This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Training & Conditioning Horses » Behavioral Problems » Head Shaking including Photic and Medical Causes »
  Discussion on Head shake with leg kick and nipping
Author Message
New Member:
tsnod44

Posted on Monday, Feb 27, 2017 - 6:15 pm:

I have a 6 y/o Chestnut TB mare that is a rescue that is not broke. I have had her a little less than a year (she was skin and bones when rescued) and we have been slowly training her for the past couple of months now that she is physically better. She is sound and has a very sweet personality. Through this process we have discovered she is very herd bound and is very uncomfortable in stalls. Her first couple of times in the stall she would bob her head up and down, stretch her neck and then kick a rear leg out to the side (it is not always the same leg). I figured this was her way of saying she was not happy (temper tantrum).
When I first got her she was afraid of all humans but now I can go into her field and she will walk up to me and allow me to rub her all over and catch her (I am probably her first human). Recently she has been doing the head shake, stretched neck, leg kick in her field when I am standing with her. Also while doing this and her head is down she has started turning towards me and nipping (not biting) at my sleeve or wiping her face on me. Her ears DrOp back but are not pinned while she does this. And it does not seem like it is aggression. It seems to come out of nowhere and there are no indications when she is going to do it (eye or ear change, etc). I feel pretty confident that this is not a neuro issue. She is taking to her training very well and is very smart and never does this during training or leading. I have watched her in the field without her knowing and does not do it then either. I sense she is trying to tell me something but have no idea what it is. I also realize this is unacceptable behavior that needs corrected. Has anybody had this happen to them or have any idea what is going on?
I am sorry this is so long winded but I am trying to give as much background as possible.

Thank you
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 1, 2017 - 9:49 am:

Welcome Troy,
Congratulations on the progress you have made with this mare. I agree that your description suggests a behavioral problem and not a physical disease. I suggest that you start by avoiding the situations where this occurs. Then begin modeling the behavior back towards these situations with positive reinforcement of acceptable behavior. For more on this see, HorseAdvice.com » Training & Conditioning Horses » Behavioral Problems » Behavior Modification, Conditioning, Desensitization, and Counterconditioning .
Member:
lsweeney

Posted on Friday, Mar 3, 2017 - 2:37 pm:

It might be interesting to talk to a wild horse rescue and see if they have observed any of this kind of behavior in a wild herd? It feels like to me some kind of a warning. Are her ears pinned? I have a shepherd that likes to get around the hind legs, and my mare will pin her ears, arch her neck and the wind up a hind leg with a threatening gesture that pretty much communicates that I'm going to send you to the moon if you don't get out of there.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC