4yo just starting biting - Any suggestions?

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Leonie

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As the title says! He's bit my OH on the arse the other day when he bent over to do his rug straps up's! Did make me laugh but seriously I need to nip this in the bud.

He does get a telling off when he goes to nip / bite and smack round the chops - if he's turned out I move him on - like a more domaint horse would. He never comes back with another bite. I just can't understand why he's started / why he's still doing it / how I can stop it.

Any suggestions? Or is this just a faze?
 
no sweeties???? honestly?????? there are alot of different methods from, ignoring it, to stopping sweeties (feeding by hand),(i read this one on this forum), squirting with a water pistol each time they do it, iMO its a dominating behaviour and think your going down the right lines by make yourself the boss, think you need to teach the OH the same trick!! imho wouldnt smack em on mouth or head when they do it as it just makes em quicker and snappier at their new hobby!!!

ps hope OH isnt too sore!!! bet u struggled to keep a straight face!!!! bet it stung too!!
 
My horse sent through a phase of biting at about the same age. I think it's an age when they try it on.

I found that a quick slap or a tweak of a whisker did the trick. She soon stopped.
 
This may sound strange, but when they're teething they often have the urge to bite/chew things.
It may be worth giving him something to chew....an apple branch or similar...til he's finished teething (not your OH's posterior though
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Flyer only ever bit me once, on the breast.....I thought I was going to throw up, he was a 2yr old colt at the time. I didn't think twice as I went over to him and bit him on the muzzle.....he squealed like a pig, but never ever bit me again
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Chancer nipped me once - received a bitch slap - it caught me by suprise and was harder than I meant but only ever did it the once - he got the message.

He does sniff and gently chew on OH's jacket - but he lets him do it. Never has done anything more. He loves to sniff OH's hair - again OH is more tolerant and Stinky adores him.

Mine is rising 4 and wants to chew lots. I give him branches when in the stable - he can consume a 5' length of branch in 24 hours - doesn't do him any harm and stops the fanged sod eating the stable and anything else in reach.

Personally if he does it again - I would try one very hard slap and yell - the ultimate weapon is a wooden fish slice - makes a good noise, stings but no major harm. There has only been one shetland that had to have to applied twice to him. Rest have never bit again. I won't have horses kicking and biting me.

Now when he starts the kicking......

Mine hoofed OH on the back of the leg when not given enough attention - Chancer wanted to teach him not to turn his back and stroke his clydesdale and not him. After a couple of these OH finally learnt the high pitched scream and bitch slap -Stinky never did it again and my panties are now safe (nearly peed myself laughing).
 
Never ever feed tip bits from hand. If you then walk past and they don't get then they will bite.

Make sure you tell him off very firmly or tap on nose when he does it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Never ever feed tip bits from hand. If you then walk past and they don't get then they will bite.


[/ QUOTE ]

A rather sweeping generalisation of the behaviour of equus caballus, surely?
I feed my three treats from my hand....and can walk past without treating them unscathed.
Devil help them if they bite me for that....
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God good - we agree again!

All my horses past and present have treats - none have ever nipped or bit - god help them if they did.

They know that to stand quietly and gently take the treat means more - if they attempted biting they would instead receive a slap and chased away and get nothing. Even toddlers can feed my youngster - he is just lips his treat from you.

I really can't understand the no treats rule - just train them like you do everything else to have good manners from the start.
 
PMSLOMG sorry, but thats the funniest thing ive heard,,, sorry not that he bit you,,, but the biting back and squealing like a pig thingy,, serves him right
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