Pushy horse?

He doesn't do it nearly as much to me because I'm the one that makes him work, but Norman pushes my mom a lot. Just with his nose, but he's a draft, so it really sends you flying. D; I know it's a respect issue, but I don't know how to stop him from doing it. My mom treats him like a baby, so he gets away with it, which I know is wrong but she's kind of spineless when it comes to disciplining him.

Help?

You can work with him on it but unless she makes him stop too, he will probably always do it. When a horse gets in my space or gets too nuzzley, I will either send them out into a circle or two or I will make them back up several paces then stop and repeat every time they get too close.

Respect isnt transferable. Your mother needs to work with the horse too and teach him to respect her space. Have an imaginary force field around yourself and any time he comes into that space, make him back up... and be quick about it. The only time he should be allowed to enter her space is when she invites him. This will teach him not to come up to her and be pushy. But she has to do it. You can't teach him to respect her, she has to.

Yup, I agree. This is a small issue now, but if your mom doesn't teach that horse to respect her, it's going to get worse.

I don't think that you would want your horse at an exhibition or anything to push a smaller child just petting your horse or anything, maybe just be around with a chain around the top part of the nose and when he goes to dis-respectively get in someones space, including your own, just one quick snap with the chain, nothing to hurt, just surprise, because as we all know horses are tough and sensitivity levels vary. Just something you can try, fixed my horse Rhiszo, specially when he is out with me.

Until your mom is willing to treat him like the big animal he is, not some baby, then he's not going to quit.

Everyone is correct in that unless your mom is willing to do some discipline with him it will never stop. Is she giving him treats, or keeping them in her pocket? First step may be to stop giving them to him. Some horses are just to disrespectful to give cookies too. Out of my 4 Saro is not allowed treats. She is bottom of the pecking order in the herd and is in search of someone to dominate. Cookies just give her a reason to push someone around

My gelding also does this, and I do not tolerate it. 'Bumping' can and will result in more dangerous manners later on. Yes, you can try being gentle and nice. But with a draft? Bumping leads to biting, charging, absolute disrespect. I am very humane to my animals but there are some things that need prompt correction.

My gelding bumps, and gets a firm wack on the nose. Bumps again, same thing. I don't deck him hard, just a quick rap and a loud 'NO.'
He did this A LOT when I first moved him to my pasture. Talk about respect issues. It took him less than a week to turn those bad bumping manners into 'Okay, I get it, I won't do it'.
He does throw his head up, looks wild eyed, but only for a moment. I ALWAYS pet him gently afterwards to establish that the smack was because of the action. He is not head shy and very rarely bumps anymore, if at all.


I do not believe in stud chains, or any chain, across a horses nose except on a horse were you need absolute control. Such as on a breeding stallion, whom is about a mare in heat. Chains can be extremely severe. The only place I EVER use them is to lock my pasture gates :)