I was at some stables the other day, and just like the time before, every time I went over to a horse, it would constantly try to nibble at me. I usually let the horse smell around to "familiarize," but it would eventually just reach over with its lips and teeth and go for my hand or jacket. It would move around if I tried to pet it and again try the nibbling. All the horses did this.
I seem to remember a time when horses I went up to didn't do that. What's going on?
2007-01-18 14:31:56 · 11 answers · asked by Shiva 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
This is a bad habit learned from the owners of those horses. Feeding treats from your hand is one cause of this problem. When giving a horse a treat never hand feed, reward him by putting it in his feed bin.
Another reason any of these horses where nibbling at your hand is a sheer sign of dominance. Horses will "try" humans just like they would another horse to proclaim their alpha status. It first starts as nibbling then open mouth biting.
The best rule of thumb is just like the saying "Never walk behind a strange mare." If you don't know the horse don't try to pet it. A lot of owner's may get mad if you even try to touch their horse. If a horse does happen to nibble at you, just simply move away from him. Do not try to discipline him by bopping his nose- this causes head shyness and a lot of stables may ask you to leave their stables for disciplining another owners horse.
2007-01-18 17:55:52 · answer #1 · answered by silvaspurranch 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The horse is nibbling on you because you are allowing it. Be very forceful in showing the horse that this is unacceptable behavior. It can seem like an innocent habit that can quickly become dangerous. A horse can do serious damage with only a nip. Horses have been known to take off fingers, ears and noses of their owners or just passers-by.
2007-01-19 22:20:19 · answer #2 · answered by T 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Horses use their mouths and lips kind of like we use our hands. They will try to put almost anything in their mouth. If they have decided that it's not going to eat them, their next step in their thought process is usually, can I eat it? Most horses will smell your hand if you put it out for them. Some people also hand feed their horses teats so some may think that there might be food in your hand, so they had better nibble at it just in case. I don't like to feed my horse or any horse from my hand because it makes them mouthy (they put their mouth all over you or bite) which it sounds like that's what these horses were doing. It's just plain rude of them and disrespectful, but people have encouraged the behavior by feeding them directly from the hand. Horses are just as happy to eat their treat from their bucket as they are your hand. It could be that before these horses were not hand fed and now someone has switched to slipping them treats from their hand.
2007-01-18 15:02:58 · answer #3 · answered by ilovesubasketball 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Most people feed treats from their hands and horses learn to relate "Hand" to "Treat" so when they see a hand, they think "grab the treat!"
Hence the behavior.
Don't forget that horses investigate things with their mouth and nose so they very well be investigating what you're wearing, what you "smell" like, etc.
2007-01-18 15:31:31 · answer #4 · answered by kerrisonr 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are grooming nibbles. It's the way horses build social bonds within the herd, by grooming each other. Don't believe any junk you hear about "dominance" that's not it at all.
2016-02-09 16:06:55 · answer #5 · answered by E 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a horse and when ever I come to see her she always nibbles me... I think its her way of seeing if she can find something on me that she can eat... Or maybe because I smell good!! =)
2007-01-18 14:38:12 · answer #6 · answered by DoveRydur 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the horse is used to people feeding them flat handed and they use there lips top get the food into there mouth. if they nibble on your jacket they think you have treats or they are just saying hi and trying to get your attention.......my horse grabbed my pocket and lifted me up off the ground because i had treats in my pocket.
2007-01-18 14:53:33 · answer #7 · answered by puppipaws95 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
they are no longer attempting to chew you. A horse that has the target of biting pins his ears flat hostile to his head and lunges in the route of you in a really speedy action. What you're describing is "mouthy" habit. it truly is a really sturdy indicator that the pony is used to being fed treats and tidbits from human beings's hands. as quickly because it is going on for a lengthy time period they arrive to imagine it and become very pushy with their mouths. in case your pal isn't hand-feeding them, it truly is tremendous. yet in the meanwhile they nonetheless have the expectancy that they are going to be dolled out treats. apart from preventing the hand-feeding, it is also major to make it sparkling that it truly is no longer ok for them to placed their mouths throughout you. you could shake the lead rope at them till they back up a step or 2, or wave your hands in the air to invite them to backtrack. sturdy success. :)
2016-11-25 19:33:40 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the horse was hungry. Did you have the smell of food on your hands?
2007-01-18 14:36:42 · answer #9 · answered by Angela F 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Maybe its the smell of your jaket. Are you around hay alot? Maybe they think you have a treat. It could also be their way of saying hi. Try to ask other people around the stable if the same things happen to them.
2007-01-18 14:46:17 · answer #10 · answered by haleytakesnoshit 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