Teaching colts not to nip

[champsmom]

I have two boys that are almost a year old. One was bottle fed

the other raised normally (by his Mom)

Anyway, I am having problems teaching them not to be so mouthy. They have both nipped but more often they grab my coat, untie my shoelaces, and unzip my jacket.

Im trying to raise them to be gentile around children. I would so apprectiate any advise.

 

[Jean_B]

If you intend to have them for your children, my first recommendation would be to geld them as soon as possible. As yearlings, they are now starting to go into that hormonal "I am a stud-muffin" stage.

Also, you need to get inside their heads - horses are herd animals, and they definitely have a pecking order. You need to make yourself the top in that pecking order, and when you do so - you need to use the "Two Second Rule" because if you do anything after 2 seconds have elapsed, you are wasting your time and just confusing them.

The first thing is to give them as little opportunity to nip in the first place. Make them respect your space. Never go out and "love on them" unless you are able to control the location of their mouths at all times....this means holding their halter firmly or tying them in such a way that they cannot reach you with those powerful teeth while your scratch, pet or brush them. After a while, they should realize that their mouth is for feed, not nipping.

And if they do land a nip - in a very firm, deep and loud voice - say "QUIT" (I never use the word no - it sounds too much like whoa). At the same time, I would sometimes grab a lip or the neck and pinch HARD.

Try not slap or hit them around the head as this will make them head-shy. However, I had one colt (kept intact to be a breeding stallion) years ago that just didn't get it until I landed a roundhouse right to his nose (I grew up with 5 brothers). He never tried to bite me again.

 

[champsmom]

If you intend to have them for your children, my first recommendation would be to geld them as soon as possible. As yearlings, they are now starting to go into that hormonal "I am a stud-muffin" stage.

Also, you need to get inside their heads - horses are herd animals, and they definitely have a pecking order. You need to make yourself the top in that pecking order, and when you do so - you need to use the "Two Second Rule" because if you do anything after 2 seconds have elapsed, you are wasting your time and just confusing them.

The first thing is to give them as little opportunity to nip in the first place. Make them respect your space. Never go out and "love on them" unless you are able to control the location of their mouths at all times....this means holding their halter firmly or tying them in such a way that they cannot reach you with those powerful teeth while your scratch, pet or brush them. After a while, they should realize that their mouth is for feed, not nipping.

And if they do land a nip - in a very firm, deep and loud voice - say "QUIT" (I never use the word no - it sounds too much like whoa). At the same time, I would sometimes grab a lip or the neck and pinch HARD.

Try not slap or hit them around the head as this will make them head-shy. However, I had one colt (kept intact to be a breeding stallion) years ago that just didn't get it until I landed a roundhouse right to his nose (I grew up with 5 brothers). He never tried to bite me again.

 

[MindyLee]

I might get really bashed here BUT it worked wonderfully for me...

When my weanling filly became really nippy/mouthy I did smack (not beat her) her on the lips and firmly said "NO"! I also would firmly grab her lips as well and also say "NO"!

In no time she learned that her doing this was a big no no. And not once did she ever freak out or was emotionally scared by it. She was doing something that was not acceptable and caught on that I will not tolerate it. Now 2 yrs later, shes my little love bug and i have not had 1 issue with her being nippy or mouthy in anyway. Lots of folks say to never hit a horse, I personally do not see this as a hitting situation, it was a disipline situation where it was not abuse in my eyes but method of correcting the nipping/mouthing problem that ended just as fast as she started.

NOW I have personlly witnessed a person who has not only hit their horses but kicked them very hard as well. NOW that is uncalled for and abuse in my eyes. This person also did it to another persons horses too that was at their house all because the horse would'nt stand perfectly still for them. The only thing a horse learns from that is to be compleatly fearfull...

 

[LindaL]

I might get really bashed here BUT it worked wonderfully for me...

