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Rant of a sort...punishing.

3K views 16 replies 14 participants last post by  haviris 
#1 ·
I have known this for a while, but I realized once I owned my horse Honor, that I could actually tell people to get away from him and stop touching him. Well I own him now and am facing one of my greatest pet peeves. . . Other people punishing him. It has always bothered me. I don't appreciate other people hitting him or striking him or yanking on the lead rope that I leave attached to him in crossties, which is there for MY benifit and no one elses. Just because he begged (leave him alone duhh!) Or nipped out (I give certain people permission for this in certain situations). Me and my trainers are the only ones I want touching my horse with out their permission. Then I would just have to suffer through it. I am working on his ground manners at the moment and I really don't want anyone punishing him themselves unless they are my trainers because they know whats best for him. If hes causing a problem, well then just move away from him and ignore it, or come and get me? Is that such a bad thing to ask? The fact is, I just want people to respect me by respecting my horse. I'm trying to be civil about it, but I guess its just accelling. (spelling??) I mean, I could tell them to stop in a nice manner. Argh, what can a girl do?

Btw, I am not cruel or anything close to it. Honor is a good horse...great in my opinion, obviously. If anything I am overly laid back with him. Hes corrected when needed but nothing extreme. Ever. I'm just ranting on and on... So if you read this, thanx. Have a wonderful day!
 
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#2 ·
Here's the problem I see with your problem. Horses have a 3 second window to effectively be reprimanded, or it doesn't work at all. Ignoring the behavior is an effective reward, since I'm assuming he's not nipping for attention. If he's going through groundwork training, awesome. But in the mean time, since he most likely will test people, why don't you make it known the methods you use to correct him? Let everybody at the barn know, post a sign outside his stall maybe, and then that way if it happens there won't be any inconsistencies between you and everybody else. I have a testy horse, but everyone at the barn knows what to do with him--of course I would be quite upset if because he pinned his ears at someone they slapped him in the chest, but that's because the punishment is inappropriate to the crime.

The fact is that your horse is the problem here, not other people. If you want them to respect you and put up with your horse bothering them, make it as absolutely easy as possible for them to do just that--make "do's" and "don'ts" of punishment/training Hero, and then make them known to the world.
 
#12 ·
I would never just walk away from a horse that just tried to bite me. I don't care who's it is, it's going to get at least a growl and a wave of the arms, and if it was with malic, a whop.
This.

If I walk by a horse and it tries to bite me I am going to bite back (not literally) in some manner.

It is not acceptable to expect people to have to deal with a rude horse and ignore it.

The barn workers and such for sure have ever right to reprimand your precious Poopsie if he misbehaves while they are dealing with him.
 
#4 ·
This is slightly off topic, but I see where you're coming from. I used to take my German Shepherd to horse shows and leave him in the stall with my horse (they're great buddies) and he was standing (off to the side!!) of an aisle having a drink. A kid who had just lost her hunter class came barrelling down the aisle and (even though she had six feet of clearance on the other side) demanded my dog to MOVE!! and he tried to sit off to the side (he's slow to sit cause his hips are getting bad) and she kicked him square in the stomach with her field boots. I almost threw up on the floor, that's how hard she kicked him. Needless to say she almost didn't make it down that aisle alive.

I will tolerate someone disciplining my animal if I'm not near to do it -- I'd rather him be disciplined by someone else then not disciplined at all. But if I'm around and someone else steps in to touch my animal.. Watch out.
 
#5 ·
In that instance, I would have kicked her back--again, punishment not appropriate to the crime (or lack thereof). Also insert some general lack of human decency....if you can kick a dog and not feel like complete horse manure, you shouldn't be allowed near animals of any kind IMO.

back to the topic :)
 
#6 ·
I agree. I worked at a barn all summer mucking stalls, feeding, and bringing horses in and out to the pasture. If a horse tried to bite me they got a smack. If they were rude they got growled at. And if they pulled on the lead they got yanked on. The horse is rude to me, i'm rude back. The reaction always fit the "crime", and was always moments after the offense. After a week the horses were all well mannered around me, and than we got to be good friends. My safety (and the other people at the barn) comes first. I also helped out with a camp they had going on. There were kids out at the barn. Couldn't very well have a horse reaching out into the isle and snapping at everyone who walked by.
 
