He should have been corrected for behaviors long before now. If he isn't gelded then he should be. It'll help but it won't get rid of a behavior you've allowed to happen. You'll still need to correct him. At this point it'll likely take a CTJ to make an impression.

I've never done anything to him for him to be aggressive towards me etc. I also recently haven't been handling him as much so maybe I just need to do more with him. He also has always been a mouthy/nibbly colt and I've probably let it slide and encourage him to much maybe. Anyway your help would be much appreciated.

And that to me says you've, up to now, thought this was all cute and in fun or not serious enough for an immediate correction failing to realize this behavior would only get worse. Add to that he's likely put on quite a bit of size and you now have a situation that needs dealt with in an effective manner.

 

He should have been corrected for behaviors long before now. If he isn't gelded then he should be. It'll help but it won't get rid of a behavior you've allowed to happen. You'll still need to correct him. At this point it'll likely take a CTJ to make an impression.

And that to me says you've, up to now, thought this was all cute and in fun or not serious enough for an immediate correction failing to realize this behavior would only get worse. Add to that he's likely put on quite a bit of size and you now have a situation that needs dealt with in an effective manner.

He's 1 and 13hh so I think I'm okay in the size front, he's also been gelded. The behavior isn't overly bad just getting worse. I agree that yes I have let a few things slide. I do not believe it is as bad as your making it out to be and I don't mean that in any sort of rude way. I also asked for tips to correct this behavior not a lecture. I do appreciate your comment

 

@Lwest.18 CTJ sounds to me like Come To Jesus meeting, which is a phrase that means 'major attitude adjustment'

 

A month old foal kicked my friend’s grand daughter in the face and broke her jaw. it could have killed her. This type of behavior should have been dealt with the first time it happened. If not, will only get worse. Good chance of someone getting hurt badly. Carry a crop or whip and if he shows any
”aggressive behavior”, light into him for 3 seconds.

 

I don't have personal experience with an aggressive horse, but I will give you some advice based on what I've read and heard. I'm not super big on "the horse must respect you", but... this horse doesn't respect you. He's thinking he might be the boss of you. You need to shut that down, in every single way, immediately.

I don't want you to get hurt, so take this advice only if you feel that it is safe. Does he get hay in a pasture or paddock? Is he by himself? I'd get him alone in a paddock with hay. You need a whip. A whip that you can use to inflict a serious smack on him while keeping you safely out of his range. A lunge whip maybe. I've heard people suggest a carriage whip.

You go out there and you drive him off that hay. I wouldn't even give him a chance to be nice about it. I'd march out and smack him on the butt. Hard. And I'm not one for smacking horses. Keep smacking until he leaves the hay. That is YOUR hay, and you are the BOSS of him. You do NOT share. You have to MEAN it. Now, one of two things is going to happen. Either he'll back off, in which case you keep him away from the hay until you feel like he's softening up his body language, then let him in, while keeping him away from you. Or he'll fight back. If he fights back, you can either back down, which would be safer for you in the short run but would confirm to him that he really is the boss, or you can escalate. That's where it gets dangerous.

If he backs down, the first time or eventually, then you may just have to reinforce this a few times and it may be done. Or you may have to carry some kind of whip (dressage whip, maybe) with you for a while.

If he does back down, then you need to now be super clear about where his boundaries are. Don't let him approach you without asking first. Don't let him eat until he's backed up and is standing there nicely. Don't let him touch you with his mouth, even if it might be a nice touch. Eventually hopefully you will be able to relax things a little, but right now he needs to understand 100% without doubt that you are the boss and you defend your personal space and your food.

That's what I would do.

 

I don't have personal experience with an aggressive horse, but I will give you some advice based on what I've read and heard. I'm not super big on "the horse must respect you", but... this horse doesn't respect you. He's thinking he might be the boss of you. You need to shut that down, in every single way, immediately.

I don't want you to get hurt, so take this advice only if you feel that it is safe. Does he get hay in a pasture or paddock? Is he by himself? I'd get him alone in a paddock with hay. You need a whip. A whip that you can use to inflict a serious smack on him while keeping you safely out of his range. A lunge whip maybe. I've heard people suggest a carriage whip.

You go out there and you drive him off that hay. I wouldn't even give him a chance to be nice about it. I'd march out and smack him on the butt. Hard. And I'm not one for smacking horses. Keep smacking until he leaves the hay. That is YOUR hay, and you are the BOSS of him. You do NOT share. You have to MEAN it. Now, one of two things is going to happen. Either he'll back off, in which case you keep him away from the hay until you feel like he's softening up his body language, then let him in, while keeping him away from you. Or he'll fight back. If he fights back, you can either back down, which would be safer for you in the short run but would confirm to him that he really is the boss, or you can escalate. That's where it gets dangerous.

