may be battling boredom. Provide a companion or let it out into a field.
There is something disturbing about any animal sitting and rocking to console itself. Images of an abandoned child sitting in a cot come to mind. Weaving is when a horse rocks from side to side from one front foot to the other, as it looks over the door or, even worse, at a wall. Weight loss and tiredness normally result from this habit. The horse doesn’t rest as much as it should and thus loses its edge. It’s common that some horses weave so violently that they break out in a sweat. T he severe weaver rubs its chest raw against the door and tears the front of its rugs. There is normally a better than good chance that the weaver will teach his neighbors the same stable vice. The unnecessary exercise causes loss in condition and a grumpy horse. Fulfil your horse’s needs H orses have simple needs – food, water and friends.
Weaving is generally caused by boredom, depression or even solitude. The horse that is left in its stable for long periods at a time will think up all sorts of things to keep itself amused or ease its mental anguish. You’ll be surprised at what a bored horse will think up. In the wild there are no vices – horses don’t weave, wind suck or even walk in circles. These are all directly linked to the confines of a stable. he easiest way to prevent weaving is to find its cause. If it’s rooted in boredom, it can be remedied by making sure that the horse is occupied all day. It can help to feed carrots and apples to it, to break the amount of time it spends alone. Fill a hay net and make sure the horse always has something to nibble on. Playing soothing music to stabled horses helps, and a toy helps to amuse them. Take the horse out on a lead rein for a short walk and a nibble on some green grass. I f the problem is loneliness, you can provide a companion. Most of these horses respond well to any animal, even a chicken or budgie.
Stable a friend next to the horse that weaves. Ideally, they should be able to touch one another. If you have no option but to keep the horse inside due to illness, find ways to keep it company. Make sure the stable has windows all around so the horse doesn’t feel isolated. f, however, there’s no real reason to have the horse stabled, put it in a paddock. We tend to confuse our human emotions with those of animals. We don’t like to stand in the rain, but in fact most horses will enjoy it. A simple field shelter can provide enough shelter from hail, etc. special V-shaped grid is attached to the front of the door. This lets the horse’s head fit through comfortably to have a look around. However, the determined weaver will weave regardless of what you put up or put in the stable. – Kim Dyson (082 888 6511). |fw
