SUBJECT
- BITING
TITLE - HE KEEPS BITING ME
DATE - 30/01/01
Question:
My new horse, a 16hh TBx is fine in every way except for when he is
in the stable. When I am changing his rugs or tacking up he will often
try to bite me. If I tell him off and smack him he just bites again!
What can I do?
Answers:
I bought my mare last January so I've had her just over a year now
and I've only just overcome her biting problem (well, still working
on it).
I tried everything, being really nice and when she tried to bite just
growling at her, to smacking and shouting at her and nothing worked,
she would just come back for more.
Someone told me to take a whip with me whenever I handle her and as
soon as she makes a move to bite or even threaten (even as little
as pinning her ears back) I was to give her one firm smack anywhere
behind the shoulder (so as not to make the horse headshy).
I am not one for hitting horses (prefer the kinder approach) but after
being bitten badly twice I decided enough was enough and I've never
looked back. I tied her up so she was loose enough to bite me and
as soon as she threatened I gave her one hard smack on her side and
shouted "no" at the same time. She just froze then carried on eating
her haynet as if nothing had happened. I immediately carried on as
I was (grooming at the time). When I got to the other side of her
she threatened again and got another hard smack and a "no" and once
again she froze and then returned to her haynet. Since that day she
has only tried once or twice and has received the same treatment and
now I can rug her, tack her up, groom, etc, without worrying about
being bitten.
She is now a lot happier in herself, is working better and is a much
friendlier horse.
You might not agree with the action, as I didn't to start with, but
it is definitely worth a go. Biting is very painful - I still have
a scar to prove it!
Try to work out WHY he is doing this! Check
he is not in any pain? Are sure his tack and rugs are causing him
no discomfort whilst being put on or during wearing? Make sure you
give him no reason to bite doing everything slowly and gently. Otherwise,
it may be that he has previously had ill-fitting tack and/or rugs,
or been roughly handled during tacking/rugging up. Do be sympathetic
and patient.
It sounds like someone may have been mean to your horse and either
hurt or pinched them when doing the girth up or hit them with a rug
strap or something in the past and of course your horse remembers
it. As someone else said be sympathetic, and above all try to ignore
it as the more attention you pay to it, the more your horse will do
it. I have a thoroughbred with the same problem, and after 5 months
he is finally starting to learn that I will not hurt him, and that
biting me does not get any reaction. Do wear padded clothes for a
while though until your horse starts to learn that it is not really
a big deal.
I have just posted a message on the Horse Care
board regarding the Vicebreaker (see Message board-horse care), The
horse I ride is just the same, lovely in every other way except in
the stable.
It could be that in the past someone has hurt him while rugging up
or tacking him, or it could be a territory thing which is what we
think causes our horses terrible behaviour. I try to discourage his
aggression by pushing him away and shouting "NO!", then fussing and
praising when he is lovely and cute, which he can be!!
The only thing to do is be very very patient. You must also be consistent,
and make sure anyone else who handles your horse is aware of what
you are trying to achieve. Good luck!
Hi, You could try clicker training which will encourage him to become
more focussed on you. It has worked for many horses that I know. A
lot of horses hate having rugs on, they do not realise we do it for
their own good.
SUBJECT - SPOOKING
TITLE - SPOOKING
DATE - 30/12/01
Question:
I have a 9 year old 16.2 chestnut which I have had for a year. I am
an experienced rider and have been riding for 25 years. On the roads
and in the school I never have a problem, but when I am riding on
the bridal path, it does not matter what pace, walk, trot or canter,
he unexpectantly spooks. It is always over nothing. He just makes
it up an excuse. It is as if he suddenly says to him self, "Ohh
look there is a pound coin on the floor...", drops his head and
should to the right and backside to the left. And there is no pound
coin. It could be a little bird in a bush, or just a few leaves waving
in gently with the wind. It all happens in a fraction of a second.
I have come off already 3 times and now have changed my saddle to
give more support. Nevertheless I feel insecure. If he did it in a
full galope, he would kill me. I tell him off when he has done it,
shout at him and if him a tap with the crop. he is ok than for 3 minutes
or so But then he will try something else. Sometimes when he has not
done something for some time, it is as if he thinks, " oh I have
not spooked yet , I better give it a go" and a couple of minutes
later, bang , there you are. It is hardly a relaxing ride. The problem
is not isolated to me, he does with others who ride him as well. and
the same applies if you are out alone or with others.
