Stable mirrors

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PePo

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Jun 4, 2014
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Does anyone use them & if so, what do you think of them and where did you get them from?

I'm toying with the idea of putting one in Pete's stable - well, actually I want to use them in the trailer ideally (it's worth a try to see if it helps with his loading/travelling/'I'm only 14hh on my tip toes, but watch me climb over the partition of this horsebox (AKA my most terryifying day of horse ownership ever) :eek: ' isssues.

But I want to get him used to them in the stable first - working on the theory that if he hates them at least it's in his stable & it's not another negative experience with the trailer.

Any thoughts?
 
I read an article on their use a while back, it said they are a no go for stallions and dominant mares but very good for geldings and submissive mares who are sociable. I have debated getting one for Hank for when I'm out riding Jess so will follow this with interest.
 
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We bought one for Breeze as he was used to having one in his former home and we wanted to make the transition easier for him. He licks it. :p I have a short (humerous) video of me showing Albi and Jack their reflections. Hang on, I will upload.....
 
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Jessey said:
I read an article on their use a while back, it said they are a no go for stallions and dominant mares but very good for geldings and submissive mares who are sociable. I have debated getting one for Hank for when I'm out riding Jess so will follow this with interest.
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Hmm, interesting Jessey, thanks! He's a dominant (cut late) gelding - I wonder where that leaves me?! :D

He's big on his personal space, but sociable within a herd, so there was a part of me wondering if he'd hate it.

I don't know. Hmm ...
 
I've no experience in the stable but I do know madam used to pin her ears back and be quite aggressive in the school where we used to be. But she is very dominant in general.
Sorry no help!
 
If mine sees her reflection in a window or worse a puddle she spooks. So it would be a no from me.
We don't have loading issues, she likes travelling.

Have you tried changing the colour of the ramp? My friend put down a different coloured carpet and hers then loaded with the carpet.
Then she changed trailer to the white one, never had an issue since. :)
 
It was amazing for Kev. Honestly night and day. He hated being in his stable, would turn himself inside out and try to climb over the door...put the mirror up, led him in and he was like a different horse! Chilled and happy. He still never liked it if other horses around him left, but was happy to go into his stable at night (previously I would genuinely have to force the poor thing in!)

I have it up in the new yard, but he's in a narrow barn with lots of other horses around him, so I don't think he needs it. It will go up in any of his stables though.

I think I got it from a place called amigo, and Kev is super sociable and wants/needs to be friends with everybody.
 
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I don't know anything about stable mirrors as no-one I know has ever used one.

However, if your horse has learnt to jump the partition on a trailer, I would only travel in a new style horsebox where this isn't possible. Once they have gone over the partition once, I wouldn't take the risk of traveling in a similar vehicle in case they did it again.
 
Mary Poppins said:
I don't know anything about stable mirrors as no-one I know has ever used one.

However, if your horse has learnt to jump the partition on a trailer, I would only travel in a new style horsebox where this isn't possible. Once they have gone over the partition once, I wouldn't take the risk of traveling in a similar vehicle in case they did it again.
Click to expand...

He jumped over a partition in a lorry, which was in hindsight, too small. The partition in the trailer is I'm sure much higher - but we've removed it to be on the safe side & working on the other associated issues :) Whether we actually travel him again, will depend on how he progresses & copes with things.
 
Cally loves the mirrors in the school. She sniffs them to try and make friends. Oscar admires himself in them! Can you take him to an arena with mirrors to see how he reacts first?
 
Our arena doesn't have them, so I couldn't do it without travelling him - which is the crux of our issue :D
 
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I got one for Rubic when she was on box rest. She could take it or leave it to be honest. Her box was a bit less messy when it went in but that may have just been coincidence. Like Laura I think it was Amigo I used. It wasn't all that expensive either, in the grand scheme of things.
 
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