Boarders horse pawing at night

[anjie218]

@findeight

Random thoughts…

Actually weigh the hay, you can get a fishermans scale pretty cheap anywhere they sell fishing gear. Bale size is determined by the machine baling it, not weight. 50lb bale can weight between 40 and 60 pounds, split that into 8-10 flakes and 3 flakes could be way short or wasting money over. Bad way to evaluate feed quantity.

IME, “hay belly” doesn’t mean “fat”. Can mean quite the opposite.

What else do you feed or are any concentrates ( grain, ration balancer, etc.) up to the owner? He could be short on protein for his work level and actually malnourished and that can easily occur in those apparently at good weight-or even obese.

ANY gelding can react to a mare in full spring heat, so can other mares…,they get the whole barn stirred up.

Id review this horses’ total diet with the owner based on the weight of the food and his actual, nutritional needs based on work level.

And hang the dam feed net.

If he’s on the spoiled side, it won’t solve everything but you’ll sleep better.

He gets 6 pounds of Tribute Kalm N EZ a day.

The hay we grow ourselves, and we did get a scale and weigh the bales. 2nd cutting is very close to 50# a bale. The 1st is lighter so I do give more when we feed that, but I usually only feed 1st cutting in the warmer months. 3rd cutting is very heavy, roughly 60# a bale.

The hay is a mixture
23% orchard grass
20% timothy
19 Tall fescue
12% vernal alfalfa
12% Medium Red clover
3% ladino Clover

Right now he’s on 2nd cutting, so a little more clover in it right now than the 1st cutting.

[MCF1991]

I didn’t read the whole thread, but to stop him from hurting himself in the stall and allow you to sleep…simply get the stall kick pads. We had these while travelling the circuit and they are super easy to install and move around. This website may or not be the best brand. We got ours at a vendor at WEF and I can’t remember the name, but someone here might know.
http://www.jumpswest.com/barn_padding.php

[danacat]

@anjie218

Bites, kicks you while blanketing, or even if you just walk past him in the cross ties he will kick. He will lunge out at people walking past him (thats why his gate is never left open)

Since no one is in the barn at night (to get bit or kicked) you could still hang the net outside his stall until morning – then take it down. ???

[anjie218]

@danacat

Since no one is in the barn at night (to get bit or kicked) you could still hang the net outside his stall until morning – then take it down. ???

No because he knows how to itch on his stall door and the stall door can pop open. Also I don’t trust him to nose contact and not get grumpy with a horse next to him. Would rather keep it shut for safety

[beowulf]

@anjie218

No because he knows how to itch on his stall door and the stall door can pop open. Also I don’t trust him to nose contact and not get grumpy with a horse next to him. Would rather keep it shut for safety

The more you post on this thread, the more I think for the sake of YOU, you need to ask the boarder to leave. It’s obvious you don’t like the horse, or trust him, and even from text I can get a vibe of resentment for this guy. If you don’t want to pursue avenues on WHY this horse is acting out, then maybe he is not the right fit for your barn. JMHO.

[anjie218]

@MCF1991

I didn’t read the whole thread, but to stop him from hurting himself in the stall and allow you to sleep…simply get the stall kick pads. We had these while travelling the circuit and they are super easy to install and move around. This website may or not be the best brand. We got ours at a vendor at WEF and I can’t remember the name, but someone here might know.
http://www.jumpswest.com/barn_padding.php

Love these! Just expensive!

4’ (h) x 12’ (w)- 2" thick for 18 oz. pad (black)

$565 each

Would need 3 of those + the front of the stall. Only problem is I couldn’t cover the door because it slides open.

[Larbear]

@anjie218

Hes only inside his stall if its raining that day. So thats when hes tied. And hes brought in around 7pm if they have been outside.

Wait, so if he’s in the for the day because of weather, he’s tied all day?

[findeight]

@Larbear

Wait, so if he’s in the for the day because of weather, he’s tied all day?

No, I read only tied in certain circumstances to stop excessive pawing during chores. Not all day…and it works.

[MCF1991]

@anjie218

Love these! Just expensive!

4’ (h) x 12’ (w)- 2" thick for 18 oz. pad (black)

$565 each

Would need 3 of those + the front of the stall. Only problem is I couldn’t cover the door because it slides open.

You can cover the door. We had the door covered and it hooks to a screw eye with a double end snap and when you open the door just unsnap the front pad and move it aside to come in and out. Trust me this will work amazing for you. Have the boarder buy them. Tell them that you need to get them in order to protect your barn and they will protect her horse as well. Try searching google for other prices on similar products. This is just the first one that came up. Ask around and I guarantee you will find good deals.

[MCF1991]

Here is the website of the vendor we used in FL! Dandy Products! You can see the different options they have and different sizes.
http://dandyproducts.net/veterinary-padding-.html

[anjie218]

@Larbear

Wait, so if he’s in the for the day because of weather, he’s tied all day?

