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Nipping at other horses under saddle.

2K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  PoptartShop 
#1 ·
Back in May, Kenzie was kicked by another horse under saddle and has since become very distrustful of horses in her space riding.

Now I frequently pony other horses and ride in groups were we ride side by side, so she really needs to get over it.

If a horse tries to pass her or walk along side her, she pins her ears and does the 'back off' face. If the horse doesn't move, she'll turn her head and nip at them. I have always caught her with the reins, booted her over and yelled "No" at her, but the behavior has persisted and its made ponying from her nearly impossible, because she'll stop for a few minutes and do it again.

Recently I've started carrying a crop and if she pins her ears, I flash the crop at her eye. Twice she tried to do her nipping and I smacked her neck with the crop and she quit for a good 20 minutes and then tried again, but showing her the crop stopped it.

I think it started out as her being nervous and her very dominate personality didn't help it.

Is there anything else I can try? She knows better, but I don't think I'm stopping it correctly.
 
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#2 ·
Trouble had this problem, but on the ground. Before he was started under saddle I used to take him and the pony on walks together, because that fat little guy needed the exercise.

I'd have a horse on each side, and he would reach in front of me to nip the pony. The next day I started carrying a crop, and when he went to nip I planted a good firm whack on his nose and elbowed his ribs, moving his feet.

His problem all but disappeared until a few months later. A friend and I took the two out, and were walking side by side when out of nowhere Trouble pinned his ears, stepped in front of me and grabbed the pony by the face. That was the absolute end. Not only did he put me and my friend in danger, he disrespected my space and nearly knocked me over. We turned for home, i grabbed my crop and out we went again. Giving the pony to a friend I let the two horses walk next to eachother and waited for the moment he pinned his ears.

When he did, I blew up, tapped his nose and back him up forty feet down the trail at a run, whistling the crop in the air and yelling. I'll never forget the look of surprise on his face. He licked his lips, lowered his head and we resumed our walk. Now, he sometimes gives the pony dirty looks, but he never tries to bite.

Under saddle, it would be a lot different. I'd suggest having someone ride next to you so you don't have the trouble of having to hold two. When she reaches to bite, tap her nose and get after her hard, disengage those hind quarters, back up, etc, and repeat if necessary. She will eventually learn that nipping at another horse is very hard work, and it's easier to just get along.
 
#3 ·
horses that have been kicked, run into by other horses, then react in two different manners
In Charlie's case, after having been run into, in a warmup, her reaction when horses came up on her, was one of flight, running sideways, getting very upset when a horse backed anywhere near her, as that is how she go run into.
In her case, ponying another horse, having her work close to other horses, again trusting me to keep her safe, was the answer
In the case of a horse that gets defensive, even aggressive, you need two hands, so you have both hands and your legs to correct the horse
be very aware of your horse;s body language, as another horse comes close, and the minute your hrose tenses, puts ears back, swishes tail, tell the hrose 'quit', and if needed, use your legs or even spurs to get after your hrose. I prefer using my legs, versus a crop, as I can keep both hands on the reins
Reward when your horse is walking quietly, beside another horse
 
#4 ·
Smile when you say get after her with leg, what exactly should I ask?

She's usually worse when the other horse is on her right side, which is where she got kicked. So what I do is when I see the ears go back, I shorten my left rein and give her a little nudge, if she goes to nip, my rein catches her and I give her a good kick with my right leg and yell at her. She'll snort a bit, drop her head and I swear sulk. But I'm not getting any licking or signs she's thinking.

I do prefer the crop actually. I have an ankle injury that makes using my left ankle..interesting to say the least, so I can't ride in spurs anymore. But I can probably try leg a few rides and see. My right leg is fine and that's the problem side.
 
#5 ·
I think a crop is fine, a quick crack on the shoulder, or on the nose if you can reach it should fix the problem with consistency. Also try tying her next to other horses and rewarding her when she stands nicely. Not close enough she can bite, but close enough that the horse is in her 'bubble'. She does need to get over it. That's a booger of a problem and it's not her fault, poor thing.
 
#7 ·
People never cease to surprise me, with someone on the trail riding, or was it under the pleasure forum, actually advising to
teaching a horse to bite another hrose, to get them to cross a river, or load into a trailer,! No, No, Never!
Yes, correct with either crop or leg and a firm verbal \no', or quit|! Try to read the horse's body language, and catch him before he actually succeeds in any act of aggression
 
#9 ·
I will admit, Redz is at the top of the herd & he does NOT like many other horses. He doesn't have any but a few teeth (he's had teeth issues and had to get them taken out in the past) so he can't bite, just gum...but still, if he tries to pin his ears back/nip, I am VERY firm with him. It's not tolerated. Sometimes if I'm riding with one of my friends he will pin his ears & try if they get close, but I'm like NOPE.
In the pasture, if he wants to be top of the herd mr. cocky, that's his problem but if he's under saddle it's NOPE! Definitely corrected the moment I feel him starting to do it.
@Smilie I can't believe someone would 'teach' their horse that! Like, why would you want your horse to be aggressive???! People are crazy.
 
#12 ·
Hi;


I have a no Horse Drama rule when I ride. I don't care what has happened to the horse in the past or present or what the situation is there is absolutely no horse drama allowed when I am on the ground with a horse or on their back. What I have done in the past is carry a long dressage whip, even a coach whip at times and correct it good and hard before it starts.


You need to know what your horse feels like before the ear pinning etc. That way you are ready when the ears pin and give a good correction with the whip on the neck. Don't hit them in the eye of course and that is usually all it takes. But don't ***** foot around with it. So, it is one and done and that is it. Be prepared to sit what may follow and not to get stressed or tense. Just correct and back to business. No drama what so ever.


It is dangerous for a horse to pull that crap when you ride so they need to stop it. But also you need to not buy into the horse drama and be firm with a good correction and that is it. Don't get mad or have emotion in it just be matter of fact about it and then when the behavior has stopped you get over it immediately.
 
#15 ·
Ha! @Smilie I remember that post... what a weird/strange/dangerous thing to want your horse to do.

My mare was a chronic kicker for many years. And when I say chronic, I mean CHRONIC. I could tell that it stemmed from fear, and could only guess that it resulted from something in her past. When I was less capable of handling her, I had accidents where she would literally go after another horse.
I got her somewhat over it by riding her in a very full arena (complete chaos, horses everywhere doing different things at different speeds) every week and just working her tail off every time she even thought about kicking or biting. I finally got her to grudgingly behave herself, but I could never trust her and was always on guard when we were close to other horses. She always had to wear a red ribbon in her tail.

Last year (2015) she had a leaser while I was out of state for six months. This leaser had her at a barn where they turned all the mares out together every day on pasture. When I came back and got her back, her aggression problem had disappeared completely. I know that it was not the leaser's riding, because she had only ridden her maybe twice over the course of those six months, and then half that time she was in and out of the hospital. I can only assume that it was being turned out with those mares where she really learned herd dynamics and that it wasn't necessary to be so afraid all the time.
 
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