# Horse not wanting to go back in stall or pasture



## mrsgrubby (Jul 6, 2014)

There are so many threads on here about barn sour horses and not wanting to leave. Has anyone experienced the opposite, a horse that does not want to go back in?


Ive been working with a horse several days a week that spent at least the first 10 years of her life completely ignored.

I take her out, brush her, hand graze her, lead her, ground work, about 3 times a week. she seems to love it.

But when its time to go back in her stall, or in the pasture, she gets right to the door and plants her feet, and doesn't want to go back in.

Ive taken to showing her a carrot before we go in, and then giving it to her once we get in, but I don't love doing that, as I might not always have a carrot with me.

I am hoping that over time she will just associate going back in with the postive reinforcement, but I dont' want to count on it.

All the other horses I have ever worked with were happy to go back in, but she just loves to be out with me, doing stuff. (I guess)

Any ideas? Ever had this happen to you?


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## SpicedGold (Aug 2, 2011)

Spice does this sometimes - but she's incredibly pedantic about things. If a gate isn't all the way open, she often won't go through it. I'm not sure why.

I'll often lead her back into her paddock and get dragged to a halt because she's just planted her feet and refuses to move. I just tap her on her belly a few times and she goes again, and she doesn't always do this.

At our stables, since our horses are in a herd environment, they get brought out of the paddock for food. So a lot of them will try to open the gates to get out, because they think if they are out they get fed. Could your horse be doing that? Or something similar?


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I have seen people that stop or turn and look at the horse and that will stop them. If she plants her feet turn her to each side so she will unlock and take a diagonal step.
Or carry a crop and tap her side when she stops.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

She's telling you she'd rather be outside. She feels trapped in the stall. You know she's safe but she doesn't know that. Horses worry about predators and she knows she can't escape. Can you not leave her out with plenty of fresh air and room to run?


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## mrsgrubby (Jul 6, 2014)

Saddlebag said:


> She's telling you she'd rather be outside. She feels trapped in the stall. You know she's safe but she doesn't know that. Horses worry about predators and she knows she can't escape. Can you not leave her out with plenty of fresh air and room to run?


 
This is not it, but a good thought.
She has been out all summer in her pasture, and this started halfway through the summer, once she started feeling comfortable out of her pasture, as no one took her out before to brush her or spend time with her. 

When I started doing it, she would go right back in, now she doesn't want to go in, she wants to stay out.



She has only been in her stall for about a week, and she has to go in there as it is snowing and below freezing temps.


It could be more like the first responder said as well, the gate isn't very wide, and doesn't stay open on its own, and she may not like it. but if I have a carrot she will go right back in so she can eat it.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I've got two horses in particular who are more than happy to go in their stables at any time of the day or night but often need to be shoved out and encouraged to go in their paddock. If I leave the gate to their field open when I'm working in the barn they're back in and under my feet in seconds - even in the summer when grass is plentiful


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## piglet (Oct 2, 2012)

My horse sometimes didn't want to go back to the pasture. I felt bad when I had to encourage him with a whip.
I started telling him, "I'm so-o-o sorry, I have to go. Hurry up!"
And I would usually leave him a treat after he complied.
Have firmly in your mind what you want. (I have to leave, but I will come back.)
Make SURE the gate can't bump her as she goes through.


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

mrsgrubby said:


> This is not it, but a good thought.
> *She has been out all summer in her pasture*, and this started halfway through the summer, once she started feeling comfortable out of her pasture, *as no one took her out before to brush her or spend time with her. *
> 
> When I started doing it, she would go right back in, now she doesn't want to go in, she wants to stay out.
> ...


the first three bolded areas. a new thing for her, both interaction with people and with enclosed areas where she can't use her flight response when something scares her. 

give her time, she's still new to the whole 'stand and be bored in a 12x12 box all night', she'll come around. 

one other thing is this is not a stall problem, but a leading problem. your horse should lead anywhere you want, including into stalls, trailers, etc. work on her grounwork, get her immediately responsive to your cues while leading. this is something i've done with my 3 year old mare - when she came to me she would not go through a gate. now i stand aside and she sends herself through and turns around after on a loose lead.

when i stalled my old gelding, i would have his evening hay ready for him when he went in. he was always happy to go in his stall. the barn schedule had them eating their evening meal right at turn in at night. but not every time did he get hay when he went in his stall - sometimes for tacking up, or if he needed to be readily available for farrier, etc. not once did he ever balk at the door of his stall.


also, i'm reading "won't go without a 'bribe' " in your post. along with improving leading and groundwork training, and making the stall an inviting space with hay if the schedule dictates, etc, stop the bribe and she will get the idea that stall does not = immediate carrot. treating once in a while is ok, but if it becomes something you have to do or else the horse won't do what you ask, that is not training, that is bribing.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Is the stall she's supposedly going in inviting? Open, airy, perhaps with a view?

Horses tend to be claustrophobic. Stalls are restraining...pastures are not. Maybe she doesn't like how it echoes in the barn.

Either way, try and make it a more inviting place. And work on "sending" her places, and giving her space as a reward.


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