Biting problem

[sonemmy]

4 y.o gelding has started to bite in the morning while turning out. While I start to put fly mask on, he already starts biting the stall door and halter, mouth widely open, holds onto lead rope etc and sometimes even starts to reach out to me, but I have had a faster reaction to it, so I have given him a little nip on the nose. While leading him outside the “trying to bite” action continues with a bit of energetic walk but now towards me more until he is in his field. He doesn’t pin his ears while doing that, seems more like excitement or boredom but it’s not safe and I have to be alert every second. He does not bite any other time, while being turned in, in the stable, field etc- just in the morning while being turned out. I’ve read that if I tap him lightly on the shin of his leg with my foot while he tries to bite, but he doesn’t care about it at all. It all started when I put him together with my mare, he started climbing on her so I put him to the field alone, friends on both side of the same field. My first thought was that maybe he started showing dominance with the biting now. We also do groundwork almost every other day, and I would say he does respect me, but not in the morning. Now today if he tried to bite while leading, I made him instantly move his feet backwards, don’t know if this will help because he hasn’t moved me away with his biting. Any ideas what should I try?

 

[GypsGal1718]

How do you know he doesn’t care about it?

 

[sonemmy]

How do you know he doesn’t care about it?

Biting continues and he doesn’t even give look at his legs that some kind of different sensation comes with the biting, I don’t know. I’ve tried that for several days, should I be more patient?

 

[Equi]

He’s bored and lonely and you’re his only play mate. Get him in a herd with other horses.

 

[sonemmy]

He’s bored and lonely and you’re his only play mate. Get him in a herd with other horses.

But why it occurs only in the morning then. I have a small stable with 2 other mares, because of the mounting and stallion-like interest in mares I can’t let him be with them as he is a very big horse compared to them, injuries are very likely to come. He is also the first one who gets mask and halter on and then my mares.

 

[Equi]

Cause that’s when he wants to play. My horses have a routine they do daily even when out 24/7. Play is usually about 4pm.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

He’s bored and lonely and you’re his only play mate. Get him in a herd with other horses.

Agree with this

 

[Arzada]

I’ve read that if I tap him lightly on the shin of his leg with my foot while he tries to bite,

Doesn't this put you closer to his teeth?

 

[tda]

Young boys need other young boys to play with x

 

[maya2008]

He’s 4. He’s bored and a bit riggy (how late was he gelded? Some do retain coltish behaviour like mounting and mouthing, but in most it fades away completely). I would say a playmate might help take the edge off, but then again it might not. At the age of 4, so would work. If he was mine, I would get the gelding double checked (there’s a blood test that can tell you if there was any retained tissue) and then get him in work unless there was a medical reason not to. Nice long hacks would appease his need to move and give him an outlet for his energy.

If you plan to wait to back until 6, I would send him off to group turnout 24/7 with other geldings.

 

[Landcruiser]

You could have a look at Warwick Schiller on biting horses. He suggests they are essentially seeking attention/communication/touch and responds by kind of "over-giving" it back, smooshing all over the muzzle with your hands, rubbing for several seconds, each time they try to bite. I tried this with my mare, who went through a long, long period of gnashing at me and biting/mouthing ropes, objects, literally everything. I found it very successful, but you have to persevere. She's now 5 and 95% better but at 3 she was a real pain with it. She never once actually bit me, but there was lots of gnashing and ears back. She did have medical issues, in her defence.

The other thing is to keep them out of your space, see Steve Young on this. He makes it very easy to understand. Your gelding sounds like it's just at a time of heightened excitement where the problem arises ie he's about to be turned out after a boring time alone in stable, yay, get on with it human. Like a dog jumping up and down by the front door before a walk, it's just that emotion finding an outlet. In your shoes I'd get him to move back off the door and get him waiting, don't take him anywhere until he's calm and amenable. Again, Steve Young has some really good videos on this sort of thing.

By the way, the whole shin kicking thing is pretty unpleasant IMO. A farrier tried it on my first horse just after I bought him. I never asked him back. It's a bit like the clonking a rearer on the top of the head when they go up. Old fashioned, doesn't work, abusive. Not blaming you OP, we all listen to advice, but there's good and bad advice.

 

[dorsetladette]

Is he 4 or rising 4? My 3 year old is a little b#####d at the moment, but my 4 year old is an angel (most of the time). I have done a fair amount of work with both of them to get them ready for 'grown up life' and one of those things is being turned out with others.

Your lad needs play mates or your going to be his only source of entertainment. It also sounds like he needs a job to do. long reining, walking out in hand etc etc are good to help set up for future adventures. I also have mine wearing tack and harness from a pretty young age - we call it 'playing dress up' it's all done in a fun rewarding way so it isn't anything to be worried about when the backing process starts.

All horses are different. One horse might be fine to not start until 6 where as another will need there mind occupied from 2 or even younger.

I'd recommend getting him out 24/7 to burn off more energy. Also agnus cactus worked well on my friends riggy gelding to keep him in check with the ladies in the field in spring/summer.