Ideas for pony behaviour - in stable

T

Twiglet

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A friend's pony is a nightmare in the stable, and isn't getting any better. He arrived a couple of months ago and has settled well into the herd, and is a little sweetie under saddle (17 years old, Welsh sec A, a sanctuary foster pony).

But he is a little stress head in the stable. He can't go out 24/7 because he's a laminitic risk, has lots of white bits to sunburn and wouldn't always have company overnight. He goes out for up to 12 hours at a time though.
If there's other horses in with him, he can be 'ok' but still spends most of his time on his back legs, screaming and kicking the door. It's made worse by other horses going in or out, but that's not avoidable on a DIY yard with horses on different routines. There's no way of moving him to a less busy stable as there's none free, and his is a mini stable so no-one will swap with him.

Any ideas for improving his stable behaviour? At the moment there's no way his 'owner' - a four year old girl - could be in the stable with him. Apparently he's been like this in the past so isn't a settling in issue.....plus he's fine outside the stable and in the field.
 
Hmm it's difficut as normally I would suggest something like a treat ball to take his mind off it but with the laminitic risk you want to keep food down.
How about installing a mirror to keep him entertained, so he thinks he has some company and has something to watch?
 
Has he got things to do whilst he's in the stable?
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I've known quite a few people to get their horses through box rest with toys etc, like likit balls, or hanging likit treats, maybe you could try getting him something to keep himself amused
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Will donate my treat ball, maybe they could use some fibre cubes to keep him amused for a bit. Might get them to try a swede too.
It's weird because sometimes he's fine, but most of the time - especially mornings - he's the stressiest thing in the world.

The sanctuary only had him back from foster for a little while before loaning him out again, so probably didn't handle the issue at all. Also, they would no doubt have had horses on the same routine as each other, or horses in a lot together, so he wouldn't have got so worked up. They have no advice to offer on the situation apparently!
 
My little girl is also a welsh and prone to lami but wont be stabled for more then one night, (she gets colic through the stress of being in) so lives out 24/7 with my other pony. I manage it by making sure the grazing is limited and keeping a close eye on her, any signs of the beginnings of laminitis eg a slight crest i put a muzzle on her. She's very happy out, and i have no worries about her hurting herself in the stable or colicing... Touch wood (dont want to tempt fate...
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) through keeping a close eye on her no laminitis.
In my opinion just because a pony can be prone to Laminitis doesn't mean it cant live out, it just means you need good field management.
 
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They have no advice to offer on the situation apparently!

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That's a concern........
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The behaviour of the sanctuary isn't the issue, it is the behaviour of the pony that is the problem.
 
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My little girl is also a welsh and prone to lami but wont be stabled for more then one night, (she gets colic through the stress of being in) so lives out 24/7 with my other pony. I manage it by making sure the grazing is limited and keeping a close eye on her, any signs of the beginnings of laminitis eg a slight crest i put a muzzle on her. She's very happy out, and i have no worries about her hurting herself in the stable or colicing... Touch wood (dont want to tempt fate...
blush.gif
) through keeping a close eye on her no laminitis.
In my opinion just because a pony can be prone to Laminitis doesn't mean it cant live out, it just means you need good field management.

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It's not really an option on our yard though if there's no other horses out
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And he is a master at removing muzzles, so that's not a long term plan either.

Will definitely suggest the mirror (although I have a feeling he's too bright for something like that - will work out that it's his own image and go back to getting worked up about his mates!)
 
I would keep pony out with a muzzle and a UV rug/mask on. If the current yard is unsuitable I'd want to change to a yard that was. Pony is obvisouly unhappy to be behaving like that
 
Is his area of the yard suitable for fencing off so that he can have an outdoor space to use as well? We had one on our yard who was a nightmare but if we left his stable door open and fenced off a little bit of yard outside so he could come out for a wander round he was fine (we did it with electric fencing with the posts set in buckets of concrete - we could move them when necessary but they would be enough to keep him in). He actually rarely left his stable but just knowing he could meant he was much better.
 
My pony was even worse he would jump out of his stable - and if he had grid up would rear and through himself against the door - he did not even have to come in very often only for worming - so in the end I moved yard to somewhere where he did not have to come in for worming.

However interestingly he now seems ok in his stable at this yard, though he has not had a night in - he has not tried to jump out yet - he would jump out at the last yard after about 5 minutes.

The difference is his new stable is much bigger and airier. He has even laid down in this stable and had a little sleep.

I don't know what to suggest really as nothing worked for me until we moved yards. Does the pony have access to hay - could he have soaked hay in a small holed haynet?

Have you tried a stall guard instead of having the door closed?
 
Ditto to the mirror, worked for my boy who used to charge round and round his stable in the morning if the others went out before him. Even now (5 months on) I can tell when he's needed the mirror, I can see marks on it where he's been rubbing it with his nose and they only appear when he's been alone.

Also the fenced off area, we set one up for my boy and the horse next door (alongside, not shared) and it made him much happier in the stable. He used to try and barge out, but now he'll stand in the doorway and wait for permission to leave.
 
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