Youngster panics through doorway (whacks nose/head) :-(

[GemG]

I have come across a lot of things good, bad and all sorts of inbetween things during my time with and around horses. But what my youngster has started doing (apparently randomly) is causing me a lot of worry.

My 3 year old, homebred, Trak x has been quietly going great (backed quietly enough) and being lightly ridden away now. Leads fine and has been out a handful of times showing in hand. Nothing more exciting than that. Apart from a walk on the beach in hand.

Unfortunately there is an admittedly low doorway that she has to walk through to get to her stable. This has never been an issue during the first 3 years of her life (until last week) when she apparently randomly threw her head upwards (whilst walking under doorway) and yes, you guessed, absolutely whacked her nose. Thankfully ultimately no lasting harm done.

(I thought no harm done) maybe physically, (but mentally damage done) I gave her time in field and brought her back in today and went to (foolishly) go through same doorway and she stopped, paused, then went to go through and did exactly the same... hit her upper nose on the frame.... Had to back her out to get back out as she refused to go through again (quite rightly). Even when backing out she threw her head when going under, hitting her nose but not as bad.

Long story short I have inadvertently created a huge problem... she is (quite rightly) frightened to go through (under) doorways.

I have turfed her out again and will leave her be for now. I will move stable to one where I don't have to go through (under) a lower doorway.

But eventually I will need to start working to regain her trust (somehow) or I will never get her in a stable, let alone a trailer again. Will order a poll / nose guard too.

I feel awful/gutted/down/terrible as I could have prevented this. But I need to think ahead about what to do once she's physically healed to deal with the mental aspect. She is so lovely and is not head shy in any way whatsoever. She is beautiful and her backing is going very well.

I feel I've really let her down here. Betraying her trust in me by taking her through a low doorway... and now she's hurt herself twice and it could have been very serious (injury). She must have walked through thus doorway hundreds of times previously. Other big horses use the same doorway, but admittedly it is low (if they throw head up!)

Any similar experiences ? Sound advice welcomed...

 

[GemG]

Thinking I'm going to have to build trust with groundwork in school creating safe spaces to 'put her into'... then under things...

There's no worse a feeling (in the horse area) than feeling and knowing you've let your horse down.

 

[ester]

Firstly, it's not going to help if you feel too emotional about it . Stuff happens.

It would seem to me that it would be beneficial away from the doorway or anything to teach her to lower her head. Probably a few ways of doing it depending on how she is clicker training etc. with a cue word, I'm thinking 'duck'!

Once that is established stationary and walking then I would set something soft up in the school that she cannot hurt herself on (I'm thinking pipe insulation ) to make narrow tunnels (because I suspect that might now be a trigger too) then add a roof, working on the 'duck' all the time.

Then when that is solid go back to the doorway taking no emotion with you and presuming that the training you have done will work .

And when you come to ride her you will already be experts at Trec low branches

 

[AdorableAlice]

Firstly you need to stop blaming yourself, what is done is done and the only way forward is to be constructive and positive. We all make mistakes and there won't be anyone on here that has not done something with a horse and regretted it. Personally I can think of lots that I have done and regretted.

All i would do is slowly ask her to go through wide gaps, a barn door to start with and dwelling in the gap and giving a treat, then I would be searching out every gap/corridor and doorway I could find. Depending on your set up, you could build a 'doorway' out of big bales without a top, and gradually make the gap she passes through smaller and smaller. Teaching her pressure and release on a dually would also help you, she needs to learn that where you go is safe and she can follow you. Getting her to accept something above her head would again have to be gradual using a high door and then making it lower, perhaps by using a rug hanging. A precursor to that would be to get her accepting having a hood pulled over her head and ears.

We have a big horse who rushes through his doorway, this was caused by allowing him to bang his hip badly (not in our ownership), we trained him to wait a few steps before the door and when we could see his eye start to worry. He was rewarded and turned away from the door, then returned to the door and taken nearer again asked to wait and step back. Eventually we could control every step he took and got him waiting with just his shoulders through the door. Interestingly this horse always loaded well but would attempt to gallop off so we had to train the 'wait' on the ramp.

You can fix your problem, it will take time and you will need to be thinking ahead.

 

[Archangel]

My very sensible horse whacked his head going in to a block of stables, it wasn't particularly low he just flicked his head at a fly or something and whack. He got himself in a bit of a tizz about it. I was very patient etc but every time he got just under the doorway he would hit the panic button and chuck his head up, a foot either way and he would have missed it! Aaargh horses! In the end I padded the lintel. Stood him outside, got him used to lowering his head by pressing down gently on his poll, stroking his forelock, one step at a time until he was on the poll bashing stride! Then lower head, keep my hand on the poll and take the step that would clear the lintel. I had to do this every time and even then it was touch and go whether he would chuck his head at the wrong moment. In fact the door was too low and unsuitable I'm glad I moved!

My mare the same height did not bash her head and she was not as sensible as him it was just luck. I would have had two head bashers then, I would have joined them at that point!

 

[Ambers Echo]

Great advice above. We have all had moments where things go wrong in an instant. I once was loading a recently backed 3 yo. I had taught her to lower her head on cue for bridling. Somehow as I ducked under the breast bar she seemed to think I was cueing her so she ducked too, then raised her head to realise her neck was under the breast bar. She totally freaked, she buckled her legs and ended up coming out completely under the breast bar then out through the jockey door - all 16.2 hands of her!! Whacked her hips, cut her legs. Took time but she re-learnt to load and there were no long term consequences.

 

[Red-1]

I also say not to blame yourself, it happened, and you are going to out it right.

I agree with most of the advice above. Both to make hazards using insulation etc as an exercise in itself, but also as AA says to seek out every real narrow space and be comfortable with narrow before tackling low.

The only thing I would not do that was suggested is go back to the low door that did the original damage. You know it is too low and there is no need to, now you have another stable.

For starting to travel I would make sure the vehicle has a huge headroom. Even my 3.5 tonne has 8ft height for the horse, and that is the best height for yours, IMO.

 

[GemG]

Great advice above. We have all had moments where things go wrong in an instant. I once was loading a recently backed 3 yo. I had taught her to lower her head on cue for bridling. Somehow as I ducked under the breast bar she seemed to think I was cueing her so she ducked too, then raised her head to realise her neck was under the breast bar. She totally freaked, she buckled her legs and ended up coming out completely under the breast bar then out through the jockey door - all 16.2 hands of her!! Whacked her hips, cut her legs. Took time but she re-learnt to load and there were no long term consequences.

Gosh, that was some effort getting through the jockey door!!! .. But the fact you managed to get her loading after that with time etc gives me comfort.

 

[GemG]

Thank you each if you for your thoughts and advice. Yes I perhaps posted too soon after the incident and was emotionally raw from the 'incident'... need to work with what we have and with what situation we are in positively. No point now crying over spilt milk.

I think all your advice is very useful and I will give her another week or two chill out time in field then will start groundwork with the aim of getting her trust and work on space awareness etc (as described) with the aim of ultimately going under things. Trailer training can just wait for now.

Will let you know how we go. Thank you again.