New yard - would this annoy you?

[1alex1moose]

Hi there,
I've just moved my horse to england and have just put him at a new yard. I called up, went to see the place, got the local info on it etc and by all accounts a very nice place. Horse arrived. All good... however, i expressly told them before i got there that he's a cribber, a collar wont stop him and if it's a problem i'll take him elsewhere. I also said I'd repair any damage. I was told it wasnt a problem. I went up yesterday to find my horse has prison bars up on his door and is not allowed out at certain times of day in case the other horses see him doing it "because they'll copy". There are no young horses on the yard and it's only one ill-informed woman who's moaned and now my poor horse is barricaded in his stable. He's miserable as he likes to see what's going on and he's only 4! Would this upset you? Am I being unfair to expect people to put up with a cribber on the yard?? he's in the corner of the yard at the end of a row so only has a stable on one side of him - and even that one is only used for riding school ponies so there's not normally anything in it.
What do you think? I'm a bit stressed as I know think I'm going to have to move him for the second time in a week.

 

[FFF]

This would annoy me a lot tbh. I would move him personally, espesh as he is only 4 x

 

[Joss]

yes, that would annoy me!! It is absolute nonsense that horses copy anyway. We had 2 foals that lived together from birth until they were about 4 and went on their seperate career paths. Everything they did was identical, same food, lifestyle, handling etc, etc,etc. But one cribbed and the other didnt......

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

Yes, it would definately annoy me. Like you said he is only 4 and needs to see what is going on around him and be out in the field and shutting him in is just going to cause him to either crib inside the stable or have other vices like boxwalking, weaving ect. and you will probably find yourself with a very grumpy young horse. I would suggest moving him again(sorry)

 

[scotsmare]

That would really annoy me. Can't you speak to YO and see if there's nothing that can be done? Seems a shame to have to uproot your boy twice in a week!

 

[0ldmare]

I would hate it. I am afraid I would probably move again

 

[1alex1moose]

I've asked the yard owner and she says someone further down the yard has complained and they are sure they'll copy. He's now not allowed in the field if this other woman's ponies are out. I pointed out my uni did research on cribbers and there's no evidence they copy but she just ignored me!!! I said i'd try a collar but it did nothing - he just carried on even when i did it up ridiculously tight. I feel a move coming on....
I'm glad you lot dont think I'm nuts - she looked at me like I'd landed from space when I said it was rubbish that they copied. How I didn't lose my rag I'll never know. Squeezed boyfriends hand so hard it went a funny colour when I was talking to her!!

 

[scotsmare]

Bless - I really feel for you. Best thing you can do is get out of there cos it's going to be constant source of friction!

 

[MillionDollar]

They think that horses will copy him!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, Thats the only reason that would make me move him ASAP. Sounds like a rubbish yard..............move him now!

 

[MillionDollar]

Tell the YO, that they need to learn a bit more about horses...........they do NOT copy each other. I would be so annoyed about this.

 

[RLF]

I would be cross too, especially as you forwarned her, move, sounds like they have a petty winging cow on the yard anyway.

 

[The Original Kao]

why can't this ladies ponies stay in then? why does it have to be yours?
i'd be taking my business elsewhere.
i really feel for you as i know so many others with cribbers that have had a hard time finding a nice yard where the poor horse isn't treated like a leper.

 

[Ellies_mum2]

Yes it would annoy the hell out of me

In fact I can feel myself getting cross on your behalf

Sorry but I think another move is in order.

 

[Madasmaz]

Very annoyed. Have you tried slapping on some Net-ex Crib stop...its worked to stop my mare eating her lead ropes.

 

[mintaka04]

That's a real shame you're going to have to move your horse again hunny, but as others have said, it sounds like you will have a constant source of irritation in this other owner, who by the sounds of it, has quite a bit of pull with the YO.

I would move now before the horse gets settled.
Better to have two moves in a week than two in two months ( about as long as I think it would take you to realise this is not the yard for you)

 

[GlamourDol]

I would be moving!
I shall PM you later, as someone we used to compete with had a problem with the horse cribbing and they found a way that stopped it.
Where abouts are you? Im sure theres enough people on here that know of decent yards!
x

 

[Tia]

It wouldn't annoy me however I think I would be inclined to move as this other woman will always have it in for you if you stay there.

I dislike full grates, however I don't have a problem with the anti-weave grates so this could be an option for you at a new yard if they do not have anti-crib strips on the tops of their stable doors.

Horses will only copy this type of behaviour if they are thoroughly bored but generally they don't copy as such, just fiddle around to try it out for size. Copycat nibbling can happen, but from my experience, it is a transient thing and once the real cribber has left, the other horses who may have picked it up, stop doing it, or get bored of doing it.

I feel sorry for you especially after your move and after you specifically told the YO about your horse. I don't accept cribbers on my yards due to the vast expense to repair the damage they do, however I have to say, over here I've never met a cribber but then most horses around my way live out 24/7 and aren't brought up in the same fashion as a lot of European horses.

 

[Flame_]

Does he just crib or does he windsuck as well?

