Colt aggressive toward my OH...........

cob&onion

cob&onion

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A few months ago my partner (non-horsey) was watering my 2yr old colt, and also had to walk through his field to see to my mare. OH said the colt ran at him and reared up at him and meant business. Very unlike him as hes normally chilled out!! being pregnant it did make me a weary of going in the field with him so i armed myself with a whip, went in the field and he didn't attempt anything, just his usual self. I put it down to a one off.
The other day OH came to help me with them again (am now 8 months pregnant) so getting hard to lug water up and down the field!! colt has moved to another part of field so don't need to walk through it. OH went in his field to check the far side of the fence for me and colt ran at him and started tossing his head and generally being aggressive, OH shouted at him and put his arms up to him but colt kept coming back for more!! OH left the fence and came out the field. The next day i went back to him and went in his field (armed with a short whip just incase!!) and he wasn't bothered. I gave him a good groom whilst he ate his hay in the field and he was his usual softy self. He never over-steps the mark with me and his manners are generally good. I did do a bit of ground work with him in the summer and long reining so he knows a few voice commands such as back when he gets to close.
He is only like this with my OH, my mare is fine with the OH. OH insists he is not frightened of the colt but am not so sure.
Anyone else come across a horse who just doesn't like someone??
 
Yes.. My smallest hated my ex with a passion.. She used to pin him in a corner and turn her bum on him and threaten him..

My 2yo apparently goes after the landlord with his stallion on if he goes in the field..
 
Some colts and stallions do seem to react to some men and not others - I wonder if it's the men with the highest levels of testosterone that sets them off. Certainly my very late-gelded Flynn would always react aggressively to one of my male friends. Luckily he was a very horsey individual and spotted the signs immediately and took avoiding action but Flynn was preparing to stand up to him as he would to another stallion.

Unless there's a very good reason for keeping him entire I'd have his knackers off quick.
 
Has the colt got companions his own age?

The urge to play is very very strong in young horses - if they don't have playmates, they just bottle it all up until they identify any kind of suitable playmate, and then because it's all been bottled up, it comes out looking rather in your face - with colts especially. It sounds as though he's just wanting to engage your OH in some roughhouse play because he doesn't have another colt to play with.

Two things can happen as a result - first someone who doesn't understand this can think they're chasing off, but actually they're - in the colt's eyes - agreeing to the game. Second, because adrenalin is up, chasing off is seen as more aggressive than it otherwise would, so the colt responds with defensive aggression.

He's unlikely to "invite" you, because he probably thinks of you in the same way as his dam - and you've most likely gently discouraged his attempts to play over the last while.

Either get him out of range when your OH is in the field until colt grows up a bit more, or find him a mixed group of horses where he can get the urge out of his system appropriately with other horses instead of humans.
 
amymay said:
Well..........................:eek::D
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haha!! :D


He's a rig - only one ball has dropped!! the other is non-existant to the eye so he needs his big op so decided to wait untill after the baby is born (xmas) to get him done as the surgery is an hours drive away and will be much easier (and safer!!) to load him etc if am not pregnant at the time :)
He is on his own at present, although he can see my mare in the next paddock. He's been on his own for around 2 months now, previously grazing next to another young gelding whome he used to play with over the fence!
 
AMW said:
Rigs can show exaggerated colt behaviour, i would be wary of putting an unfamiliar horse or pony in with him
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He will be cut in the new year and after a few weeks he can be turned out with my mare :) we have just under 4 acres for 2 horses, I don't have the land for another horse - I like them to have plenty of space, especially since the field gets very wet in the winter :)
 
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