My Horse Won't Go Into The Barn

[appaloosa 239]

Hi,
I have a quarter/Arab Mix that refuses to go into the barn. It has two roomy stalls, is kept cleaned, and is just a run-in shelter, but in the rain and in storms he will not go in it! Why is he afraid of the barn and how am I to teach him that it is safe?

 

[bonbean01]

When I had horses in Canada and built them a barn, with the door open so they could come and go as they pleased, they wouldn't go in it either...no smell of skunk or anything I could figure out. So, I started giving them grain only in there and put fresh hay in there too...that worked...and first bad blizzard and they were happy to go in there.

 

[chicks & ducks]

I was going to say the same as bonbean! Ours weren't necessarily afraid of the barn but, as temps can get to -30 around here when the wind blows(in Wisconsin) we wanted them to learn to go in so we started keeping their hay and grain in the barn. It got to the point where they didn't want to leave! If you can't get him to go in maybe tempt him in with grain-getting closer and closer to the door each time?

 

[appaloosa 239]

I was going to say the same as bonbean! Ours weren't necessarily afraid of the barn but, as temps can get to -30 around here when the wind blows(in Wisconsin) we wanted them to learn to go in so we started keeping their hay and grain in the barn. It got to the point where they didn't want to leave! If you can't get him to go in maybe tempt him in with grain-getting closer and closer to the door each time?

When I had horses in Canada and built them a barn, with the door open so they could come and go as they pleased, they wouldn't go in it either...no smell of skunk or anything I could figure out. So, I started giving them grain only in there and put fresh hay in there too...that worked...and first bad blizzard and they were happy to go in there.

Thanks guys for your help!

 

[bonbean01]

Appaloosa...is your profile a pic of one of your horses???? Beautiful!!!! Hoped you had a website with more photos!

 

[appaloosa 239]

Appaloosa...is your profile a pic of one of your horses???? Beautiful!!!! Hoped you had a website with more photos!

No, that is not my horse, but I love appaloosas and hope to get one soon. My horse is a paint and I use to have a black Arab.

 

[appaloosa 239]

O.K., This morning I fed him hay in the barn. The thing is though-he'll go into the barn on a sunny day, but when it's raining he has to be lead. :/

 

[secuono]

Mine sometimes stay out in the rain or snow.
Feed them in there and they'll go in on their own when the weather gets bad enough.

 

[w c]

Hi,
I have a quarter/Arab Mix that refuses to go into the barn. It has two roomy stalls, is kept cleaned, and is just a run-in shelter, but in the rain and in storms he will not go in it! Why is he afraid of the barn and how am I to teach him that it is safe?

Put a gate on it, and when you want him in the barn, put him in there and close the gate.

No horses go in barns unless they are made to. Of course most of them will learn to go in if the barn has feed, water and hay and they can see other horses in there. But if a horse is actually afraid to go in some place, and fights you if you try to lead him in there, the door opening might not be tall enough or wide enough, or he may not want to leave the other horses, and you might have to just make him go in there.

Horses evolved in a treeless open country with no buildings, where storms just blew across. Their instincts are to huddle up together and ride it out in the open. Their instincts aren't suited to places with buildings, trees and flying garbage cans, nor to places with lots of rain and wet. If there's hazards outdoors or severe weather, they need to be in.

 

[appaloosa 239]

Helpful advice @w c , but Tanka's barn is just a run-in shelter and doesn't have a gate. It just snowed
woot) and Tanka stayed in the barn.