He's such a snot!!

[wishful]

My app stallion(in My Avator) is coming three years old. When I got him he was the sweetest little guy I could ever ask for. I let him run with a mare most of last year. The mare is now running with a young weanling colt so I took Dobby out of the pasture with her and put him by himself. Every night I stall him and every morning I take him out to the round pen to work him, well lately he has started swinging and jerking his head away from me when i am leading him by halter and when he is on the lead he tries to bite!!

I dont know why he is being such a snot! How do I break the head jerking problem without making him head shy.?

 

[Jill]

I'm thinking a stud chain, under his chin, not over his nose. When he jerks his head, do a short / snappy jerk down and say "QUIT".

For the biting, I'd carry a crop and whack him fast as lightening on the neck or shoulder anytime he does it or tries to. Smacking w/ hands just doesn't get the point across very well.

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

I'm thinking a stud chain, under his chin, not over his nose.  When he jerks his head, do a short / snappy jerk down and say "QUIT".
For the biting, I'd carry a crop and whack him fast as lightening on the neck or shoulder anytime he does it or tries to.  Smacking w/ hands just doesn't get the point across very well.

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I have done the same. Works well too!

 

[Jill]

hehe

With one of my big horses, once when I was tacking him up, he did like this slow motion cow kick at me. It was like he was testing the water to see if he could get away with it. It really surprised me and I did smack him a lot actually, but with my hands. I was so mad because I could just see Sky's wheels turning.

So the next day, I had a crop with me and I went really slow absolutely baiting him to try it again. He looked over his shoulder at me, then did try and kick me like he was really thinking "let's see what she thinks of this". Well, I laid into him like three times with the crop!!! That really surprised him and I don't beleive I had ever really done more than tap him while riding w/ a crop before.

For the next while when I'd tack him up, I kept the crop on my wrist and would show it to him before I put the saddle on and no more attempts to kick me.

But, like I said, that smacking him with my hands made zero impression but it hurt my hands.

Sky's so old now and really a good horse, just also a smart one who wanted to get out of riding.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Just stop and think about all the HUGE life changes you have inflicted upon this little chap in that last so many months.

Blimey, if I were him, quite frankly trying to nip is the least I would do

You need to stop blaming him for trying to find something else to do with his time, and someone else to play with, and seeing things from hos point of view and give him something a little more interesting to do with his time!!

And, whilst I would most certainly be finding ways of letting him know that I am NOT his new "plaything" punishing him for displaying behaviour I allowed to happen, if not actually caused in the first place, would not be on my agenda.

He is not being a "snot" he is being a horse.

Just because you allowed him total freedom to act exactly as he pleased, and now you are reaping the benefits, is no reason to blame the horse

 

[wishful]

he only stalls at night but i went ahead and put him back in with his mare. I moved the weanling and will see if this helps curb the problem.

 

[Sandee]

He is not being a "snot" he is being a horse.

Just because you allowed him total freedom to act exactly as he pleased, and now you are reaping the benefits, is no reason to blame the horse

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Sorry I understand what you're saying but I can't agree. He is acting with you like he would with another horse - this does NOT make it acceptable behavior. I'd vote for the stud chain. I have to still watch my (coming) 3 yr old as when he thinks he's been stalled too long or is just ansy he tries to nip. I walk with my hand very close to the snap and if he turns his head (mouth) toward me I pop him with the end of lead in my other hand. It only takes once for him to remember, I'm not part of "his" band - he's part of mine!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

He is acting as he has been allowed to act because he has been given free access to a mare, and then, suddenly taken away- what is hard to see?

All I am saying is it seems unfair to punish him sharply fro behaviour that mishandling his upbringing has allowed to happen.

He needs to be reprimanded but gently and firmly and given a chance to reprogramme his behaviour, not suddenly jumped on for acting as he has always acted.

I'm sorry but putting him back with the mare is certainly humane but it will not solve the situation, and, of course, you will get a foal.

Is there a more experienced Forum member near to you that could offer real help??

 

[Jill]

Well, I stick by my advice, stud chain for leading and a crop if he tries to bite / nip. I do not feel the horse is being evil or anything. In fact, I think it's almost a colt's job to test the water and see what he can get away with. It's not inhumane to use a stud chain and a crop and I don't expect it to take long for the point to get across. And, even though minis are little, they can still seriously hurt someone and they need to know manners and to respect people as people, not treat them like playmates.

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

Well gee, Rabbit, what is the gentle way of telling a horse not to bite you? Shall we all just go, "no no, don't bite mommy, sweety" and let three year old studs take chunks out of us? Heck no! Yes, those are changes that were made to the boy, but ya know what? Acting out and biting is not an appropriate response to change and that boy needs to have that made known to him. If he is pastured and only put up at night and worked daily, then dangit, I think he is just fine. Change happens and noneso much as the change in his own body with his hormones, but that doesn't give him an excuse to do what he wants and to behave in a dangerous manner. A quick slap with a crop or rope isn't punishment in this case, it is correction for a bad behavior. If you want to look at it from a horse perspective, just think what would happen if that three year old stud decided to boss around and bite at an older alpha mare. That mare would give him a far worse correction than anything this girl could do to him! We have taken horses out of nature and away from the ways that they would learn proper manners and behavior, so I see it as our responsibility to teach them those manners--for their own sake now and in the future! CORRECT the bad behavior and make sure the stud has plenty of expercise and attention, in my humble opinion.

-Amy

 

[MiLo Minis]

Well gee, Rabbit, what is the gentle way of telling a horse not to bite you? Shall we all just go, "no no, don't bite mommy, sweety" and let three year old studs take chunks out of us? Heck no! Yes, those are changes that were made to the boy, but ya know what? Acting out and biting is not an appropriate response to change and that boy needs to have that made known to him.  If he is pastured and only put up at night and worked daily, then dangit, I think he is just fine.  Change happens and noneso much as the change in his own body with his hormones, but that doesn't give him an excuse to do what he wants and to behave in a dangerous manner.  A quick slap with a crop or rope isn't punishment in this case, it is correction for a bad behavior.  If you want to look at it from a horse perspective, just think what would happen if that three year old stud decided to boss around and bite at an older alpha mare.  That mare would give him a far worse correction than anything this girl could do to him! We have taken horses out of nature and away from the ways that they would learn proper manners and behavior, so I see it as our responsibility to teach them those manners--for their own sake now and in the future! CORRECT the bad behavior and make sure the stud has plenty of expercise and attention, in my humble opinion.
-Amy

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My thoughts exactly. They are far stronger than us and can really hurt or even kill someone (a child for instance) in which case they may likely end up being put down. So for his own good this needs to be nipped in the bud.

 

[Margaret]

There is no doubt that the behavior of this horse is un acceptable.. It is the need of a method that will treat it, without causing the more of the head shyness effect, ..I once had a stallion with this problem , and he would get to the point where he would anticipate the reprimand by throwing his head up after the nip. So with him it was important to let him inflict his own pain when he nipped. I carried a comb ( an old plastic style with the point on the end) on the side where he was being walked, and set the stage daily, for "halter" and "voice" training. We went over "walk" commands and "whoa" commands, and "backing up" as well as turning.. I allways went over the "backing command" if he tried to bite me, as this seemed to impress on him that I was in charge the most. If he tried to bite my hand he learned that it was painful to do so.. I also used a loud AAH AAH- when he tried to bite, so he would remember that "warning command" to not even try for later.. I also waited to feed him until we could end with him being a good boy, and praising for any improvments along the way of course. (Shoulder scratches)

It may take more time to treat the problem this way, but if you you address it by training the whole horse, you will end up with a better horse, with no reason for head shyness, as he is learning more about obedience, and reward, along the way.

 

[DunPainted]

Admittedly, I don't have much experience with stallions, being relatively new to horses. However, this year, our three year old turned just ornry with the same behavior.

I chalked it up to hormones, and had a trainer come out to help me solve the problem. Frankly, I realized my wimpiness and the mares wanted nothing to do with this tough guy after numerous times of kicking his fanny. Friends told me this behavior is normal for three and four year old stallions.

Didn't want to risk any children "wandering" into the pasture, so we gave him to an experienced horse trainer friend. He's now an absolute gentleman...and we still retain breeding rights (has great breeding).

This is a wonderful post....and learned a few things. Thanks everyone!

Cindy

 

[SIX_GEMS]

Oh No, can't believe this is the same little guy that always gave us kisses as a tiny baby, guess he is turning into a stallion! If we are going to have trouble with any of our horses biting, it is usually the young ones which are cured real quick with a quick spray of Binaca!! Yes, no chains, no smacks, just a spray of Binaca (the fresh mouth spray) and this will take care of the problem. If I had to use this tactic, usually 2 or 3 times the horse gets the idea. I guess coming from big horses I find the minis a lot easier to handle and have only had to use a lip chain on one of the new badly trained stallions I bought, he was dangerous and did rip a tendon in my hand, even with a nose chain on. With big horses it was routine esp with the stallions, but personally I have found little use for it with the minis.

I would recommend getting Hero out more, even leaving him out and more exercise...30-40 min of lunging and that will keep his mind more focused on working than biting you. For some reason he is not respecting you, that needs to change and with working and the old trusty Binaca, it will change things. I would leave him out as much as possible tho. If horses are going to bite, it is usually the ones feeling their "oats" the most.

Best of luck, if you need to email me Jaimie, it is [email protected]

Merry Christmas to all!

 

[Marty]

I don't understand why you would let him run with a mare,

then, not let him run with a mare,

then let him run with a mare,

and you think that has anything to do with his biting and head jerking on you.

I'm just confused about this one.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Ok well first off here is my 5 cents

it is PERFECTLY acceptable for a horse to be stalled at nite and some stalled both day and nite with adaquate exercise.. in fact most top show horses and our olympic horses are stalled like this. They wouldnt do well if not at the top of there game both physically and mentally.

Second.. a horse needs to learn to deal with change period if not you can be hurting them in the long run as there are times that things have to be done different be it emergencies, shows, new homes ect and IMO not to expose your horse to normal daily routines even if different from your own is not fair.

Third.. I dont care if my horses are out all day togther, in all day togther or anything in between BITING is not acceptable. Especially with a colt. My horses have attempted of course and sometimes they hit there target but beleive me it isnt something they will do without thinking twice again.

to me biting, kicking is the ultimate sin in horseland..It is just not allowed period and treated like the crime I think it is.

I dont always go after them ( colts) in the face cause they do get smart and will try and then move there head very quick.. you hve to always think when holding a colt or stallion ALWAYS no matter how good they are. I have cow kicked a horse for biting, backed them up.. turned into them while yelling turned away from them while yelling , smacked, whatever it takes so they get clearly this is not ok.

Now that all of that is said.. being out during the day or even out with work during the day is adaquate.. and this is very normal adolescent testing behavior and with stallions sometimes something they never outgrow (the testing not the behaviors)