Any Ideas on a stall/trailer kicker

[Alan]

I posted this several months ago. I have never been able to get this one filly to quit kicking her stall wall and the trailer. I have tried kick chains, I won't hobble her in a trailer, all though I did once to keep her from hurting herself on a torn trailer wall metal (She kicked it that bad once). I put a 1 and 1/2 inch of plywood as a kick wall and let her have at it. But no one has ever been able to tell me a way to get her to stop kicking, when kick chains don't do it.

Any help?
Alan

 

[Alan]

I should say her problem is with patience not being mad. She is better in the stall, if she kicks at feeding time she doesn't get fed until she has settled down a while and standing quiet.

Alan

 

[cowgirl580]

have u tried tying her head in the trailer to the trailer? i don't mean sucking her head to the trailer or all the way around, but just enough so that she doesn't have as much room to mess around. my mare used to do the same thing. first time i loaded her in the front of the 4 horse, she kicked the butt chain completely off. put her in the back and she kicked a dent in the door. started tying her head to the left side on the trailer. i don't know if its because she was 'occupied' with beig tied or not, but didn't have any more probs with her kicking. don't have to tie her in anymore. (knock on wood). good luck

 

[Alan]

She started kicking when she was loose in a 2 horse slant with no divider, now I have her tied with a divider just so she won't kick the front wall, just the inch and a half plywood kick wall I put in.

Thanks for the reply.
Alan

 

[rc]

i would work on her problem in the stall or simply cross tied. Take an old horse shoe and bend it to where it will just slip around the ankle. Let it ride around the top of her hoof and just let her wear it. do this on all four feet if she paws or kicks. She will soon learn there is a certain amount of discomfort in the shoe stricking either from kicking or pawing. It will actually stimulate hoof growth also. It's worked for me where kick chains did not. It's better than a foot going through something. Good luck.

 

[Alan]

i would work on her problem in the stall or simply cross tied. Take an old horse shoe and bend it to where it will just slip around the ankle. Let it ride around the top of her hoof and just let her wear it. do this on all four feet if she paws or kicks. She will soon learn there is a certain amount of discomfort in the shoe stricking either from kicking or pawing. It will actually stimulate hoof growth also. It's worked for me where kick chains did not. It's better than a foot going through something. Good luck.

Good thought, I'll look into this, how do you get the horse shoe on and off?

Alan

 

[Old Dog/New Tricks]

I though I made a Post to this, this AM. But I'll try again… Your Right – this is not the place to use Standard Hobbles! There are some things I will just not put-up with - - This is one of those things. That baby would go down the road or do it "My way or the humane way" some will say "My Way or the Right Way! I'll try every thing I can think of – If that a "no workiee" THEN…

First have you tried "Breeding Hobbles" – if you know how they work a horse can not kick if they are adjusted correct yet a horse can walk in them.

These should work in the trailer and box stall - -

If that sill does not work well - -
In the Trailer there are ways to MAKE a horse keep all four feet on the trailed Floor :!:

I drop that there except to say
Sign a release and send'm to me - - I'll return 'M whole or in a can
Not that bad but :!:

 

[rc]

You simply slide the shoe over the narrow part of the ankle and let it rest on the top of the hoof. When you bend the shoe, bend it enough to make it tight to get around the ankle but to stay on the top of the foot and slip up and down when the horse kicks or paws.

 

[hayray]

It is a pathologic problem, like swaying, cribbing, tounge problems and so forth, so probably your only options are to avoid situations were she would be enticed to kick, such as if you are bringing her in go ahead and place her in a tie stall rather than a box stall, in a trailer just put a barrier up were she cannot hurt the trailer. You really want to avoid putting here in situations were she will kick the stall because eventually they will develope hock curbs and other problems from it.

Ray

 

[Old Dog/New Tricks]

You simply slide the shoe over the narrow part of the ankle and let it rest on the top of the hoof. When you bend the shoe, bend it enough to make it tight to get around the ankle but to stay on the top of the foot and slip up and down when the horse kicks or paws.

Say WHAT????

What Shoe?
Ankle?
Bend It?
What are you talking about? Dose anyone know? I'm Lost!

 

[rc]

old dog, go back to my first post in this thread. That's where I explain how to bend (tighten the bars)an old horse shoe and let the horse wear it around the ankle. Sounds like your open to new tricks...........try it.

 

[gabz]

I agree with ray ... that it's a physiological problem.
First issue is to find out why she kicks. Is she in pain? Is she impatient? Does she dislike confinement?

What's the filly being fed? Lots of grain or lots of forage? Does she have companionship? how does she react to other horses? Can she be fed outside rather than inside? (nothing to kick when waiting to be fed)

At a farm I was at once, 3/4" rubber stall mats were hung in the stall of a confirmed kicker (was a mare too). The mats were hung about 4'4" from the floor - horizontally. You can either cut holes in the mat and use chains to hang them or use super large lag bolts and giant washers to attach to the walls. Leave the bottom edge loose.

