# Colt digs GIANT HOLES!



## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

My American Warmblood colt digs to China everything I feed him. I fill it back in daily. I cant feed him anywhere else. On the ground he spreads in, he dumps buckets...if I hang a bucket he paws it until he eventually gets his foot stuck in the bucket(which by the way he thinks is a game..no he doesnt panic) Ive put mats down,he digs them out. Ive put him in a clay foundation stall,he digs holes in my expensive clay. This horse is trouble.He CLIMBS my gaits(like a goat), gets into my tackroom(yes,turns the nob and opens the door. I have to put child proof nob covers...WHICH HE CHEWS OFF). I cant tie him to anything.He stands there are unties himself and any horses around him. I have double haltered him and triple tied him. He just works each rope until he is free. Anyhow ive become adjusted to those things but Im tired of filling the grand canyon in daily. Its like a 4ft hole when hes done!


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

haha:lol:!! thats funny, you gotta get some pics of him climbing the gate :lol::lol::lol:


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

*No advice here, but I just had to laugh. Sorry.*


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

LOL, my mothers mare is like that, aside from the digging. When I was working my gelding the other day, she was into EVERYTHING. She knocked the saddle off the fence, tried to pull the blanket into the water tank, chewed his bridle while I had my back turned, took off with a lead rope, then When I tied her up she chewed the lead rope and untied herself! It is so frustrating to have a horse like that,I feel your pain!


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## danastark (Jul 17, 2008)

What a busy boy. Sounds like he wants a job as a gopher! Does he have toys to occupy him such as jolly balls hanging down, an old tire, traffic cones, etc. 

Mine like to knock over their waters on a daily basis but nothing as drastic as your guy!


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

yeah, try getting some toys for him, even a few old soccer balls could do.


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

I have just found Farah's twin..That pic looks all to familiar 
I have to sit outside and watch her eat.Its the ONLY thing that keeps her from digging,tipping buckets,knocking the food out ect...Its very annoying.The only thing that might work would be a feed bag (its a muzzle that holds food).

I have tried all of the "no tipping feeders" and NOTHING will work.


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Just to add... I doubt its a "boredom" issue,atleast in my case.Farah was rescued from the kill pen, so she had to fight for food and was bullied by the other horses. Farah is very nervous when she eats and constantly turns around and looks for other horses that "might try a sneak attack" LOL

I have watched her eat several times and once she does get the grain onto the ground,she stops pawing. :/

You can keep them "entertained" all you want, but it wont help this issue.


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## Sea To Sky (Nov 29, 2009)

Hahahaha sounds like a more extreme version of the 3yo i had! haha he climed gates, got stuck in the tackroom, got him feet stuck in high places and was just trouble haha gotta laugh though! Adds to the fun


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## kim_angel (Oct 16, 2007)

Norman OK! Cool! You live close by to where my horse was born. He was born in Purcell OK.


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## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

Ive tried the jolly balls. He beats my other horses in the head with them. Soccer balls either get throw outta his paddock or stomped to death. Maybe ill get him some more...they sorta worked


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## danastark (Jul 17, 2008)

Did you hang the jolly balls from a rafter or something. We had an anglo-arab who would exercise himself with a small tire, actually carry it in his mouth and do circles and the walk, trot, etc., pick up sticks and go poke the other horses to make them move...... Maybe give your guy a pile of sand to play with or a brand new bale of shavings. My guys love to paw and mess up a brand new, intact one, fairly cheap entertainment or get him one of those rolling balls that disperses horse treats as it rolls around? We've also gotten inexpensive large yoga balls, don't last too long but much cheaper than the expensive horse versions and provide some entertainment for them.


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## kim_angel (Oct 16, 2007)

Cherokee used to dump his food all over and try to stand in his buckets too. So we bought him one of these feed bags. It works like a charm. No more food on the ground... he gets to eat all of his food finally. 
Feedrite Bag (Equine - Stable Equipment Supplies - Buckets Feeders)










Remember that if you do get one of these, dont just throw it on him. Do approach and retreat exercises with it first to get him used to it.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I would definitely try toys for him, especially if they worked before. Get him a couple of swimming donut things(inner tube like things) so he can roll them around and such. You can also find cheap yoga type balls at Walmart in the kids section. So what if he pops them, he is not digging 4 foot holes everywhere and climbing the fences, right?

