Positioning stocks.

[blitznbobs]

We have a set of horse stocks (for stud purposes mainly) arriving very shortly and i have to decide exactly where to position them -

ideally for me they would go against a wall in a 10 x5 m area but for those who have used them is it a good thing to be able to walk all the way around them?

thanks in advance

BnB

 

[rabatsa]

If the horses can go in from either end then by a wall works. However if you need to handle both sides of a horse and they are one way use only then they need to be out in the open.

 

[druid]

As a vet who did a lot of equine repro work once upon a time please don't put them against a wall. It's an absolute pain for several reasons. As a vet you are stuck scanning with whichever hand is dictated by the wall placement and while most vets are ambidextrous for scanning if you're sore/tired/injured it's less than optimal. Anyone assisting is unable to stand safely to the side of the rear door - someone holding the tail etc. They're right behind the horse which is just not safe. Having access to both sides is also useful if you end up using them for anything else (dentals, colic work ups on something bolshy etc).

We very much appreciate a safe, flat surface to place scanner on. If it can only be on one side have it on the left.

 

[SilverLinings]

I worked for a couple of equine practices in the distant past and I would say definitely don't put them against a wall. It is a lot easier for the person scanning (and the handler at the horse's head) to have the option to stand either side, you may need the stocks to treat an injured horse when access to the other side may be vital, and having seen two horses collapse in stocks (reaction to sedation) it would have been a lot harder to get them out if the stocks were against a wall, and I think they would have been more likely to be injured when they fell (and got back up); we took the sides, front and back off the stocks and pulled the horse out before they tried to get up; because of the way they fell it was easier to pull them out one side rather than the other.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

All the ones I have seen are in the middle of the stable they are pretty useless against a wall I would think as you need to access the horse from both side.

 

[Rowreach]

Please don’t put them against the wall

 

[ihatework]

Not against a wall!!!
Also think about where you might be able to contain a foal if it hasn’t got a specific foal bit