# My horse is sitting on gates and fencelines.



## Thrill Ride (Feb 18, 2013)

1) I really love your video camera. It looks really cool. Sorry had to say that.

2) Fence must not be strong enough. I would go around to make sure nothing is touching the electric wire ex. grass, twigs, etc... Double check your wiring on your fencer. Is it a low fencer anyways? We have a pretty powerful fencer, you touch ours and you will jump like you are a kangaroo. 

Thats the only thing I can suggest to get her off the fence.


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Thrill Ride said:


> 1) I really love your video camera. It looks really cool. Sorry had to say that.
> 
> 2) Fence must not be strong enough. I would go around to make sure nothing is touching the electric wire ex. grass, twigs, etc... Double check your wiring on your fencer. Is it a low fencer anyways? We have a pretty powerful fencer, you touch ours and you will jump like you are a kangaroo.
> 
> Thats the only thing I can suggest to get her off the fence.


My video camera? Like, the camera I took that video with? It was just taken with my uber crappy video on my phone. The quality is terrible LOL (if you fullscreen it you'll see. Unless you were being sarcastic and I'm just dense, of course.)

And I did, I made sure it wasn't grounded or anything - but It's not my facility. she's boarded, so I really can't make any kind of changes. I'm not sure the kind of fencing, or what a fencer is. 

I also can't sit there all day every day chasing her away from the fence - I have a job and an internship both, so my time to see her is limited.


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## mollymay (Feb 20, 2013)

I have never seen anything like that ha ha it's quite funny. I would ask the BO about electric fencing or see if she has any worries about her doing this.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

She's in heat.


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> She's in heat.


But why would this make her want to sit on the gates and fences? The butt rubbing I could maybe see, maybe. But she's never done this before, even last summer when she was at the same stable.


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## Thrill Ride (Feb 18, 2013)

Oh I see!

I actually do love your video camera! Not being sarcastic.


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

That's hilarious. At one point she looks at you like um, could I have some privacy here?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Janna (Apr 19, 2012)

Looks to me like she has a itchy butt


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Thrill Ride said:


> Oh I see!
> 
> I actually do love your video camera! Not being sarcastic.


Out of curiosity - What is it that you like? No way it can be the quality LOL - I'm pretty sure I can count the pixels in the video, there are so few!


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Shoebox said:


> But why would this make her want to sit on the gates and fences? The butt rubbing I could maybe see, maybe. But she's never done this before, even last summer when she was at the same stable.



I agree she's in heat.....

Because if she leaned on another horse it would kick her!!:lol:

Be careful she doesn't sit on you......they've been known to do it and I've had my arm trapped by a mare like this. All I can suggest is some hot wire:-(


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Muppetgirl said:


> I agree she's in heat.....
> 
> Because if she leaned on another horse it would kick her!!:lol:
> 
> Be careful she doesn't sit on you......they've been known to do it and I've had my arm trapped by a mare like this. All I can suggest is some hot wire:-(


Of ALLLL The things she could rest her big one ton butt on, she's choosing the FENCE? The thin wires that aren't going to support her at ALL? Not the many trees, not the shelter, not the shed.... The wire fence. 

She's never tried sitting or leaning on me - she knows better and would get that big booty handed to her on a platter if she was going to even THINK about it. She'd smush me, so that's a no no. Heck - I've never seen her try to sit of lean on anything whatsoever.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Shoebox said:


> Of ALLLL The things she could rest her big one ton butt on, she's choosing the FENCE? The thin wires that aren't going to support her at ALL? Not the many trees, not the shelter, not the shed.... The wire fence.
> 
> She's never tried sitting or leaning on me - she knows better and would get that big booty handed to her on a platter if she was going to even THINK about it. She'd smush me, so that's a no no. Heck - I've never seen her try to sit of lean on anything whatsoever.



Be careful, when they're in season like that even the best trained mare can turn into a big ole hussy and forget all that's good and all of a sudden just drop on you! I've seen it!

A couple of mares at the track that were really bad got stitched up and I would wrap their tails at night because they would rub the dock raw on whatever they could find.

Also, just through my own observations, rubbing and leaning on things seems to be one of the predominant sexual behaviors of both mares and studs.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

probably in heat and getting her jollies, to enitice her from the fence, if the owner has no objections, take some old brushes, drill through the handle parts , width side, string together tie to a big sturdy tree, and a butt scratcher , fence / gate saver is made. That is if she will use it.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Clean around anal opening, and between teats too.

