Am I over-reacting?

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Becky&Ollie-x

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Please tel me if I'm wrong to be upset?


So I guess I'm one of these that will excuse my boys behaviour??

I have what I think a lovely chap with a cheeky character. If you ignore him he snaps his teeth at you and pulls faces to get attention, hes NEVER bitten me and most people on yard arnt fussed either they know he is attention seeking. He has on the occasion nibbled on a coat - but he's a clever boy you see and knows when its skin :D

however some people have actaully moved stables so they dont need ot be near him and have even moved there horses to a different field!!

He is NO BOTHER what so ever in the field and like I say he only pulls faces n snaps the air for attention.

Whats your opinion? Would you be annoyed to at these "accusations" he is "a horrible horses" and that someones said "I dont hate any horse or any animal, but I can say i really HATE him"
 
Dont be annoyed or upset :)

You know your lad better than anyone and thats all you need to concentrate on. These people are unimportant.

A lady on my yard didnt like my lad because he wasnt a thoroughbred and she thought he was common.

x
 
Well, it obviously upsets you that people react so unless you know that you can give your horse a home for life, then it might be a good idea not to encourage the behavior at the least. Personally, even though the people may or may not be over- reacting, I would like to protect my horse from getting a bad reputation so would probably take steps to train him out of this habit.
 
My boy is like this, nibbles coats, undoes zips etc but rarely bites, unless you ignore him for ages :p

It doesn't bother me I've had him since a year old and know him inside out so know he has a heart of gold.

I wouldn't worry, it is upsetting but you know and love your horse so try to ignore the pettiness on yards. I see people do 'wide births' around mines stable door but I leave them to it, he's only pulling faces for attention, YO knows this and talks to him which stops it.
 
Without knowing you or your horse to see what he's actually doing I can't tell if you or they are overreacting. Let's assume they are the ones being a bit precious,if they feel so negatively about him it's probably better they move away from him otherwise you'll have to listen to them whining about every little thing.
 
Yes it would upset me people saying things about my horse, but you know him, so just ignore them . Xx
 
I wouldnt be offended cos it is hard to like someone elses horse if they make evil faces and snap their teeth at you.

While its not probably rational for them to move stables, I can understand why they might prefer to be near horses that dont do that? Perhaps they worry their horse might copy (which is unlikely but why would they want to take the risk would be their view if they have the choice)

You can love your horse as much as you want but it isnt reasonable to demand that others do.
 
Silly to move fields if your horse poses no problem to other horses (do YO's actually allow people to swap around??).

As for the stabling issue - if your horse bites, and people feel threatened by him, then I can understand them wanting to move stables. However, it does raise the question of how they're actually getting close enough to him for him to have a go at them if he's in his stable, and they're not...............
 
Thanks guys ;)

Hes 14 now though so I think the behaviour is here to stay. We are on a very small yard and owned by one of my best friends, so I feel bad for her when a livery is wanting field changes to accommodate not being near my viscious beast.

TBH I think it wouldn't be so bad if said people didn't treat all the other horses and leave him out. I'm sure if they got to know him they would love him just as much as me. He did have a horrendous reputation prior to me and has mellowed considerably over the past year- the people who know him now have seen nothing comparered to 3 / 4 yrs ago and I think they heard the stories and presumed this is him at his worst.

I know that i love him, and wouldnt change him for the workd and that is all that matters it just upsets me that people can be so dumb to different personalities. He wasn't gelded until he was 8 or something (not that that is an excuse - but i dont think it helped)


Anyway - I'll keep my chin up and be happy knowing my boys the prettiest one on the yard! Who can resist a chocolate dun eh!

xx
 
Aarrghimpossiblepony said:
If the people don't like the way he behaves then it seems sensible for them to move their horse away from him.
How does it affect you?
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it doesnt affect me per say, other that hurting my feeling and not taking the time to relise he wont bite them... its that we have 12 boxes on the yard, and if one refuses to be near mine then someone has to swap - and I feel like it smy fault, that IMHO someone doesnt have enough horse-sense to realise not all ponies are licky/ kissy/cuddley fluff balls.

xx
 
Becky&Ollie-x said:
its that we have 12 boxes on the yard, and if one refuses to be near mine then someone has to swap - and I feel like it smy fault, that IMHO someone doesnt have enough horse-sense to realise not all ponies are licky/ kissy/cuddley fluff balls.
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Why on earth would the YO pander to such silliness though???

