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Post by huggybear on Nov 4, 2012 16:45:19 GMT
Okay so here goes got a nee horse a week ago and she is complete food addict to the point where i cant go in her stable when she has food and she has actually kicked out at me !
How do i go about training this issue out
Any constructive suggestions welcome please xxxxx
Thanks in advance xx
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Post by elmere on Nov 4, 2012 17:49:50 GMT
It is not that she loves food, its just plain bad manners and she needs to be taught that she can't get away with it.
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Post by hatman on Nov 4, 2012 18:11:47 GMT
My show pony used to pull horrid faces when you went into feed him. I used to go in with a schooling whip and his food and make him stand and wait. Till I had put the food down. I was worried when I first got him he may bite me. After a while he learnt to stand and wait at the back of the box when we took his feed in. After a while he did let you pat him and that was his que that he could get his food. He was lovely the rest of the time just naughty at feed time.
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Post by viking on Nov 4, 2012 19:20:58 GMT
I think most of them prefer to eat their food in peace!
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Post by hatman on Nov 4, 2012 19:25:26 GMT
I never had to use the whip I just held it. He would just fly at you with his ears back and dive into the bowl of food as you tried to get in the stable. I did not touch him when he was eating as he would have not liked that.
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Post by judyh on Nov 4, 2012 19:28:23 GMT
Definitely make her stand back and wait for her feed, she needs to respect you. You may need a longer whip than a schooling whip. Make a fuss of mixing the feed-show you are number one in pecking order.
Only let her go to the feed when you are ready.
Then leave her alone to eat.
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Post by hatman on Nov 4, 2012 20:15:29 GMT
We used to feed the ponies in a different order each day.
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Post by sometime on Nov 4, 2012 22:40:06 GMT
I could say she has either had her food taken from her at some point or she has been a dominant mare and not been corrected. She needs to learn that the food is hers when you have given it to her so make sure she isnt disturbed once she gets it but also make sure she stands back and lets you in to feed her. I have four ponies and four buckets and they all have to stand back until I put their bucket down on the floor. To send her back use big body language and carry a lead rope to send her away from you if the body language isnt enough I dont take a whip because it make it a bad experience but if you swinging the lead rope in front of you it should keep her back, If it doesnt she walks into a swinging rope and gets hit for her trouble
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Post by Tralala on Nov 4, 2012 22:43:59 GMT
I am with sometime on this one, good luck x
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Post by carrie17491 on Nov 5, 2012 16:22:52 GMT
Our mare is the same, we basically stand our ground. If she starts she is made to wait until the others are fed. They soon learn
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Post by vikki85 on Nov 6, 2012 8:23:40 GMT
My mare is never aggressive towards me and I can handle her whilst she is eating - she is however VERY protective over her feed when it comes to other horses, to the point where she will kick out at the stable wall if a horse dares to look over at her whilst she is eating. She is always in a rush to get her feed too, and because of her issue with other horses, it can be dangerous to be in the stable with her because you can get caught in the crossfire. So as others have said, she has been taught to move back from the stable door and only allowed to come forward once the bucket is on the floor.
Until your mare has better manners I'd make sure you don't need to do anything in the stable with her until after she's eaten - as other's have said, they do like to be left in peace whilst eating.
