Biting horse!

[Lucylobster]

Does anyone else have a really grumpy horse that doesn't just go for a cheeky nip, he will literally take a chunk! Ears back and lunges at you.

In the past he's been mistreated but same home for 6 years now and still same, despite never being mistreated, teeth, back etc etc all fine. Once tacked up and on he's great and to tack up not too bad, rugs on not too bad.

Just interested to hear anyone else's experiences!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I bought a very grumpy horse, the owner told me that they didn't get on.
When I got her home, I found that she bit because her browband was too tight and her saddle didn't fit properly. She really couldn't cope with more than one person in the box.
I provided her with well-fitting tack and taught her that putting tack on didn't have to be a problem. I rewarded her with food for every little step and now 21/2 yrs later we can have 3 people in the box while she is being tacked up.

 

[Brightbay]

Does anyone else have a really grumpy horse that doesn't just go for a cheeky nip, he will literally take a chunk! Ears back and lunges at you.

In the past he's been mistreated but same home for 6 years now and still same, despite never being mistreated, teeth, back etc etc all fine. Once tacked up and on he's great and to tack up not too bad, rugs on not too bad.

Just interested to hear anyone else's experiences!

Horses have a range of communications when they're not happy about something. Starting with a general "not happy" face, going on to ears back, then ears back and a swing of the head, ears back head swing with bared teeth (bite threat). When the horse is punished for these, they stop doing them, and just go to the most extreme level of self-defence they have.

This is why it's better to find out why a horse is looking a bit grumpy, and fix whatever's causing it. Sounds like the home your horse came from didn't do this, but instead punished each level of "I'm not happy" communication from the horse, leaving them with the lunge with teeth as their first line of communication. And when I say "punished", it doesn't have to be severe beating, it can just be things like pinching the neck, waving arms, shouting, growling... anything that both ignores the message from the horse and makes it unpleasant to do again.

In terms of what you can do, Pearlsasinger's approach is a good one Keep safe, take plenty of time, and make experiences pleasant ones for the horse.

 

[Cortez]

I had a very grumpy horse that had taken a lump out of someone's face and was a serious, dangerous biter. Nothing wrong with it, just a nasty, bad tempered, ill mannered horse. It got walloped when it bit, threatened to bite, looked like it might bite, or laid it's ears back. It no longer bites.

 

[Lucylobster]

Thanks for your replies. Tack and everything is well fitted, even his headcollars have lambswool padding as he's so thin skinned (TB ex racer).

In the past he's had a load of beatings and no one has listened to him so he's "screamed at the top of his voice" . I've never walloped him for it as its taken ages and loads of patience and understanding to each where we are today, ie tack / rug up and gain his trust - believe me he was a nightmare lol!

I love him to bits and he has home for life, but would love to know why he feels the need to behave like it! 😟

 

[Pearlsasinger]

In terms of what you can do, Pearlsasinger's approach is a good one Keep safe, take plenty of time, and make experiences pleasant ones for the horse.

Interestingly, we were trying some different saddles on recently. I knew which ones fitted her comfortably because when one didn't, she got hold of my sleeve (bit) which she hasn't done for some time. I do wish people would listen to their horses.

OP, I guess that he still exhibits some of the behaviour because although you have now had him for several years and he has improved with you, he still isn't 100% confident that in some situations you will be sympathetic towards him.

 

[Gloi]

Long time ago I got asked to help someone who'd bought a pony that bit. I went expecting it to be a bit grumpy being tacked up or similar. As I walked towards the paddock the pony took one look and charged towards me ears back, mouth open and slammed into the fence, a bit like a guard dog reaching the end of its chain. I'd never seen anything like it apart from once at Appleby when one of the caravans appeared to have a guard Shetland on a tether.
The story of the pony was that it had been owned from weaning by a couple with not much horse knowledge and it had learned how to bully them and treated people like it would a pony at the bottom of the pecking order.
The odd thing was, as soon as the pony got its driving bridle on it was a changed personality and drove perfectly well. Getting the bridle on was something else entirely and was being done over the stable door to keep out of reach of her teeth.
The new owner had small children and the pony was at home and I persuaded her to get rid of it before someone got badly hurt. She was actually a well bred pony and was bought by a dealer and exported to Germany.