Getting seriously fed up with being bitten now!!

E

Ellietotz

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 June 2014
Messages
2,274
Visit site
I now have a bruise on my jaw when my lovely mare came over to say hi over the fence yesterday, put her nose to my face with her ears forwards and I gave her a stroke, before I know it, her teeth are crashing against my jaw!! Bear in mind, I wasn't even touching her at this point!
The other day, I was brushing her, all nice and going well, bend down to pick up another brush in front of her and she's got her teeth in my head.
Not only actual bites but I'm sick to death at having a million near misses when I'm not even doing anything! I try to ignore it most of the time but I am getting fed up now. How can I actually stop her doing this? I don't even get the chance to tell her off either because as soon as she's bitten me, her heads in the air and she's trying to run off because she knows she will get told off!! I've never ever hit her in the face but she just somehow knows she's done something wrong and if she gets that scared of being told off, why even do it in the first place?? I can put up with the ears back and the faces but when I actually get hurt for doing absolutely nothing wrong or even touching her, I can't stand it. I've always tried to be really sensitive with her as well, always been forgiving and kind and have never hurt her. I would understand if I was dressing a painful wound or something but she came over to say hello to ME and I get teeth to the face!!!

Rant over! Thanks for reading! :D
 
Not nice. My boy isn't a serial biter but he's always been a bit 'mouthy' and has on occasion grabbed when there are treats and he's been known to try to eat someone's pony tail when they were doing his hay.

I don't hand feed him and I am very consistent in disciplining him whenever he oversteps the mark. He is much much better, it's still a bit of a default with him so I think he will always need reminding, but I do try and ensure he minds his manners and gets picked up on it if he doesn't.

I don't have a magic answer for you but I def think you need to be firmer with her; not put yourself in a situation where she can get at you; and work on her ground manners. No need to beat them up, but mine does get a reprimand - dep what it is he's done, that might be my voice, upping my energy and moving towards him purposefully, a push away, or a smack if it's appropriate. It's got to be immediate and proportionate, but he's too big and cheeky to be allowed to get away with it.
 
Laika said:
Is this something she has always done or has it just started recently??

Mares eh....
Click to expand...

She has always done it apparently. She was bred at home and is still in the same place now, I full loan her there. She was extremely spoilt growing up, would practically lay on you if you sat on the floor, very loving girl when she wants to be but it's on the rare occasion. I've known her for two years as I've been there riding another horse for that time but I've loaned her for 6 months now. Sometimes I find it so difficult to bond with her... in fact, I don't feel like I've bonded with her at all. She knows I'm the one that makes her do stuff i.e work or have to stand whilst being brushed so she doesn't like me... so it feels anyway. :( She likes using me for scratches but only in the field where she has a choice, not when tied up, so when she's done, she can pull a face at me and pretend she's about to kick and walk away. She doesn't bite anyone else, she pulls faces occasionally but when having cuddles with other people, she won't randomly lash out. Only with me because no one else rides her. That's how I see it anyway.
 
I don't have a magic answer either but mine was a biter when I got him, he will still try now if worried but because we have so much more trust in each other he won't follow through.

I'd be interested to know how long you've had her and if she's always done this or if it's a new behaviour.
 
Bernster said:
Not nice. My boy isn't a serial biter but he's always been a bit 'mouthy' and has on occasion grabbed when there are treats and he's been known to try to eat someone's pony tail when they were doing his hay.

I don't hand feed him and I am very consistent in disciplining him whenever he oversteps the mark. He is much much better, it's still a bit of a default with him so I think he will always need reminding, but I do try and ensure he minds his manners and gets picked up on it if he doesn't.

I don't have a magic answer for you but I def think you need to be firmer with her; not put yourself in a situation where she can get at you; and work on her ground manners. No need to beat them up, but mine does get a reprimand - dep what it is he's done, that might be my voice, upping my energy and moving towards him purposefully, a push away, or a smack if it's appropriate. It's got to be immediate and proportionate, but he's too big and cheeky to be allowed to get away with it.
Click to expand...

I have tried that too. I wouldn't even be able to get near to her for a smack if it was appropriate anyway because she just freaks out. If she's tied up and tries to bite me or actually gets me, the moment she see's I've taken notice, her head is in the air and she's almost trying to rear to get away so I find myself calming her down so she doesn't break something or hurt herself! Over a fence when she comes to say hello and does it, I wouldn't have any chance to raise my voice at her, perhaps just putting my arms out and sending her away? Would that work? So she thinks she can't come over and do as she pleases? I don't know :(
 
Supertrooper said:
I don't have a magic answer either but mine was a biter when I got him, he will still try now if worried but because we have so much more trust in each other he won't follow through.