Apart from this problems he listens well, he stops easily, the bit
is ok, an ordinary snaffle. In the school he is obedient, enjoys his
work and jumping. On the roads he is excellent. All things other horses
would spook at he does not blink an eyelet. In the stable, you could
not have an easier horse, when feeding he behaves no different from
any other horse and he is good with people and liked on the yard.
He has a flash nose band on when he goes out and a martingale. We
feed him on a cool mix and he is out grazing at least 7 hours a day.
I also had problems with him the field with other horses and I do
not know if this is related. He is not that sociable with other horses.
When he is out with one other he is ok, but in a small group, after
a couple of hours, he starts to cause trouble and starts biting the
others. I think he gets quickly bored. He is ridden daily sometimes
twice a day. We feel its best to keep him busy. That is the picture.
Do you have any suggestions how to resolve it ?
Answers:
I sympathize immensely. After riding for 30 years, and having ridden
a wide variety of horses and ponies, this is not an uncommon occurrence,
and your certainly not on your own!
My last experience was with a friends horse who, compared with others,
was not that bad, but if she decided she was in "one of those
moods" that was it. I had her on loan, and got used to her moods.
I would often spend the whole ride talking to her, saying things like
"it's OK, it's only the wind" or "no, the blade of
grass won't jump up and bite you!". We got so that she trusted
my judgement, but that wouldn't stop her from suddenly cat leaping
at the slightest little thing! Mr Bones, another horse I used to ride,
had an inherent fear of the big round bales, especially those wrapped
in straw, and dead trees. I spent nearly an hour one day trying to
get him past a dead tree when out on a ride, and eventually got him
past by asking a passing farmer to drive next to us to hide it! Polly
backed into a ditch at the site of a dead Elder tree poking out of
a hedge!!
So yes, horses do spook at the silliest things,(but we still love
them dearly). To help you, I seem to remember Your Horse doing a feature
a few years ago on the way Police Horses are trained - not to spook
at any noises crashes bangs etc.. It may be worth contacting the BHS
or one of the mounted Police sections to ask their advice and see
if you can maybe hire their facilities. In the short term, lots of
encouragement and talking (even if the locals do think you've lost
it!!) and when your horse goes past something that he obviously thinks
is terrifying, even if he crab walks, lots of patting and "Good
Boy's" to make him feel he's achieved something.
hi , i know exactly how you feel, my horse is
exactly the same except i have no school to ride in! i must say i
just put up with it, hes 14 now exracehorse and i just put it down
to him going senile! hes not dangerouse but he can whip round on a
sixpence, but he always has ,he lives out at the mo and he is just
the same when stabled, i just make sure i go far off places when hacking
and keep going forward, he will not stand for a second if made too
he will rear, he is just like that so i do know how you feel i too
have done the softly softly approach and then went into the opposite
direction and given him a good wacking, but he hyperventilates and
makes him even worse ,i dont even carry a stick no more, i just grit
my teeth pat him and throw the reins at him to let him know that the
blade of grass really isnt a lion in disguise.so good luck and i do
comiserate.
SUBJECT - TRAILERS
TITLE - TRAILER PARTITIONS
DATE - 28/02/02
Question:
I have a question regarding trailer design. My pony has recently broken
the center partition in our 2 horse Rice trailer by leaning hard against
it as we turn corners (very slow I must add!). It is a pretty solid
wood frame with divider board that reaches the floor. I notice that
most modern trailers have dividers that leave a gap of around 2 feet
or so to the floor. I guess the horse is able to spread its feet wider
with this design. On the other hand it may get into difficulty if
it fell over and became stuck, or clashed with the other horse! I
need to replace the partition. Which design should I go for, full
or half partition?
Answers:
Just out of interest why does your horse lean on the partition - do
you travel him on his own with the partition in - if this is the case
then he likely leans on it as he is off balance. You should take it
out when travelling him on his own - you don't say if you travel him
with company or not. As far as partitions go - they have a gap incase
the horse tries to lie down. |
