How to get horses to settle in stable...

JackDaniels1

JackDaniels1

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... as title really.

If use to being out 24/7 for a few years, will they settle ever again in a stable? Not even interested in a huge net of yummy haylage! Bed destroyed within five minutes :o
 
A field mate near too/or equine company next door, also spent a few hrs sat in the stable (read a book)...did it for a few days ..this all helped.Depends how bad the anxiety is in the stable.
 
We have a horse who hated the stable when we got him but he is now ok in it. Think it was always making it a nice experience - get a nice feed and nice hay though note you have tried the hay. Also being in a routine helps i.e. always put in and taken out at the same time so they know they will get out again. Good luck.
 
Company & building up slowly if they have a real issue. Eg feeding in stable, feed hay & groom in stable, few hours in with hay etc.
 
I'm facing a similiar problem with my pony :(
not sure about much of his past before i bought him but i know for at least three years before i got him he was living out.
took him into his new stable a couple of weeks after i bought him and he went mental! barging, pacing etc really worried me
have developed a trick now though, when he is tied up outside the stable, i show him the feed inside the feedbucket at dinner time, place the bucket inside his stable and unclip his headcollar (tying up area can be closed off from rest of yard lol) , this way it is his choice to enter the stable and he can do it in his own time, hes calming down now so its kind of worked!
hope its been of any help to you at all :)
 
My pony will happily enter the stable, stand for 5 mins and as soon as I walk away he rears! He even does it when he's tied up outside. He's not stressed or worried, just a chancer! there can be other people standing there and horses, he'll still do it if I'm not there cause he knows I'll give him a row.

Just too smart for his own good! Short of putting a grill on the top of his door so he can't get stuck I'm out of ideas.
 
Most will settle in time. At work we often have horses in who are used to being out and at first its hard going but they do get there in the end!
I'd recommend a good routine, so they know whats to be expected when- this helps a lot. Just give the smallest bed you can get away with at first and be prepared to chuck the lot! (we often use straw til the calm down)
 
I had the same when I moved yards with the old fella, every day morning and night I would walk him in th stable turn him round give him a carrot and take him out again then I progressed to standing for a minute, then to closing the door, then to leaving him on his own with the door closed for a minute you get the idea.. It took ages and he is still not great but he will stay in now without trying to jump over the door (I also found coligone (digestive soother) helped him when in over winter).

I hope you can get your horse settled in the stable x
 
Make your stable as stimulating as possible...

Can he see other horses from where he is? Maybe try putting him in an end stable so he can see all the coming and goings on the yard.

Separate your nets and hang them around the stable so he has a choice of places he can eat from...some horses like to eat and look over the door, some like standing at the back, some like a corner. Once you have found his spot he'll munch away.

Hang a veg kebab to play with. I use swede on the bottom, then parsnip, carrots and an apple.

If you don't mind a messy bed then hide some carrots for him to find.

Leave a radio on for him in the day (Radio 2 is very middle of the road!!)

Potter around while hes in the stable so he sees you and if your calm and getting on with things like making feeds, filling nets even tack cleaning it gives him something to watch.

Groom him and relax him in his stable, spend time with him until he settles. I used to sit on my banks for hours while he munched his hay, he'd come over for a cuddle then go and eat again or if you don't feel safe in the stable with him then just lean over the door for a while and talk to him.

Don't just chuck him in there and walk away and remember that some horses like to make a bed their own no matter how neat you make it!!
 
amymay said:
When stabled JD1, does the horse have company?
Click to expand...

Yes - still very stressed - box walk so much that they is a circle left around the stable. Bed is disgusting after 5 minutes of been in there. Sweats up. Paws ground. Mini jumps at the door.

Yummy haylage nets - one at back and one right at the front. Have tried loose haylage (just gets trodden in). I hang favourite lick near the door.

Have tried mates next door and one tied up outside. No difference.

Have tried radio on, me pottering around. No difference.
 
Do you need to stable the horse OP? If not, dont bother ;)

I think a horse would settle after a while, but obviously will take some time if they're used to living out. If there's a choice, Id definately leave the horse out.
 
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