Providing your horse is not in striking distance of anything, and you don't tie him on the yard - I really can't see what the problem is.
 
no your not over reacting but i think you should just forget it and concentrate on your horse. there are some people on livery yards who just like to stir and cause trouble-your horse hasnt hurt anyone or their horses? ,just be the better person and ignore it:)
 
amymay said:
Silly to move fields if your horse poses no problem to other horses (do YO's actually allow people to swap around??).

As for the stabling issue - if your horse bites, and people feel threatened by him, then I can understand them wanting to move stables. However, it does raise the question of how they're actually getting close enough to him for him to have a go at them if he's in his stable, and they're not...............
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We have 3 heards of 3 geldings so easy to switch a gelding around. He isnt aggressive in anyway he would never ears flat back n go for you, its relaly only if u stand right outside his door hes like "heyyyy im here im here, feed me / stroke me!!"

The perosn in question told YO that he launched over the door and tried to bite her face - something which I cannot quite believe he would ever do :( xx
 
amymay said:
Why on earth would the YO pander to such silliness though???


Shes a lovely girl and tries to keep everyone happy. We all get on and theres no bitching (what i post on here I have said to other party n she just laughed it off n said he clearly didnt like her)


Providing your horse is not in striking distance of anything, and you don't tie him on the yard - I really can't see what the problem is.
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I do tie him up, but he wouldnt bite / kick a passing person
 
Becky&Ollie-x said:
He isnt aggressive in anyway he would never ears flat back n go for you, its relaly only if u stand right outside his door hes like "heyyyy im here im here, feed me / stroke me!!"

The perosn in question told YO that he launched over the door and tried to bite her face - something which I cannot quite believe he would ever do :( xx
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Then they should leave him alone.

I stabled next to a very aggressive horse for some time - a potential killer (no exaggeration). I simply didn't stand outside its stable (nor did anyone else), and if I had to walk past it - I gave it plenty of room.

As for swapping fields and stables - your YO needs to get a bit of a grip really. Just storing up problems for the future, especially if horses are constantly chopped and changed.
 
Thanks for your opinions guys.... I understand I'm probs being slightly petty getting upset but had to have my bit rant!!

New barns on process of being build Ive chose my stable (nice big one in the corner) so hopefully next winter they won't be any further issues.

:) xxx
 
Sounds like my boy a bit. My best mate really doesn't like him or him her but they put up with each other for my sake! Ignore. Their problem not urs.
 
Rios neighbour does this whenever I walk by, so I do it back :P he's no bother whatsoever, I find it funny and between the pair of them, you'd think that block of stables was a loony bin ;) so I'd probably be a little miffed but would understand that to some people it might be offputting thinking he could sometime catch them or their horse xx
 
My boy is the same and he is very protective of his feed hay so if anyone comes near his stable they get ran at with a warning.

I've had lots of people say nasty things to me but i have no problem with him and if I didnt own him then i wouldn't want to know what kind of life he would have so i adore him and deal with his space issues as best as I can. All i do is warn people that he can be funny and to give him space as its his stable.

I have had people make him worse by keep walking infront of his stable and if he lunges they would shout at him this made him worse so i would be happier someone want to move away from him than make his more unhappy.
 
I know parents with kids that behave appallingly and the parents laugh and say "oh isn't he just adorable" or "LOL he doesn't mean anything by it" when the little sh** is doing something particularly vile.

I suppose it's a mothers love ........
 
They do sound petty, and agree it is odd for YO to pander to them. You can't blame the poor horse for getting a bit miffed when they treat everyone else and not him, although maybe he gets a bit 'grabby' and nippy, my horse does with my OH and not with me because she knows she doesn't get away with it with me! If they only want to stable next to horseys that want love and cuddles I think he's better off without the annoyance to be honest!

Bless him, he's just misunderstood :-)
 
I can see both sides.

My mare hates people fussing her or in her space, and pulls ugly faces if you look in her box, so people at camps I've been on were wary of her. Thats the sum total of it though.