You may have to keep putting them back in his pasture, but hey they keep him occupied!


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

That is absolutely hilarious! That's crazy how smart he is. Good luck training him! :lol: What is he like when he is in larger turnout? would he still be bored to the point where he would do most of this? I would put him in a pasture and give him a lot of toys to keep him busy and out of trouble, also put a horse or give him a small companion who will play with him around the clock.

I have never of a horse this funny. We need pictures of him doing this stuff!


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## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

Great ideas. Cheap too. Heck yes to the feeding bag thing! He tortures any horse we put him with. I even put him in with my stallion to teach him manners...didnt work. He grew up in a herd of nasty old mares but even they couldnt teach him to be a good boy. lol His brain is working 24/7 so the toys might do him good. I cant put him in my other pastures cuz he can get out of those fences...and get down on the river. He had been going down every day and coming home in time for food. Several times I went out to the barn during the daytime and he would be "missing". I finally found a path that he created that lead to the river...lots of sand to dig in. lol Ill try to get some pics of his little antics but its hard to catch them in the act when you have a camera...u know? Like kids...they wont be good when you want them too and when you tell someone how bad they are, they act like angels.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

I would put rubber stall mats down to feed him. My baby paws a little when hes fed, because he cant eat fast enough, but he stops rather quickly though. 

I am a little cautious about letting my horses play with things that could pop. I dont want to see anyone trying to eat the remains. He sounds like a tough little pony my bo has. hes about 35+ and can out manuver 3 people trying to worm him. We found him a spunky sheep to hang out with. The sheep always tries to charge him (no horns) and they end up chasing each other around playing for a good part of the day.


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## Heybird (Jan 7, 2009)

Well I will no longer complain about one mare we have at the stables who digs.... lol your colt is by far worse. The mare at our barn is also pretty pushy to other horses at the moment she may have found her match and it seems to keep her a little more preoccupied. She would dig this same spot by her gate and there was electric wire running down there, although it is protected we still don't want her pulling it out. Every weekend never fail my husband was out there with a shovel grunting and cursing... I swear if she can manage to dig up a hole she can fill it back in... ! lol I really enjoy it when she stands there watching him fill it back in and as soon as he is finished she right back at it. My husband feels your pain... lol


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## Jubilee (Dec 15, 2008)

Some horses really do just like digging while they eat. Several of the horses at the barn I used to work out dug holes while eating (not to mention while they were waiting to be fed). I know you said that you have already tried to used stall mats, but I suggest you try them again. get the really HEAVY stall mats. We had some that took two people to carry (I could not tell you the brand, they my have even been industrial rubber mats) there is no way a horse can dig those up. They worked like a charm for our stallion who was stalled for most of the day. 

Good luck!

Jubilee


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## artistic cowgirl (Sep 19, 2009)

For him digging I would try kick chains or hobbles. hobbles would prolly work better I had one that dug holes when she was eating I had to hobble her wile she was eating and that helped a lot she still paws but only when she is getting impatient as for him untieing himself good luck I have one that dose that to the only way I can keep mine tied is get a quick release buckle and a ring that the buckle will fit through and get some rope to attatch the two togather and make a loop around the post mine can't get out of that and if they start to panic all I have to do is release them but mine unties himself for the sake of doing it ha ha


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

His behavior is VERY normal for a young horse...you just gotta deal until he's older...the two late yearlings I am training still paw. I just make sure the buckets are above chest level so that they can't get their legs hooked. I also use hang over feeders, and strap them down, so they can't flip those, or otherwise knock them off. 

I would try a rubber matt again, and make sure it sits on the outside of his stall area slightly, that way he can't get ahold of the edge.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

I think hes just telling you hes ready to do some work. He could probably also help you plant a tree or some carrots.


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## HorseSavvy (Mar 15, 2009)

oh dear xD that's hilarious!


