the routine.
The horse himself, is making this a bit of an issue - if I ignore the fact that he is a 16.2 mighty bit of horse flesh, and the rugging up is something that we have to do regardless of his mini tantrum (quick foot work) then eventually he will realise that the battle is lost - because it is not a mighty issue for me?
When I am hospitalised - I am sure you will all remind me of this post.........
 
Not sure about teh rugging but my mare does the same with the door - if she's hungry and inpatient to get out she waits until just after you've undone the door, surges forward and barges out - personally when she does it I'm not standing infront of her. I've got her stopped doing it with me by being really strict about making her back up before I open the door however I'm not the only one who handles her so for her safety and others I have put a chain across her door a few inches back. It works really well, doesn't stop her looking out and makes everything safer. It also stops her damaging the door by leaning on it, another of her habits.

I found she broke the bought horse chain within a month or two because inside the rubber is just steel wire and the splice gave so I made my own with chain threaded inside plastic tubing, cost me less than a specific horse one but still protects my horse as I wouldn't want a bare chain.
 
I also have a door barger and reverser - bless them! Door-wise, an alternative to the chain could be a stable guard like this: http://www.speedgate.co.uk/ecomm/st...ittings/mark-todd-competition-stall-guard.htm which wouldn't dig in as they lunge forward - I've got one for my girl but not managed to get it put up yet. I'm very strict with her about her stepping back before I come in but we do have bad days which is why I'd like this too, just to prevent her bombing out and flattening me as she has done in the past.

The dandy brush is effective for the reversing! Just hold it forward so she reverses into it and thinks "ouch!" x
 
dressedkez said:
My (new) horse is the same. When I approach with the rug and (quietly) throw it over him, he either backs off, or shoots forward, and I had a foot painfully sqashed in the process last week - yet he is good to mount (stand quietly by the mounting block et al) He is a just backed 5 year old, and to date the riding out is going V well (fingers crossed)

I am tackling this, by tieing him up to rug, though my tieing ring still sadly gives him scope to leap forwards and backwards.......I am sort of hoping that practice might make perfect? Some of our natural horse people amongst us - might suggest that a bit of chucking ropes around / desensitising might do the trick - but with my horse, I instinctively feel that would not be the solution - I think that I just need to continue to get on with rugging him up, being a bit agile on my feet, not make a big deal of it - and eventually it will be part of the routine.
The horse himself, is making this a bit of an issue - if I ignore the fact that he is a 16.2 mighty bit of horse flesh, and the rugging up is something that we have to do regardless of his mini tantrum (quick foot work) then eventually he will realise that the battle is lost - because it is not a mighty issue for me?
When I am hospitalised - I am sure you will all remind me of this post.........
Click to expand...

Not teaching you to suck eggs but have you tried rolling the rug up so it is very small rather than a large curtain about to engulf him because then it would be no larger than a numnah so nothing to be afraid of?

OP, does you mare like a bum scratch as that is what she might be aiming for, I have one that does it? As to leaning on the door I'd knock her off it and make her stand back if I want to get in; blue piping is great for this sort of thing as it makes a great noise but doesn't hurt, only their pride.
 
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