Aggressive Filly

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d4nny

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My 20 month old miniature filly has become extremely aggressive in the stable.

-She won't have her rugs changed in her stable, she'll try to kick and bite you when you try.
-She'll aggressively chew the wooden partition between her and my other miniature at dinnertime or when anyonne arrives at the stable.
-She throws her dinner bucket around and "guard" it when it's empty and will try to kick or bite when it's taken away.

Her stable is big enough, she has ample feed/hay/water and turn out. She's always been a little bit grumpy and liked her own space, but she's never been this grumpy!
As far as I know she's in excellent health and has no health problems-the vet checked her over in September when she was jabbed. She goes out for a few hours with 3 other miniatures and shares a split stable with my 8 month old filly-her previous companion was moved out when my new filly arrived 7 weeks ago-she attacked her on the first night she was there but doesn't pine for her companion. They're both handled daily and my younger filly is much better to handle and rug up but I don't want her picking up any of the older ones bad habits.

If anyone has any suggestions/theories why she's like this I'd really appreciate it!
 
You can't dictate her behaviour with other horses, as they will have a pecking order, and there will be those she can bully, and others she can't within a herd environment.
I would throw her out with a strict "nanny" mare or gelding, who will show her what's what.
Her behaviour with you can and should be challenged. Just because she is little, doesn't mean she should be allowed to continue her bad behaviour. If she refuses to allow you to take her food bucket, smack her over the backside with a well aimed rubber feed bucket.
Rugging is easy....just tie her up. if she is tied, kicking and biting is made so much harder. If a bite is managed, a loud "NO" followed by a smack across the chest.
 
joeanne said:
You can't dictate her behaviour with other horses, as they will have a pecking order, and there will be those she can bully, and others she can't within a herd environment.
I would throw her out with a strict "nanny" mare or gelding, who will show her what's what.
Her behaviour with you can and should be challenged. Just because she is little, doesn't mean she should be allowed to continue her bad behaviour. If she refuses to allow you to take her food bucket, smack her over the backside with a well aimed rubber feed bucket.
Rugging is easy....just tie her up. if she is tied, kicking and biting is made so much harder. If a bite is managed, a loud "NO" followed by a smack across the chest.
Click to expand...

Funny how both your replies include being aggressive in return to the aggressive behaviour?....

Being aggressive back will just ask her to fight more, and you'll end up fighting a losing battle.
I do agree with the turning out with older mare/gelding to ''bring down a peg or two'' as such, difficult when stables are involved to come up with a decent plan!
 
So you suggest letting her be dominant in the stable? Ok......:confused:

FWIW, if OP was taking her bucket away whilst she was eating, I would say you were getting what you asked for, but the filly is guarding an empty bucket.
I am not saying beat the living crapola out of her, but to let her know that her behaviour is simply not on with a smack on the chest and a verbal aid to help enforce it.
If one of my bigger horses tried to kick or bite, they would get a smack across the chest and a loud "NO".
Rugging up would be done with said horse tied short so unable to bite thus REMOVING the risk of the situation arising.
 
Thanks for your replies.

She is turned out with my two miniatures who are rising 4 years old and 8 months and a 16 year old miniature. The two older ones do put her in her place and will protect the baby if my filly does get rough with her.

She is tied up short when rugging her, but she still turns on you.

She's left alone to eat now, as I always used to sit with her when she ate-which is what I've always done with my babies and she was always ok with it, but I wouldn't want to try it now!

She is told off when she's naughty, but it's like working with a brick wall, in one ear and out the other!
 
Consistency.
Tie her up nice and short when rugging.
I never sit with an eating horse, its his/her dinner and to eat it in peace and quiet is that horses right.
If someone sat watching me eat all the time, I might feel a bit shirty too. That is no excuse for the aggression though. particularly over an empty bowl.
Other than that, it might be time to start a bit of groundwork with her. Moving backwards/sideways/leading etc might instill a few manners in her.
 
I've done it with all my foals and youngsters and they've been fine with it. She maybe just be the "one" I can't do it with anymore!

