Over night stall

[Junkman]

Hello. I stall my horses over night, been doing it since last year when I got them. Now all of a sudden the last couple of nights my mare will not come in the barn at night, when I do finally get her in the barn she will not go in the stall, almost seems as if she is spooked for some reason, I have to corner her and push her butt sideways so I dont get kicked , then get hold of her halter, then she will go in the stall. I have no idea what is going on with her.
Any ideas would be appreciated

Thanks Jack

 

[Bluebell2]

Could there be some kind of varmint around at night spooking her?

 

[Junkman]

Could there be some kind of varmint around at night spooking her?

My gelding and the goats seem to be ok, just my 3 YO Mare, what I have noticed, recently that t by e barn swallows are nesting in the barn.

 

[Cayuse]

If there is a crawl space under the floorboards in the stall, check it out for varmints living under there. Could be something like a skunk or raccoon with babies hanging out there.

 

[Junkman]

If there is a crawl space under the floorboards in the stall, check it out for varmints living under there. Could be something like a skunk or raccoon with babies hanging out there.

No crawl space , just a dirt floor with sawdust a couple inches thick.
I was wondering if a snake got in.
The barn gets closed up at night.

 

[Cayuse]

I never thought of snakes .

Is she stalled alone or does she share a stall with the gelding and goats? If they share, maybe she is getting pushed around a bit and the herd hierarchy is changing?

 

[Junkman]

I never thought of snakes .

Is she stalled alone or does she share a stall with the gelding and goats? If they share, maybe she is getting pushed around a bit and the herd hierarchy is changing?

She is in her own stall with a gate on it

 

[Junkman]

This is her stall, and his is across from hers, they are in the middle were the goats run around.

 

[LostandFound]

Could also be that with the grass coming in she doesn't want to go inside. Unless she acts scared after she is in, that would be my first guess.

 

[Junkman]

Could also be that with the grass coming in she doesn't want to go inside. Unless she acts scared after she is in, that would be my first guess.

It seems she is spooked to go in her stall

 

[LostandFound]

I understand that. All mine suddenly get terrified of the barn when grass starts coming in. Do you give her grain in her stall?

 

[Junkman]

I understand that. All mine suddenly get terrified of the barn when grass starts coming in. Do you give her grain in her stall?

In the morning I give her a 1/2 cup of grain so I can give them their dac orange minerials and acti flex.
I used to give them a cup in the morning and a cup in the evening, untill our vet told me to stop the grain.

 

[Junkman]

When I was giving them grain st night, she did go right in her stall, now that she's not getting any grain at night she doesn't go in. Hmmm might be something to that, but they could stand to lose a little weight

 

[LostandFound]

Easy solution, just give them the morning feed at night instead. My guess is that she will no longer be spooked within a couple days.

 

[Junkman]

Easy solution, just give them the morning feed at night instead. My guess is that she will no longer be spooked within a couple days.

I am going to give it a try,
Thank you all
for helping me try and figure out what is wrong

 

[Debbie]

Whenever I call my horses in, full size or mini, I have always put something in their grain bucket/tub...If it is not feeding time, I'll put a treat,, or a few pellets of feed in. They know something is always there when they come in and I never have an issue getting them into their stalls.. I have done this for 30 years and I have never had a horse that would not come to the barn when I whistle for them. Most often as quickly as they can get there.....

 

[Junkman]

Whenever I call my horses in, full size or mini, I have always put something in their grain bucket/tub...If it is not feeding time, I'll put a treat,, or a few pellets of feed in. They know something is always there when they come in and I never have an issue getting them into their stalls.. I have done this for 30 years and I have never had a horse that would not come to the barn when I whistle for them. Most often as quickly as they can get there.....

In the past I would whistle and they would come running, now I have to go get them, I will be putting some grain in their bucket tonite,

 

[madmax]

I use a tin can to scoop the pellets, and when they hear those pellets rattle loudly in the can they know what is coming. It only has to be a few pellets and not their regular meal just to get her attention, the sound then of putting them in her feed bucket should work. Pretty horses!
























1.

 

[Junkman]

I use a tin can to scoop the pellets, and when they hear those pellets rattle loudly in the can they know what is coming. It only has to be a few pellets and not their regular meal just to get her attention, the sound then of putting them in her feed bucket should work. Pretty horses!
























1.

Thank you

 

[Junkman]

I put some grain in the mini's stall and she went right in, without giving me a fight .