This is when it's acceptable to smack a horse

[Kitty]

I agree with what you did. I use the 3 second rule myself that John Lyons wrote about.

At our last show I was turned toward our stall and got bit on the back of the leg. I didn't even look, I slapped the horse that bit me thinking it was my daughter holding one of ours and was going for the treats in my pocket. NOPE it was someone elses horse. I apologized but it HURT and the horse didn't try to reach out and bite me again.

Manners are a very important lesson. I instill them at a early age.

We had a 2 yr old QH 16 hands we purchased. NO MANNERS. Would try to bite your arm, leg, face or whatever was available off. About 2 lessons of the 3 second rule of me "killing him" and that was the end of that.

VERY pretty boy!!!

 

[ropenride]

I also abide by the "3 second rule" and have always preached that to my lesson students. Using it with the big horses always proved effective, and the minis are no different. We have a pen of 15 bigs that are fed together and I carry a whip (rarely used) with the feed buckets simply for "reenforcement" of rules they may forget when thinking of feed. IMO, one must "think like a horse" to deal with them! We don't allow big stallions on the place because I, a pre-menopausal woman, have to deal with the horses...and I've SEEN and heard of similar instances to Karen S. with stallions and women. I think you handled the situation admirably, despite the pain, and hopefully he will outgrow his "terrible twos" as he is absolutely beautiful!!