And yes, being in heat may well make her do this type of thing.

I'd tear her a new one though, and get her off that fence.


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Okay, the general consensus is that it's because of her being in heat. Good - at least it won't be a forever behavior! I'll make sure to wash her behind next time I'm out (It would be so much easier if she wasn't afraid of the wash stall). I'll have to let the BO know so she can keep an eye out, since she's there much more often than I am. I'll ask her to zap the wire, I think, or at least turn it up. A few shocks to her butt and she won't want to try it again!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

yes, have you checked between her teats? if there's a buildup of the gunk they get, it would make her very itchy.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Ask the BO to check the ground on the fencer. The ground looks dry there -- letting the garden hose run on the ground rod with a thin stream for 20 minutes or 40 minutes may help.

If she really likes just that one spot on the fence, maybe tie a few pieces of electric fence tape on to the top two wires. My impression is that the effectiveness of an electric fence is based alot on the surprise factor. The actual amount of shock is certainly tolerable for many people and animals.

Good luck.


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## albertaeventer (Feb 5, 2013)

Pinworms also make a horse *incredibly* itchy around their anus, so it might be something to look into if you end up ruling out the in heat thing.


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

My gelding will do this sometimes.. and I've heard people day they could need wormed...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

The reason she is doing this is likely that she needs her udder and that area thoroughly cleaned. The udder on a mare (next to the legs and between the teats) and the area between her hind legs from her anus/vulva to her udder can build up smegma similar to what happens with a gelding needing his sheath cleaned. 

Get some warm, soapy water and a sponge and clean her up. Then rinse the area thoroughly. I suspect she will cease to itch and will likewise cease to sit on fences. 

While you are at it, check her tail for anything like biting lice.

If neither of those things appear to help her, you may need to worm her. Pin worms can also cause intense itching. 

Personally? I would do all of this and worm her.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Hopefully it's the heat cycle thing. If it doesn't stop, though, I'd do a fecal. And if that isn't the problem, I'd have a vet check her just to make sure there isn't something irritating the area (maybe a sliver of something) or an infection.
Nice big handsome mare!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I would guess one of 3 things. She's either wormy, needs her udder cleaned, or she's in heat.

Also, check to make sure that her tail isn't starting to get a buildup of hair on it anywhere as that will also make them itchy sometimes.

I'd have a fecal run, I'd clean her udder (_carefully_ if you've never done it to her before, I did it to my yearling the other day and she tried to bite me), brush out her tail, then I'd get a single strand of wire and hook it into one of those really powerful chargers designed for cattle. They are expensive, but they'll keep _everything_ off the fence because they literally knock you on your @$$ if you touch them.


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks all!

I didn't even think about pinworms. She isn't due for her wormer for another few weeks - should I give it anyways? Will it hurt her?

I will definitely give her a good scrubbing. Since the snow all melted (like 3 weeks ago, sadly) it's rained every. Single. Day. It hasn't really gotten above 40 degrees. I've been trying to wait till it's at least sunny outside, but I might have to suck it up and just do a spot clean with a bucket instead of a hose down. She doesn't mind me washing her udders, I do it moderately often when it's actually warm outside.

The *sitting* on the fences is still strange, but I think next time I'm out I'll talk to the BO about electrifying it for a few days. She can go find something else to rest her big butt on. I do think it's her in heat, based on the way the boys are acting when I bring her back out - but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?  (On that note, the little white horse in the video (Nugget) is totally her horse pimp. Won't let ANY of the interested boys around her while she's in heat. It's quite hilarious, since he's borderline pony sized.)

(Sun? I remember hearing about that once.... I'm starting to think it doesn't exist any more, myself).


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Take a fecal sample in to the vet. There is no sense in giving her a dewormer at this time if it isn't needed. This is one way to rule out worms as the problem.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Shoebox said:


> ...I think next time I'm out I'll talk to the BO about electrifying it for a few days.


Really? The fence isn't on? Well, that's a no-brainer then.


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

NorthernMama said:


> Really? The fence isn't on? Well, that's a no-brainer then.


I thought it was. I've touched it and gotten a shock. The other horses won't go near it. It must not be for whatever reason now. 

Was going to go out an see today, but I found a little dog in the streets and spent my night trying to figure out what to do with him.  Took up my pony visiting time.


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