Won't come in barn

[theprancingpony]

i recently bought my arab mare from a lady who trained her at her small home barn, where there were about six other horses. they got daily turn out and were brought into their stalls at night. at my house her stall has a door to the outside, and she can come and go as she pleases. of course, she prefers to stay outside as much as possible because she's a horse. but at night when i feed her i usually make it known that she has feed in her bucket and sometimes she comes in on her own, but only after quite a while of her just standing at the door. she also will not let me lead her in with a lead rope (plants her feet and all), but if i lead her through the barn door and then into her stall she's calm as can be.

maybe part of it is just because she's new to this idea, or perhaps she associates it with being closed in for the night. but i want to be able to bring her in when i need to, to ride or clean her off for the vet or something.

any suggestions? i could settle for bringing her in through the barn, but it would be more convenient if i could get her to come in when i asked through her door.

:confused:

[iluvmyhorse]

hiya
Try tempting her with apples or carrots in a bucket my horse used to stand at da bottom of da field and den wen i was just goin 2 grab da lead rope he would turn and run off but one day i had a metal bucket with some carrots in and i shooke it and well now he stands by the gate at like 4.00 ish cos that is wen i bring him in lol
tempation is funy lol
bryony XxX
p.s gd lookXxX

[theprancingpony]

i did, and she'll reach as far as she can but won't budge. at night she knows there's grain in her bucket, i make sure she can hear it.

[jumper_268]

haha a smack on the bum usually works

[HunterDreams]

Well, she's probably unsure. I know a horse that won't go into his stall unless you walk beside him and close to him. Try getting a dressage whip and walking right beside her shoulder, if she refuses to go in give her a little tap, and then wait. Give her a chance to process the information. If she still doesn't respond you can give her another tap, a bit harder. So on..

I don't really know the situation so I can't give you very good advice..

Don't forget that if she goes in once to not just leave it, keep doing it and rewarding her for going in without a fuss. Keep at it and don't give up.

Goodluck =]

[musiccraze777]

Just a suggestion...talking soothingly while trying to lead her in might help a bit. I don't really know about that though.

And listen to everybody else to. The talking thing is kinda like fries, I think. It may make her more eager to get the hamburger (a different tactic), but I don't think talking alone is going to help a lot if she's new.

But if she knew you better and loved you, it would.

[HorseDayz11]

Really just stay close to her and walk beside her if she refuses to budge, get in front of her and back her up. This is basically like trailer thing. Make her work outside of the barn until she listens to you. You do not move in lunge, except in circles, when you yeild her hindquarters to bring her in stand still and urge her into you by easily pulling the lead. Put one hand in front of you and when she reaches out to touch her nose in your hand, you suceeded. Then try to walk her in again, staying beside her. Make her see that the barn is where she is safe to rest and eat.

I hope that works. My horse is barn sour, so going into the barn was never a problem. Haha. Talking is also another fabulous way.

[StarGirl]

I would suggest leaving her feed bucket where she stops and won't budge, as you said (the 1st night). Then the next night, have it further away but just a little bit so she has to step into the stall....move it further and further every night until she's eating at the regular place...

A different tactic, but it may work...

[mhoney05]

hit her on the bum with a lead rope. not hard just alittle pat. they usually respond to tthat or have someone behind you with a lunge whip or have someone behind you just swinging a lead rope

[silverleprichuan]

It sounds like disobedience not fear. She needs to learn that on a leadrope she follow you without resistance no matter what.

[musiccraze777]

It sounds like disobedience not fear. She needs to learn that on a leadrope she follow you without resistance no matter what.

I don't want to sound rude, but when I saw this, I looked at the first entry and agree with silver. I mean, she was calm when she got in the stall...if she was so calm, if you didn't have to pet her or whatever to make her stop being scared, yeah, does sound like that.

I hate saying that about horses though...hehe. but it kinda makes me think of when Mrs. Rowling was testing to see how far Addie would follow me. She never tested me before this time. Anyway, she told me to lead Addie in the ring and see if she would follow me, and she did, perfectly. Then she told me to lunge her, and I did. Then she told me to lead her on a plastic thing (which I'd avoided when I led her around the ring), and she resisted. She really was scared. I mean, she followed me everywhere else easily. Then, bam, plastic, and not anymore.

But yeah, once, she stepped on my toe, and I didn't think and kinda lifted her off and she still obeys me. And I thought that would screw her trust up because she doesn't trust humans well due to being abused in the past. So boy was I happy she didn't get mad for that.

[bethfornow]

If she has been abused in the past then I woulden't try to bully her into the barn. With a horse in normal circumstances I would say make her listen even if she didn't want to but it sounds like she could use a friend. I might choose to gain her trust and put up with a lil bad behavior for a while untill she knows you love and are not going to beat her even if she misbehaves sometimes.

But then you have to decide at what point babying to gain trust is too much babying and you are spoiling her.

[DixieGirl]

Maybe you should catch her in halter and lead rope and just bring her in all the time. Show her everything and maybe she won't be scared.

[RODEOBABE4]

join up with her.

it workks