Have you tried covering the door in cribox? Maybe then he'd go inside to do it. I have to admit, I hate horses with stable vices on livery yards with owners who won't do everything they can to avoid their horse annoying everyone else. Could you put him somewhere he can live out?

 

[PeanutButterDragon]

Yep I'd be very annoyed

 

[Nic74]

Frankly I'd take the bars off and ram them over the head of whoever put them there without your permission. YO should have come and spoken to you, nobody should have taken action without your approval. When I got my first foal, I put him in his stable the day he arrived and when I was sure he had settled, I went off and poo picked the field of my other horse. When I got back I found him in a right state as some do-gooder had shut his top door and left him in the dark 'because he was trying to jump out' NO he wasn't, he was tiny and he was trying to see out, exactly what he used to do in his stable where he lived with his mum. Why oh why don't people use their common sense.

 

[1alex1moose]

I have tried everything to stop him cribbing. Cribox, Crib stop, metal plates on everything, collars, living out, living in, more excercise, different feeds, antacids, everything!!!! he just does it! I did explain that to the yard owner before we came and she definitely said it wasnt a problem. I'm now looking for another place - if anyone knows of a nice livery yard in east sussex / kent border then please let me know!!

 

[Serephin]

I own a cribber and nothing stops him - luckily my YO is sympathetic, but makes him wear a collar (which doesn't stop him) but lessens the winge factor of other liveries.

I would be moving if I were you as it doesn't sound like things are going to get any better.

 

[Tia]

QR -

You guys who have cribbers, I wonder if you have tried putting a log in the stable with your horse?

Only once have I allowed a cribber to come onto my yard. No-one knew he was a cribber however I very quickly found out as the following morning he had pretty much eaten every piece of wood in the stable. He did absolutely massive damage, and this was a brand new, never been used 16x14 stable with windows and great visual aspect on the yard. Anyhow, the horse couldn't leave immediately so I obviously had to put up with him for at least a few days until he could be removed. During this time, I did a fair bit of research and found something which interested me. I ran by my findings with the owner and we both decided that it was worth a shot.

The article in question suggested putting a log from a non-toxic and palatable tree into the stable with the horse. Well we did this - I guess the log was about 3ft long. The stable was cribboxed to the hilt, the horse was brought back in that evening, next day, no damage however the log had been played with. Anyhow as time went on the horse caused no more damage in the stable and instead used his log to get his fix. This horse lived on my yard for about 2 or 3 years and was fine so long as he had his log. BUT after having this happen, I still stuck to my rule of not allowing cribbers live with me - this was simply a case of unknown history and therefore couldn't be helped.

Best wishes to you Alex, hope you find a good yard with understanding people.

 

[htobago]

I think there is now quite a bit of proper research (as opposed to anecdotal evidence) showing that horses do not in fact copy stable vices. (Could try Googling for more info?)

But these people don't sound as though they are likely to listen to reason, so probably best to move as soon as possible. Meanwhile surely an anti-weave grid would be sufficient (jolly difficult to crib on those) so at least the poor chap can see out?

 

[ajn1610]

Everyone seems to be backing you up and I agree, all the research shows horse can't learn a stereotypic behaviour. Oral stereotypic behaviors are usually developed during weaning because the foal still has an urge to suckle and it is also thought that they generate saliva that relives intestinal discomfort that the move to hard feed can cause.
Horses exhibit those behaviours to relieve stress and it doesn't help to prevent them from doing it. You can try altering management strategies to try and reduce the stress they are experiencing but sometimes it is just a confirmed habit and nothing you do has any effect. From you post it seems like you have a very established case and have done your best to find a solution.
In my opinion it is legitimate for YO like Tia to say she doesn't want a cribber because of the damage they cause - fair enough it's her place after all. However that isn't the case in your situation as you gave plenty of warning. It sounds as if the other lady is the only one who has a problem. I don't think I'd want to be on a yard where they are dictated to by the client who complains the loudest - it probably isn't the first or last time she has got her way! I also wouldn't like the fact that they did something fairly extreme without consulting the owner first.
I'd be packing my bag I think!

 

[Spyda]

YES, it would annoy the heck out of me that the YO put the grill up without consulting me. How rude and unprofessional. YO obviously prefers to 'jump through hoops' for the woman with the ponies - otherwise she would have taken the time to telephone you and discuss the situation FIRST.

Also, as someone else has already mentioned, if you stay at this particular yard you may find 'woman with ponies' is going to be a problem. Generally someone who starts moaning within minutes of you arriving at a new place IS going to be trouble with a capital T.

Poor you. What a pain in the neck. Hopefully you'll find somewhere better and can settle in with your boy in peace.

 

[LauraBR]

[ QUOTE ]
Frankly I'd take the bars off and ram them over the head of whoever put them there without your permission. YO should have come and spoken to you, nobody should have taken action without your approval.

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree... and when you are done, move yards.

 

[annunziata]

I would move its not far on your horse and ditto the raming of bars over someones head I had a horse that cribbed and he went out with my other horses and this was never an issue at all I would look around for a new place good luck!

 

[AmyMay]

I'd be a movin too.

Good luck, poor lad.