This is the only place that I can receive true answers. I have just purchased a 17 month old filly. She is really pretty and is catching on to this new world. However, she is beginning to nibble/bite, I did strike her with small whip, but I don't want to strike her when she does something like bitting. Any suggestions on what would be the best way to break her from such a bad habit getting ready to start. I want to get this under control while she is still young, but I don't want her to jump every time she sees me because she thinks I am going to hit her.
Posted 2006-06-21 10:41 PM (#43421 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322 Location: Fort Madison, Iowa
When one of my horses was young he tried the nibbling. I'd have him conveniently run into my elbow, pinch his lip or pull on his wiskers, he eventually quit.
Posted 2006-06-22 4:35 AM (#43424 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 301 Location: Catoctin Mtn, Maryland
My yearling tried the nibbling/biting thing also. I agree with Horsin Around. The elbow to the mouth really works. Took a couple of elbow's to get the point across but my baby finally got the message. Once in awhile he'll give me that look and I'll give him a look back, with a comment "don't even think about it". He then just walks away...........He's such a "good boy"..(now)
Posted 2006-06-22 5:34 AM (#43426 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954 Location: Hagerstown, MD
Hi jreed and welcome to HTW. We have a little arab 3 yr. old mare that we raised from birth with the help of her mom, which we have also. This baby was VERY curious about everything and totally fearless. In part because of how much time my wife spent with her when she was little. My wife is not the disciplinarian when it comes to horses. Her approach to working with them is softly and she has convinced me that a softer approach works best. Now to the biting thing. Horses don't like loud noises, the like rubs better than pats. A swift pat on the neck can startle a horse and because they are a sensitive creature anything beyond gentle is not to their liking. My wife's little mare had a VERY busy mouth and still does. As a last resort, my wife had to start using the knuckle of her index finger on the jaw. This little mare was so persistant and daring that it became a game at first, so my wife had to up the anty. She started poking her in the large part of the jaw first and worked her way down the jaw to the more sensitive and narrow part of the jaw and trying to keep away from the mouth as much as possible. My wife taught her it was o.k. to put her lips on my wife's hand or arm, BUT NO TEETH! This little mare is too smart, too busy and most of the time too cute for her own good. After 3 years, she has turned out to be the most affectionate in our bunch and always wants to give as much attention as she is getting. Grooming her the first year was a trip! She wanted to groom us as much as she was getting groomed. Happy trails.
Posted 2006-06-22 7:55 AM (#43430 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Veteran
Posts: 274 Location: Memphis, TN
Hi jreed. Are you giving the horse treats? Too many treats at inappropriate times will cause this too.They sometimes will start nibbling and biting in expectation of a treat. Save the treats for reward of a good job.
We had a neighbor who would come over during the day while we were at work and feed treats to the horses over the frence. She was going thru a whole bag a week. We started to wonder why the horses had started nibbling at us every time we came around. Finally caught her and "enlightned" her.
Posted 2006-06-22 9:09 AM (#43435 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824 Location: Kansas
You might also make a fist and come up under her jaw quickly and "pop" (NOT hit) her quickly with your fist. She doesn't see it coming and doesn't associate it with you but learns that biting has consequences. A firm "no" at the same time doesn't hurt anything.
Posted 2006-06-22 10:43 AM (#43442 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Newton, NJ
My gelding is a very affectionate horse as well... loves to be groomed and scratched and is pretty quick to learn a trick or two if there's a flavorful reward to be had. We had a biting/nibbling issue when he was young. It's awfully hard to pop them with a fist or some other "weapon" when it happens. Some people try the nail/pin treatment. I'm a proponent of a good loud "NO!". If it scares them at first, that's a good thing. It also works in situations where I may see them trying something that they shouldn't - like when I leave one of the barn doors open and they try to walk in to explore. If I yell their name and say No, it usually gets their attention and they stop. It's better than creating head-shyness with ineffective physical contact.
Posted 2006-06-22 11:21 AM (#43448 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 301 Location: Catoctin Mtn, Maryland
It's funny, horses "bite the hell" out of each other......too bad we can't take a hunk out of their behinds when they bite us. But then that would be considered "abuse" now wouldn't it.
My yearling turned his butt at me "ONE" time and I kicked him as hard as I could square in his rear end. Never has he ever turned his butt to me since. He is now 2 y/o.
Posted 2006-06-22 2:35 PM (#43459 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
if you watch horses out in the field, you'll notice the boss mare rarley has to do more than lay her ears back at anyone trying to bother her. Why? Because there came a time she nailed them hard, just once.After that, the oher horses give her a wide berth, they respcet her authority.
When a horse bites, its an aggressive act and needs to be stopped now. if you pop her once,hard, make your point NOW- then pet and rub her over the face, she'll instantly respect you. A silly little slap won't do it. You'll be picking on her and she'll tune you out. Most horses getting head-shy are that way from repeated striking on the face and head not from one good smack to tell them biting is not acceptable. At 17 mos, she doesn't know this. She doesn't know who the leader is. So now its time to start teaching her what is and what is not acceptable behavior.
Posted 2006-06-22 9:06 PM (#43481 - in reply to #43420) Subject: RE: Biting/Kicking
Member
Posts: 31
Thanks so much for all of the help on my bitting little filly, did I also mention that she has a quick left kick as well. When ever I touch her on the lower part of her left leg, she give a quick swift kick.
Posted 2006-06-22 11:55 PM (#43489 - in reply to #43481) Subject: RE: Biting/Kicking
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
Is she sore or tickelish?
When I first got my appy mare she wouldn't let me lift her rear feet. She never actually kicked at me, but would lift her foot and warn me. I backed her into a loop and used a rope to lift the foot a few times and then tied the foot to her head and went to pick it up. She did the fake kick thing and was very shocked when her head was jerked down. She did that twice on one side and "tested" with the other one. I can handle her feet, unless I am trying to pull out cactus thorns.
Biting
Thanks so much for all of the help on my bitting little filly, did I also mention that she has a quick left kick as well. When ever I touch her on the lower part of her left leg, she give a quick swift kick..jpg)
