Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
STALL KICKING
Few vices can be as destructive to both the horse and the facilities as stall kicking. In some
cases the horse stands with his hindquarters near a wall and rhythmically thumps the wall
with one hind foot while his head bobs in a reciprocating motion. Other horses let fly with
both hinds at once in an explosive burst. This type of kicker can wipe out a stall wall in a
single kicking bout, to say nothing of the damage that can be done to his lower hind legs.
Capped hocks and curbs are often associated with chronic stall kickers.
Insufficient exercise, excess feed, and unsuitable or constantly changing neighbors can
cause stall kicking. The vice can be contagious, but it is not always an act of aggression
toward another horse. It can be a response to training pressures or confinement, or it can
be a game. Neighboring horses might be caught up in the game, or they might interpret the
action as threatening and respond with a defensive kick.
Some horses have learned that stall kicking is a great way to get attention and feed. The
kicking noise brings a human to the stall, often with a diversionary flake of hay. This gives
the horse what he wants and rewards him for the kicking behavior.
If stall kicking is due to boredom or confinement, additional work or turnout time usually
helps. If the kicking is due to a particular neighbor, simply shifting the horse's location in
the barn might do the trick.
If management has been evaluated and modified and the vice still remains, you could try
butt boards. These are horizontal boards set on edge around the inside of the stall at rump
height to prevent the horse from getting close enough to the wall to kick, or set at hock
height so the horse will punish himself if he does try to kick.
Before implementing any remedial methods to cure a vice, first be sure that a horse receives
adequate work and exercise and appropriate feed and has reasonable neighbors.
