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How to Stop Horses From Banging Doors

Horses tend to pick up learned behaviors - such as door banging -- when they are fed grain and kept on a schedule. Horses learn to kick at the doors of their stalls based on how people react to this behavior; the problem will persist as long as the horse gets any attention from it. There are several steps that can be taken to unlearn this habit; it usually takes several weeks before the horse stops door banging.

Things You'll Need

Cardboard
Feeding Toy (Food Ball)

Instructions

Methods to Eliminate Door Banging
- 1
  Instruct everyone at your barn or equestrian facility to completely ignore your horse's kicking. This includes veterinarians, farriers, stable hands and visitors. Notify them that they cannot shout or even approach your horse's stall while it is kicking. People should move even further away from the stall if possible.
- 2
  Cover the stall's window or grill with a large piece of cardboard. This will prevent the horse from being able to see people who may be approaching the stall. Write a message on the covering as a reminder to people that they should not acknowledge the kicking.
- 3
  Enforce positive behavior by standing at the stall with the horse's grain at feeding time. Only feed the horse once the kicking has completely stopped and it is calm. This will discourage kicking, and reward a calm demeanor.
- 4
  Use a food ball or horse toy that provides continuous access to grain if other methods fail to work. These toys will eliminate the feeding schedule, and will cause the horse to eat more slowly.
- 5
  Eliminate grain altogether. This is the best option, but some horses may need grain for heavy work. By eliminating grain, you eliminate the problem. Try putting hay at the back of the stall so that the horse will fail to see people walking past the stall. Leaving the horse outside to feed on grass and hay is the best option for your situation.

Animals & Science