Over the Top?!

this thread has left me a little queasy... the term 'forcing a square peg into a round hole' springs to mind!!! OP, sometimes you have to fit to your horse and not expect them to fit to you... or even compromise... if you are unsure of what that means it is in the dictionary!!
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
Sounds to me like the horse is trying to tell you something. Remember they are prey animals, fight or flight....he can only for the former if he is "trapped" :(
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So is every animal, including us, in certain situations we humans have the same response. It is irrelevant where a species is on the food chain, we all need to learn not to panic when it isn't warranted.

Even Apex predators become a kill/meal for others if the opportunity arises. Predators have flight or fight, why is a horse specific to the same response every species on Earth has?
 
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Where I work, on a hospital yard, we have full grilles to use when a horse has a catheter fitted, or if it's really very unsettled.

They're heavy duty steel and fit with two round posts which slot into fittings on the lower door. They're easy enough to take on and off, so needn't be a permanent fixture if things improve. I don't have any more information, but it's another idea for you, OP.

You can also get weave bars too - same as the full grilles, but with a V shape, so at least the horse can still look out. Maybe worth investigating?

Good luck.
 
Friend did so with her cob. It worked. It would depend on the reasons but yes I would do it if the horse was just being an arrogant sod.

Quite surprised at the attitudes on this thread to be honest, of course horses fit round us. If you really think we need to fit round them then why are you riding them and not keeping them on a massive acreage in a herd and letting them be themselves.
 
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How long is he in there for before he starts trying to escape? Maybe just put him in there for a short time and gradually increase it and try having him distracted with a swede on a rope? I know he has toys but mine don't care about toys, love a swede though.

If I had to I'd try putting just a couple of lines of electric tape across the stable but not connected, if he respects the fence in the field he might think it's on. I'd be a bit scared to electrify it incase he did still jump over and get tangled in it while being zapped!
 
Illusion100 said:
So is every animal, including us, in certain situations we humans have the same response. It is irrelevant where a species is on the food chain, we all need to learn not to panic when it isn't warranted.

Even Apex predators become a kill/meal for others if the opportunity arises. Predators have flight or fight, why is a horse specific to the same response every species on Earth has?
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Some horses would kill or hurt themselves and still not learn. It is not in the interest of the keeper to have an injured horse that cannot work. It sounds like you have never dealt with high strung sensitive horses.

mytwofriends said:
Where I work, on a hospital yard, we have full grilles to use when a horse has a catheter fitted, or if it's really very unsettled.

They're heavy duty steel and fit with two round posts which slot into fittings on the lower door. They're easy enough to take on and off, so needn't be a permanent fixture if things improve. I don't have any more information, but it's another idea for you, OP.

You can also get weave bars too - same as the full grilles, but with a V shape, so at least the horse can still look out. Maybe worth investigating?

Good luck.
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Sounds like the best option TBH. Not as cheap as electrics but much more durable and safer and you can sell on the grid/door if/when you don't need it anymore. The horse might also be keener to come in in October if there is less to eat in the field so I wouldn't stress it too much right now but rather stable for short periods and order what's needed to make the stable safe for winter.
 
I'm assuming that the grill that didn't work wasn't a full grill??

I'd put one of those up before running electric over the gap, partly because we all know horses that are quite happy to go through electric and door climbing + wire doesn't sound like a happy ending to me.
 
Are these internal stables or outdoor ones?

If outdoor try leaving the door open and putting a small electric fence paddock outside.

If they are the internal type you can buy grilles that fit into the anti-weave bars and totally block up the top door space.

It would be worth seeing whether your horse is happier in a box where he can make contact with another horse or not. Also experiment with boxes with a view and ones tucked away in quiet corners.
 
Please be very careful before electrifying any entrance or exit of your horse's box; you might create so much fear and panic
on the unfortunante animal, that he might never dare to approach, let alone pass through a gate or stable door.
I would go down the grilles solution and give him nice treats once in the box....
 