If he backs down, the first time or eventually, then you may just have to reinforce this a few times and it may be done. Or you may have to carry some kind of whip (dressage whip, maybe) with you for a while.

If he does back down, then you need to now be super clear about where his boundaries are. Don't let him approach you without asking first. Don't let him eat until he's backed up and is standing there nicely. Don't let him touch you with his mouth, even if it might be a nice touch. Eventually hopefully you will be able to relax things a little, but right now he needs to understand 100% without doubt that you are the boss and you defend your personal space and your food.

That's what I would do.

Thank you! Your the only persons so far whose given me advice instead of lecturing me. I was definitely planning on doing something along those lines. I decided I'll separate him from my mares for a few days so it's easier to work with him.

 

Do you have to go in there to feed him? I couldn’t tell you one way or another what my horses act like at feeding time because I throw hay over the fence, and I don’t care who chases who or whatever happens. Not my concern.

Yet, when handling if he shows aggressive behavior you need to get after him. I think a lot of young horses will feel their oats so to speak and try to see if they can boss you around. That isn’t something you can tolerate because it continues to escalate, as you are seeing.

So, for me, if a horse bites or kicks at me they are going to get a lead rope to the chest, backing up if I’m leading, or if they are loose I’m going to throw something at them and chase them around. Lol

If he isn’t halter broke then that of course limits your options, but if you have a round corral I would work him in there if you do know how to work a horse in the round corral. That usually ends all aggressive behavior in a young enough horse.

 

I don't have to be in the paddock to feed him no but it more bothers me that I can't stand and pat him while he eats? It's not a big deal but for me he absolutely needs to learn to wait for his dinner, I think that would somewhat help with the aggression. Over the next few days he's going to be in 'boot camp' to correct his behavior. Thank you for your comment ☺

 

How are your feeding him? Is he stalled? Or out in a pasture? In with other horses?

if he's in a stall, just feed him first. I'm getting a private giggle out of this and not directed towards you in any way. My late stallion was that way. You fed him first of he would really raise a ruckus in the barn. He just figured he was something special, and he was.

If he's out in a pasture, are you having to go in the pasture? Or can you just toss it over the fence?

If he's in with other horses, quite honestly it's not something I would worry much about. Horses have to establish a pecking order, and no matter how you get on to him about it, it's not going to change. It's just what they do.

As to him being mouthy, that's a game for him. He knows he's faster than you are. A good friend of mine is dealing with a 3 year old with the same problem. And again, that was my late stallion. It was good natured, he never tried to hurt me. It was just a game. You can swat and swat, and you'll miss every time, he's faster than you are. People here won't like how I cured him, but it's what I did, and it worked. If you want to know, private message me. I will tell you. The reason is I DO NOT need lectured by well meaning folks here that think what I did was wrong. it worked.

 

How are your feeding him? Is he stalled? Or out in a pasture? In with other horses?

if he's in a stall, just feed him first. I'm getting a private giggle out of this and not directed towards you in any way. My late stallion was that way. You fed him first of he would really raise a ruckus in the barn. He just figured he was something special, and he was.

If he's out in a pasture, are you having to go in the pasture? Or can you just toss it over the fence?

If he's in with other horses, quite honestly it's not something I would worry much about. Horses have to establish a pecking order, and no matter how you get on to him about it, it's not going to change. It's just what they do.

As to him being mouthy, that's a game for him. He knows he's faster than you are. A good friend of mine is dealing with a 3 year old with the same problem. And again, that was my late stallion. It was good natured, he never tried to hurt me. It was just a game. You can swat and swat, and you'll miss every time, he's faster than you are. People here won't like how I cured him, but it's what I did, and it worked. If you want to know, private message me. I will tell you. The reason is I DO NOT need lectured by well meaning folks here that think what I did was wrong. it worked.

Thank you for your comment ☺
I feed him over the fence with my other horses so I'm never in danger of him hurting me and he never tries to like literally lunge at me, he either pins his ears or turns his bum to me. It's only me he's aggressive with, not the other horses. I'm going to teach him to wait for his food, I think that will 100% help... It worked wonders on my mother's mare who was a bit wild when it came to feeding time (not aggressive just got overly excited). Anyway I think I'm rambling now 🤣
He's going to get a 'kick up the bum' over the next few days to correct his behavior