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angelarab
Platinum Member
 Wales
2876 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Mar 2009 : 08:18:33 AM
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My friends mare lashes out when eating with back legs and sharks with her head, the other week she sustained a nasty injury, whilst on one she kicked out and managed to get the T bar of a surcingle stick in her fetlock joint, this rug was hung over the stable wall, she required stitches and staples. Owner has put wooded boards on walls as the breeze blocks were getting hammered.
She lashes out in the stable with or without company, tied up outside if eating and when she is in the field, I see most of this as i feed her in the morning and am last at yard at night.
We are so worried that she will do some permanent damage, we don't know what to do, have tried shouting, owner tried chucking a bucket behind her when she kicks out i suggested a water pistol? she is one angry mare. But sweet to ride and handle!
Sorry long but guess you need all the facts to offer help.
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 "Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
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Mrs Vlacq
Platinum Member
Wales
3776 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2009 : 09:08:42 AM
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HAve you tried feeding her from a higher bucket so she can see more? Some horses feel a bit vulnerable with head jammed in a deep bucket on the floor. Or put her in the very middle of arena on her own to eat for a while?
I think shocking her will just errify her more |
    
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BeckyBoodle
Gold Member
Australia
795 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2009 : 09:54:52 AM
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She does sound one angry mare with a food hang up. Some get very defensive around food - do you know her past? It sounds like she had to, or felt she had to protect her food and it has become an ingrained habit.
I think I would not approach it with shouting or striking back as it will probably make her feel more threatened and increase the problem. It is the type of thing that in my opinion will take a long slow process to overcome. I am not a behaviourist, but different approaches to see what might make her feel more comfortable/safe. Then it may be that you try to do little bits of feeding and reward her everytime she is good. I would take advice on how to best use this type of approach. The problem is that it takes time and effort.
Hope this helps and that it gets solved. I used to share a horse who was a bit similar and it got quite dangerous at times. However she wasn't mine and really I was just involved as a rider.
B |
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Eeyore
Gold Member
1181 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2009 : 10:26:18 AM
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My boy lashes out around food, obviously in his past he has had it taken away or someone has punished him while he eats.
I feed him in the far corner of his stable in a corner manger which is raised. He feels safe then because he is away from any disturbance and can eat in peace with good visibility.
It took me months to get him to let me stroke him after giving him his feed. He used to think I was going to whack him and swing his quarters round or snake his neck with his ears flat back and threaten with his teeth. You could tell his underlying emotion was fear though.
It makes me so sad that people can make a horse this way.
I don't know his past but it obviously has some very sad parts.
For what it's worth I think if you shout or throw things or scare her you may well just make her more defensive. It's tricky isn't it? Good luck |
Heléna
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clio
Gold Member
Wales
614 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2009 : 12:58:21 PM
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Does she do this if she is left alone to eat ?
Poor lass sounds like at some time she has realy had to fight to keep her food.
Would some of the calming herbal remedies help her ? just a thought.
jan |
   
*~* Crossleys RainDancer *~* *~* Ora El Masra*~* *~*Diesel*~*
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angelarab
Platinum Member
Wales
2876 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2009 : 1:36:31 PM
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| she does it on her own, i can hear her kicking the wall when i am out on yard. Previous owner had her in a field on her own for about 6years, horrible! |
"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
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angelarab
Platinum Member
Wales
2876 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2009 : 08:27:33 AM
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| she had had a neighbour change she was between my gelding and a mare now the mare has been swopped with a gelding and although last night still lashing out this morning she seems more settled? |
"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
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phoenixbruka
Gold Member
England
1190 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2009 : 9:24:59 PM
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I have a boy on my yard does this,(warmblood) he bucks / kicks/ goes generally mental  Little bugger destroyed one stable so we had to build him a reinforced one!!
The owner was then asked to supply wall matting so he didn't destroy ANOTHER stable, she got 4' pit belting and this was attatched 2' above the groung all the way round his stable, he's been like this since he was imported so there's no changing him, we just make sure his enviroment is as safe as possible.
Interestingly he NEVER does it if you have the time to stand in his stable with him while he eats his breakfast/tea !! Obviously this isn't always possible, what really gets him wound up is when other horses are near ( he has one on to the left and right of him) but he will do it even when hes on his own.
Hes a lovable boy and not a nasty bone in his body and if thats his only hang up then we're happy if he's happy  soemtimes you just have to accomodate thir little quirks  |
   