Reading this with interest as a friend has a horse who hates being stabled. He is a stressy anyway but her problem is that he is an eventer and they are moving up the grades, so at some point, stabled at night is going to happen or they can't compete. She is taking her time and now her horse comes in to eat his food, then turned out again. Her objective is to build up the time gradually but will keep him out overnight all winter rugged accordingly. She even tried a field shelter but all he did was give that a very wide berth. It does seem to be working but she is certainly not rushing him.
 
marotelle said:
Please be very careful before electrifying any entrance or exit of your horse's box; you might create so much fear and panic
on the unfortunante animal, that he might never dare to approach, let alone pass through a gate or stable door.
I would go down the grilles solution and give him nice treats once in the box....
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I agree with this wholeheartedly. I can't actually BELIEVE some people on here think it's OK to electrify a horse's stable door and those who oppose it are being called 'sheep.' It's not being a 'sheep' at all, it's just having a brain and using it. I've never heard such a potentially disastrous idea...
 
have you tried him in other stables apart from that one? Does he 'get on' with the horses next door. Whats the yard like in general in terms of atmosphere etc?

i'm another who thinks horses have to work around us but it can usually be done without picking a fight when there's no need for it. As frustrating as young animals can be, there's always a reason for their behaviour-its not done with the intent to piss you off even though it might feel like it! Best to not demonise them or take it personally.
 
i bought an ex racer 17hh some 17 years ago he was terrified of going in a stable to the point of dangerous would canter around the stable screaming barging the door throwing his head and half rearing.I bought him in April and because our fields were heavy clay knew he would need to be stabled at night from October.!!!
The stables were off a concrete yard fully enclosed.
I would bring in all 4 horses putting 3 in their stables for a feed and leaving his door open with a feed in the door way.I did this am and pm and gradually he would go to the bucket just inside the doorway.
Gradually I moved the bucket further into the stable until he was in the stable eating the feed (door open)
I then shut the door whilst he was eating letting them all out once food was finished.
I could gradually leave him longer and longer after they had finished their food .
By September he was happy in his stable for long periods of time so long as another horse was in.
In October I switched to overnight in and he was absolutely fine and began to love his stable
H is 27 now happily comes in and out and loves his stable
I don't know why he was terrified of his stable but slowly slowly without force we turned him around
I wouldn't have like to try to force him to stay in he would have trashed the place!!!!
 
JanetGeorge said:
Why not find a local carpenter to MAKE a top door if a grill doesn't stop him. It's pretty wierd behaviour from ANY horse - is he a nut job in any other area of his life? Has he always done this?
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Janet you make a hugely valid point. I'm also wondering what is up with this horse and his 'teenage paddies' and 'tantrums'?
 
WelshD said:
does he jump electric fences?

If not then at a push I think you could leave stable door open and put three strands across as if it were a normal field fence, this would mean he could look out still
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This worked for the two horses that I have seen that did this. By the way, neither were nut jobs or stressy animals. One only did it in the morning if he didn't feel like waiting to be turned out. The other did it occasionally for no apparent reason.

I don't agree with the people who say find him 24/7 turnout. What happens when he has to be stabled for illness or injury?
 
I've had two who would come over the door if stressed. First one never made it further than front legs over but current one has come right over twice, the second time taking a grill with him.
However, I have learnt that it is generally strange sounds that worry him so I now have a reliable distraction technique. If he starts to get wound up, he gets his treat ball with a handful of high fibre nuggets or chopped carrots which he adores and by the time he's emptied it, he's forgotten what he's steessing about.
That said, I am planning to leave him out with a pile of hay this bonfire night as he seems to deal with noise much better when he can "see" what it is
 
horselib said:
i bought an ex racer 17hh some 17 years ago he was terrified of going in a stable to the point of dangerous would canter around the stable screaming barging the door throwing his head and half rearing.I bought him in April and because our fields were heavy clay knew he would need to be stabled at night from October.!!!
The stables were off a concrete yard fully enclosed.
I would bring in all 4 horses putting 3 in their stables for a feed and leaving his door open with a feed in the door way.I did this am and pm and gradually he would go to the bucket just inside the doorway.
Gradually I moved the bucket further into the stable until he was in the stable eating the feed (door open)
I then shut the door whilst he was eating letting them all out once food was finished.
I could gradually leave him longer and longer after they had finished their food .
By September he was happy in his stable for long periods of time so long as another horse was in.
In October I switched to overnight in and he was absolutely fine and began to love his stable
H is 27 now happily comes in and out and loves his stable
I don't know why he was terrified of his stable but slowly slowly without force we turned him around
I wouldn't have like to try to force him to stay in he would have trashed the place!!!!
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This is what I would do.
 