Had a friend's mare that I had trailered many times before. In a 2H straight load (with my gelding and a different gelding) and in a 3H slant. In the slant, she had always been by herself. One time my friend and I were heading for a weekend of camping and riding, so I loaded her mare into the middle stall and closed the divider. Then I lead my QH gelding in (who she has been pastured with once in a while) and she freaked out - starting kicking the bejeepers out of my trailer. I don't know who got out faster, the gelding or me

Tried again. She was worse. She started squatting and peeing and flinging urine on the ceiling (7'4" trailer, horse was less than 15hands), on me, all the walls, etc. NASTY. Got her out and turned both horses out in the round pen. The 2 horses ignored each other. Tried loading her again. Worse than the 2nd time and the gelding wasn't anywhere near the trailer!Apparently, this mare had been bred before and being an arab must have been put in breeding stocks. We think it was the combination of the 2 dividers (like the stocks), her being in season, and who knows what else.

Took her out. Washed the inside of the trailer (because now, my gelding was telling me there was NO way he was going in there...). Loaded my gelding 2 times and let him chill out in there with a few treats and some hay. Unloaded him and turned him back out on pasture.

I then loaded the mare and took off right away. When she started kicking, I either slammed on the brakes or turned sharply (GN trailer) to knock her around just enough to make her stand still. She settled down after 3 tries at kicking. Drove her 30 minutes home.

This is where a shock collar and being hidden can help. the instant the horse kicks, ZAP.

 

[Alan]

I then loaded the mare and took off right away. When she started kicking, I either slammed on the brakes or turned sharply (GN trailer) to knock her around just enough to make her stand still. She settled down after 3 tries at kicking. Drove her 30 minutes home.

This is where a shock collar and being hidden can help. the instant the horse kicks, ZAP.

She is impatient, just her way, I would dump her but as bad as she is on the ground, she is so rock solid under saddle, great trail horse.

I have tried the ride from hell method but didn't work, I have thought about the shock collar.... but. I like the rubber mat hung for the stall might try that. But over all It's somthing I'll have to live with.

Thanks,
Alan

 

[flaboy-]

Alan, as you know I am dealing with my kicking problem right now but I will offer this. I would test her to see if I can make her kick while standing tied. I would take my golf shaft and rub her on the back legs and heals to see if she will kick at it. I would rub it up under her flanks to see if she would kick or even raise a hoof. If she does, rap her on the lower leg somewhere and repeat. She should NEVER kick when you are around her for any reason. Even if you are touching her with something she is not accustomed to. If she will not kick during any of this then like someone said maybe an electric dog collar and put her back in the trailer.

 

[Alan]

She's not that type of kicker, she has never offered to kick my or anyone else, for that matter she has never, that I have seen, tried to kick another horse. She is just very impatient, I start feeding and she will kick the wall, time to turn out...kick, have to stand in the trailer...kick. On the ground she is what I call a "busy" horse, always moving, curious about everything, nose is always in the way. But she is not one that I worry about kicking me in the cross ties... just my stall walls. Under saddle she's great, I guess she has plenty to do and we are going somewhere. When I first get on I have to move her feet a bit to get her to stand still, I mean we go in tight circles or back up, unless there is a good uphill grade I can make her climb and take my big belly up it. 100 yards of steep hill = well mannered horse on the trail.

Alan

 

[flaboy-]

Have you tried OT's overhead tie? Maybe she just needs to learn some patience and being still.

 

[gabz]

Alan -
I hear what you're saying. Well. The stall mats on the walls might be an investment at first, but believe me, they will pay for themselves in the long run as you won't have busted walls or legs through walls, and you'll have a quieter barn.

In the trailer - you can add some thick rubber or plywood to the walls that she kicks.

The "ankle bracelet" (using horse shoes) is another good idea. It might rub her hair a little bit, but it might stop her.

There's a book by Western Horseman, written by Randy Steffens, titled "Horsemans Scrapbook" ... quite dated - but it's got some great ideas for all sorts of things around the farm and horses in it. Costs about $25 or so.

 

[Old Dog/New Tricks]

i would work on her problem in the stall or simply cross tied. Take an old horse shoe and bend it to where it will just slip around the ankle. Let it ride around the top of her hoof and just let her wear it. do this on all four feet if she paws or kicks. She will soon learn there is a certain amount of discomfort in the shoe stricking either from kicking or pawing. It will actually stimulate hoof growth also. It's worked for me where kick chains did not. It's better than a foot going through something. Good luck.

I like you idea but how do ride the horse - How do you take them off - -

If I read you right a short piece of chain with a snap from shoe heel to shoe heel should let you take them off and on!

Now I worry about "Ring Bone" :!:

An old timer friend took in a horse that would kick every time you touched him on the rump.

This old timer but him in a tie stall - hung a bale of hay form the roof so it just touch the horse on the rump - - when Mr. Touchy kicked the hay bale it would swimg out about 20' and come back to knock Mr. Touchy in the manger.

A day or two of that and he wasn't Mr. Touchy any more :!:

 

[rc]

Hello Old dog, You just simply slide them back up to the narrow part of the ankle and slip them off when you want to ride, slip them back on when you are through. I know a picture would explain better but my skills are kinda limited there. It just slips on kinda like a braclet. Sorry I am not better at explaining.

 

[Old Dog/New Tricks]

Ok I got it - - I was thinking I'd half ta cut them off :shock: