Hi, Im new on this forum but I really need some advice!
I have a new gelding who is a sweetie right up until food is involved. This can be his feed but also his hay. (I NEVER feed him from the hand)
I have read elsewhere on this forum that if he is aggressive with his feed in the stable I should take the horse out, feed the stable and put the horse back in. Also not to meddle with him while he is eating. However, he is also like this if hay is in the stall and my guys have hay or hayledge ad lib when they are in. I cant not go in to his stable for good!
His aggression is generally kicking but he will also posture right up at me - eyes rolling as if he is going to rear and lash out although he has not done this yet.
What I would like is to be able to move around his stable while hes eating his hay and to ask him to step his hind quarters away from me. At the moment im trying to be incremental and get him used to being touched by a hand on a stick, at the moment accepts this if there is no food about. My plan is then to be able to ask him over with that before I get my arm in there.
What do you think?
Sorry this has taken some time -3rd time I've tried to post for you. I'm a bit bothered by adlib forage given that it varies so much over the two types you list. This should be measured & balanced with work. If you don't know his history, take care. I had one that had been short of food in the past & I carry the scars to this day! My advice would be bring good stuff to his life. For grooming have him tied outside the stable, without food. If well behaved, treat him before putting back in, by bucket or hand. I have 5 non biting in a herd, 3 gelding, a mare & a foal at foot. The mare needs meds & as she shares her feed with foal they all get marmite sandwiches, hers including bute. It works well & my vet was most impressed. Keep in touch. Stay safe. Keep an open mind. Jo
Can I just check something Sarah. (1) If you go in to the stable and there is NO hay in there and you are not carrying hay what is he like? (2) If you go in with hay and he has none in there already what is he like?(3) If he is already eating and you go in with more hay what is he like? (4)Is he underweight? (5) Do you know whether he had to compete for food in previous home i.e. did he share a hay pile/get chased off from food etc.?
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Bear with me, I'm trying to get a clearer picture of what is happening.
Hi
JoHewittVINTA- mostly they live out but when they are in they have small mesh haynets to trickle feed. Hay and Hayledge has been tested and both contain about the same calories the hay bing slightly more calorific as its better quality.
Vicci-UK - 1) Hes fine- tho slightly nervous of anything new im holding
2) He puts his ears back but will back up form the door when asked
3) ignores me
4) no hes rounded but not fat -soft condition
5) yes i know whe HAS had to compete for food by some bullying mares and the old owners had to move yard becuse he got so thin
Im wondering if hes just more afraid than hes letting on and then its all comming out in a rush?
Its like he trusts me up to a point and no further. Dually halter work is helping him try new things but in general everything is suspicious to him until proven otherwise.
Any thoughts welcome!
Sarah, you've just answered your own question - to be suspicious of everything until it's proved to be safe is the default nature of the horse as a prey animal.
Regards feeding: yes, put any bucket feed in the stable before you put him in & then leave him alone to eat it!
With the hay, I suggest you sit quietly outside his stable, read a book, whatever & ignore him, do this for as long as it takes for him to get used to you being there & not trying to take his food away from him. Soon, he'll come to investigate you, when HE'S ready.
Do your groundwork training away from the stable so that he sees his stable as a safe haven where there is no threat to him.
You can't teach him stable manners while his adrenalin is so high, you must get his trust through the Dually work outside first.
You have all the time in the world & the slower you go now, the more he will trust you in the future.
Good luck
Great advice from Beryl. Your horse is not aggressive, he's afraid of being hungry again and having his food pinched (I'm a demon if someone tries to nick my food haha)I have worked with horses like this and they do come around with time and patience and consistently calm approach once they realise their food is theirs. Good luck :-)
Great advice! thank you both!
Sarah welcome to the Uni. Your problem is quite common with horses that are fed in their stables and have managed to take control of their situation. It is quite a hard one to solve but it does need to be solved otherwise it can become very dangerous in suc an enclosed space. I do not stable my horses so it is hard for me to advise you but I have had issues with an ex race horse which I am caring for at present. He had a nail go right through his front hoof so had to be stabled for 12 months but then came to me for his recovery period. He is a nice fellow but was very grumpy around his food and quite dangerous being ready to kick out at you as soon as he had his food and crowded unpublished while carrying the bucket of food to his bowl. If I was to card for him I wanted him to walk politely beside me and then wait for me to put his food in the bowl. Although I know we should leave them alone to eat I also wanted to be able to take his rug on and off and pick out his hooves while he was eating as I don't have the time to halter them and then tie them up to do this. The dually halter helped me solve my problems with him and now he is really well behaved for me. I did some dually training first and taught him to be responsive to the dually in walk and trot. I also taught him to stand for me and torespond to pressure so that I could move him around with my hand. Once we achieved this then for a week or so I put the dually on him prior to fed time then when I had the bucket of feed I would carry it in my left hand and get him to walk in the sweet spot to his bowl and stand for me while I tipped his food in. If he moved in to spclose then I would ask him to step back a few pecs with the dually and by placing my hand on his chest. Once he seemed to have got what I wanted I tried the same procedure without the dually and it worked. More difficult for you in a stable situation but worth a try . Being able to move them around with your hand makes everything so much easier.
Apologies all when I commenced my response no one else had replied!
Plus apologies for all the iPad errors - I am also very tired so pushed ad comment without checking. 'Crowded and pushy '. Card = care etc.
Hi Sarah, hope it is starting to work out for you.
One little thing if you're not already doing it, is if you're staying near the stable with a book etc as suggested by Beryl, make sure you are not in his space outside the door. His space is anywhere his head reaches over the stable door. When he's ready he'll invite you closer.
x
Maggie, tiredness and iPad errors don't mix ;)
hugs x