Mare squealing and kicking stable

[The Snowman]

Hi,

So as above really.

The horse in question is not my horse but my step mums, she is about 23 and a Welsh D. Before she moved to the same yard as me she was not stabled at all for about two years, though had been stabled before this happily.

Now, the problem is, when she comes into the stable, whether it is overnight or for a couple of hours she is not happy! She squeals and kicks the stable walls (wooden luckily) the majority of the time, and she paces a bit too.

She is now on Frisky Mare supplement and a calmer, but this does not seem to have made much of a difference. We do not have a choice but to have her in some of the time, especially in winter when the horses all stay in overnight.

The sides of her stable has been blocked with thin wood now for about 6 months as she was a lot worse when she could see the horses next to her, however this does not seem to have helped either. I realise that it is good for horses to see others when stabled but she wasn't happy about it so we thought this was the best option.

It does not matter whether she has horses next to her, outside the stable or if she is alone, she is always the same, though she is worse if a horse leaves or comes in.


Anybody else experienced problems like this?? Or any ideas on why or what we can do to help her???


Thanks in advance

 

[epeters91]

slight height difference haha but my miniature shetland had never been stabled alone when I got her. She was fine in with my mare but recently had to be stable on her own.... cue full blown histaria! She was screaming, climbing the door, attempting to get her hoof over the door. Once thing that I found took her attention away for a bit was her treat ball. I introduced her to it in the field and she loves it so when I put it in the stable with her she stopped concentrating on where she was and just tried to get some treats out. We shut both halves of the stable door and to an extent let her cry it out a bit. By the second day she had calmed down enough we could leave the top half of the door open without feed she would climb out.

Maybe try a treat ball or some other toys to distract her? Maybe lunger her before stabling to tire her out a bit? Not sure if any of this is helpul sorry! You could also put rubber matting on the walls and door so she can't make as much noise or damage herself xx

 

[Lintel]

Sorry no experience of this but alot of our more nervy/flighty types at the yard have taken really well to a stable mirror. Mine reckons the other horse on his stable is the best thing since sliced bread

The rubber matting sounds a good idea just to prevent any injury.

 

[PorkChop]

I would try a stable mirror - I am sure she will settle over time, just bring her in little and often

 

[The Snowman]

Ah bless, yes just slight height difference as this one is 15.2 ha ha.

Haven't tried treat ball/toys so will try that thanks . Lunging before stabling is difficult as can't always do that if someone else is using the school or it's shut in bad weather, and even when she has been lunged/ridden and then put to bed for the night she's still the same.

Unfortunately we can't use rubber matting either as yard only allows a small amount of rubber matting :/

Not sure we would be allowed stable mirrors either as the yard is a bit funny about anything extra like that, though I will be asking as you never know!

Thank you for the suggestions though and will definitely be trying the toys!