Dominant horse in his space

[Cor]

Hi,
I have recently got my 7yr old gelding (warmblood horse). He moved from the UK (where he was stabled most of the time or kept in a private paddock) to a much more warm climate where he is mostly kept in a paddock with another mare or stabled. I have noticed that although he is a good natured and well obedient horse in his riding when I bring him in the stable he becomes very dominant about his space. At first I was able to groom him even while he was eating. Now three weeks after he is very dominant about his food and when I go in he warns me constantly not to mess with him (ears back turns to see me or gives me a slight warning with his hind leg). However this has aggravated in recent days in that he also does it in the stable even if he is not eating and he actually bit me (very lightly) on the shoulder.

Can you please give me your views and advice? How should I school him so that he stops doing that? You I punish him somehow when he does it (and if yes how) or reward him when he does not? Also grooming him outside his stable when he is tied do you think it would also work?

I would like to resolve this before it becomes a habit.

Thank you very much

 

[firstponyMinto]

I heard something once about wearing something prickly so if a horse bites it will hurt "itself" & so will associate the bad behaviour with injuring "itself" (obviously something not TOO prickly, just enough to give a bit of suprise really)

 

[Ranyhyn]

I had an aggressive gelding - far above your gelding's level. I'd always turn the dandy to him, if he went to bite - so he'd get the prickles. Warning hooves were ignored - so long as they didn't kick out at me. Grumpy faces were also ignored, I'm in there to do a job, he could pull whatever jib he fancied really, it doesn't bother me so long as he doesn't follow through with anything.

Horses have personality and moods just the same as any other animal, I don't think you can beat or change them out of it. I'd just keep on with what you are there to do, no messing no fussing just get on with it. That's what worked for me anyway, I never changed him (and his behaviour though better is much the same in his new home) we just worked with it.

 

[YasandCrystal]

I have had very similar. The advice is to NOT react to the bad behaviour, but perhaps use a growl.
Have you changed his diet at all? I ask as my horse is on a sugar and cereal intolerant diet. He was previosuly aggressive due to pain. This is now addressed and being managed and my horse has been very sweet for months now. However he has just started the behaviour you describe again. I have popped him back on Danilon and still no improvement and the only difference is a friend helper who schools him on the ground has been giving him apples and I believe this could the cause. He cannot cope with the high sugar content.
He is a horse who is always treated (polos and herbal treats) - these do not make him nippy or 'searching for food' or affect his handling behaviour.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Yes a good growl, look him in the eye, waggle a finger, or a quick flick with the back of the hand, the main problem is that it is increasingly naughty, so you need to stop it at a level acceptable to you, and yes, tie him up for grooming, he needs discipline in his life, no petting no treats, a good pat on the shoulder or rub on the face when he has done well.
I like to let any horse eat his grub without having to worry, put his feed in and let him be, make sure he does not barge, but is polite.
He is probably used to a strict up-bringing and is now a bit confused.

 

[fburton]

Appropriate actions depend on the individual, but in general terms...

Your job is to teach him a) that you are not a cause of anxiety at feed time because you're not going to compete with him and/or steal his food, b) impatient behaviour will get him nowhere, and c) dangerous behaviour won't be tolerated. The key to achieving a) and b) and avoiding c) is interfering as little as possible at feed time, but also not responding to his grumpiness by either rewarding it (retreating) or escalating aggression (punishing minor stuff like ears back). However, any overt aggression - e.g. biting or moving to bite - should receive instant discouragement. That is the approach I have used many times with irritable feeders and it seems to work well.

 

[Cor]

hi all many thanks for your useful replies. yesterday i groomed him outside of his stable and he was such a sweetheart and so well behaved. I think he needs to be left alone in the stables for now and this is the method I use for now. WIll get back to the grooming in his stable at a later stage.