Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Kicks on the box door.

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Horse Behavior and Training

Kicks on the box door.

By:

joanjensen07

Date:

2021-May-06 at 06:17AM

Hi, I would like to hear if you can help me with a problem I have with my horse when it is in the box.

He kicks with his front legs into the box door. And since it's not healthy for him, I would like to hear if you have any good tricks on how I can get him to stop.

Since I do not want to use any kind of violence, I have used his Dually Halter.

I have had a long line on him, I have stood outside the box door and when he has kicked on the box door, I have corrected him with the dually halter.

Is this the right way to do it or should I do something else.

Hope you can help.

Regards Joan

JoHewittVINTA 2021-May-06 at 01:44PM

Hi Joan. Need a bit more information. WHEN does he kick the door? Does he get turned out with others who also come into the stables at the same time? Does having hay distract him from kicking? My first point would be - this is him telling you something. He's not happy in the stable & wants let out so can you work out why? Does he have a history of being cooped up for some reason ( illness/injury, involved in the racing industry )? Is he missing his best pal? There are products available that block the stable doorway, prevent the horse leaving but are not a solid door (nothing to kick). They stretch across the opening & should be at neck joining chest height. They vary from a chain to a broad strip of webbing. However, if your boy is clever, like my Miss Holy Moley, he may bend his knees & duck underneath it so make sure if he does get loose he cannot escape to a road or other major dangers. Cheers, Jo.

joanjensen07 2021-May-06 at 05:43PM

Hi Jo, Thank you very much for your reply. You write that he wants to tell me something and you come up with several suggestions as to what it could be and it made me think. He's just been sent to a new stable for training and he's in a new place, and maybe he's missing his friend from the old stable. So is there anything I can do to help him? To help him stop kicking his front legs into the door. He does it every time he comes in after being in the field. He is very sensitive and very intelligent. And it hurts me to see him like that. Unfortunately, I can not train him myself yet, so I have to put him in training with a professional rider. Regards Joan

JoHewittVINTA 2021-May-09 at 01:15AM

Hi Joan. The door blockers, already described, would give him nothing to kick - what does your professional trainer say? Clearly he's in a new place, strange to him so he's telling you he's not happy with being out of his comfort zone. Using the Dually isn't appropriate ( overkill ) as this will be a short term problem, not a habit - once he comes home he will stop. Use your time with him now to scratch & rub him, cementing your relationship & reassuring him. If he is confident & relaxed his training will be all the more successful. Cheers, Jo.