Colt Kicking and actually made contact - what to do?

[CrazyWestTexasFarmGirl]

So last night in the usuall routine of feeding the critters and loving on Levi (5month old weanling colt)

He got an attitude when my son walked up to him and spun and kicked him in the hip... (nott acting scared/spooked at all.. ) (Son isnt hurt.. his feelings are hurt mostly and he was pulling down his jeans to show off the mark later... tough as an old boot.)

I saw him spin but didnt realise he kicked until my son started hollering for me and was holding his side. I am NOT happy with this little dude right now. I walked up to Levi a bit later and he turned his butt to me and flipped his feet a little and walked off(not a full out kick) so I threw my hands up and hollered at him and moved at him until he took off then went about what I was doing. Then before going in I would walk up to him and make him move off his feed bin and move out of my way, no 'tude then...

Do I need to keep doing that or work on something else? What can we do training wise so he realises you dont kick the boy? I was REALLY suprised last night... he is very very good around my son and usually very very polite to him and moves when the boy tells him and is obedient, no butts facing the boy ever until this!. What would be the best things to do to reinforce my sons "place" above him and make him respect him more? What would you recommend?

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Not sure how old your son is but you are dealing with a baby (the horse) maybe more appropriately a toddler. He is going to try things that question the authority and dominance of every one and every thing around him. It is his nature to want to be the boss unless it is very clear to him he is not and will never be. Really what you did is pretty much all I would do at this point, but any reprimand must be immediate to be effective. Ideally your son would have yelled and chased him off as soon as he kicked since the incident was between the colt and the boy your later dominant behavior was unlikely to be connected in the foals mind. I would be careful not to allow your son to handle the horse with out a halter and lead on him for the foreseeable future (at least until he is past his 1rst birthday and a gelding) The halter will keep the head facing the handler so no sneaked in kicks and will allow him a way to correct the colt for misbehaving. While it is cute to see foals and children together it can lead to bad manners on the part of the young horse that will be very hard to change later. Explain to your son he must be like a daddy to the little horse. It is his job to help him understand what is okay and how to grow into a proper gentleman, that means he can't just be his buddy until he (the colt) grows up some. If the colt tries to misbehave while your son is with him show him how to stand up tall, growl "No" or "Stop/Quit" and give the lead a shake or in the case more severe misbehaviors a jerk. If he does happen to be in a situation where the little monster tries to kick him again, tell him he must tell that colt off and make him leave (chase him away) that he should make it clear that if the colt wants the privilege of his (your son's) company he must mind his manners.

 

[Eagle]

Yes, I totally agree. I have the same problem with my yearling colt. He is as good as gold with everyone apart from my youngest son who is 3 and who is therefore small. My son is the only one in my family to have inherited my love for horses so he ALWAYS wants to come everywhere with me, even though I tell him to wait outside the yearlings field he still comes in. I have taught him to raise his arms and shout but I never leave his side as I just don't trust him. He is never aggressive it is just foal play but I am praying he will soon learn some manners.

It is such a shame bc my son would spend hours cleaning and playing with him if he would behave, he has horses in his blood and loves helping me with my daily duties.

Can anyone tell us at what age the start to get the message???? Is there hope????

Thanks

 

[cretahillsgal]

These horses are smart and seem to know that they can push around the smaller kids. I have a mare here who is excellent. Easy to train, very smart. And she respects me very well. BUT, for some reason she knows that she is bigger than my daughter and is awful with her.

I think what you did is exactly right. And you might try to teach your son to do the same so that the horses will learn to respect him as well. Unless he is like my daughter and still pretty small. In which case, I just make my daughter stay away from the horses unless I am right there to keep them out of trouble.

 

[targetsmom]

Was the colt eating when this happened? I am always very careful around the horses - and warn others - that a horse's natural instinct (just like a dog's) is to protect their food. I think it is really asking a lot to expect a young mini (or child) to behave perfectly in such a situation. This is one I would try to avoid rather than address until they are both older. JMO.

 

[AnnaC]

Your posts about horses and their feed made me think - I do think sometimes! I have never been one to 'interfere' with a horse while it is eating, no grooming etc. That said I do muck out or pick out their stables while they are eating and interestingly ALL the horses that I have bred are very relaxed about me being with them, fiddling with their bedding/stables while they are eating, even moving their bowl around if I need to get where they are standing. BUT the ones that I didn't breed are never 'naughty' but certainly do not really like having me close to them when they are feeding. I have never 'dominated' my horses, rather I have just expected them to respect me just as I respect them, it is a two way thing and it works for me. So by my doing 'nothing' how is it that I can go in with my homebred ones and move feed bowls around etc, even with the young foals and weanlings, whereas those I haven't bred show a certain amount of resentment, although they have been taught by 'proper' popular methods?

I find it just the same with dogs - in 60 years of owning so many different breeds of dogs, I have never had a problem with sticking my hand into their feed bowls when I needed to, but then I dont believe in dominance for them either, just respect for me the same as I give to them.

