Nervous about stabling this winter

kerrieberry2

kerrieberry2

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I've had my mare out 24/7 for the last 12 years, before that she was a right moo, she hated being in, was a complete stress head! last winter was the first winter she had a field shelter, she sent 90% of her time in there, so obviously didn't mind it, but could get out when she wanted to!

Now I've moved yards, I have to bring them in from Nov to feb! I put them in for a hour over the summer and she still hated it, so going to start feeding her in the stable for the next couple of weeks, so it will hopefully be less stressful and leave her in for a couple of hours at the weekends!

but what I'm wondering, should I leave the lights on in their stables at night or should I stop being a princess and just leave them to get used to it?

my boy is 3 and has never been stabled he seemed okay but got a bit fidgety when he heard the girl walking around! we are on a private yard, so no other relaxed horses around to help them cope!

the stable are proper old school concrete boxes, so they cant see each other unless they look out of the door! I have just put mirrors up for them though!!
 
One of mine was a total tit to stable so with her I just stuck to a really tight schedule. Always arrived same time everyday, always did things in same order and always brought her in at the same time. Took 3 days and on day 4 she was a different person.
Even now though I wouldn't get away with being late or God forbid turning someone else out first. Pain in the butt on weekends when I'm there at stupid o'clock but it keeps her happy which is the main things (who needs sleep?)

Good luck x
 
to be fair I think I will have to be the same as you! will be 5.30 so im done in time for work! that wont be fun at the weekends! but might lose weight if I have to quite drinking during the winter haha!!

She used to be at the stable door at 7.30 dragging me up the lane before! luckily this time her field isn't a mission away!!

I will defo bring her in as late as possible so she's not in for too many hours!

Thanks for your advice!
 
Hi there,

I had to bring my boy in last night for the first time as on his new yard his fieldmate comes in for winter! He has never been stabled in 14 years :) I was really worried but he was fine! I just did a big double haynet with some hidden carrots and hung a lick it up. I had been building up the time he was left in for during the day so I could see how he was and he didn't like it much at first but seems to have gotten used to it.
 
My welshie is and was the same he's got a lot better in the 5 years ive had him but he will still rear and buck in the middle of his stable and has kicked the back out of it twice and yes i mean taken the wall down lol!!! Again sticking to a really tight schedule was the answer, last one in first one out treat ball at bedtime (gives the box walking a purpose stopping it being a stereotypical behaviour essentially) and hes now 9 times out of ten easy to have in still strops in the mornings occasionally but absolutely fine at night and last winter they were in for 8 weeks and he adapted fantastically. there is hope i promise x
 
My mare was a cow for years... The worst I'd ever owned, box walked, jumped out, reared... In her latter years she was good as gold. Fingers crossed your gal sees how good she's got it now! Agree with the strict regime, I never did breakfast for ebony until she was in the field, she always calmed down once everyone had left, I tried to be the first at the yard to turn her out, but as I said, towards her latter years this wasn't needed.
 
Pixxie said:
My welshie is and was the same he's got a lot better in the 5 years ive had him but he will still rear and buck in the middle of his stable and has kicked the back out of it twice and yes i mean taken the wall down lol!!!
Click to expand...

blimey that's crazy, my mares not that bad! she just gets stressed and chucks her head about! she managed to get pile of hay from the back corner to the door so she could see outside! so think ill stick her a hay net up by the door!

so a good routine and lots of entertainment in the stable :)

fingers x'd she'll cope!
 
That is another good point - if you can loads of hay, 2 nets even if need be so no chance of running out of food and looking for trouble :-)
I promise things have got easier. I can now have a slight lie in at weekends. As long as I'm the first person there I can be a little later now. Sad as it is I now consider 7am a positive lie in :-)
 
well I will never have the issue of having to be the first person there! coz I always will be :)

Queenbee, I was thinking of feeding in the field away, so they can get out asap and then my tack/feed room is down by the field, rather than by the stables, so its easier that way!! plus I read you shouldn't feed before its light in the morning, and at 5.30 it will still be dark!

haha 7am being a lie in! what we do for our horses ay! think ill still get up early then come home and back to bed for a couple of hours haha!!
 
My girl was terrible when stabled, constantly box walked as soon as she had bolted down her hay as fast as possible.
She then lived out 24/7 for 5 years, untill she was diagnosed with suspected lami and had to be stabled for a week, worst week ever for me, first night she was in I checked on her at 4:30am as I was so worried, only to find her flat out snoreing!
Now she's in when its bad weather and actually paces the fence waiting for me to finish mucking out!
Totally shocked how well she took to it but guess Ned's can change to :-)
 
my bfg said:
My girl was terrible when stabled, constantly box walked as soon as she had bolted down her hay as fast as possible.
She then lived out 24/7 for 5 years, untill she was diagnosed with suspected lami and had to be stabled for a week, worst week ever for me, first night she was in I checked on her at 4:30am as I was so worried, only to find her flat out snoreing!
Now she's in when its bad weather and actually paces the fence waiting for me to finish mucking out!
Totally shocked how well she took to it but guess Ned's can change to :-)
Click to expand...

Oh bless her!! to be fair, I wonder if they do it because they know we are around? as the day I had her in she seemed to be eating her hay and I was trying to catch my mini and ever time I walked back she'd poke her head out and neigh at me to let her out! if I hid in the hay barn she seemed to shut up a bit! so maybe she's just being a princess, which is very believable :)
 
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