I'd be interested to know how long you've had her and if she's always done this or if it's a new behaviour.
Click to expand...

I've had her 6 months and yes, always been like this. Have known the owner for years and she was very spoilt. She's the same with horses as well as people!
 
We must of cross posted!

What worked for mine, may or may not work for you but could be worth a try...

No feeding from hand, from anyone
Get a dog tug toy, when she goes to bite give her that to stick in her mouth instead. This gives her something to bite but doesn't get a reaction from you.
Work on just spending non pressurised time with her, sit in her field just chilling, don't fuss her or bother her. I do this a lot with mine, don't expect her to come and be with you initially but you may find that she gets curious. Just let her do what she is happy with.
Get her checked over to reassure yourself it's not something physical
 
Pinkvboots said:
Am I right in thinking this is the horse that has suspected ulcers?
Click to expand...

Yes, she doesn't have ulcers. Plus, this isn't anything new. She's done it all her life, I've known her for over two years, only loaned her for 6 months but she has always been the same 'on her terms' kind of horse.
 
Supertrooper said:
We must of cross posted!

What worked for mine, may or may not work for you but could be worth a try...

No feeding from hand, from anyone
Get a dog tug toy, when she goes to bite give her that to stick in her mouth instead. This gives her something to bite but doesn't get a reaction from you.
Work on just spending non pressurised time with her, sit in her field just chilling, don't fuss her or bother her. I do this a lot with mine, don't expect her to come and be with you initially but you may find that she gets curious. Just let her do what she is happy with.
Get her checked over to reassure yourself it's not something physical
Click to expand...

I did the dog tug toy thing but with a brush instead, made her more angry if I'm honest! Might do the field thing, she gets a lot of time just following me around while I'm doing my jobs and I don't bother her though. But if I then turn around to give her a scratch, she will put her ears back. I just can't win. She would probably rather go back to being a field ornament that she was for 5 years before I came along.
 
Was she scoped then?

I think that PVB and myself have read your posts about this horse for a long time now and suspect that the horse has a long standing issue somewhere.
 
Ellietotz said:
Yes, she doesn't have ulcers. Plus, this isn't anything new. She's done it all her life, I've known her for over two years, only loaned her for 6 months but she has always been the same 'on her terms' kind of horse.
Click to expand...

Oh you got her scoped good what did they find ?
Btw many horses start with ulcers as foals so it need not be anything new I surprised they did not tell you that when you took her into the vets for the scope .
 
There are no ulcers, there is no underlying issue. She has had all things checked as I've said before like back, teeth etc. She did nothing for 5 years of her life, she was just turned away, the owner had her others to focus on, she's 11 now so she wasn't broken in and ridden for long either. Before I came along, she was loving when she wanted to be and horrible when she didn't want you around, normally if you didn't have food for her. You don't have to even touch her for her to bite you, you just simply have to be there in reaching distance. She always got her own way and always knew how. She has been registered with the same vet for her whole life too who know her well and say she's just general very typically mareish. If you don't have something for her, she's not interested.
 
If horse only does it to you, and you are the one who rides her, then she associates you with something she doesn't like. They're not daft. It's not even anthropomorphising; it's plain stimulus response. A horse with ulcers HATES being ridden. It hurts. Has she actually been scoped for ulcers, OP or have people just told you she doesn't have them?
 
Put a grazing muzzle on her when your handling her...only don't go for a rubber bottom one, that can hurt to, and cross tie her so her head movements are more limited
 
Ellietotz said:
I now have a bruise on my jaw when my lovely mare came over to say hi over the fence yesterday, put her nose to my face with her ears forwards and I gave her a stroke, before I know it, her teeth are crashing against my jaw!! Bear in mind, I wasn't even touching her at this point!
[...]
I don't even get the chance to tell her off either because as soon as she's bitten me, her heads in the air and she's trying to run off because she knows she will get told off!! I've never ever hit her in the face but she just somehow knows she's done something wrong and if she gets that scared of being told off, why even do it in the first place??
[...]
I don't feel like I've bonded with her at all. She knows I'm the one that makes her do stuff i.e work or have to stand whilst being brushed so she doesn't like me... so it feels anyway. :( She likes using me for scratches but only in the field where she has a choice, not when tied up, so when she's done, she can pull a face at me and pretend she's about to kick and walk away. She doesn't bite anyone else, she pulls faces
occasionally but when having cuddles with other people, she won't randomly lash out. Only with me because no one else rides her. That's how I see it anyway.
Click to expand...