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Post by huggybear on Nov 6, 2012 10:30:39 GMT
Thank you for your comments and suggestions our routine now means she has her morning haylage now on the floor while she learns some
manners after shes mucked out and rug changed and im
ready to go also bought a stable chain to give me some safe distance i make her her move back give her her tea/ breakfast then haylage
Thanks again xx
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Post by flo1 on Nov 12, 2012 2:16:10 GMT
I think most of them prefer to eat their food in peace! Absolutely! I know stable manners are a must re: safety, but why can't she be left to eat her feed in peace? It only takes a couple of minutes. Getting a horse stressed whilst eating is a shortcut to colic. It may be that's she's OK once shes settled properly, after all she doesn't know you yet. |
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Post by huggybear on Nov 12, 2012 7:37:42 GMT
I always feed hard feed as a last job and wait until finished she wasnt letting me in her stable to even tie up her haynet id get to the tie ring and she would turn her bottom to me and had kicked out at me before the haynet was even tied up... Therein lay the issue so now she gets her hay from the floor and is slowly letting me further into the stable to do this and is also now backing up for me to put her feed in x
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Post by flo1 on Nov 12, 2012 9:25:33 GMT
Inow she gets her hay from the floor and is slowly letting me further into the stable to do this and is also now backing up for me to put her feed in x It sounds as though she's beginning to trust you  You sound like a nice, sensible owner. Some of the replies though...taking a whip into the stable ...really? A horse's stable is where a horse should feel safe at all times  ...Whips should be used as an artificial aid for riding NEVER as a threat |
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Post by huggybear on Nov 12, 2012 15:04:00 GMT
Thank Flo yes i think she is beginning to trust me shes letting me do more with her jur dont think she has ever been taught space awareness either x ETA safety for people and pony is paramount and would always err on the side of caution but shes a sweet girl just taking her time to settle in weve got all the time in the world to find compromises we are both happy with  O almost forgot whoever is up to the yard first puts nets in so she jut has a tiny one so she doesn feel left out then gets her proper day net when ive been up and mucked out changed rugs etc Xx |
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Nov 12, 2012 16:31:17 GMT
I'd recommend some ground work in a halter then, just getting her light in hand and obedient forward, backwards and turns on the forehand both ways - great for bonding and trusting, and teaching to respect your space.
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Post by huggybear on Nov 12, 2012 22:09:10 GMT
I'd recommend some ground work in a halter then, just getting her light in hand and obedient forward, backwards and turns on the forehand both ways - great for bonding and trusting, and teaching to respect your space. Thanks for the reply sarahp have been doing in hand work with her in a dually halter  x |
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Nov 13, 2012 7:55:22 GMT
Glad you're ahead of me! I'm sure you're doing all the right things to get her settled and mannered.
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Post by huggybear on Nov 13, 2012 15:01:07 GMT
Glad you're ahead of me! I'm sure you're doing all the right things to get her settled and mannered. Hiya Im trying 😖 think we are getting there ive begun to start mucking out with her in the stable ..... Shes fine as long as no food about lol !!! Think this is helping with the space awareness although we did have a bit of an argument this morning with her not wanting to move back from the stable door but in the end she did ( was for her benefit too as was rug changing !!) although ponio doesnt know that bless her Think it helps she has a routine now too Xx |
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Post by loulou25 on Nov 25, 2012 8:35:43 GMT
My colt used to be funny round feeding times and a right crab! I've just put him into a routine, not even strictly based around time - just the order of doing things! He's 110% better as he's knows when it's coming now, I also never put him back in without hay already in for him that way he never gets inpatient. Finally I feed him in the left hand corner right at the back of his stable, he seems to feel a lot safer and doesn't rush his tea. I would just try a few things and see what works best for you guys |
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dippymare
Junior Member
Horse power has 4 legs, not 4 wheels!!
Posts: 174
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Post by dippymare on Nov 25, 2012 19:17:04 GMT
what is she like if you hold the feed up for her? if she eats like this then you can stroke her head neck while she eats and gradually put the bucket on the floor and stroke more of her until she realises you arnt there to take her feed away but to bring it in and fuss her.
I understand the opinions they should be left alone to eat but i rather like being able to drop the feed bucket in the corner and muck out around them or groom them. My girl loves me all the more with food she knows its 'her' time and gets individual attention during feed time.
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Post by ashleigh19 on Nov 26, 2012 21:12:00 GMT
I personally think that you should be able to do what you like in the stable food around or not. I can muck out. brush, rug up etc whilst my mare is eating her tea/breakfast. I do make her step back while i put her tea and net up as its good manners, I agree with dippymare totally, a whip wont stop her kicking you. she needs to learn that your her mum and that she owes some respect, after all you are the one who feeds her : ) I would be subtle but persistant with the whole situation, fair enough dont stress her out but slowly and surely make your point!!
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You sound like a nice, sensible owner.
...Whips should be used as an artificial aid for riding NEVER as a threat
x
