Normal behaviour?

[Super_Kat]

I was going around feeding and giving hay to some friends horses earlier when I could hear a banging coming form one of the stables. I went to have a look and one of the horses was stood banging his bottom lip against the water drinker and he was stood diong this for a good 10-15 minutes and I stood there calling him and trying to get his attenting and he didn't seem to know I was there.

This horse will also stand at his door and bang his chin against it. I've never known a horse do this before and I was just wondering, is it, well, normal?

 

[iwtownsley]

lol, maybe he just wanted a bit of fun and decided to ignore u! hehe

 

[_jetset_]

How strange!

Maybe he likes the feel of it and it has become a bit of a habit. Some horses on our yard rug their teeth up and down the stable doors... same thing I guess.

 

[Tia]

This is common symptom with "headshakers".

 

[Helenabbey]

I don't have a clue why he is doing it, prob a boredom/stress thing, but no, it doesnt look normal.

 

[tormor]

remember that horse does have a screw loose. he also has his nice vices of teeth grinding, biting, kicking and just a general git

 

[Super_Kat]

He's a 3yo and has bee in work for the last couple of weeks and I've never seen him headshake while being ridden, although I've always been told that headshaking can be caused by sunlight/pollen etc and theres not much of that around now. Would he still show these head banding sypmtoms then start head shaking come spring?

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
This is common symptom with "headshakers".

[/ QUOTE ]

I was just going to ask if he/she was a headshaker......

 

[Tia]

It is an unfortunate name for the condition really as not all "headshakers" shake their heads.....there can be many other symptoms. Basically it is a neurological problem and can show itself in lots of different ways.

I am not saying this horse has it - just that he is showing symptoms of it.

 

[Helenabbey]

I had a 3 YO who scraped his teeth up and down the stable door, it may be stress from the change in his life due to being backed.

 

[S_N]

Ahhhh, you didn't say he was a baby! Does he need a friend? Stable mirror?

 

[tormor]

[ QUOTE ]
Ahhhh, you didn't say he was a baby! Does he need a friend? Stable mirror?

[/ QUOTE ]
He's kick the cr** out of my horse already

 

[_jetset_]

Agree with SN_B... maybe he needs a stable mirror or some toys in the form of feed balls, licks etc etc

 

[Super_Kat]

He used to be stabled next to one of mine and he kicked the crap out of the wall every time he could see her, he was turned out with mine aswell just over a month ago and tried to pick fights and now picks on Tormor's horse (who i've just realised is 4 stables up from me on the college yard) and is next to this horse. He gets turned out with about 15 other horses from 8-4 every day and can see 3 other horses while in his stable (1 next door and 2 opposite).

 

[S_N]

I have no idea, other than behavioural issues - sounds a bit of a confused shite IMO!

 

[Super_Kat]

I think I'd be aswell with an owner like his

 

[KatB]

I know a horse that does this constantly on the stable door, sounds like he is kicking it, but is actually banging his jaw

I agree with Tia, as the same horse is seriously "heady" when being ridden. He is only 4. Also a sign of boredom, does he have limitless forage?

 

[Super_Kat]

Gets about 1/2 a section off a square bale every evening. Have been temped to ask if the girl who's looking after him want's me to throw him some more before I leave (I'm always the last one up there) but he tramples it around his stable.

 

[tormor]

ah there is also the problem of his owner turning up when he feels like it. and often he doesn't have any hay

 

[KatB]

Thatll be the problem then. Any turnout?!

 

[Super_Kat]

8am-4pm every day in a massive field with about 15 other horses.

 

[ladylisa]

i think it must be because he is bored.

 

[KatB]

Ok, fair enough. Some youngsters just dont like being in. Said horse I know lives out most of the time, and still does it. My boy used to grate his teeth along the wooden wall. They grow out of it, Unfortunately its just getting used to and accepting being in

 

[Super_Kat]

[ QUOTE ]
ah there is also the problem of his owner turning up when he feels like it. and often he doesn't have any hay

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually........We shouldn't be so harsh...................He does turn up to do his horse........................He's just a bit intoxicated sometimes

 

[tormor]

the best one was him turning up at 9 and hoping that it wouldn't be noticed he was late!

 

[Super_Kat]

And when he forgotton he'd turned shea out and turned up over an hour and a half late to get him in

I don't want him to ever get kicked off the yard, he provides us with so much entertainment

 

[tormor]

The other good one was when they were out at night and he hadn't turned up so someone brought shea in, he went down to the field and horse wasn't there he thought his horse had been stolen DUH! (i think that was a rather hungover day)

 

[SirenaXVI]

Looks a little stereotypical to me, I would say a combination of stress and/or boredom. Lack of Hay will make his stomach acidy and this will make the problem worse - a viscious circle sets in - owner needs to break it, giving more hay - regardless of whether he treads it in would help, also a probiotic would be a good idea. But then he could be a headshaker too - sounds like an unhappy neddy to me

 

[Super_Kat]

Acidy stomach, do you reckon trying to get him on the ol' coligone might help?

 

[SirenaXVI]

Yes it probably would - well worth a try!