Please, please don't put your face anywhere near the nose of a known biter, that is a good way to get a life-changing facial injury.

Its quite common for horses that bite to then shoot back in panic in the expectation of being hit in the face. Even if you have never done this, someone else probably has. Unfortunately it makes the biting more dangerous. To quote Monty Roberts "What happens when one chooses to hit the horse for biting is that the biting will continue at the same level. The horse will become more cunning as to timing, faster on the attack and very quick to ‘jerk back’ anticipating being hit. The overall outcome is that the biting becomes much worse rather than experiencing an improvement. [..] It is critical that no attention is paid to the muzzle area of the biting horse whatsoever. These measures will simply cause the horse to bite down with the teeth and then exit taking parts of your clothing and possibly even your skin along with him."

Unfortunately I suspect you are right that she is lashing out at you because you are the one working her, grooming her etc. Particularly since you mentioned that she is generally better with you in the field when you don't have a headcollar on her. I'm afraid that suggests that she is either in pain (due to a physical problem or tack), for some other reason she seriously dislikes whatever it is you are doing with her, or it is an ingrained behaviour due to remembered pain / poor handling. Either way it doesn't sound like a safe or enjoyable situation for you.
 
My mare went through a phase of being really grouchy and biting (or at least very very big threats to bite, I think she actually didn't want to hurt me but to warn me off, although she did get a few good bites in)
I too thought it might be ulcers as she was reactive around the usual ulcer areas.
After a bit of experimentation (asking others to handle those same areas, touching those areas at different times of the day) I realised it wasn't ulcers; she was associating me handling her in the evening with being tacked up and ridden.
I then found her saddle was bridging and making her sore.
I stopped using the saddle and hey presto, happy pony.

So it's worth ruling in / out ulcers but also look at what you are doing and the times you are doing it when she bites. Can you make any links? Is there something you are doing that she is objecting to? Is she associating that activity or time of day with something that makes her uncomfortable?
 
There is a mare in our yard who sounds fairly similar to yours, although the one here is hostile to everyone and will not go anywhere near strangers. She is not nearly as easy going as the other horses in the herd so very clear, very consistent and calm behaviour has been needed so her boundaries are clear. Ironically driving her away at the first signs of unwanted behaviour has worked well. I usually deal with her loose in the field (she lives out 24/7). At the moment she still needs a rug on at night so I start with scratching or brushing her itchy bits which she likes. A growl from me usually works if she threatens to bite but if needed I send her away and keep her moving until she drops her head a little. Usually she will then stop and let me near for another scratch and stand for her rug to be put on. I always keep one elbow ready to push her muzzle out the way but a hiss or growl is all that is needed now. It has taken several years to get to this stage - she was extremely hostile when she first arrived and would both kick and bite when tied up in the yard, but will now accept most situations as long as the boundaries are consistent and very clear.
 
Last edited:
I don't believe the horse has been scoped for ulcers, so im not sure how you can say she hasn't got them

But, in a world she definitely 100% (scoped) does not have them, stop getting into the situation you are getting bitten. If you knew a dog bit out of the blue for no reason, would you still put your face to it and rub it?

I think from your posts you want a lovey dovey cuddly horse. Thats fine, many horses are like that. But this mare is not..so you need to decide if you want to have this mare or you want to find a horse who actually tolerates the lovey dovey crap. Not all horses do, and you can't change their own personal preferences. They are not robots..they have their own minds. You can reprimand her 100 times, do this, do that, do anything you read on the internet...but you WON'T change that horses personality. All you CAN do is stop putting yourself in the way of her mouth.
 
Is there anyone experienced who can help you with her? She really doesn't sound like a suitable horse, for various reasons, and if you don't want to find a more suitable one then it would definitely be a good idea to get someone to work with you both. I have to say that horses who were spoilt as babies aren't a good choice for someone who might not have a lot of experience. They often lack respect and can do some pretty serious things - biting you around the head and face are serious. Please do not put yourself in a situation where she can, because she will.
I would also still be concerned about ulcers because you don't seem to have had her scoped. Given the owners a) won't get the vet to scope, or even do a basic workup, and b) have handled her badly from what you say, is it really worth loaning her?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top