I'm going to continue with the tying up and see if that works-maybe she'll eventually go back to normal self and let me rug up eventually without it in the future.

She has groundwork done with her already as we show her, saying that she is alot better behaved in the summer when she is going out nearly every week showing.
 
Completely agree with Joeanne about consistency..
I have three minis and one is very funny about people around him when he's eating, he would kick anyone who went in while he had his bucket (so I know it's horrible and a bl'ody pain!). Does your filly share a stable with another pony when eating? And if she does; does she try to kick the other?

When S the moody mini comes towards me when I go for the bucket I say calmly back and if he stops and backs off I will give him a scratch but if he carries on towards me and swings his bum at me I will push his bum away and follow it up by saying no! It takes time and patience but S now respects my space in and out the stable and I can stroll in and take his bucket by saying back up and he will turn his bum away from me.

Good Luck x
 
i am against smacking them, but rather a loud scream and push them away with know that they have over stepped the mark and then they will come to you as they dont want to be cast out of the herd, they come back licking and chewing quietly, rub them between the eyes to show you dont bear a grudge and they are forgiven - It will take time but its much kinder and respectful xx
 
I had this with my filly, she will turn and try to double barrel around food and can be naughty, I kept her stabled and we had it out i told her to get back when i walked in the stable, stood with the food if she went for me a sharp 'back' and maybe a prod in the neck to reinforce, if she kicked she got a smack under the belly, thats if voice aids didnt work. Once she stood quietly she got a big pat and praise.

Out with the others she is worse, I dont tend to worry too much as already said on here she has to be in the herd order and as they all eat together long as she doesnt go for me I let them get on with it.

If shes naughty get someone else in to hold her while you rug up, she might be nervous of the rugs in which case talk to her nicely but dont stand for any bad behaviour. Foals grow into big strong horses they should be treated with respect but they should also respect their owners.
 
Thanks again!

Everything I do is by voice commands as I'm in a wheelchair and by doing them makes everything easier. She always used to do it but is now rebelling!
She's only going to make 30" but it's still no excuse for her to misbehave and she's treated the same way I used to treat my big youngsters-firm but fair.

She maybe in season as she was "talking" to my cob gelding the other day and her tail was swishing and twitching-but this behaviour has been for the past 2 months everyday!

I've taken into account she maybe bored, so I've tried to fill her time by doing some work with her and lots of grooming.

She has a low partition in her stable as it's split for my other miniature-I know she'd beat her up if they were in the same stable. They are also fed in different corners so they can't kick the partition. But she now aggressively chews the wood on the partition whenever anyone goes near their stable.
 
I'd turn her out more if possible - 21 hours in a stable by yourself is a long time - preferably in a herd environment.
I'd feed her by holding the bucket - any sign of aggression and both bucket and I would leave (be careful though). Horses' dominance can change depending on the situation - so some horses are more dominant at the water trough, others at hay, and others at feed. Personally, I'm dominant to my horses all the time - so wouldn't let her aggress towards me at feed time; my horses have feeds on my terms or they don't eat :D
As a final comment, most time when people aren't getting on with their horses and I've watched, they ignore the good behaviour, and make a big song-and-dance about the bad. I think this is the wrong way round - where possible, ignore the bad behaviour, and praise the good behaviour lavishly.
S :D
 
She's out for a roughly 3 hours a day with 3 others if the weather is nice, then she does her "work" whether it's a stroll round the farm or ring training-we try to make it different each day so she doesn't get bored.
I agree with being dominent and have always been this way with all my previous and present horses.
She's always praised and made a fuss off on any good behaviour or new trick that she's been taught.
I'm going to try holding her tonight when someone else rugs her and see how that goes...
 
i would try to get in in 'only' stable, not a split one if you can. i would also suggest that she has a bit more hay and no bucket food. and would recommend at least 8 hour turnout what ever the weather. if she continues to be rude, bolshy and vulgar i would leave her out (obv with hay and water) for a few days til she calms down a bit, and when she actually would like you to give her some attention. you have to be the alpha in the relationship.
 
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