Can I stop this?

Laura1234

Laura1234

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My horse has been on box rest now for nearly 5 weeks (search partially severed tendon for info), and he was always a little bit of a nibbler before this, but now he is just trying to take chunks out of us and is biting VERY hard.
I have raised my voice to him, tapped him on the nose to try and stop him, but don't want to wallop him as he may throw his head up and smack on top of the stable door beam, as he normally does it over the stable door, and also don't want him to be scared of us either, as if you move too quick he sometimes throws his head as though he thinks he is going to be hit. We don't feed him tit bits. He has his morning and evening feeds (not much as he is on box rest), and haylage day and night. He also gets a feed ball thrown in to keep him amused, and he does play with it for some time. Having been a race horse, he is coping pretty well with being in all the time, but I think he is now getting a bit frustrated at being in, but he has a long way to go yet. Any advice would be appreciated to try and stop or reduce his biting, as last night I was so angry with him, and had to stop myself from smacking him when he suddenly bit me on the arm. :mad:
 
As you said it is difficult as he may hit his head on the stable, but I would want to give him tap on the nose. What I would probably do next time would be really growl at him and tell him NO! My boy often likes to bite me as i'm picking his feet up and I do this and it does work and he has got alot better. I think if you do this everytime he goes to do and you show him your the boss he should stop . Hope this helps
 
When you're at around him, carry a water sprayer and any unwanted behaviour, squirt him in the face. He won't associate it with you and the surprise will stop him. It worked really well with our youngster.
 
My chum uses a old coke can with a stone in it and gives it a jolly good rattle when her horse shows unwanted behaviour - he is a big heavy bolshy boy and we were really surprised it worked - again they do not relate the noise to you - do not praise afterwards let him think about it and if you keep doing it he will start to add two and two together and fingers crossed not do it anymore.

Hope it helps x:D
 
A friend of mine had a lady out that practises natural horsemanship. Her horse was huge and was just all over her, pushing, biting, barging etc. This lady said to just stand and wave your hands, like you swiping a fly! If he gets in your space and gets a wap its his own fault but he won't relate it to you as you didn't actually do anything to him. Within 5 mins this horse was standing near us, after a few waps, but made no attempt to come into 'our space'. Good luck x
 
Thanks guys, some useful suggestions, will give them a try! :D

Houndsplease - ha ha, in any other situation I probably would, but can't risk him throwing a right wobbly and damaging his leg further by running round the stable.
 
We had one that was late cut and a serial biter, and nasty with it! I cured him by simply pushing his face away when he went to bite and not letting him come back towards me for a few seconds, they want to be 'with' you so don't like it. I just repeated it as necessary over a few days and he was sorted with no fuss and without having to scare or shock him out of it. There are some other good suggestions on here though.
 
Make sure other folk on the yard aren't feeding him titbits too.

I've cured a couple of nasty nippers in different ways.
One old pony would bite and fling his head away (expecting a clout obviously), even hitting his head on whatever was around him-gate posts,stable walls ect. Cured by screeching out loud short sharp very loud OUWE when he so much as tried to nibble me, but remain holding the headcollar so he cant fling the head away. Keep ahold of the head collar at arm's length, dont make eye contact or react in any other way way. Release head when horse softens, usually less than a minute. Repeat as often as required. 20 year old habit cured in about 5 days. Richard Maxwell suggested this method.

For really nippy youngsters, simply hold metal currycomb and intercept it infront of where pony was going to bite you. It will be a very unpleasant feeling instead of your nice soft skin. Most appear shocked when biting you results in them getting a mouthfull of nobbly metal, and most only try once again to see if it was a fluke. No damage done except to their ego and they dont associate you with punishment.

Cured in a few hours.
 
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