We had a livery that would attack other horses, rip rugs and lunge at horses that were led past her box. The owner was standing with me one day when her horse grabbed one of my ponies by its fly rug and tore a huge strip off it. The lady said, "she only caught it by accident" and "she doesn't mean it"... She could not remotely see any bad in it. Her horse ended up on boxrest for a month, and nothing got bitten, there were no fights etc. So when it came to the horse going out, I fenced off a section of the field for her, where she could see the others and touch over the fence. The lady cried and ranted to our groom that I was being mean to her horse, and soon after left, never speaking to me again, unless I went over to her first and said hello.

Anyway, what I'm saying, in a long winded way, is some people just don't want to be around something that even threatens to be nasty. Others are incapable of seeing that their own horses aren't the angels they thing they are.. For so many people to move/avoid your horse, my intuition says there is more to this than a few little bites of clothes etc..
 
Personally I think the horse is trying to tell you something and you are not listening......I wouldn't find 'nibbling' acceptable behaviour.....imo if he continues to 'nibble' and is not pushed away, the behaviour will escalate.....what else is he 'getting away' with? I would look carefully at your techniques and management!!!
 
I'd probably give your chap a wide berth myself. I wouldn't be mean and wouldn't complain because there wouldn't be a problem if I steered clear, but if his face says 'leave me alone' I'd leave him alone and wouldn't take any time getting to know him because it would be a one sided relationship. As I wouldn't know that he's actually all right, I'd keep my horse away too. Would trust YO on field activity though, lots of horses are different when out but a bit territorial in stables. I don't think you can blame the other owners really, because there isn't any benefit to them to make an effort with your boy. However treating all the others and not him is a bit harsh!
 
I would also steer clear of your lad. I wouldn't complain to YO, I just wouldn't pay him any attention, good, bad, or otherwise. Every yard seems to have a horse or two who snarls and snaps over the stall door, and I have a longstanding policy of ignoring such horses. I don't care if snookums really is a sweet boy who just wants attention. If it's threatening to bite, it's not getting any.
 
Alyth said:
Personally I think the horse is trying to tell you something and you are not listening......I wouldn't find 'nibbling' acceptable behaviour.....imo if he continues to 'nibble' and is not pushed away, the behaviour will escalate.....what else is he 'getting away' with? I would look carefully at your techniques and management!!!
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This is not true. My mare who I have owned for 12 years nibbles me. She knows just how hard she is allowed to nibble without hurting me. She is so gentle that I can allow her to nibble my hands with her teeth. If on a very rare occasion she oversteps the mark, she knows immediately and darts away and is very 'apologetic'. Mares gently nibble their foals. Horses gently nibble each other's whiskers. It can be a form of play and also a sign of affection and a deep understanding and trust.

Biting, on the other hand is a no no.

ETA: I would not allow this behaviour with any horse that was not my own or who would likely be sold on. As it can very easily be misunderstood.
 
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I am glad you have said that Wagtail, my welshie licks me and nibbles when I groom him. He has never bitten in the five years I have had him but will open and close zips on my jacket and look so proud of himself when he has done it, he makes me laugh all the time. OP I would avoid a horse that showed aggression but would definitely not treat other animals and not him, either none would get a treat or all.
 
Presumably a horse that licks and nibbles its owner whilst grooming is somewhat different from a horse that pulls faces and snaps at people walking past its box. One behaviour is mutual grooming, the other is aggression whether it's because it wants treats or whether it has been fed too many treats!

I can understand people being reluctant to be too near this animal and if he'd got hold of me by the coat I'd be asking the YO to do something about it too - preferably move him to an area where there wasn't passing traffic. Incidentally, if he were mine and he'd got hold of someone by the coat I'd be asking the YO if I could move him somewhere where he couldn't get people rather than saying how clever he was because it wasn't skin.
 
My mare can be similiar with other people/horses when she has food or is in her stable. She pulls the most evil faces - if I didn't know her I'd swear she was going to bite but with her it's all face and front. She's pretty insecure a lot of the time and it's her way of protecting herself so the behaviour gets ignored or laughed at. She will kick other horses going behind her if tied up tho so she's never left tied up unattended so that I can move her over or put her in her box. My stable is on a narrow corridor that you have to go down to get to the field so the whole yard know to be careful of her when they go past with a horse (she's fine with people). It's the first thing I explain to new people that she's all face but has been known to kick. Everyone laughs at her face pulling tho as she's so funny and if you ignore them and go stroke her she's fine.
 
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