No hes not tied all day. Hes only tied if he paws and I go out there after work. And I’m usually out there riding or cleaning stalls, so I don’t leave him unattended.

[MCF1991]

@MCF1991

Here is the website of the vendor we used in FL! Dandy Products! You can see the different options they have and different sizes.
http://dandyproducts.net/veterinary-padding-.html

The kickpads are under “veterinary pads”

[Heinz_57]

Does the owner know you frequently tie him up for an hour or two plus? I would not be OK with that as a HO. This sounds like the kind of horse that could easily injure himself if left tied up and unattended (ETA: by unattended I mean literally having eyes on him the entire time, not just being “around”).

If the hay net doesn’t work, and you have other horses that are out at night so he won’t be alone, maybe offer her the options of either 24/7 living out or finding another barn? If it were my horse, honestly I’d cut the grain altogether and give him enough hay to keep him occupied 24/7. But as a BO, you can’t really tell the HO what to do, besides just kicking her out.

[danacat]

Does this horse have a favorite buddy he’s turned out with – someone he really gets along with? If so, you could put this buddy in stall beside him – put pawer in an end stall – hang hay net outside stall between him and buddy (as a sort of divider between them to prevent friendly nosing that could escalate) … and hopefully all will be well at night.

I only suggest this because it can be frustrating for certain horses to have their stalls closed up – only able to see the horse across the aisle. Lack of visual stimulation just isn’t great for some horses.

[keysfins]

@Angela Freda

Easy answer…
http://www.thinaircanvas.com/nibblen…lenetframe.htm

I was skeptical but these things are GREAT. We used one with a horse on layup. Once you get the hang of refilling it, it really is a great hay bag…

I agree, and have several. They are durable, and the webbing is much tougher than a slow-feeder net. The real NibbleNet is superior to the cheaper knock-offs, IME. And you can order one bag that has different hole sizes each side.

[Gainer]

@beowulf

The more you post on this thread, the more I think for the sake of YOU, you need to ask the boarder to leave. It’s obvious you don’t like the horse, or trust him, and even from text I can get a vibe of resentment for this guy. If you don’t want to pursue avenues on WHY this horse is acting out, then maybe he is not the right fit for your barn. JMHO.

I agree with Beowulf. I think you should ask the boarder to leave. You don’t seem to want to make any changes for the horse, and spoiled or not, something needs to happen. It’s not fair to the horse to live like this.

[anjie218]

@Gainer

I agree with Beowulf. I think you should ask the boarder to leave. You don’t seem to want to make any changes for the horse, and spoiled or not, something needs to happen. It’s not fair to the horse to live like this.

What makes you think i’m not making any changes? Shes ordered a hay net… we are changing that to start with.

[anjie218]

@danacat

Does this horse have a favorite buddy he’s turned out with – someone he really gets along with? If so, you could put this buddy in stall beside him – put pawer in an end stall – hang hay net outside stall between him and buddy (as a sort of divider between them to prevent friendly nosing that could escalate) … and hopefully all will be well at night.

I only suggest this because it can be frustrating for certain horses to have their stalls closed up – only able to see the horse across the aisle. Lack of visual stimulation just isn’t great for some horses.

He has a window that he can even look outside with. And his stall has bars on the front of it, solid walls on the side. We’ve never put him outside with anyone because he has back shoes on and from what he’s demonstrated in the cross ties with other horses I would be very scared that another horse would get hurt. All the other horses at my barn go out with someone usually, besides him.

[danacat]

@anjie218

We’ve never put him outside with anyone… .

Kinda’ sad really – that owner keeps him in hind shoes (for a reason I imagine) and as a result he can’t be turned out to run, buck and play with buddies, satisfy the herd instinct. Past the point of no return now – a ‘bad actor’ destined to be alone – no real contact with other horses.

I’m not judging you – OP – just wondering why and how some horses end up in such socially impoverished situations that seemingly can’t be undone because I’m sure no other horse owner in your barn would want to use their gelding as a guinnea pig – just to see how this horse would truly behave in turn-out – minus hind shoes.

[MyKindaFlower]

Hi OP,

I tend to agree with others - this horse just seems like a really bad fit for your barn’s setup. It sounds as though the other horses in your care do fine with your program but this guy just doesn’t. That isn’t a knock against you and it isn’t a knock against the horse. I’m not sure how friendly you are with the horse’s owner, but you might both be much happier if she moved her horse to another barn.

If this horse were mine, I really would cut his grain and increase his hay. Even if he had been scoped recently (and it sounds like it’s been at least 9 months or so?), I would probably treat for ulcers and/or want to make sure that there weren’t other medical reasons for his irritability (PSSM, Lyme, etc.).

For what it’s worth, I use slow feed nets - even for my horse with shoes and have had no issues with them. My preferred brand is Nibble Net and I use them in the stalls and in the paddocks because that way the horses have hay available all the time and the hay doesn’t get wasted.

Best of luck to you, the boarder, and her horse, OP!