I was in your situation earlier this year with a horse very stressed in the stable and although never came over would weave and do mini rears at the door, he will also be in overnight from October so I needed to tackle the problem. I started bringing him in for 5 mins a day and staying in the stable with him feeding and grooming him (he is a little clingy towards me) making sure he went back out before he showed any signs. I slowly built this up to 30 mins making sure he had food and I stayed in the stable with him, after a month I was able to leave him and have a coffee and a chat on the yard staying in his sight, at this point he had stopped the rears so went out of sight and had others around to keep an eye on him. 3 months on and I am able to leave him in and do my poo picking and other yard duties and I am assured he is perfectly behaved until he see's me when he weaves a little so I am positive when he is hungry and the weather is cold I will be able to leave him for the night and he will behave perfectly until breakfast. Basically what I am saying is little and often, be patient and make sure he has food available and treats (if he is a little peckish when he comes in all the better) and make a stable a pleasurable experience for very short bursts and build it up. Good luck.
 
Never put tape up for a climber. If they climb it and rt caught you have more injuries than before. What set up of your stable? Pics maybe?
 
OP
Would he try to jump out if you took the door away and used a chain across the door? You could even use chain the whole way up the doorway.
He might just be reacting to being enclosed & with door open it might help discourage the jumping out. Or you could use one of those competition chains?

Otherwise I'd try a full grill or use a weave grill & the insert (which makes it into a full grill) and as he starts to accept the stable you can remove the insert and do it in stages.

You could always try electric tape across the top, but if he is having a real tantrum or panic it mightn't be enough to stop him from trying to get out. It might make more problems if he gets stuck etc.

Another option might be to get a top door made but get it made of Perspex or similar so he can still see out but can't get out?
 
I did use tape on a new mare I bought in 2012, but she was not a stressy horse in the stables. She simply knew that her massive bulk allowed her to walk through doors at will. She had never been taught manners or respect.

I will never forget the day she arrived and I put her in a wooden box, she simply chested the door jam and knocked the wall off it's footing. Another hefty shunt pinged the door and she cleared off to the lawn. I put her in the cattle yard and she started a demolition job on the gates. If her chest could not do the damage she would turn round and sit on the walls/doors. She was one of those delightful horses who walked straight through you and left you absailing in her wake.

In total despair I put her in the concrete yard, not a peep out of her, she knew she could not get out.

In a big box I put tape on insulators around the walls and across the door, attached to a tractor battery and left her to work out what life is about. She is fine now and does not test fencing or buildings any more.
 
Electrifying the door could have some very serious consequences. What if he tried to jump out but got stuck and caught himself on the tape and couldn't get free? You may also find that he starts to refuse to go in the stable at all which creates even more stress, and very likely an injury. The safest option is to get a full grill put in, and build up his time in the stable as said above.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I did use tape on a new mare I bought in 2012, but she was not a stressy horse in the stables. She simply knew that her massive bulk allowed her to walk through doors at will. She had never been taught manners or respect.

I will never forget the day she arrived and I put her in a wooden box, she simply chested the door jam and knocked the wall off it's footing. Another hefty shunt pinged the door and she cleared off to the lawn. I put her in the cattle yard and she started a demolition job on the gates. If her chest could not do the damage she would turn round and sit on the walls/doors. She was one of those delightful horses who walked straight through you and left you absailing in her wake.

In total despair I put her in the concrete yard, not a peep out of her, she knew she could not get out.

In a big box I put tape on insulators around the walls and across the door, attached to a tractor battery and left her to work out what life is about. She is fine now and does not test fencing or buildings any more.
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ROFL.:) :)
 
Digger66 said:
ROFL.:) :)
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I didn't !!!, flipping creature, she was a rhino is disguise. Plus she escaped the next day and broke into the cattle feed, the following day she went through another gate and demolished the chicken feed.

In the space of 4 days I had made 2 calls for vet advice, spoken to a fabricator and a carpenter, plus the ex husband had to bring a crowbar and lever the walls back together. Forget the electric tape I was ready to plug her into the mains.
 
Knew somebody who electric taped around the door of a sweet itch pony so it couldn't rub. Pretty soon it wouldn't go through any doorway and if pressed went through flat out.
 
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