now that he is gelded, will he stop trying to sneak in a nip

[bobby dazzler]

Hi. Bobbie is now the wonder gelding - as of yesterday. He has a bad habit of wanting to sneak a nip in to the younger boys arms - one is 2 and the other is 4. He is very sneaky and I think it is because they are just at the wrong height. He knows he should not do this, as whenever he tries to nip I tell him a stern NO and he backs off. Once his hormone levels drop, will he be less likely to do this?

When he was still doped up, he let me do ANYTHING to him -i.e, too drugged to care or bother. My husband hated him like this - said he still needed some spark in him - which I agree- but I just want a horse that I can love and cuddle, and know that he try and take a nip at us. I told my husband I liked him all dopey. The breeder we got him off said that at from about 12mths plus, he will start to nip - is that right - or is it that Bobbie has been allowed to do this previously with his breeder?

And finally, any suggestions to help me NIP (sorry about the play on words) this in the bud - rather than having him drugged!!!

Catch ya, Kerrie

 

[Jill]

Oh, gelding is not going to correct behaviors that are established. It will however make him catch on more quickly to being corrected. I've had senior stallions raised up from foals and beleive me, they did NOT nip because we did NIP it in the bud early on. It can be very dangerous. But, it is also very natural for a male horse to nip and doing things like hand feeding treats will do nothing but encourage any horse into the habbit whether it's a stallion, mare or geldings.

If he were my horse, at this time, I would not allow the children around him but *I* would spend time with him and do whatever I could to basically bait him into trying to nip me and when he did, I would smack his neck or shoulder and say "QUIT" (not NO, since it sounds a lot like woah and could be confusing when he has additional training in hand or in harness).

For smacking him, since he sounds like he's well into the habit, I really wouldn't use my hand but would use a crop or a flexible switch. In my experience, a swat with the hand is NOTHING to the horse. It really doesn't get the point across. A crop or switch will and on the neck or shoulder, never near his face.

After he is not trying it anymore with you, then I'd gradually let the kids around him more and would stick close with the crop or switch because he's probably going to see if he can get away with it with them.

It's not meanness that makes him do it, it is just naturual. Horses would play with each other this way with nipping and it is also part of how a stallion would test a mare to see if she's going to cooperate w/ his intentions

I would think his intention with the kids is to get them to nip back and to play rough with him, but he has to learn he cannot ever nip or bite people.

Gelding is going to make him more cooperative but training is essential.

 

[bobby dazzler]

hI. I will be in town next week and I will get the crop then - Thanks Jill, I will start using the word quit instead of no. And will continue on until he realises that it is a big NO NO! Wish I could just send him to time out corner like the kids but realise that wont work!! And I stopped hand feeding him about a month ago because I had heard it from somewhere else on this site, that that could encourage him to nip. Regards, Kerrie

 

[billiethekid40]

I guess I had the exception- the miracle cure! I wasn't expecting the overnight results of gelding my guy, but he was a definate nipper before (I wore long sleeves to school to hide the bruises lest the teachers thought it was my parents

: ) and has only nipped me twice since being gelded about 5 years ago. But then, we had major cryptorchid surgery done and I think when he got home it wasn't worth it to tick momma off anymore.

: He has been the most gentle soul ever since. I think the time he spent healing and me taking care of him was the best bonding experience we could ever have had.