NOW I have personlly witnessed a person who has not only hit their horses but kicked them very hard as well. NOW that is uncalled for and abuse in my eyes. This person also did it to another persons horses too that was at their house all because the horse would'nt stand perfectly still for them. The only thing a horse learns from that is to be compleatly fearfull...

Actually...if you watch in a herd atmosphere, if a horse bites another, USUALLY the other horse whips around and kicks the biter! A human can not kick harder than another horse can by kicking them...we do not have the strength. Just sayin'...

I say Be the BOSS MARE...if you can not grab a lip or neck in time, a foot works just as well in that 2 seconds! (Also, using your voice LOUDLY gets their attention.)

Flame away...

BTW, I have a 3 yr old stallion who does bite if you are not paying attention. Putting him out with a mare has taught him some manners and he is getting better.

Just wanted to add, too...that I am NOT cruel in any way to my horses. Anyone who has seen me around them can tell you that.

 

[MindyLee]

I totally understand what your saying about a swift kick from a mare and other stuff Linda, BUT this person did out of being just mean. The horse was only moving a little bit when the person kicked it in the ribs hard and several times as well. The horse reared back and the person jerked it back down screaming and smacking it in the face calling it bad names. IMO this person was taking out more anger on the horse then just a disipline.

If that was my horse at that persons house and saw what I saw, that person would be getting kicked like that by me... To me it was a little out of line and uncalled for.

 

[LindaL]

I totally understand what your saying about a swift kick from a mare and other stuff Linda, BUT this person did out of being just mean. The horse was only moving a little bit when the person kicked it in the ribs hard and several times as well. The horse reared back and the person jerked it back down screaming and smacking it in the face calling it bad names. IMO this person was taking out more anger on the horse then just a disipline.

If that was my horse at that persons house and saw what I saw, that person would be getting kicked like that by me... To me it was a little out of line and uncalled for.

Yes, that would be a totally different scenario and uncalled for.

 

[Matt73]

Yeah, you should never smack/hit/kick in anger. But I very quickly stopped a 17.1h 4 year old Oldenberg gelding to stop trying to kick me when I went to pick up his hind legs. A swift, hard elbow to the ribs with a loud shout, did the trick (only took a few times for him to get it)...and he never ever did it again. Yeah, it scared the crap out of him. Good. I'd rather him be respectful and scared to do that than give him any indication that I was a wuss that he could walk on, kick, or trample lol

Also, Willow's started nipping on occasion (when she doesn't like something...like me picking up her front feet in her stall). She turned and nipped (not just grabbed) my coveralls the other day. I smacked her on her chest and yelled, "NO!". She got it. She was surprised. I'm sure she won't do it again...And if she does she'll get more of the same

 

[Amoreminiatures]

I am very proud to say we do not have ANY biters on our farm, from stallions to foals to yearlings and all in between, my method to correct this behavior is simply I do not put myself in their space to start with bad behavior first off then if a foal or young one goes to put their mouth on me I take my hands and cup them together on their muzzle and RUB quickly and firmly and it creates heat and friction and quite simply they DO NOT enjoy it, and they learn that attention with the mouth like that just isn't the thing to do.. Has worked and like I can we just don't have that kind of behavior and everyone is well respected in the barn and treat each other as such.. Good luck

 

[MindyLee]

I am very proud to say we do not have ANY biters on our farm, from stallions to foals to yearlings and all in between, my method to correct this behavior is simply I do not put myself in their space to start with bad behavior first off then if a foal or young one goes to put their mouth on me I take my hands and cup them together on their muzzle and RUB quickly and firmly and it creates heat and friction and quite simply they DO NOT enjoy it, and they learn that attention with the mouth like that just isn't the thing to do.. Has worked and like I can we just don't have that kind of behavior and everyone is well respected in the barn and treat each other as such.. Good luck

Thats a really good ideal!

 

Im pretty lucky too not have any bitters either here. Just the filly when she was a weanling. Otherwise the only fuss around here is when I step into the pasture with grain. LOL!