Bad Behavior in Stall?

[3chestnuts]

Hi everyone,

I have a 5 year old Arab who just (a week ago) came off a two month stall rest for a laceration he received on his leg. While he was on stall rest, I had to clean it daily - in order to keep him busy and have him stand quietly so I could take care of the wound, I threw him a flake of hay.

The issue is now whenever I am in his stall he expects me to give him hay. He’s fine for the first five minutes or so (I brush him in his stall), but he gets increasingly agitated and will toss his head, paw the ground and/or rear (not a full-blown Black Stallion rear, more of a “levade”). When he does this I growl a “NO!”, and leave him.

He is otherwise very well mannered. He does not invade my space, and will move over, back up, and stand when asked.

Is this this something that he’ll eventually get over? Or am I looking at a growing issue here?

Thank you for any input!

[FineAlready]

My advice is to not leave him when he gets that way. When my sometimes-stall-aggressive horse gets like this, I chase him to the back of the stall and “hold” him there (i.e., I’m not touching him, but I won’t let him off of that wall…every time he tries to move, I chase him back there) for a while until he puts his head down and is chewing/acting more respectful. Then I “release” him from the wall and he is permitted to go back to standing nicely while I groom him or whatever.

The other alternative is to groom him while holding him on the end of a leadrope or shank. That helps with my horse. Or, just take him out of the stall for grooming.

[JackieBlue]

Rather than corner them and keep them still when they misbehave in the stall, I prefer to make them move. I “longe” them around me, so they’re moving, but I’m not. It may require carrying a dressage whip into the stall, depending on how sensitive the horse is, but if he’s agitated and has pent up energy (hence the expressed frustration), moving a bit, on your terms, will help to allow relaxation, while also instilling that you are in control even in the stall. As soon as he begins to show even the most minor agitation send him off on a little walk around the stall while you stand in the center. When you’re ready, allow him to stop and resume grooming. If he begins to act unsettled, even the least bit, another walk. And so on. Before you know it, he’ll stand beautifully.

[Dr_Doolittle]

[QUOTE=JackieBlue;7471703]
Rather than corner them and keep them still when they misbehave in the stall, I prefer to make them move. I “longe” them around me, so they’re moving, but I’m not. It may require carrying a dressage whip into the stall, depending on how sensitive the horse is, but if he’s agitated and has pent up energy (hence the expressed frustration), moving a bit, on your terms, will help to allow relaxation, while also instilling that you are in control even in the stall. As soon as he begins to show even the most minor agitation send him off on a little walk around the stall while you stand in the center. When you’re ready, allow him to stop and resume grooming. If he begins to act unsettled, even the least bit, another walk. And so on. Before you know it, he’ll stand beautifully.[/QUOTE]

This ^^ :yes:

Use the stall as a small round pen, just to get the feet moving (and the butt turned away) until the horse acknowledges that “the leader” is in the stall and has the right to “move him” wherever and whenever she wants to. If the horse wants the pressure to come off, he needs to move away immediately when “cued”, and when you stop “sending”, to face you with head down and a soft expression, then as a reward, get invited into your space for a calm face rub, praise, grooming, etc.

[3chestnuts]

Thank you for your thoughtful replies! I appreciate the input - I look forward to working with him tonight