Stable doors (open or closed)

[MyBoyChe]

The top half, how important is it for the horse to be able to put his head out over the door. We have 6 stables, 2 each on 3 sides of a square barn. I am moving to a larger stable tomorrow as someone has left, but this one doesnt have an opening grill on the top half. I can easily angle grind the struts off but just wondering whether it matters that much. Horse couldnt give a monkeys whether he's in on his own or not as long as he has food and this box is easily half as big again as his original so he will have plenty of room to move around and snooze. I can see pros and cons so has anyone any thoughts or negative experience of a closed top door. I should say that although closed it is solid at the bottom and a grill at the top so he has loads of light and can see out.

 

[PollyP99]

My mare was I n a stable with no opening (just grille) and she didn't seem to mind BUT now spends most in the night in her current open stable looking out (I can tell by poo pile)

 

[Red-1]

I have had 2 horses who had a full grid on the top door. One had sweet itch and would scratch, the other would bang her knees at meal times.

The sweet itch horse grew a full mane (along with a fly rug at all times) and as he did not scratch he was far less itchy. The mare had her knees return to normal, when the vet initially said she may need them medicating (banging her knees prior to purchase, and being excluded on insurance because of it being noted on her vetting).

Personally I prefer to see their heads out. They seems fine without.

 

[rachk89]

Only time we ever shut the top doors to the stables is when they have been sedated and risk strangling themselves on the door if they lean over it. Otherwise we leave them open. Not sure if the ones around the back shut them if the weather is really bad but never seen it happen.

 

[twiggy2]

shutting a top door and having a grill are 2 completely different things

 

[MyBoyChe]

Yes, just to clarify, its a grill that doesnt open, rather than a shut door. He wont be able to put his head out but still has a view of the yard.

 

[chillipup]

Not wishing to hijack this thread but somebody recently posted another thread, (sorry can't remember who) giving a link to Equine Behaviour and Training Association - www.ebta.co.uk . I took a look and was very interested to find under the heading 'addressing isolation' , ' Stabling horses that weave have been shown to do it more frequently when stabled opposite each other, compared with being in a line block', which rather surprised me. It doesn't say whether or not a fixed grill exasperates this problem or not. Does anyone know if a stabled horse being able to put it's head over the door will be more settled than one that can't, due to fixed grill or does it solely depend on the individual horse? (one that doesn't already have any stable/isolation problems).

 

[WelshD]

I dont think I would be too worried IF there was a grill between the stables too so the horse could have company to the side and things were a bit more light and airy

 

[Makemineacob]

I've recently just taken all of my top doors off as we would never use them (they used to squeak in the wind when fastened back) wouldn't dream of ever shutting a horse in with top doors, even though they have large grill areas between the stables and they are on a Courtyard so can see every other horse at pretty much all of the time. Personally prefer horses to be able to look out and watch what is going on.

 

[EquiEquestrian556]

We only close the top (wooden) doors when it's bonfire night and the likes, as a lot of ours try an jump out otherwise.

 

[Equi]

I love them being able to look out and I love being greeted by a head over the door. I always feel bad for my little ones cause they have no way to see out but then my stables are In a hall so there's nothing to look at anyway lol