biting horses

[dj9ao]

I have been offered an ex-racer for free who puts his ears back/bares his teeth & occasionally bites when handled especially with rugs/saddles,
he had a lot of young grooms handling him when in racing

he is a very sweet horse in every other way

owner said he wants to put him down

my last horse was very nippy and occasionally used to bite hard when he first arrived (wasn't told that he was a biter) but soon got to know when he really meant it & used to wave an old woolley glove at him and this stopped him-works much better than smacking the horse! & for safety with other people I never let anyone else change rugs etc

is there any way of improving this horses biting as he is about 10yrs old
or should I give up on him too and find something easier?

 

[LaurenBay]

If he is perfect in everyway apart form the biting then I would get him.

There is a huge difference to a Horse biting and one that charges at you and attacks. If the 2nd kind I would PTS.

Some Horses are a 1 to 1 Horse, he may feel much more secure with just one handler, who he can learn to trust.

There also could be a medical reason to it, especially if its when rugging and tacking up (perhaps ulcers)

 

[jennyf]

A couple of things you can do immediately a horse goes to bite. You can slap your arm with your other hand to make a sharp noise (best done if wearing a coat), or, you can have a small jar or can with lid containg a small amout of stones and give it a quick shake - what you're trying to do is to take the horse's mind away from biting you, a sort of distraction tactic.

 

[weesophz]

my ex racer used to be really nippy, you couldnt turn your back to him without a chunk getting taken out you!

turns out he was just irritable due to gastric ulcers, i was told (by kelly marks!) to try linseed oil, and hes like a different animal, cant remember the last time he so much as made a grumpy face!

also he was 10 when i put him on to the linseed and has only been on it for about 6 months, i swear by the stuff!

if him being nippy is the only problem id go for it, you can always work through the issue.

 

[dj9ao]

thanks for the advice
it seemed a bit drastic for the owner to put him down as he seems like he could
have a useful ridden career
and yes I hadn't even thought of a stomach ulcer which so many race-horses
seem to suffer with,
I wonder if that was what was wrong with my grumpy old stressy boy