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2009 : 09:14:53 AM
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Your horse has not necessarily had and past traumas to make her protective of her food, some horses are just like that.
My stallion is very protective of his food and while I insist that he allows me around him to hang haynets etc while he is eating he puts up with it but I would not allow anyone else in his stable while he is eating. He has a lovely temperament but, like me, he loves his food and is not going to let anyone near enough to share it! So long as he is OK with me that is all I ask. He knows he has to let me work around him but I don't bother him. Would you like someone to keep pestering you while you were eating?
I have been around him while he is eating since he was born and as a youngster he was fine with his feed and his mother shared her feed with him so he never saw her protecting her feed as some mares do. When he matured he decided he would not have me near his feed but I told him different!!!
Please do not punish her, personally I would try holding her food bucket for her to eat out of whenever you can and talking quitely to her while she is eating to reassure her that all is well. She may have been down the pecking order at a previous home and feel she has to defend her food or, like my stallion, be naturally protective of her food, but, unlike my stallion, been allowed to get away with it.
My stallion nipped me once when I went in to hang his haynet while he was eating, he got shouted at and lost his feed; it left the stable with me. He never did that again.
I don't know how many homes your friend's mare has had or how long she has owned her but it will take a while for her to trust you near her while she is eating. She will also feel more secure if she has her front end near where any other horses are (i.e. the front of her stable) so she doesn't feel threatened by horses "coming up behind her".
Long post but hope some of it helps.
Barbara |
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mary h
Bronze Member
Scotland
129 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2009 : 10:21:19 AM
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My gelding does this kicking out thing at feed times too... also when you have just tied up his hay net... always has done, and probably always will, but if you are in the stable, he will always kick out with the leg furthest from you!!
My mare on the other hand will kick the wall if she has another horse next to her, she is now at the end of the stable block with her daughter next to her (won't kick the wall at her) it was so bad that she actually fractured her hind splint bone doing this, and that was when we realised that she had to be moved. |
Mary |
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LAK
Junior Member
England
42 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2009 : 12:21:31 PM
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I have never had this specific problem so cannot really give any advice, however I am wondering exactly what your stable set up is like?
I have recently moved my mare, and whilst the stables are still the internal american barn type we have gone from having bars on each side going the full length of the stable to just a two foot 'window' of bars at the back.
Ruby is so much more settled not just around feeding time but in absolutely every aspect - I think the fact that she can choose to speak to her neighbours but can 'hide' from them too makes her feel much less threatened. |
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angelarab
Platinum Member
Wales
2876 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2009 : 4:59:19 PM
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| i have been watching her intently over the weekend, I think it's a protective over feed thing, she only does it when she is eating feed or hay, i suggested to her owner a over door manger or something, I have lent her my stable boots for protection, reading about broken splint bones has really scared me, i would hate for another serious accident, I think pecking order may come into it too, My gelding is bottom of the peck and she doesn't kick on his wall or bite over ever. |
"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."
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faymouse
Silver Member
United Kingdom
412 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2009 : 02:06:03 AM
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| My mare who has just returned from a neglectful loan home is now positively lethal when it comes to feed,she lunges at any others who are anywhere near her poor girl. I feed her seperately now from a higher feed bowl and she is much happier. She must have gone through a hell of a time trying to get some food |
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Mrs Vlacq
Platinum Member
Wales
3776 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2009 : 3:59:55 PM
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| Maybe try putting his whole feed into one of those octagon play balls. It will take hima lot of effort to get his food and maybe distract him enough for his behavior to change. |
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