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Biting Horse.

2K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  Janna 
#1 ·
Chief has always had a thing for biting, but normally it was only when I had treats or he smelt them on me. & even then, it wasn't a bite, it was a "lipping" nip. Now he's gotten to where he grabs my jacket, nips at my hair, ect ect. He hasn't bit me, but he's bit things on me. It's beginning to get super annoying. I swat him each time, then pet him. I had to do that I don't know how many times today. I don't know if his behavior is getting worse since I have gotten the new stallion I have, or if he's just being his playful character. Either way, I need some tips to get him to stop. I've never had any other horse that liked to nibble & nip like him, so any help is greatly appreciated. :)
 
#2 ·
Don't swat. That's like a fly bite to him. And certainly don't pet him after. That's rewarding him.

If you're going to correct him by a smack, it needs to be firm and assertive enough that he associates the discipline with the action. My gelding was a biter when I got him. That is one behavior I absolutely will not tolerate, no matter how "mild" it is. I smacked him every time he even lipped me. One day while walking him down the road, he suddenly bit my forearm out of nowhere. Not just a nip, he bit and didn't let go. Out of pure reaction, my left fist connected with his jaw...hard. He immediately let go and hasn't bitten me since.

Unfortunately, because it sounds like you've let this behavior go on for a while, it may be harder to break him of it.
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#4 ·
It's not a everyday thing, though. It's like a month or so he won't try anything, then all of a sudden he just wants to. I smack him & push his head away, but someone on here once told me to rub the spot where I smacked him so he won't get scared or head shy.
 
#5 ·
*shrug* My gelding was a slow learner before that one incident and got smacked quite a bit. He's not headshy at all.

Another option is to make him move his feet when he bites. Back him, lunge him in tight circles, whatever. Make biting you turn into work.
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#8 ·
There was actually about three of four tell me to make sure to rub him after slapping him so he wouldn't be skittish. Today he ticked me off enough I just shoved him away after slapping him about seven times. I don't feed him treats, but my gloves smell like treats. I first thought it was the smell of treats that triggered him to bite, but he's just an annoying biter now.
 
#7 ·
My youngster went through a nip phase and I would give him a pretty severe lip twist and I would yell. He would do it when I was leading him so I would make times and set up the situation so he would try to nip me and I was prepared to react instantly and forcefully. I would put my hand closer to his mouth and just wait and watch. A few probably 4 lip twists with increasing force did the trick. I still test him once in awhile with my hand close to his mouth while leading, and I can see the gears just a working in his brain, and I can see his eyes just thinking about it, and he chews, but he won't do it anymore. You need to be much more forceful than slapping and petting, as with that type of reinforcement he is going to become more forceful with his mouth with you and others and that can be dangerous. I would recommend someone helping you with this, but at the same time he needs to respect you.
 
#9 ·
He doesn't do it when he's tied or I'm leading him, but if I'm working with another horse or have my back turned, he'll bite at the back of my jacket & tug, then he'll start biting at other area's until I run him off.
 
#11 · (Edited)
That is just bad advice really, and pushing a 1000 lb horse does nothing to establish respect with him. If he nips/bites you he needs to think his days are over, he needs a big lesson, not smacking and pushing, that is not going to get you anywhere. If he doesn't respect you he could start to push back, and if it is between the horse and you winning, he will win. You need to establish yourself as boss here. He is a big animal, there is nothing you are going to do to hurt him, but he needs to think that. If you know what triggers it, set the situation up, know what you are going to do, be ready for it and catch him instantly. Be forceful, use a lunge whip, yell, act like a crazy women, catch him off guard with a new forceful response, but catch him good. You need to make a clear, forceful example that this won't continue. BTW even with lip twists my paint is not headshy at all, he knows the only time that happens is when he tries to bite.
 
#13 ·
If you smacked him 7 times, it's now a game to him. Next time he lips, nips or mouths you, haul off and wallop him a good one and don't pet him afterwards. And no more treats by hand, he can't handle it.
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#14 ·
Something to keep in mind when disciplining a horse: you will never be able to hit your horse as hard as they kick/hit each other just when playing. Not saying beat/abuse your horse, just saying that a "hard" smack to us is not much of a big deal to them.
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#15 ·
You do not need to let horse run into nail hard, there is no need for that.

Put the nail into your fist so that only the very tip of it is sticking out between your knuckles of first/second finger. Have it in hand closest to the head of whichever side you are working on. Do not look at horse, do not make any indication that you are aware of what horse is doing, but if/when horse turns to bite/nip, have fist in way of mouth and let horse bump into it. Do NOT swing your fist at horse. You do no want horse to think you have done something but merely that it has done this and it is a bad idea.

Can also do with point of elbow, raise arm up with arm bent and let horse run head into elbow point. Can also use stiff brush so that bristles are what horse connects with too.

And quit petting horse period. You are teaching him he will be rewarded for biting. And quit letting him do this at any time for that matter. It is a bad habit and can end up with you needing stitches, if not hearse.

The whole smack deal is worthless for this anyway. Doesn't teach them anything most of the time when done by someone horse doesn't respect to begin with. Works best when human is the one running the show.
 
#16 ·
I'm sorry, but why on earth would these people (if they're experienced) tell you to pet him afterward? I can at least understand you slapping him (even if it may seem minor to the horse, like a game or a gnat), but PETTING him afterward?? To me, that seems pretty obvious that it's rewarding him for nipping.

When you hit him, don't just "swat" or "slap." You may have to have something in your hand, like a lunge rope, anything. If you hit him, REALLY hit him. I really don't believe if he is nipping that you need to (for now) worry about making him head-shy when the nipping could get serious and to real bites. If you're opposed to hitting him back (and I do mean hard, so he gets the picture), then I would propose you follow other advice here and make him work. But the timing for that has to be really quickly; sometimes hitting back hard is instinctive, but with the lunging (or backing, anything to make him move his feet and so he connects biting = some hard work), you have to do it as soon as he even leans forward or thinking about it.
 
#17 ·
I'm not opposed to hitting horses. I elbowed him in the nose earlier for trying to get my tricep. He backed off real quick & didn't come back for a good while. When he did, he didn't try anything, he stood quietely.
 
#18 ·
Every time my colt tried to lip or bite, is grab his lip and twist, works for him.

Had one that didn't work with, but a really hard punch to the lips as he was coming at me did the trick.


Then there's the easy ones that quit just after you run them off a time or two
 
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