claustrophobic pony?

[seeker]

Dd's pony is a split personality - she is so perfect she couldn't be better outside, but turns into a stress monster in her box. She lives out and doesn't' have to be inside very often, but has anyone else had to deal with this and how did they do it? Apart from the obvious, of course - not putting her inside more than absolutely necessary!

Mine hated stables after a trailer accident but we found he was fine when loose in a big barn with our other two horses so we had a few winters like that with no problems. It wasn't really a 'cure' though, when we lost the other two (and had to go back to normal stable) he was worse than ever and he did have to live out (with shelter) for the rest of his life. Sorry, not much help there unless you have a spare barn!
I did see a programme where they made a 'corridor' of fence panels and led the horse through. They gradually made the corridor narrower and eventually put a tarpaulin over the top so the horse got used to being enclosed. They rewarded it for standing nicely. Maybe something like that would help? Or start feeding her in a stable (with door open at first), then if she starts to be more relaxed about it leave her in for a few minutes more each time before turning her out?
That's all I can think of. I think you will have to see it as a long-term project and have a lot of patience!

She's happy living out and that's fine. I suppose I worry that if she gets an injury or something and has to be kept in we could have a bit problem. She'll go in OK and she's fine in a trailer. And she'll happily eat in her box, but the second she finishes she starts getting agitated. Oh well, she's so lovely in every other way we'll have to learn to deal with it!

am having slightly similar woes with pony - it is helping to bring him in/turn him out at regular intervals throughout day and make sure he has massive pile of hay in there, I suppose we should aim to gradually increase the time he is in the stable

ours is not so much agitated as, um, silly

Yours tries to jump out, doesn't he? Ours stamps about and does high speed weaving and gets sweaty- them Calms down the instant she's outside even if she tied up just outside her box. That's why I said claustrophobia!

never a dull moment is there

They are a nightmare aren't they when they won't stable. Sorry can't hold out much hope for you Seeker from my experience with my old mare. She became quite unpredicable and bargy in the stable so we just used to avoid it as much as possible. She died at the age of 29 and even then when she was ill with Cushings still refused to be in.

I remember the time when she had a bad abscess and we managed to keep her in for 48 hours with the help of ACPs. Ended up turning her out with extra thick plastic wrapped round her hoof about a million times.

Pony is perfect outside - leave her there as much as possible.

OK, then I suppose we just put up with the bonkers behaviour on the few occasions she has to be in and keep her turned out the rest of the time. It's the high speed weaving that freaks me out - she stands with her head in the corner nearest the door and ducks her head in and out of the stable so fast she's practically a blur. It can't do her legs any godd at all.

How would she feel if you put a sheep/goat/another small pony with her? There are some highly strung horses that have stable companions that go with them everywhere.

I have no idea how you would start this, but may be something to think about!