Little problem has become a big problem - need some help!

illy89

illy89

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 April 2010
Messages
520
Location
LINCOLNSHIRE
Visit site
I'm really hoping someone might have a genius suggestion to help me fix this problem i'm having with my 5yo! He caught himself coming out the stable a few weeks ago and grazed his hip, nothing serious but obviously scared himself a bit. So for the next few days he was rushing out the stable in a bit if a panic. I cannot get him to come out straight and so everytime he comes out he is about 1cm away from catching himself again. The last few days he has been really reluctant to come out of his box as he has scared himself silly. We have managed to bribe him out with a carrot or two but this morning he rushed out again and has cut his hip. :(

It sounds so silly but I cannot get him to stand at the door straight, I try to push him over so he is lined up straight with the door but as soon as I step away he swings his back end in again so he is angled with his hip towards the door and then catches himself again!! :confused:

I went into town this morning and brought some foam so that will hopefully stop him cutting himself but really need to sort this out, otherwise I will have to turn him out 24/7 as I can see him really hurting himself at some point :(

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
Stick the foam on and see how he goes. Maybe turn him out 24/7 for a few days then try again. Try not to make it an issue - even leave his door open and let him come out when he's ready.
 
put the foam up and leave him out for a few days. i worked with a mare that was clostrofobic (sp) and did this going in and out of stables and trailers! i found that walking out infront of her the whole lead rope length away she walked out fine but stand next to her and try and make her walk through slow she panics.
 
I have found with my the horse the more I try to get him to avoid something the more likely he is to fall in it/touch it etc!! I would put the foam on and leave him to work it out. Is the door way too narrow for him? My feeling is with situations like this the more fuss you make the more he will react. Good luck.
 
Agree foam but you could also do some training .. set up corridor of bending poles / bean canes etc in school / field .. start with a wide corridor and concentrate on being as straight as possible going thro.. and gently work down to a narrower and narrower one.. basically training your horse to use be straight and calm in narrow spaces using movable (so not injurious) objects / poles to build confidence.
 
We had a problem with a mare who wouldn't stay in a box, she would just throw herself around and try to kill herself (I know it's not the same problem but hear me out! perhaps the solution can work for you too).

What worked for us was to fence off a small area outside the box with electric tape, the door to the box pinned open. She was fed and watered inside the box (and she would go in & out of her own accord) then once she realised nice things happen inside the box we were able to close the door without having hysterics. Perhaps if he is able to go in and out by himself he will figure it out??

Also Zuzans idea about training him to walk straight without the pressure if something goes wrong is a great idea. Good luck with him!
 
thanks for all replies so far!!

Charlie007 - door definitely not too small for him, my other mare is about twice as wide as him and she walks in and out fine!

Zuzan - thanks for that, will do some training with him as suggested!

Wagtail - yes I do always lead from left handside, will give it a go from the otherside and see what happens!
 
How about putting a thick rug on him, just to go through the doorway and then take it off again. When you look at flat racehorses in the stalls, some of them have blankets on to protect their hips. It apparently really helps with loading them into the stalls because they learn that they wont bang their hips with the blanket on.

ETA This info regarding racehorses and the use of protective blankets.

Depending on the severity of the problem, this can take from one day to several months. I make every effort to end each session on a positive note, leaving the horse time to consider the advantage of this added protection the next time he enters the gate. Horses of this type should wear the blanket through each schooling and on race days. It is counterproductive to allow the phobic horse to rediscover the rails he considers abusive. I do not advise that the blanket is discarded once the horse is working well and leaving the gates normally. Remove the protection, and the horse might return to the previous condition and refuse to enter. Once properly schooled, minimal effort is required to continue this process, and I feel that it is well worth it.
Click to expand...

blanket_smaller.jpg


The blanket that they use on race days doesn't go under the saddle, so it can come off as the horse leaves the stall.
 
Last edited:
1270rg-1.jpg


Monty Roberts designed a blanket for horses that were wary about knocking themselves coming out of the stalls. Now, I am not suggesting that you spend almost 500 quid:eek: on one, or that it is a solution to your problem, but perhaps if your horse wears a blanket to protect him (alongside the foam you mentioned) he may realise that it isn't so bad.

Is there a reason he has to come in? I'd be inclined to give him a few days out to, not forget about it, but chill out and not worry about it. Any chance you can move stalls for a bit, one with a wider door? Or even just borrow one to practise with?

I had an arab that NEVER stopped rushing through doors in the 5 years I had him, we discovered that he had cataracts. Groundwork, poles, anything you care to think of, they made no difference with him. It is very hard to line a horse up when he is piaffing and levading on the spot, he would literally jump out of the door, it wasn't safe or funny, but there was nothing to be done with him.

I worked on a racing yard once where they had rollers on either side of the doors, so that if a horse did knock the frame the rollers did their job.
 
Thanks Faracat and Enfys - putting a thick rug on is something I can easily do to try and help him get his confidence back. Unfortunately he has to come in tonight as he is competing tomorrow but after that I think I will leave him out for a few days and then hopefully we can try and sensibly work through this problem!
 
Try backing him through the door instead.

He might fuss at first, if so do some backing practice outside first, but it will stop him rushing past and give him time to think properly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top