Ok i have a 20 something mare and she is smart. When I leave the horses in the barn (all winter) she turns the lights on. The switch is 6 ft off the ground and she flips the switch on with her teeth. How do i get this to stop?
matt

4 thing a man needs in life, Faster horses, younger women, older wiskey, and more money
riding horses is like nuts and bolts, if the riders nuts the horse bolts.

Move the switch or build a study box around it. 
 
A guy I knew when I was a kid, thought he had an electrical wire for an outlet secured from the horses and for years there was never a problem.  A two year old filly was somehow able to reach around and play with the wire, until she electrocuted herself! 

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4FYZ5?Pid=search    
I think this will get you there.  Pull off your switch plate and put this on there.  Crafty ol' gal!!!  (the horse, not me)

American Standardbred Adoption Program
Country Care Code: ASAP
Thanks ASAP!!! 

Leave a light on for her.  What she wants is not all that unreasonable. :)

Then move the switch. :)

WashingtonBay


Leave a light on for her.  What she wants is not all that unreasonable. :)

Then move the switch. :)

Im not that nice. Lights on = money lost.
matt

4 thing a man needs in life, Faster horses, younger women, older wiskey, and more money
riding horses is like nuts and bolts, if the riders nuts the horse bolts.

That's a handy litte thing, hunter. 
 
I'm still thinking that the mare is smart enought to flip this open to play with, still giving her access to the switch.  Maybe add a latch/hook/baling wire over/around to keep her out?  Give her other toys to play with - milk jug with rocks in it hung high on the stall wall/ceiling.

Hunters idea looks good.  In our barn we mostly had lightbulbs from the ceiling with strings attached.  Never had a problem and the wall switches were not in an area they could reach.  Your local hardware store will have lots of ideas.  Our outdoor outlet is grounded, something to think about if you don't want her electrocuted.
 
Worst case scenario, and its only a joke, how about a grazing muzzle??

Hackneys require bold riders!!

RIP Mustard, you are missed....

A 100W light bulb costs less than a quarter to run, a day.  Less if you use a lower watt bulb or a night-light.  :)

CrookedPostQH


That's a handy litte thing, hunter. 

I'm still thinking that the mare is smart enought to flip this open to play with, still giving her access to the switch.  Maybe add a latch/hook/baling wire over/around to keep her out?  Give her other toys to play with - milk jug with rocks in it hung high on the stall wall/ceiling.

My barn is just a run in barn. She is the alpha mare in the group of 4 that run together. She is way to smart. She is my dads horse and is perfect and walk slow when he is on her and will run for hours when im on her. And for the toy i gave her a yearling filly to pick on. What else does she need.
matt

4 thing a man needs in life, Faster horses, younger women, older wiskey, and more money
riding horses is like nuts and bolts, if the riders nuts the horse bolts.

hoyt_bowhunting

CrookedPostQH


That's a handy litte thing, hunter. 

I'm still thinking that the mare is smart enought to flip this open to play with, still giving her access to the switch.  Maybe add a latch/hook/baling wire over/around to keep her out?  Give her other toys to play with - milk jug with rocks in it hung high on the stall wall/ceiling.

My barn is just a run in barn. She is the alpha mare in the group of 4 that run together. She is way to smart. She is my dads horse and is perfect and walk slow when he is on her and will run for hours when im on her. And for the toy i gave her a yearling filly to pick on. What else does she need.
matt

Poor little filly.  Herd hierarchy is a PITA if you're at the wrong end of the chain of command! 

Here is a thought.  Maybe she is playing with the switch and the box because her teeth bother her?  I would imagine that there are other things to chew on like the baby horse you mentioned or the feed bunk, but MAYBE her gums are irritated and she likes to rub them?
 
Wouldn't hurt to check her mouth.  She is 20 after all.  Maybe she needs her teeth filed.

Hackneys require bold riders!!

RIP Mustard, you are missed....

Nice to hear from you Matt.
 
First let me say I really identify with this mare.  She knows what she wants and likes things a certain way.  Can you try regular old duct tape for a bit to see if taped she would leave it alone.  You can also do the veg. oil hot pepper mix and paste some on the light switch and that might work (carefully of course).  Last resort would be to change the switch style or put some sort of cage over the switch that you can reach in to with your fingers but she can not get in.
 
I would not want to leave the lights on either, many studies will show that horses need some dark time during their day/night to achieve a full rest.

A bad day with a horse is still a great day in my book.

I would rather clean my barn than my house.

Good ideas from everyone.... I agree that putting a cage around it somehow may be a good idea.  Better to have the lights off too, like someone suggested..... lights off will let the horses rest better, and also lights left on may interfere somewhat with hair growth for a warm winter coat..... many of the places I boarded at left lights on at night to get  their horses to start shedding out sooner in the spring.

A canter is the cure for every evil ~ Benjamin Disraeli