I have a slight problem and was wondering if anyone could help me. My 8
year old Arab mare will not stand in a stall. She walks and paces until
she is completely exhausted, sweating and puffing. She is not excited or
whinnying or anything, just very determined to walk. I can tie her up for
short periods of time but then she will start pacing at the end of the
rope. I tried tying her to a tree for an entire week during Spring Break
last year and she stopped pacing but she forgets after a few months and I
hate to do it when I am not there to supervise her. I also hate to leave
her in the stall because she wears huge holes in the floor (more than a
foot deep sometimes). She is a gray and I want to be able to bring her in
during the day in the summer when the sun is at its worse so she doesn't
burn. Also, I am afraid that at trail rides and shows she will wear
herself out. I have taken her to three one day rides and she has done okay
tied, but I have to watch her constantly and keep a full haybag in front of
her (She about eats me out of house and home on rides!). She will pace a
little bit but not to the exhaustion point yet. I worry about her getting
too bored on two day rides and just being useless for the second day
because she wore herself out.
I got her as a 6 year old and she had been in a pasture with her dam and
sister. She had hardly been worked with and never stalled. I keep her
with my gelding in an open run with a 6 acre pasture. She stands quietly
in the run all day, but as soon as I close the door, she starts to pace.
She trailers extremely well and is one of the nicest (and calmest) Arabs I
have ever worked with.
If anyone has any suggestions, I am willing to try everything. She is too
nice a mare to leave at home in the field. Thanks!
Shannon Loomis and Quail Meadow Star (and Quark, the emergency back-up Arab)