ScoobyDoo98
Active Member
Hello everyone. Im looking for some advice regarding how to correct behaviour or whether the method im using is making things worse for my boy.
I've got him from the gypsies he came to me at only 4 months old and was ripped from him mum before his 4 hour journey to me. He is my first horse and we've been pretty good together up until now.
From day 1 he has been food aggressive, the first bucket of feed he got he was hoping around. We sorted that out by having the food already in the stable for him so he got to know that once he settled , stands and waits to have his headcollar off he would be able to enjoy his feed in peace, we've had no issues since then and we had gotten to the point i can move all around him touch him etc while he eats and hes completely fine. Now lately he's been pinning his ears around his hay. I usually ignore it, however when hes blocking the doorway in the stable and I need to ask him to move his hindquarters over he gets a right strop on. He pins the ears, swishes the tail and gets so grumpy but reluctantly does as I've asked. Now ive left it at that for now but I'm wondering if I should be correcting the ear pinning. Hes never been good with treats, so hes never gotten them. Hes fine with his bucket feed as it only takes him 30 seconds to eat (its just a balancer) so hes used to that routine.
The recent issue is that hes started getting hay twice a day. Hes on a diet so he has a smallish double haynet for when he comes in and then gets a larger soaked haynet thrown in for him by a friend on the evening. Now the first haynet does last until his main soaked net. I was told he usually snakes his head at this girl when she goes in to hang the haynet. Doesnt follow through but gets arsey. Last night he reared up while she was hanging the haynet up and she felt threatened and smacked him on the nose. Im obviously not happy about that but he could've hurt her. For now my solution is to have a Hayring outside the stable so it can be thrown over the door but this doesn't change the core problem. I want to figure out how to correct this.
The method ive been using more recently is shooing him to the back of the stable and waiting until he puts his ears forward for him to be allowed to come back to his haynet. Ive been moving his hind quarters as I should be able to ask him to move around in his stable should I need to.
Big question is how would you go about this? I dont know if my method is only making things worse or if I should just persevere. I want the best for him and I want to work through it.
He is already quite a grumpy boy, not to me or people he likes, but really hates people going near him that usually have no business with him. Pulls a face and if they pet him anywhere other than the neck he will get agitated.
I've had him since 4months old so most of his history is known. Hes 3 in April. Hes a cob if that helps! Thanks guys. I appreciate the help. Hes staying with me for life if I can help it but I worry incase I ever really do need to find him a home and what kind of things he would have to go through if I dont get this sorted now!
I've got him from the gypsies he came to me at only 4 months old and was ripped from him mum before his 4 hour journey to me. He is my first horse and we've been pretty good together up until now.
From day 1 he has been food aggressive, the first bucket of feed he got he was hoping around. We sorted that out by having the food already in the stable for him so he got to know that once he settled , stands and waits to have his headcollar off he would be able to enjoy his feed in peace, we've had no issues since then and we had gotten to the point i can move all around him touch him etc while he eats and hes completely fine. Now lately he's been pinning his ears around his hay. I usually ignore it, however when hes blocking the doorway in the stable and I need to ask him to move his hindquarters over he gets a right strop on. He pins the ears, swishes the tail and gets so grumpy but reluctantly does as I've asked. Now ive left it at that for now but I'm wondering if I should be correcting the ear pinning. Hes never been good with treats, so hes never gotten them. Hes fine with his bucket feed as it only takes him 30 seconds to eat (its just a balancer) so hes used to that routine.
The recent issue is that hes started getting hay twice a day. Hes on a diet so he has a smallish double haynet for when he comes in and then gets a larger soaked haynet thrown in for him by a friend on the evening. Now the first haynet does last until his main soaked net. I was told he usually snakes his head at this girl when she goes in to hang the haynet. Doesnt follow through but gets arsey. Last night he reared up while she was hanging the haynet up and she felt threatened and smacked him on the nose. Im obviously not happy about that but he could've hurt her. For now my solution is to have a Hayring outside the stable so it can be thrown over the door but this doesn't change the core problem. I want to figure out how to correct this.
The method ive been using more recently is shooing him to the back of the stable and waiting until he puts his ears forward for him to be allowed to come back to his haynet. Ive been moving his hind quarters as I should be able to ask him to move around in his stable should I need to.
Big question is how would you go about this? I dont know if my method is only making things worse or if I should just persevere. I want the best for him and I want to work through it.
He is already quite a grumpy boy, not to me or people he likes, but really hates people going near him that usually have no business with him. Pulls a face and if they pet him anywhere other than the neck he will get agitated.
I've had him since 4months old so most of his history is known. Hes 3 in April. Hes a cob if that helps! Thanks guys. I appreciate the help. Hes staying with me for life if I can help it but I worry incase I ever really do need to find him a home and what kind of things he would have to go through if I dont get this sorted now!