we got a new horse about 2 days ago . it isn't ours we are just boarding it for a friend. its a 3 year old gelding and he's usually gentle and friendly. but sometimes he acts like he wants to nip or bite us. he actually nipped my brother this morning, now he has a small bruise, but it never drew blood or tore the skin. why is he doing this? how can I prevent him from doing it again?
2006-09-30 07:26:33 · 19 answers · asked by horsegal08 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
A quick smack on the nose & a gruff NO! everytime he does it will do the trick. Just be sure that he is going to nip/bite before doing it though. Like you said, he is usually gentle.
2006-09-30 07:30:55 · answer #1 · answered by More Lies & More Smoke Screens 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all you never strike a horse. This is a game that horses use in the wild not only for play but for power. He will only develope fear or you may have a bigger problem of a horse that spooks when you come near him. You have to think like the horse. First if he is a 3 yr old you have a lot of ground work to do. There is also a way that you can try to stop him from nipping . Take a nail and put it between your middle finger just so it sticks out about an in or so. Watch the horse closly and when he lays his ears back and swings around put your hand up so he stings his nose on the nail tip. This worked with a stallion I had even after he was gelded. Ground free lounge him in a pen and use a rope or whip to crack at him each time he wants to stop or come to you. A horse naturally wants to stop and not work. If you keep after him he will learn respect for you . After he has worked for a while run towards the front of him and give a command at the time you crack the loung whip for him to turn and go in the opposite direction. Once he starts to calm you can ask him to give to you with a command of Whoa and stand still so he knows you want him to come to you. This takes about 30 days for a green horse to learn but you must gain his trust and his repsect before the biting stops. In the wild they teach each other . I heed a warning , no matter how lathered up a horse gets and acts like he is worn out he can spook or blow up at a monents notice. Email me if you think I can help you . Good Luck and be careful, as horses are powerful and dangerous but should never lose their spirit in training.
2006-09-30 08:23:37 · answer #2 · answered by ₦âħí»€G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is probably nipping because he's at an age where he's teething. but DONT LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU TO PUNISH THE HORSE! this only makes matters worse. horses are prey animals, and we are predators, and they know it. so if a human strikes out at them or shows any form of agression, they will get very disrespectful or scared. the only time a horse will fight is if they are cornered and feel thretened. So be nice to the horse and dont get emotional when he nips. learn to have eyes on the back of your head and know when he is trying to nip, then instead of getting agressive, calmly make it seem like he ran into you. for example, if he tries to bite your elbow, push your elbow out quickly the very second that he nips, and hit him on the nose with your elbow.(not too hard though) it has to be instant so he thinks he bumped into you and it was his fault. if you smack him, he wont like you and it will become a game to see if he can nip and get away fast enough so that you miss. good luck!
2006-10-01 05:16:59 · answer #3 · answered by leanne 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know this will sound strange but I have worked around horses all my life and the horse is wanting attention but if you bite the horse back just on the soft part of the nose it will usually break them. I have worked with a lot of horse over the years and I did not believe it till my great grand father told me that many many years ago and it worked. It will take some time to teach him and you will have to wash your mouth out but it does work. just hard enough to let him know that if he bites you you bite him and make him feel it as uncofrontable.
2006-09-30 07:33:40 · answer #4 · answered by liza 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to punish the horse right after the horse bites. If you dont punish him then he will continue to bite. You need to give him a hard smack on his nose and tell him NO. If he continues to bite coninue to smack him. Biting is a very serious pronblem with horses and it needs to be taken care of soon or it will just get worse. Dont be afraid to hurt him beacse in the wild if that gelding would have bit the lead mare she would have kicked him hard a few times. Good luck and remember to be the boss mare.
2006-09-30 08:00:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I adopted a Mustang a few years ago and he went through a nibbling stage when we moved him into the new barn. I just watched how I approached him - always from the side of his head, so he could see me better. I would groom his head from outside the stall until he seemed comfortable. I gave him treats often, so he knew I was there to comfort and not to harm. I said, "no" firmly every time he tried to nibble and pulled my hand away just to where he couldn't reach it. He eventually became comfortable in his new home and stopped this behavior.
2006-09-30 07:33:29 · answer #6 · answered by TJMiler 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't ever hit it in the face or the horse may get headshy. I would suggest grabbing his lower lip if he looks like hes going to bite at you and say a firm NO. Thats what I did and it worked wonders.
2006-09-30 12:14:21 · answer #7 · answered by sexay_bassist 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dont expect him to like you right away, esp if you are boarding him. You have to give him time, no matter how long it takes. Dont just rush up to him and start handling him, you need to give him his space but at the same time, gradually get closer and closer and show him that what you are doing is a good thing, approach him with treats and oats, but not all the time, pet him and then reward him for not nipping. dont just go up to him with a treat for no reason, then he will expect yopu to give him one every time you see him and he will never learn to earn them. good luck
2006-09-30 07:35:30 · answer #8 · answered by Brittney 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can try smacking him on the nose as soon as he does it, but some horse like it which can make it worse. So if he seems to be the type to like it, then I would just do the safe thing and put a muzzle on him.
2006-09-30 08:04:19 · answer #9 · answered by steph1234 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A friend of mine got bitten by her horse in the arm, and she instantly bit the horse back (guess she was pissed). Not sure this is very animal friendly, but it did stop her horse from biting her anymore:P
2006-09-30 07:29:12 · answer #10 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