Food aggression?

[noodle_]

I did write a long thread. But without giving too much background as i'm still processing it in my head, so deleted it.
'
Can you ever fully cure food aggression?

Meaning in the field or stable...? physical attacking, kicking etc

Is it a ground work thing or am I fighting a lost cause?

 

[AmyMay]

Can you just leave the horse to eat in peace?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I bought a rising 4 yr old, who I knew had been kept short of food in a previous home and then she had been kept in a group in a barn. When I got her home she was stabled next to our other horse and was a nightmare if you tried to go into the stable when she was eating, although she was ok in the morning, even though there was hay left. We were on a livery yard which had stables with a walkway running behind each box with haymangers and a space for feed and water buckets at the back with a kind of heavy duty wire mesh above that. We used to make sure that all feed was in the stable before putting the horse in and then stand in the walkway watching her eat and talking to her. She pulled horrible faces and kicked the wall at first but eventually she settled down until on the first night that we brought her in in winter, she would bring a mouthful of hay to the stable door to show us.
When we moved to our own place, she was in a stable that we had to walk through to get to the next one, she always accepted us going through and wanted to chat.
I would say that it took at least a year of her being in the walkway stable for her to get over it. She always had ad-lib hay.

 

[ozpoz]

Whenever I've encountered it, I have played it down. I would never feed hard feed in the field, only in the stable and with a clip over the door type bucket. If the horse is fine in every other way, I'd ignore the aggression, give feed quickly and calmly to reduce the "wind up" time and accustom the horse to my presence while he is eating, but without disturbing him.
If the horse persisted and I considered it to be genuinely nasty and vicious, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't persevere - life is too short and they are supposed to be a pleasure, for me anyway.
Just seen amymay's post and agree with peaceful meals.

 

[noodle_]

amy may - dont be so quick to jump to conclusions..she does eat peacefully most of the time as I think stable time is quiet time....;however

thanks Pearlsasinger... Shes improved massively since i first got her

But my issue is [apparantly] now in the field, Ive told everyone do not go in with a bucket or feed or treats and do not feed my horse. ever.

She's was given a treat and then shooed off - she turned round and double barrelled the person. Not my fault directly and I am asking for another field for her on her own, so i can be sure no-one handles her except me.

Shes better in the stable - i can walk around her bucket feed, brush her and do rugs when im in a huge rush [rarely but needs must with horses] but 362 days of the year she eats in peace... - 2 years ago you would throw the bucket in and shut the door, now shes 99percent trusted.

If anyone else feeds her - the feed is already in the stable and horse is just left to go in of her own accord. So this aspect is sorted...but booting someone in a field - is totally unacceptable

 

[Pearlsasinger]

The mare I described was kept in a field with our other one, just the two of them. In summer they were out 24/7. If the field they were in was a distance from the stables we took buckets to them and fed them over the wall, with a decent distance between the horses and 2 people. This actually (thinking back) was, I think what really made the difference to her. Her field-mate was the boss but she wasn't allowed to run her off the bucket, the handlers were at the other side of a stone wall, so quite safe. I do wish people would not just randomly take buckets into the field, especially if they are not feeding every horse in the field.

 

[noodle_]

The mare I described was kept in a field with our other one, just the two of them. In summer they were out 24/7. If the field they were in was a distance from the stables we took buckets to them and fed them over the wall, with a decent distance between the horses and 2 people. This actually (thinking back) was, I think what really made the difference to her. Her field-mate was the boss but she wasn't allowed to run her off the bucket, the handlers were at the other side of a stone wall, so quite safe. I do wish people would not just randomly take buckets into the field, especially if they are not feeding every horse in the field.

I did warn them. even with treats i told them ''do not take in the field - she will hassle you''...i didnt expect honestly for her to kick out like that.


Do I ask for a separate field? next time it could be a kid. Few people saw it.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I don't like to have horses in individual turnout but if she is your only one and other people won't do as you ask, you might not have an option. Is there another horse whose owner can be trusted to be sensible that you could ask to share a field with?

 

[WelshD]

One of mine is food aggresive with other animals only. I went through a stage of feeding him in a small square of electric fencing - he knew the drill and would walk in and be shut in then the bucket popped over the fence.

