Stable Mirror - UPDATE

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Well, the mirror went up and was unveiled last night (I really wanted to get some curtains and a bottle of champagne,
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) and Grace was scared of it at first and then started sniffing it, chewing it, and snotting all over it!

I went down this morning, and apart from a few teeth scratches, it remains intact. However, it is going to drive me bananas as it now has smear marks all over it and I am a real stickler for clean mirrors in my house!!!

Anyway, I was going to wait a few days before taking Hannah away once the mirror had been installed, but because my two are such messy mares decided they both needed some shavings. I did Grace first, put her bed down and gave her a net and then went to start Hannah. Completely forgot how much Hannah hates shavings bales (not done it with her in for a long time as she is usually out) so there was no other option but to tie her up under tha arch.

Usually Grace goes absolutely potty when Hannah is led away, but all we got was one whinney and then I heard her munching on her net again. So far so good...

I started mucking Hannah out and putting her bed down when Hannah started dancing about under the arch. The last time this happened Grace started rearing in her stable and banging the door at full force as she ran at it. Today, she whinnied twice, stood with her head out for a minute and then went back to munching on her net!

We had a few shouts and whinneys, but nothing like usual. The worst was when I went to the toilet and Hannah was neighing to someone in he other field, but I came back and she was stood at the back of her stable snoozing. This is completely unheard of while Hannah is 'missing'.

When I brought Hannah back instead of the usual banging that Grace does, she stood quietly just stretching out to her.

So all in all I am very pleased with the first day's results. Whether it improves from this or becomes any worse I will not know until it happens. But my initial reaction is that I am absolutely thrilled that I made the decision to buy one.

Even though she was still shouting a little (10 times as opposed to the constant screaming she usually does) she was not stressed when she was neighing. It was quite a casual wander to the door, a shout, and then a wander back to her net!

Rebecca x
 
My sisters just bought one for Spot to use in the lorry, he goes completly bratty when he is left alone, last time he manged to kick out the partition which was left lying on top of him. Sarah, however was very disappointed with her mirror as it wasn't very shiny ** Remove plastic covering**

Sounds like yours is working really well.

Our farrier was shoeing at a yard the other day and the mare had a mirror, when he put her back in she ran up and started attacking it
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glad the mirror is helping
just wondering where you got it from and if you had to cut a backboard to mount it to before putting it up. i had a look at some on ebay but they seem to have complex fitting instructions
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I bought it from www.stable-mirrors.co.uk

They sell backing boards too, and will drill holes in the mirrors for you, but I bought my own backing board (worked out a bit cheaper) which is just exterior grade plywood, and then a friend drilled the holes. Just followed the fitting instructions on the website (have a printable version) and it was really easy to fit!
 
I would not hesitate getting another one (when funds allow at the moment) for my other horse once she has foaled. The improvement was immediate, and while I know it is not a miracle worker, all I can see is that it has definitely made a difference to my morning!
 
I will do... I am as amazed as anyone because I honestly did not expect much of an improvement!

Could be a different story again tomorrow but I will just keep each day as it comes.
 
Has anyone used a mirror for weavers/stall walkers? I've heard some very promising stories and used one with a weaver with success, although it did not affect a complete cure. (However, hanging something from the ceiling he could put over his neck also helped a great deal and I've seen that work a couple of times now!)

There's a lot to be said for thinking "outside the box" some times.
 
Glad it worked. I've recommended people try a stable mirror a few times on this forum (my mare loves her stable mate
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). No reason why it shouldn't keep working, mines had hers for a year or so now, and is still in love with her friend (infact have now brought her one for the lorry too)!!!!!
 
Well tonight wasn't as much of a success... she went back to her screaming when Hannah first went out but definitely settled quicker than usual. However, there was a lot going on tonight.

As I walked her back up to the stables the two geldings out in the field were running up to their owners squeeling, and then once I had got her in her stable they escaped and started galloping down the road behind the stables. So there was lots of clattering, screaming and excitement going on so it probably wasn't the best time to take Hannah away.

Rebecca
 
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