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Discussion on My Two Year Old Bites
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New Member:
Liliana
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Posted on Thursday, Oct 31, 2002 - 4:06 pm:
Hello, I have recently aquired a Stallion and a Mare as their owner had to leave the country, he was never really tought manners but he is not an agresive horse, the mare is the dominant, before he came to me he spent about 8 months with some horrid cruel people who had never had horses and believe that deadly punishment is the answer.
You know tying them up without food or water sort of thing, he has been with me about 10 days and is more manageable, but, he is very nervous and tryes to bite, do you think that I should geld him, or would it be too traumatic for him just righ now. As I said he is not really agresive but, has a tendency to show his teeth!!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Nov 1, 2002 - 6:27 am:
Hello Liliana,
For young stud colts that nip see, Training Horses: Behavioral Problems: Aggression in Horses.
DrO
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New Member:
Lizgil
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 - 11:48 am:
We just bought a 3 yr. old gelding pony last week and he has started biting while we are leading him around. A friend of mine was telling me that her father used to put baling wire around the pony's nose and then up around the ears and then she couldn't remember how the rest attached. The "contraption" is supposed to "bite" the pony when he tries to bite me. Has anyone ever heard of doing this and if you have can you explain to me exactly how to do this? Thanks a lot.
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 - 11:58 am:
Personally, I wouldn't use this "contraption"
Look for Dr. O's information in:
Training Horses: Behavioral Problems: Aggression in Horses.
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Member:
Skye
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 - 2:33 pm:
Aileen is right, and Dr. O's article is great. One thing he says is this: "One way to achieve consistency is to never put yourself in a position where the horse can take advantage of."
My two-year-old was a nipper/biter. Keeping myself in positions so he couldn't bite me seemed the most effective technique
The more you can be positive with your pony, the happier you and he will be. You two will bond, understand each other, and treat each other well--at least most of the time.
Reward him when he doesn't bite, stay out of positions where he can bite you. You will have always to let him know you are "top horse," but you can do that with firmness and not bother with contraptions or meanness. Dr. O tells you how!
Good luck!
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 27, 2004 - 11:13 pm:
I've tried the "nail in hand" trick and the colts can usually tell when you have a nail and when you don't. I had a trainer suggest I spit at the horse's nose when he tries to nip. I've tried it on two different colts, and it's worked so far.
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Member:
Kthorse
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 6:34 am:
Another thing to try. Have one of those tiny tiny spray bottles, hidden in your hand. when he nips spray his nose with the water bottle. He wont like that and you are not hurting him. He'll get the picture
Katrina
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 7:59 am:
I remember attending a Richard Shrake clinic a few years back and his recommendation for a nipping horse was to LIGHTLY bonk the horse under the chin with your fist as soon as he nips. The horse can't see that the "bonk" came from you. As soon as the horse reacts, start rubbing him and talking soothingly to him. The horse learns that he gets "punished" for nipping, but doesn't associate you with it, and by comforting him after, apparently the horse learns to turn to you.
I only tried this once with a gelding that never nipped, but for some reason, as I was trotting him in hand for an injury rehab, he sunk his teeth into my arm (fortunately it was cold & I was wearing heavy clothes, so it didn't puncture skin). I immediately bonked his chin and as he threw up his head I started soothing him and rubbing his face. Worked like a charm--he never tried to nip me again and he didn't become head shy.
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Member:
Deggert
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 12:49 pm:
Hello all
I have read the posts of biting and Dr. O's reccommendations under aggressivie behavior. My 2month old colt is quite a mouthy guy. The babies are so reactive its a fine line from scaring them and just getting their respect. Sometimes he comes over to you looking friendly and submissive, then comes the open mouth bites. The other thing he does when feeling frisky is turns, get just far enough away then both barrels.
I did get him in the butt cheeks with my apple picker to defend myself. He sounds awful but he is a good boy, just full of himself. I know as Dr.O says this is a disrespect thing, how do I discourage with out scaring the life out of him?
PS after the apple picker thing it took some coaxing to get him near me or the picker.
Also, his mom is the mare with a foundered foot and she just stays out of his way, I think she knows she has a disadvantage in terms of mobility so she barely gets after him at all, I think she is happy when he is marauding others (me) on the other side of the pen. Should I try the dressage whip with such a young one?
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Member:
Goolsby
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 1:10 pm:
Debbie
about that age my colt started doing the same. First the nipping. When I saw it comming I would push his mouth away and give him a verbal repremand. Later he began nipping in a sneaky manner so that you would not know what was comming. I slapped him right on the nose quite a few times just as an uncontrolable reaction to the pain. (I did the same to my 5 yr. old newphew when he bit me on the butt one day, he never did it again). About the time my colt learned not to bite he started the kicking. I did not hesitate to use a whip, or the plastic ball bat I began carrying and let him have it along with a sharp verbal repremand. It did not scare the life out of him, but let him know not to kick. He did managed to nail me twice before this behavior what stopped.
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Member:
Deggert
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 2:01 pm:
Colleen,
Thanks for the tip, I like the plastice baseball bat idea, it doesn't hurt much but makes noise when you slap them. I have a few bruises myself. Gotta love em though. My husband smacks him in the lips and he gets a lot more respect than me although I don't like hitting the face, sometimes its the handiest place. I got a laugh out of the nephew. Thanks again
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Member:
Leilani
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 2:25 pm:
Nerf bats and a new roll of paper towel also works.
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 4:02 pm:
How about a wiffle ball bat? Loud noise but no pain.
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Friday, Jul 30, 2004 - 4:18 am:
Hi, all,
I would like to add a couple of thoughts to DrO's excellent article on the subject.
I believe that the most important thing when reprimanding a horse for biting is that you do it in a "you run into it yourself" fashion.
I have found jabbing them with an elbow to be the easiest, but you may use a whip, your fist, an open hand, whatever, as long as you demonstrate no purpose in your hit.
Hit hard, but make it look accidental, and the horse will not make a game out of it, neither will he become headshy, even if you actually slap him on the face.
Don't look at him in the eye, for instance, before you hit him. That's an attack and he may escalate. Hit him first, then turn and look at him with a big "oops" on your face 
He'll think you're stupid and clumsy with your elbows, but I think you can live with that...
It works the best if you anticipate his move and you catch him before he actually lands his teeth on you, for then you are correcting the very thought of it.
All the best,
Christos
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Member:
Deggert
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Posted on Friday, Jul 30, 2004 - 11:24 am:
Christos
I think your method is a good one. I have the 2month old colt and this morning I was grooming his mom with brush and fly spray and he of course is right there. He's a brush hog- brush me brush me! Anyway, he was trying to bite me to get my attention while I was grooming so I just wacked him with the brush under the chin, never looked at him or stopped my motions. He didn't leave in a huff he just stayed with a funny expression on his face. After a couple swats he just stayed close hoping I would brush him instead of " brush me or I will bite you.. Don't we anthropomorphise, its such fun. Thanks for your input.
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Friday, Jul 30, 2004 - 4:09 pm:
When my filly would get out of line and try to bite or worse, I would scold her with "bad horse! bad horse!" and she knew right away she messed up. She'd back away with an "I'm sorry!!" look. Of course I couldn't stay mad at her. She learned quickly that certain behaviors were not tolerated without ever laying a hand on her.
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