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Guillermo Camps Tiffon
Guillermo Camps Tiffon - Spain
Q: I recently bought a 13.1hh pony who is super, but a terrible door kicker. I’ve put thick rubber on his door, but now he kicks the door frame. He starts very early in the morning and I’m worried about him damaging his feet or legs. I am also concerned that he is disturbing the neighbours. I don’t want to give him a big haynet, as I am trying to control his weight. What can I do?
This is such an annoying habit! He has learnt that making a noise at a regular time will summon you to pay attention to him.
Is it possible to do without a door and allow him to move freely in and out of his stable? This may be the easiest way around this problem.
Or, if that won’t work, I have had some success with a radio on a timer near the stable, so that the horse or pony hears music and chat, and thinks that someone is around and paying him attention.
You can start setting it for a time before he would normally start kicking, and gradually set the time for later. This will also teach him that he gets attention when you decide, rather than when he demands it.
It is wise to keep control of his weight. To keep him occupied for longer, you can try adding some good quality barley straw to his haynet. This takes quite a lot of time to eat and is very low calorie.
Q: I recently bought a 13.1hh pony who is super, but a terrible door kicker. I’ve put thick rubber on his door, but now he kicks the door frame. He starts very early in the morning and I’m worried about him damaging his feet or legs. I am also concerned that he is disturbing the neighbours. I don’t want to give him a big haynet, as I am trying to control his weight. What can I do?
This is such an annoying habit! He has learnt that making a noise at a regular time will summon you to pay attention to him.
Is it possible to do without a door and allow him to move freely in and out of his stable? This may be the easiest way around this problem.
Or, if that won’t work, I have had some success with a radio on a timer near the stable, so that the horse or pony hears music and chat, and thinks that someone is around and paying him attention.
You can start setting it for a time before he would normally start kicking, and gradually set the time for later. This will also teach him that he gets attention when you decide, rather than when he demands it.
It is wise to keep control of his weight. To keep him occupied for longer, you can try adding some good quality barley straw to his haynet. This takes quite a lot of time to eat and is very low calorie.
