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Conference noted::equitation

Title:	Equine Notes Conference
Notice:	Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:	MTADMS::COBURNIO

Created:	Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:	Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2080
Total number of notes:	22383

1024.0. "Curing Front Kicking" by VIA::SNOW () Mon Aug 07 1989 11:30

Does anyone have any suggestions for curing a horse that kicks his stall with 
his front feet?  He paws at the wall under his window.  First, a little 
background on Higgins.  He gets turned out 2-4 hours per day.  Can't do more 
than that right now as he is recovering from an injury and can't run.  Also
I can't work him until he is sound.  He has a toy hanging from the rafters and 
he likes to play with that so it helps but he still hits the wall a few times 
every so often.  It's not to the point where I'm worried too much about his
legs since he is much better (we have moved to a new barn where he is happier).
But I would still like to solve this.  I have also got a hold of some hobbles
which I have put on him when I catch him kicking but I don't dare leave them on
him if I'm not there -- hobbles are kind of scary, I don't want him to struggle,
or fall, and hurt himself.  

My suspicion is that he is doing it out of habit at this point.  Not unhappiness
as it used to be.  The wall is pretty marked up and the owners ofthe barn aren't
real worried about the stall but are helping by yelling at him when they
catch him kicking.  

Any suggestions?

janet.

T.R	Title	User	Date	Lines
1024.1		WMOIS::PORTER	`Mon Aug 07 1989 11:42`	7
	I once had a horse that behaved the same way. A trainer advised me to hang a couple of pie plates from strings in the same spot he pawed. The idea was that when he hit them the noise would deter any future pawing. It worked for me. But I don't want to tell you how much it scared the horse when he first touched the plates. Karen
1024.2	Ignore him, he'll stop.	MED::D_SMITH	`Mon Aug 07 1989 11:59`	14
	My horse did the same thing when I first got him. The prior owners said he did it for attention. Whenever he did it, someone would go over to him, or yell at him or just give him attention one way or another. I just completely ignored it. Didn't yell or anything. If he did it when I was with him, I would just leave. If he did it just before eating, I would leave the barn and wait ten minutes or so, then feed him. He finally gave in and decided it was in his best interest to not kick. It got him NOTHING...
1024.3	Padded cell?	COMICS::PEWTER	`Mon Aug 07 1989 12:40`	11
	A yard I know had a recouperating horse (a stallion that had done soemthing awful to itself in the course of duty) who was pawing the door. They fixed a couple of bales of straw upright where he kicked. A horse not used to being shut in is bound to get bored so you might as well make sure that if he must kick he doesn't hurt himself. Perhaps the lack of resulting noise will break the habit anyway!
1024.4		DELNI::KEIRAN	`Mon Aug 07 1989 12:50`	5
	Try hanging a chain that is covered with plastic hose (the garden type will do) from where the door hinges across the opening about 2 feet in from the end of the wall. This way he won't be able to get close enough to the door to bang his knees. This works quite well. Good luck.
1024.5	try some tires...	DNEAST::BUTTERMAN_HO	`Wed Aug 09 1989 10:13`	9
	I haven't done this myself, but know of several reputable folks who have..... Take a couple of car tires and put them on the floor of the stall. This apparently works well for those who paw... and those who dig holes........
1024.6	thanks...	VIA::SNOW	`Wed Aug 09 1989 11:36`	0
1024.7	oops	VIA::SNOW	`Wed Aug 09 1989 11:37`	5
	oops... hit a wrong button somewhere! thanks for all the ideas...i'll set up a plan of action! janet.