Attacking, biting, rearing - HELP

[Knottymare]

Young horses SHOULD be active and full of beans, and I have fed alfalfa for 40 years with no problems. Minis require more protein, especially when still growing and I dont think that is the issue at all. It's her behavior and what she has been allowed to do. You have already seen improvement in just one correction and her reaction to that. Dont cut her nutritional program just because she hasn't learned her manners yet.

Amen to this.

 

[Matt73]

Ditto. I wouldn't even let a horse like that lick me, though; licking is usually a precursor to nibbling/biting.

 

[vickie gee]

You might want to have her hormone levels tested. Does anyone else think testosterone could be a factor with all this rowdiness?

 

[shalakominiatureshowhorses]

i agree. TAKE A WHIP. My little Devil did this when i fed him. Rear, kick, strike, bite, the whole 9 yards. Does she do this when your feeding her? If so carry a whip in. If she turns her butt towards you, either push her foward with your body or tap her with it (may not be the safest way, but it worked for me.) If she rears tap anything you can get lol, chest or legs. If she bites, (i know theres a lot of contreversy with this) "slap" of tap her mouth. It'll teach her to keep her mouth shut around you. Then, a really cool trick to feeding is dont pour the grain in the bucket untill she faces you and taps the bottom of the bowl with her nose. IT may be stupid but it helped so much!

 

[Matt73]

And...if she (or any horse) rears in front of you a whip or kick to the stomach takes care of that very quickly; you have to make those bad behaviours a very unpleasant thing...

 

[Cupcake]

Thanks for all the good advice. I've learned not to allow dogs to disrespect me but I guess I was being way too nice when it came to my horses and discipline. I portray leadership when it comes to dogs to the point that I notice dogs in pet stores look at me and give me that sense of respect or loose dogs in my neighborhood... They wouldn't dare to come close to me when I'm walking my two.

Speaking of dogs, the day was great until this afternoon, my great dane got bit in the leg by a copperhead

Ran him to the vet, now he's spending the night at the animal ER with antibiotics etc and IV. Please keep him in your thoughts, he's the best dog in the world

 

[shorthorsemom]

Have you checked her teeth? Just a thought. My boy was about the same age when idiscovered his teeth were sharp as heck.. I always wondered if it was partial cause of his rearing.

 

[Matt73]

I haven't heard of a horse rearing due to tooth issues...unless they have a bit in their mouth/being ridden. I don't think that's the problem at all...

 

[shorthorsemom]

I have heard this from an equine dentist.

 

[tanya&tinka]

I have no advice ( I'm new and love to learn a lot on here) but read through the posts and its all sounds like great advice to take. Just wanted to say you little mini is gorgeous and looks just like one of my girls I just got. And I hope you doggy recovers quickly. He is in my thoughts.

 

[Minimor]

Even if she doesn't misbehave when you have a whip in hand, carry it with you every time you go in her stall or in any situation where she might show this aggression. She might forget herself and try something even when you have the whip, and then you are ready for her.

If you go in the stall without a whip, watch her carefully; when she dives in for a bite at your legs, raise your foot so that her teeth connect with the heel of your shoe. Same thing if she were going to take a bite at your hand or arm--make sure that she rams her teeth into your elbow (or because she is so small, perhaps your fist)--you don't actually hit her, just let her connect with something that hurts when she tries to bite it.

With foals--and at 30" this filly may be small enough to do this too--if one rears up at me I simply grab the front legs high up on the forearm & hold the horse up on its hind legs for awhile. They generally don't like this--that wasn't their intention when they reared up at me, they meant to push me around, not have me take control and make them stay up in the air--and after a time or two of that they are much less inclined to rear up at me.

 

[Cupcake]

Thank you, my dog seems to be over the hill, being young, extra large and healthy helped. Only worry now is damage to his kidneys, but he's still at the vet on fluids for the rest of today.

She doesn't misbehave during feeding time, just impatient, she knows she has to wait for me to bring her in, lock the back door of her stall and remove the grazing muzzle. I will make sure she gets training everyday (and even during non-training will implement corrections as needed). After turning her from mountain goat to pretty girl I'm eager to turn her from devils food to sweet cupcake

Will keep you posted!

Feeding question - how much alfalfa in weight should a horse be getting when not on grass at all? I fill her bag once ever 24 hrs and it lasts her just that long. But the amount seems like more than 2 % of her body weight. Speaking of which, I only have a "big" horse measuring weight tape here, can I use it to determine her current weight? I need her weight for the vet who will be coming out and I'm sure she gained quite a bit since I got her in february when she was only 27" and 90 lbs.