I'm sorry your son got kicked - if the little colt was eating at the time then he might just have been protecting his food from someone that he didn't feel confident with. Babies will often kick, especially if they are having high jinks at the time, but a clap of the hands soon sends them on their way in those circumstances. I would let your son do things with this little colt when he is not eating, thus building up respect, confidence and a partnership, which should then follow through to everything they will share in the future - including at feed times.

JMO folks.

 

[CrazyWestTexasFarmGirl]

Well we hadnt put Levi's feed out yet but I had fed the chickens in their run that is off the side of his paddock... he tries to pick up stray grain from their scratch if we happen to spill any

We changed up his shelter the other day... instead of the small run in shade he had we emptied a side of the barn and he has a large run in barn area now... and instead of feeding outside like we had been we have

his grain pan in there and his hay pan in there also... it was outside the barn that this happened. He hasnt been worked with as much this week and hasnt been out to graze in the big area....

Today we came home and haltered and worked on leading and once he stopped pulling back any I had my son walk him around, make him stand and be petted and touched all over. He pulled back a couple times on him and I just had my son hold on and not let him back up any until he relaxed ( I had the end of the lead rope at the knot so he really couldnt get away from the boy )and then he praised him and started walking.... we walked him out into the big grassy area and then BACK into his paddock away from the yummy green grass... and THEN had my son stop him and pet him and unclip the lead rope and let him go and then had him walk up to him like he was in his way and tell him to move and make him move off... He trotted off and out the gate peacefully and started grazing,. Im going to keep this up some and see if it helps. The boy is a tall 6 years old and used to big horses and little. He bosses the big horses around like he's 6 foot tall and knows how to handle them for his riding lessons. I was afraid he would be afraid of him but he was raring to get to lead him around and work with him. We had him pickup his feet and when he picked up his back feet reeal fast my son got a little spooked and jumped back but stepped right back up to him and kept on.

I think the boy learned a little respect for the horse in the mean time... hes not JUST his little horse buddy, hes a horse with hooves that can kick and hurt. A good lesson to have learned without serious injury on a little horse... that should carry over to the big horses too!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I have never 'dominated' my horses, rather I have just expected them to respect me just as I respect them, it is a two way thing and it works for me. So by my doing 'nothing' how is it that I can go in with my homebred ones and move feed bowls around etc, even with the young foals and weanlings, whereas those I haven't bred show a certain amount of resentment, although they have been taught by 'proper' popular methods?

I find it just the same with dogs - in 60 years of owning so many different breeds of dogs, I have never had a problem with sticking my hand into their feed bowls when I needed to, but then I dont believe in dominance for them either, just respect for me the same as I give to them.

Some people just naturally have the attitude of a leader and animals respect that for the most part. I suspect that your many years of handling animals has given you pretty good instincts and your body language speaks to your position in the herd/pack so the animals tend to respect that. Those horses you don't raise may be more inclined to question whether you are who you think you are since they have not been conditioned since birth to accept you as the leader.

I'm sorry your son got kicked - if the little colt was eating at the time then he might just have been protecting his food from someone that he didn't feel confident with. Babies will often kick, especially if they are having high jinks at the time, but a clap of the hands soon sends them on their way in those circumstances. The hand clap is in itself a way to demonstrate your position in the herd and make it clear you deserve/require respect

I would let your son do things with this little colt when he is not eating, thus building up respect, confidence and a partnership, which should then follow through to everything they will share in the future - including at feed times. Good advice with which I tend to agree altho I don't differentiate between feeding and non feeding situations.

JMO folks.

For what its worth CWTFG I think you sound like you have pretty good instincts and have handled the situation pretty well both for the horse's education and your sons.

 

[AnnaC]

I'll second that too!

Sometimes to approach a 'problem' from a different angle (change of shelter/barn) can lead to solving the problem and a successful outcome. Well done to your son too.

 

[MrsCaptain]

I'm so glad to read this topic, I have owned horses all my life but never young colts and never minis. These two have been angels but I find the older one ( smaller of the two) for sure gets ornery when its time for grain. I was getting a bit worried that he was going to just start having a bad attitude but he is an angel any other time. Since I have the two in the same stall I have placed one feed bucket on one side of the stall and one on the other. I halter them before they eat and lead the ornery little guy to his feed and push his butt over so he knows where it belongs, then while I walk back to the stall door I do the same to the younger colt, who has already figured it out actually. I've only had them a week and a half so I guess I can expect him to try to boss me around , but I keep telling him ..."Merlin, I could pick you up its not worth it...LOL

May I say I love this forum its great to get all the ideas and input from all of you

And Diane , I LOVE that Mini in your profile pic wow what a beauty!!!

 

[HGFarm]

Just like with kids, foals have to be taught their boundaries. What would happen if this colt did this to another horse out in the pasture? Probably get flattened for doing it. He is a baby and just doesnt know, and is trying to find his 'place in the herd'. I would not allow small kids out around rambuncious loose foals where these things could happen until the horses (and child) are old enough to know better to avoid accidents. Hope your little one is ok. Sounds like you are working on it already.