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## Sea To Sky (Nov 29, 2009)

SouthCreekPaints said:


> Ive tried the jolly balls. He beats my other horses in the head with them. Soccer balls either get throw outta his paddock or stomped to death. Maybe ill get him some more...they sorta worked


 Hahahahahaha ah thats awesoem =P Get him a big dog treat ball and put feed in it, Or even a bottle works for a little while... then it gets munted haha. Molasses lick (but then you get the odd horse that makes the BIGGEST mess with them!).


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## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

hobbles work...although I dont think he would panic and get "stupid" wearning them...i think he might fight them just cuz he can. He's that way. I cant even keep a blanket on him!...or any horse turned out with him. He has gone through 3 blankets this winter and its barly half way though. I gave up, he can suffer


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## RusticWildFire (Jul 6, 2008)

lol! Gosh that is funny. I'm sorry though, it must be super frustrating having to deal with day in and day out though. Hopefully with age it will get better. Sounds like everyone else has given you great ideas! Good luck  
And thank you for sharing! I hope to see more pictures if you can catch him in the act.


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## Kay (Dec 9, 2009)

you might try putting his saddle on first and take a rope tie it to the digging foot pull up tie to the saddle, then grain. he can't dig on 3 legs.... or don't give him grain.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

You might want to cut back on his grain too, sounds like he has a surplus of energy. As long as he has good hay or pasture he does not need grain anyway.


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## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

He is almost ready for a saddle. He wont be 2 until May. As far as the amount of grain goes..with him being a growing boy, and a warmblood at that, he does need the grain. He gets an appropriate amount of grain. His brain just goes 24/7


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## Lis (Oct 29, 2009)

I showed this to my mum and she says he's a lovely looking horse but boy is she glad he's yours, lol.


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## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

I went out 2 days in a row....2hours each time. I took my camera out any eveything. Couldnt catch him in the act. They never do what you want them to when you want them to! lol I did get some good ones of him...being good.


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## BoarderCowgirl12 (Dec 30, 2009)

awww.you should get him out more often..mabey he's bored. You should really try trick training him..he would be good at it


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## Lis (Oct 29, 2009)

You can tell he's thinking "I can see you and I'm going to be a good boy so nayah nayah"


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## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

I do good with horses that are smart...and respond to me...and horses that are dumb and respond just cuz they dont have the brains to do anything else...just go with the flow. I like ones that think ahead but YOU dont have to think 2 steps ahead of them. Hrm...am I making any sense here? I know what I mean!!! I just dont get allow with the rude,in your face horses...when I smack him with the whip he just stands there like "come on...what was that? Hit me again...see what I care" He rides my nerves.His mother is the same way HOWEVER she and I have an understanding. She has saved my life 2times and I love that horse. She is turning 20years old and I want to keep this colt because I know Im not getting another out of her...but I dont want to because I dont want to deal with his BS!


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I was thinking of your boy when I saw an add for this on tv! Thy are horse proof!!




Website is naturalhorsetalk.com! Riley laying on it just cracks me up!


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

I looked into that when I saw it on TV as well. Unfortunately they are trying to promote Horse Soccer and the 40" ball is not available unless you are a member of some sort of Horse Soccer organization.


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## RusticWildFire (Jul 6, 2008)

Actually, you can get one. Members are given a $15 discount but anyone can buy one it looks like

http://www.horseplaysoccerballs.com/Store.html


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## RusticWildFire (Jul 6, 2008)

There is also this site with a bit of variety

Horse Toys, Horse Balls, Horse Pylons


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

I'm so sorry that I can't help but laugh while looking at this. If he beats up and throws out jolly balls there is a cheap alternative. We used to keep a 1 gallon milk jug filled with rock tied in stalls. Our horses played with them more than jolly balls that we had tried before. They're something most people would have around anyways, and they might be a little more difficult for him to beat other horses with. I'm glad my dad's old gelding was never that bad. He just played tug of war with rubber feed pans and chased other horses with sticks.


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## chixie (Jan 6, 2010)

when my dad and mom got married he had a quarter horse named lightning,, they had a bob wire drop gate and everyday he would pull the wire that looped over the gate post and let the whole heard out and down the road they would run.. mom would have to get in the truck and heard them back home... not sure what happened to him..


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