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HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Behavioral Problems » Stall Wall Kicking » |
Discussion on Mare that loves to kick things | |
Author | Message |
Member: sswiley |
Posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 - 4:02 pm: Some good friends of mine are considering buying a mare that, other than a kicking habit and possible associated tendon swelling, is suitable. Needless to say they will have the tendon ultrasound to determine the prognoses for healing. But the obvious problem is the need to stop the kicking for the leg to heal. Since she was returned after the failed soundness exam the owners offered the horse for free. Something about making house payments. . . they had her at a rather expensive H/J barn.To further describe her behavior, she loves to kick things, anything. She seems to know better than to kick at other horses or people. It seems she loves the good wack when she makes contact. She will kick at the pipe fencing of her pasture, she has very good aim and makes a small dent every time. She also kicks in her stall. The original owners have put up stall padding in her stall. But this does not stop the kicking. I love the idea of hanging a mat from a 2x4 in the stall. I think this would be a perfect deterrent considering the characteristics of how this mare kicks. The problem will be the fencing in her pasture. Does anyone have any ideas for this? I think they would like to try kicking chains. I would sure like a picture or diagram if anyone has one. Thanks, Shelley |
Member: scooter |
Posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 - 5:01 pm: Hi Shelley, I know of a couple mares that are kickers. One of the mares it is because of boredom...very rarely will you see a horse kicking a fence if they have food in front of them....the stall is another thing. One mare kicking chains solved her problem...she only kicked in the stall, mostly at feed time.I would be tempted to put up a couple electric wires that gave a very good Zap on the fence, first they would be high enough that she couldn't get her leg caught, but far enough away from the fence that she couldn't kick the pipe fence. USUALLY something like this is behavioral and trying to figure out why is probably the best way.. When I see horse like this it is usually lack of turnout or not enough food/ buddies to keep them from being bored. |
Member: ekaufman |
Posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 - 5:25 pm: Hi Shelley,I have a mare who kicks fences. She does it at other horses and it is really a pain in the butt. I would caution your friends against this horse. When you find yourself pre-purchase making elaborate management plans to accommodate a vice, it had better be a spectacularly valuable animal that you are considering. And the sellers should try out all these nifty fixes and see if they work before the buyers take a chance on them. Things change over the years, and a horse that requires special caution with walls, stalls etc. is going to be a headache down the line, and may have a long unsound difficult retirement. Hey, that sounds exactly like my Rosie. Run away, run away, run run run away. |
Member: dres |
Posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 - 6:05 pm: hehheh your Rosie, my Danni!~A stall kicker/ pipe kicker.. heck tire kicker.. this adds up to trouble with up keep and self destruction.. I agree.. RUN...there are a lot of non kicking mares/ geldings out there and its a buyers market now.. On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
Member: vickiann |
Posted on Friday, Jan 4, 2008 - 1:23 pm: A couple of my horses will kick stall walls, the water tank or such things when they are in physical discomfort (working up to a colic, case of scratches or quittor) so have to wonder whether the mare could be experiencing some kind of chronic pain. Sometimes one of them will also kick at something if he gets excited by the presence of a mare in my barn or mad because he is shut in while his buddies are all turned out on the other side of the fence. There is the emotional kicking and the kicking due to pain, in my experience. |
Member: sarahb47 |
Posted on Friday, Jan 4, 2008 - 8:02 pm: Does she kick more when she's in heat? I know of a mare who was just miserable with cramps during estrus. She'd stomp the ground with a hind foot, lean against the walls, and then start kicking. Regumate helped control the hormone fluctuations. So did pregnancy and lactation! |