 

[lucky seven]

Glad to hear your dog is doing better,

 

[HGFarm]

I have fed alfalfa for 40 years, but would never free feed it. Mine get fed twice a day- that is plenty. Recommended daily intake is 1.5 to 2.5% of a horses body weight. This is if they are not getting any pasture. You may have to adjust based on the horses metabolism- some are easier keepers than others and depends on the activity of the horse. You would feed a hard working ranch horse much more than an idle one that is used lightly on weekends.

 

[chandab]

Feeding question - how much alfalfa in weight should a horse be getting when not on grass at all? I fill her bag once ever 24 hrs and it lasts her just that long. But the amount seems like more than 2 % of her body weight. Speaking of which, I only have a "big" horse measuring weight tape here, can I use it to determine her current weight? I need her weight for the vet who will be coming out and I'm sure she gained quite a bit since I got her in february when she was only 27" and 90 lbs.

Weight tapes aren't that great for full-size horses and even worse for minis. A slightly better option is to use the formula found in the LB Info pages: http://www.lilbeginnings.com/info/misc/ Its about halfway down the page, under the weight chart (which I didn't find all that accurate for my minis); the formula is decent, but nothing beats actually weighing on a scale.

 

[Cupcake]

Growing up my family always bred horses, and even a few years ago when I was riding at a ranch in Europe, the horses were fed twice a day with grain and hay. Turnout overnight in the summer. Moving here all I saw was free feeding and lots of people believing that that would help prevent colic (not going without food for longer periods) if I limit the alfalfa and only feed her in the AM and PM I'm sure it would help reducing the belly some more but it would probably increase her attitude

She did GREAT today! she thought about biting/rearing for a second, then reconsidered and backed up in front of me - on her own! Woohoo!

 

[tagalong]

Alfalfa is like crack to some horses - they get "hot" from it and cannot handle it. I have seen maybe 5 horses affected like that in the past 20 years - yes, it can happen. IMO I would not feed her alfalfa.

The grazing muzzle may be irritating her as well - is there really so much for her to eat that may be bad that she cannot handle it?

When she charges at you in a disrespectful way - BE BIGGER - LOUDER - FASTER!!! Run AT her when she charges... she should NEVER be allwed ro charge into your space.

I would discourage the licking. It may be "cute" but is really just setting her up for nibbling in the future.

I would also change where you tie her - use a more solid wall or fence and tie her at her eye level. We never tie in rope halters - especially babies . If they get startled and set back and pull - more damage may result.

I agree about the rearing on the lunge line - unless you cued for it (and unless you have a horse in the movies, I think that is a bad idea) it is completely UNACCEPTABLE on the lunge line...

Just a few thoughts, anyway.

ETA: What is her bite like?

 

[Cupcake]

Like I mentioned, my gelding can't have alfalfa because he gets hot. Her reaction today showed me though that she may have just needed a firmer correction and that she could be fine over time. I have witnessed her nibble on things that were unedible - to her anything green can and should be eaten. Including kids in green clothing (she followed a kid in a green shirt and pants all day one time..) Plus I have 20 young trees in her pasture that would be empty in a day if I let her at it, though they are horse safe, they have a purpose other than horse feed.

Funny that you mentioned the movies, we actually did film a tv show here and my gelding was in it, though not for rearing

If I have to choose between him acting a fool on the lunge line or under saddle, I prefer him letting out without me on top. But I agree and as I mentioned, I'm working on it

Although when he jumps in the air with all 4 feet at the same time, I have contemplated calling the Lippizaner show to see if they needed a flashy paint

She has a little overbite but I will have the vet check her teeth when he comes out this week.

 

[Cupcake]

I measured her girth and she's 94 cm which is 37". That would put her weight at 161lbs. Could that be right? In February at 10 months, 27" she weighed 90 lbs (scale at the vet). She was underweight but Could she have gained 70 pounds from february until now? She's now 17 months, not sure how tall, but no more than 30". My great Dane is 31" and he's still taller.

 

[chandab]

I measured her girth and she's 94 cm which is 37". That would put her weight at 161lbs. Could that be right? In February at 10 months, 27" she weighed 90 lbs (scale at the vet). She was underweight but Could she have gained 70 pounds from february until now? She's now 17 months, not sure how tall, but no more than 30". My great Dane is 31" and he's still taller.

I really don't know, it could be right. If you only used the chart, try the formula under it as well, I think the chart might be more accurate for mature animals, rather than growing animals.

Since she was malnourished when you got her, getting on a healthy diet and putting on healthy weight (muscle, bone, etc), very well could have caused that much of a weight gain. She is almost 18 months old now, so starting to mature.