 

[noodle_]

I don't like to have horses in individual turnout but if she is your only one and other people won't do as you ask, you might not have an option. Is there another horse whose owner can be trusted to be sensible that you could ask to share a field with?

not really - its a huge ask having my own field - she is absolutely fine and loves her herd - which is what upsets me the most. The kids go in to get their ponies, and take treats in with them as some of them are absolute swines to catch - so i do understand...but even if they arnt near my mare, she knows they have food and comes over.... then if they walk away/shoo her - what happens? she does it again...these are kids - thats what worries me the most.

Id rather her be in a herd - shes always been the same with food but never spun and booted. im so appauled at her behaviour.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Will your horse let the kids catch her?

If so could you show them how to hold her out of the way, while someone catches their pony? They could then let her go with head turned towards the gate, so that every-one is safe. Or could they pop her in a stable while they catch their pony? - depends on the set-up at your yard.

The problem is that if you weren't there you don't really know what happened, so can't tell why she felt provoked into kicking out.

 

[noodle_]

Will your horse let the kids catch her?

If so could you show them how to hold her out of the way, while someone catches their pony? They could then let her go with head turned towards the gate, so that every-one is safe. Or could they pop her in a stable while they catch their pony? - depends on the set-up at your yard.

The problem is that if you weren't there you don't really know what happened, so can't tell why she felt provoked into kicking out.

yes - they have brought her in before shes fine with a head collar on...and even great with them in all honesty.... I may tell them if they are catching up before me - stick her in the stable and do not attempt to faff around her...

good idea - stupidly i hadnt thought - hence posting...people see things i dont


Im also putting a bloody big sign on her door too - absolutely no-one to feed her exept me.

 

[lornaA]

Taking buckets into fields is asking for trouble in my opinion, I would imagine most horses would come over for a look at least and if greedy could become aggressive over it. Feeding in the field with others is my biggest pet hate and if others insist on doing it it is at their own risk. At the end of the day horses are animals and your mare is only doing what horses do.

 

[Tinypony]

If the children catch her, then feed their horse and yours gets agitated then another dangerous situation has been created.
The answer is that it's stupid to feed or treat in the field unless there is a routine set up where all in the field are being fed. (I have three that are fed in the field, but together and in their own "slots" where they stand and wait). This needs to be stopped before someone gets hurt.
If they are catching up any horse it should be their own, in order to take it out of the field to be fed or treated.

 

[Dizzle]

My old tb used to be food aggressive. I eventually got it sorted when he was on grass livery, but this would work with a stabled horse too, you just need to feed in the field.

Anyway, what I used to do was stand on the other side of the electric fence with his feed, that way I knew I was in a 'safe' location so I didn't need to back down to his threats, he would pull faces and gurn, swing his bottom etc, but as I was in a safe location I could ignore it, then it was simply a case of making sure that he didn't get his feed bowl until he was stood with his ears pricked and his head turned away from me. Being fed this way twice a day it didn't take him long to realise that being a nice polite horse gained him food and being a grumpy ***** got him nothing.

Although he was better with food, we had an agreement that once he was eating I would leave him alone to eat, I 'could' go and fuss with rugs etc if needed or an emergency but I didn't make a habit of it. He was a former ulcer sufferer so eating could possibly not have been a pleasant experience for him in the past.

 

[noodle_]

Thank you all - Drizzle that makes more sense than I thought about only feeding her with ears forward/happy pony - shes brilliant with a net - i can pull her off that - but that to her is low value - buckets/bags/treats are incredibly high value and she will obviously now really go in for that.

the kids are honestly lovely,polite and so considerate, they are all aware that ive told them in the past don't go in the field with her with buckets/food etc - and never ever feed - her - they havent and know not too...It was an adult that went in with the food

I have re-told everyone about the incident and said please bring her in if you are in any doubt of being around her...even if its the middle of the day just throw her in...i really do not mind - just be safe...Everyone on the yard is lovely, I kept appologising about the incident - so at least they know I am aware of it - but after sleeping on it and re-telling the world about her buckets - If you go into a field with horses and a bucket - most of them will come for a look and even amongst themselves, it may cause a fair amount of aggression.

So hopefully, although my problem as such isnt solved - it is highlighted and Ive told everyone about it... purely to cover myself - although If I did go in the field with food it's hidden in my pockets, but i am aware some ponies need a bucket to catch - hence i said bring my mare in before doing this - and we wont have a problem :]