Posted 2005-11-17 5:39 PM (#33192) Subject: Kicking the Walls Down
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Prestonsburg, KY.
I have a 2 y/o gelding,green broke, and kicks the stall walls out when put in stall. He is gentle in the field when catching to put halter on or to groom. What can I do to get him to stop kicking the walls out?
Posted 2005-11-17 5:47 PM (#33193 - in reply to #33192) Subject: RE: Kicking the Walls Down
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 565 Location: Michigan
Patience & Time on your part.
Either tie him up in the stall and leave him(keep a watchful ear though) or dont' tie him and let him kick it out of himself. As for you, grin and bear it. Once he learns you aren't going to come to his rescue or beat on him, he'll quit, but not an overnight deal, could take months. He's being a little kid and will grow out of it.
If there is a horse next to him that seems to be irritating him, move that one.
P.S. You may have to make a trip to Home Depot a time or two to buy more boards, just to warn you.
Posted 2005-11-18 4:48 PM (#33230 - in reply to #33192) Subject: RE: Kicking the Walls Down
Regular
Posts: 81
How much protein is the colt getting? Too much protein combined with confinement leads to horses climbing walls (literally) and/or kicking them. Claustrophobia could be another cause. It so happens a horse I've owned 15 years fits both of the above. Years ago when I saw him climbing up his stall wall at the boarding barn when the other horses were turned out, I cut his grain back to 10% protein and cajoled the BO's to leave him out with whomever else was outside. That horse is now 18. No amount of "lock-down" ever cured him. He would get himself so worked up if I left him fight it out with himself that I was afraid he would put himself into a nice case of colic. I've had my own barn for many years now and this horse always gets the run-in stall. Amazingly, this same horse jumps right into the trailer (open stock) and will stand quietly while I eat supper somewhere after an all day ride.
I hope you get him figured out and are in a position to change his stall set-up if need be
Posted 2005-11-19 11:19 PM (#33274 - in reply to #33192) Subject: RE: Kicking the Walls Down
Excellent Mathmatician
Posts: 3
Location: california
Turn him back out. My gelding does this, as an aggressive measure it seems. He's very weird about horses being in "his" space. He will let one horse get right up with him, share food, etc, but decide he suddenly doesn't want to share and gets to be a real pain. He does the same with the horses he is stalled by. He is right next to the other one all day, but after dinner, and only after it gets dark, he starts kicking the stall walls, and backing into them. The only solution I could think of before hotwire was turning him out. He eats dinner then gets to go out by himself away from anyone else and he is prefectly fine. He waits at the gate as soon as he gets done eating. Saved me lots of money and frustration trying to deal with him...
Posted 2005-12-21 7:55 AM (#34263 - in reply to #33192) Subject: RE: Kicking the Walls Down
Expert
Posts: 1719 Location: PA
I'm assuming this colt was a pasture pony before and the stall is new to him. Is there a place with no grass ( round pen maybe) that could be used for his turnout? If so, I would put him in that and only feed him in his stall, gradually lengthening the amount of time he stays inside. You can also longe him before he gets stall time, or rest time in this case. If this is a fear thing because he just has never been alone in a stall before, try the non-combative method that I just described. If he is just being a smart a$$, teach him what kick chains are and let him live with those on in his stall till he settles down. I don't like to just throw in the towel and keep him turned out. That just teaches him how to win a battle, which will make your life miserable in the future. You must win this one or you risk having your trailer kicked to pieces too.
Posted 2005-12-21 1:58 PM (#34284 - in reply to #33192) Subject: RE: Kicking the Walls Down
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Newton, NJ
I'd try working him until he's tired - not beating him up, but giving him a good workout on a lunge line or in a round pen, then putting him up in his stall - tying him to something substantial if possible - until he's rested. If he starts the kicking again, take him out and put him back to work. Sounds like he needs a job. Most 2 year olds will test all their options. If you just turn him out everytime he acts badly, he'll just keep acting badly. You've got to have a lot of patience to work with a young horse, but if you do things right, hopefully you'll end up with a very reliable equine partner.
Kicking the Walls Down
I have a 2 y/o gelding,green broke, and kicks the stall walls out when put in stall. He is gentle in the field when catching to put halter on or to groom. What can I do to get him to stop kicking the walls out?
