Jealous horse

I don't want to start a debate over whether or not a horse gets jealous or if they are just possessive, I just need some advice on what to do.

When I give attention to another horse, my horse will pin his ears, lunge at, bite, and kick the other horse. And it's not just while I'm paying attention to the other horse that he does it. He will actually keep doing it for several days. Once he kept it up for several weeks. If given the chance, he would seriously hurt the other horse.

Does anyone have advice about how I can minimize or stop his behavior?

For info, my horse is a 17-18 yr old OTTB Gelding. I've only had him for 3 yrs.

I think part is that your horse is trying to control the situation. He needs to respect that you are the leader and as such you get to do whatever you want and he can't say boo. Drive him away when he is being a pest and go back to fussing over the other horse.

I do have a horse that gets "jealous". She will not rush or be mean to the other horses; however, she will sulk. If I spend a few rides with other horses and don't even take her out to brush, she gets jealous. When I do want her she will not come when called or will walk away from me when I go out to get her. Not a long distance just two or three strides to make me walk up to her to halter her. So, we have to spend time telling Bert how special she is. I don't think its "jealousy" in the human sense of the word but I can't figure it out.

This is similar behavior that I experience out of my mare. She gets her feelings hurt if I tend to my wife's mare too long and then sulks. Every now and again, I have to put her in her place because she'll pin ears at my wife's mare when the mare interacts with me.

I believe the key is to be the dominant member of the herd and let it be known that you go where you want when you want. The sulking is something that my mare gets over.

I agree with the others about correcting the behaviour, letting her know that you're the leader and you can do what you want, when you want.

I don't think it's jealousy as we know it, I think it's more the fact that they want to be able to "control" your actions, and that's why it's important to reinforce your position.

I have 4 of my own horses and one boarded here, yes there is as us humans call jealousy amongst them. My mare's baby who is coming up 4 likes most of the attention if I am giving the others attention and so does the boarder's horse who is going to be 5.
Like others have said you have to be the one in control, I don't allow mine to get pushy, nipping at each other or any horse play when I'm in there......if they get pushy or nip at another I will chase them out and when they do stand still nicely then they get attention.
My mare also pouts LOL it's actually funny, she also will take a few steps away when I go out to get her but she always stops, all horses have different personalities....I love to watch a herd and how they interact with each other.....

It happened again last night... My wife's mare Comotion was all pissy with me because I spent time with my mare Gypsy. When I tried to give comotion some lovin she swooshed off to the other side of the stall. I went over and continued to talk to her and rub on her and within about a minute, she was nuzzling.

Perhaps the "technical" term is not jealousy, but they damn sure do exhibit the same mannerisms as jealously.

I suppose I will just try to do my best to put him in his place and hope that it minimizes the problem.

It's odd though...considering other things...6 months ago, I had him at another barn where there was about 20 mares and 3 studs (he was the only gelding there) which put his hormones all over the place. One day, I had a equine massage therapist out and he tried to make love to her. He was so bad, she couldn't get close to him. She talked me through some of the techniques because even though he was occasionally making love noises to me, he respected me enough to not make any advances (all of this was painfully obvious to the therapist and she got a good laugh out of it).

And I'm sure that story brings up other questions...previous to being at that barn, he was at another place where he was turned out with a mare (he was the dominate of the 2) and he never made any advances to her and was never aroused, even when she was in heat.

Horses are curious creatures, aren't they?

I have a gelding, he's going to be 10, I have a mare who is going to be 11.......about 5yrs. Ago I had another older gelding and he kept her happy through her heat! Then after he left I noticed and caught my other gelding taking over the job LOL I've never noticed any signs of my mare being in heat and I think it's because of these two geldings who also think they are studs!
They have never done anything or pushed around when I am down there but I think it's because they know when I come out I'm in charge....