My husband's shoe

[MyMiniGal]

My husband and I went and visited Halo, yesterday, evening. We hit is right at feeding time, which was fine. She has never minded if anyone is in the paddock, while she is eating. In fact, she likes me to scratch her body, when she is eating. I could tell as soon as we got there, she was having a slight attitude. I work at a preschool/daycare, and I see a lot of what we see in the children, with Halo. So, she is not quite two, so she is acting like that age, in a child, to me. So she was in one of those, I want my own way, attitude. Anyway, she was doing fine with me, for the most part. Once she sort of crowded me, and I made her step back, and once she tried to get into my fanny pack, that I had some carrots in. I told her no and used pressure on the side of her head/face and once she turned away, released and praised her. Seemed to of worked, as the next time she came up to me, I could tell she "thought" about trying to get into it again, but decided to be good and not even try. I thought that was good. But, she was really having an issue with one of my husband's shoes. She did a lot of sniffing, and that was fine, until she decided she wanted to bite his foot/shoe. He wasn't sure what to do, and I told him any biting at all, at a human is unacceptable and needed to be addressed. I told him if she does it again, to give her a good bop on the nose, and mean it. So she tried it again. This time she got it so hard, I saw the toe of his shoe bounce back down, after she let go. He scolded and bopped her, nose, which she then threw a temper tantrum, as I feel it was, and tried to get back at his foot immediately. This time he bopped her before she could even get to it. She then looked at him, sort of in shock, and decided it wasn't worth it anymore, and never tried it again. We are wondering if she was just testing him, or if there was something on that shoe, as it was the same one, everytime. Some sort of smell or something. I don't want to make that her sniffing something is banned, but this makes me wonder, if we should make it that way, for anything, that is on one of us.

 

[Rhondaalaska]

I don't know if something was on it,

but some times my mare will fixate on "getting" one thing from us or off us.

You did well correcting it promptly.

I know for my mare she will do this just to be a brat and has learned to stop when corrected for it.

She has stollen hats, gloves, handkerchiefs, brushes, shovels ect.

Others wil be able to tell you more.

But for my mare it is just her thinking it is fun or just being bratty.

Depending on her attitude at the moment .

I don't mind the fun attitude as much but is still scolded for it.

 

[stormy]

She was offering to "play" and sounds like she was surprised when he refused to play with her, horses will nip at each others feet and legs in an offer of play time.

 

[MyMiniGal]

Ok, I didn't look at it as play, but that does make sense. She still can't do that with us, but it is good to know what it most likely was. Thank you. She is a pretty mellow mini, from what I have read, but I know she will have her moments and her moments of testing us too. Especially with how young she is. Other than that, we had an enjoyable time with her. Didn't do anything but hang out and scratch her, really, but that was fine, as we are still all getting to know eachother. I've only had her for 3.5 wks. so we are still working on trust and bond.

 

[Lori W]

Our youngsters love to sniff at and nuzzle our shoes, too. We also don't allow any nibbling or biting of our shoes or any part of our person and reprimand quickly and without anger, then get calmly back to what we were doing. Yes, they show some surprise at first ("What! You don't want to play with me??"), but biting in any form - even an attempt to bite - is not tolerated. I think like the boss mare - if she won't let it happen, neither will I - and I'll correct firmly. They're smart and it doesn't take much to get the idea across!

 

[Janiecakes]

one of my mini's is very mouthly, ( at times he shows his teeth) so I have to watch him. sometimes he'll be sniffing my ruber boots and bites the top of them. or my coat sleves. he has'nt really bit me yet. I try to correct him when he does this. I know I should use my hand to bit him back on neck (like the lead mare would), but sometimes I react by slapping him on the nose/jaw. How do you all correct this behavior?

 

[Marty]

I'm running a den of theives. They'll take anything they can get their mouths on.

I have two genius mares that untie shoelaces.

 

[Minimor]

Yep we gave a few that like to pull on shoes or boots--they especially like shoes with Velcro closures -- I think they like the RRIIPPPP noise when they pull the Velcro ! They wouldn't think of biting otherwise, shoes are just something to play with. They like pulling on coat strings too --not sure why that is fun. I personally do not care if they play with my shoes--in my books that is a non-issue and does not require any correction. If one is too persistent then a shake of my foot or a push and 'get out of here' puts finish to it. If one were making an actual bite at me that would be different, but that isn't the case so no worries.

 

[MyMiniGal]

I was also wondering, if had done the "correction" or "discipline" correctly. I knew I didn't want her thinking biting, at anytime, was ok. So something had to be done, even if it was done a bit off. And she seemed to of had a problem with my husband. He hasn't been around her as much as I have. He had petted her down her leg, when he first got there and she did a biting thing at him. Didn't really try to get him, but did turn and bite towards him, and he didn't correct it. Which I told him he needs to do, at all times, or else he is possibly going to make it to where I get bit, as he is saying it is ok. She is young and is learning to control her emotions and I am trying to learn to read her, which will get better with time spent with her.

 

[Rhondaalaska]

Usually I try not to hit the face, sometimes that's all you have so it is what gets gotten.

I try to smack the neck or chest if I can

This way my mare doesn't become head shy.

But quick response is the key

And you did that

Just yesterday my mare decided my shoes that she hasn't seen for a while ,due to snow I had been wearing boots,

Was a new thing to taste to see if it could be played with.

Lol

A firm no and smack on the chest and she left it alone .

Silly mare, I think they are always 2 yrs old everything in the mouth

 

[MyMiniGal]

Yeah, I don't want her head shy either. Will try and remember the neck or chest, if we can.

 

[Helicopter]

I love it when my little guys sniff and nibble at my shoes.

 

[MyMiniGal]

A nibble would of been one thing, but this an all out, get her mouth over the whole toe of the shoe and bite. It was also her attitude...she was wanting to bite him, for whatever reason, as she tried earlier when he touched her leg. I may end up with children near her, someday, and I don't want her biting at all, just to be on the safe side.