horse behaviour

on another forum i'm on someone was asking for advice about their horse kicking their stall... and everyone jumped in advising shock collars or putting chains on his legs. i mean, wtf?? is that kind of thing somehow acceptable in horses? its an american based forum so that might have something to do with it, but

OMG!!! never heard such a horrendous thing in my life.

Shock collars on a horse and hobbling with chains.

I have know people to hobble horses for one reason or another,,, but with the correct equipment..(not saying I agree)

Maybe they need to look why the horse is kicking in his stable, ...is he a moody's so and so, does he dislike his neighbor, can he See his neighbour , is it at feed time is he stabled more than he is out..

OMG!
Simple answer is turn it out once in a while!!

As with all animal problems it is caused by humans. The poor horse is probably bored stupid so has developed a habit of kicking the door.

If i were you Reisu i would go back on that forum and give them hell !!

they say at first he was fine, then he got turned out with another horse who kept stealing his food so he started kicking him, they changed the horse that he got turned out with but he kept kicking. he is out all day and night in the summer and as much as the weather permits in the winter but he doesn't like rain and runs round like a loony until you let him in, and he has a really thin coat so he has to go inside in bad weather. he doesn't mind being indoors if its raining, but when he goes in overnight and the weather is good outside he starts kicking at about 5:30 and doesnt stop until he's let out and it wakes everyone up. they yell at him if he does it when there are people there but they had to rebuild his sable door, and he keeps hurting himself while doing it (he gets a lot of cuts and he capped a hock, whatever that means). she says he does it because he knows he gets to go outside if he does... i would say 'stop rewarding him for it then and he'll give up, then let him out when hes quiet' but obviously she is only looking for a quick solution. at least she can't afford a shock collar, she reckons it would be 'hilarious' to set up a live feed and see his reaction whenever he's zapped from nowhere...
i'm glad you guys are as shocked as i was

Hobbling is something commonly done with horses in America, at least, the ones trained "Western" as it teaches them not to walk off... I dont agree with it at all, but i know of breeders and "trainers" who do it on their foals from when they are very young.

As for shock collars... Thats just disgusting. What are people thinking?!

One solution could be to turn the horse out at night and stable him in the day?!

Why not try putting a rope across his door and leave the door open, tis way he cant kick the door, or simpler , getup at 5.30 and let him out , if thats what time he starts, as he has woken them anyway

Horses are creatures of habit, you can set your clock by them , if feed time is 8am and 7pm, they will all start to show earners, if they are in the fields, they will mull around the gate waiting to be brought in, if they are stabled, some will winny over rth edoor, some will weave, some will kick the door, (had one of those)

He could also try muffling his door, (What we did" )then if he kicked he wont 1) wake anyone up, 2) damage his legs... you can also put a bale of straw in front of his door (inside) this way he wont be able to kick the door.

Capped hocks is a fluid type of swelling (bursae ) on the point of the hock, is is usually caused by some form of trauma...i.e kicking hard surfaces , it is more of a cosmetic problem that anything else....but what it shows is he is kicking hard enough to do damage.

BLIMEY what the hell is this all about?????

They use hobbles on trotters and pacers but not for behaviour issues.

Sounds like the Horse is frustrated or even in pain somewhere they often kick out for that reason too.

They could aslo put stockboard or rubber along the inside of his stable and door to prevent noise and injury, maybe if its attention seeking, the noise wont wake people and he wont get hurt, but also he wont get the attention, so will stop it.

Why not put a shock collar on her own neck and set up a live feed on that, then we could all have a laugh at her. Bitch!!!!!
Elaine xx

i just had a google and it looks like they weren't talking about hobbling him, they meant these things http://www.lbdamron.com/Neoprene_Kic...552-p5485.html i guess they swing about and hit them on the leg?

No I think you attach them to another leg with another hobble? or even a fence to restrict grazing.