#7 ·
Oh yelling is okay. Everyone should know at my barn that letting out a worhoop will do him just fine, he knows his place and backs down right after a yell. He has face touching problems. He just assumes your going to hit him when you move towards his face. Another should be known fact around the barn. I don't fully trust everyone around the barn enough to tell them my methods, because they can be easily abused and used to make him more skiddish than anything. I don't want people to want him to be afraid of them. Ive heard this said by people and they are proud of this fact. Which makes me even more nervous. What I honestly mean is, alright, yell, make a sudden movement to move him. Do what ever. I just don't want random people hitting my horse. I know its not going to hurt him, but Its not the first time this has come up.
 
#8 ·
I just don't want random people hitting my horse.

And I just don't want random horses taking advantage of me or random people.:lol:

The way I see it, you're at a public boarding facility so you HAVE to look out for your safety and others around you. If all I'm doing is trying to walk by a horse tied up and he/she attempts to bite or does bite then I will take matters into my own hands. So if you hate it that much then you should bring your horse to your house. Your horse has the problem he does because people probably ignore it more than they should.
 
#9 ·
Alright. Well sorry for ruffling anybodys feathers. But I stated that this was a rant. Call me every over-protective horse owner name in the book, but I have my own views (obviously) and they aren't going to change. No matter your experience or your style of training. I have my life and so do you. So if your trying to change my views, plans or ideas, consider it a failed mission. Otherwise, some possibly friendly advice is welcome any day! Have a wonderful weekend :)
 
#15 ·
Remember - when you post on an open forum, you are inviting any and all responses. If you only want to hear an echo of your own opinion, please e-mail or PM your friends.

I certainly hope your mind is more open to new ideas than the above (failed mission) comment implies.
 
#11 ·
I agree with you. I don't want people whacking on my horse either. I board my horse also. There are horses at my barn that I don't think have the nicest personalities......will bite out at my horse when I'm near, or try and nip at me when I reach in to pet them or walk by, etc. I don't feel a need to go disciplining them. I simply leave them alone. I make sure me and my horse aren't close enough for any such behavior. At a boarding facility, you get to know other peoples horses, so it usually becomes common knowledge who's horses are warm and friendly and who's you should generally stay away from. If I catch anybody hitting my horse with anything, they better be prepared to fight. I don't discipline other peoples horses, and they better pay me the same respect. If someone doesn't like my horse, then stay away from him. It certainly doesn't sound like to me that the OP's horse is just randomly attacking people in a pasture, so I see no reason for others to have a need to discipline him. I especially feel this way if the horse is on cross ties or in his stall....I mean come on, those should be situations easy to avoid (the horse can't go anywhere). A lot of times in a boarding situation you have a lot of know it alls who discipline because they think they know best. I wouldn't tell them the 'proper' way to discipline your horse...that is just giving them permission to do it. I would tell them straight forwardly that you do not want anyone but yourself and your trainer disciplining your horse. That's not to much to ask.
 
#13 ·
so it's ok for your horse to bite others, but not bite you? and you want to be the only person to enforce his manners? im sorry but this does not work! if he is aloud to bite other people he will bite you. it is confusing for a horse if he only gets told off half the time. and it is unfair on the barn/agistment workers to be around a horse like that and get abuse from an owner for not being able to defend themselves from it.

if your horse is to ever learn manners it must get told off from everyone, every time he steps out of line.

talk to these people, and show them how you would like them to tell him off (your way).

i actually incouraged people to handle my boy and tell him off. he now has perfect manners no matter who is with him adults or small kids.
 
#14 · (Edited)
As long as people know what they're doing, I don't see a problem with them reprimanding a horse that doesn't belong to them. When someone who's completely clueless tries to correct my horse, that's when my devil horns pop out.

There's a certain little pony at my barn whom I frequently discipline. His owner won't do anything about his charging, kicking, or biting, and I'm tired of him trying to charge the gate at feeding time. He's quickly learning that it's not so fun to run Jessy over.
 
#16 ·
If a horse tried to bite me, you'd better believe I'd bite back. That is unacceptable and dangerous behavior.

But if my horse did anything that did not endanger you, and you smacked him or spat at him or whatever, you would be in massive trouble. Unless it's a dangerous thing my horse is doing, leave him alone.
 
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