Horse Biting others

[Dreckly]

Me again,

My boy is perfect in everyway except on one thing, and I am at a loss to understand his behaviour.

He is a very well behaved 11 yr IDxTB whose manners are perfect with other horses, he does not kick, pull faces, or start fights with one exception. When I am leading him with another horse (usually his field companion) he constantly puts his ears back and tries to bite them (or sometimes me if he is really cross). Once off the lead and in the field he is perfectly behaved.

Any ideas why and how to deal with this. When holding another horse I only have the one hand to hold him short and push him away. Could jealousy be the problem as when I lead him on his own he is fine.

All suggestions gratefully received!!

 

[Fantasy_World]

Can I ask is his field companion smaller, or younger than him? Are both of them your horses or just him?
Do you lead them side by side or one more in front?
The reason I am asking is that my big lad bites my other cob who is both smaller and younger. He bosses him around in the field and bosses other horses too. I was told he was a bully by his owner though so his behaviour is not unexpected.
Occasionally when leading them both he will try and bite him given the chance and if he can reach him.
When I lead both I try to lead almost level with each other with my arms as spread as much as possible but obviously so it is comfortable for me.
That way he cannot reach the other horse and if he did try to I am there to control him.
He will also get jealous as you put it at the gate when I approach them.
When Mcfly was first put in the field last year Dougal was murder for a day. He did nothing but chase him and would not let us or even other owners of other horses in the field approach the cob. He would chase him off and if he saw him being patted etc he went into a right old rage lol.
Luckily it only lasted a day and afterwards when the pecking order was established he was fine except for the biting of bum etc.
It could be that he gets jealous ( if horses are capable of that emotion as many behaviorists would argue they cannot) but the most likely explanation is that he is doing what comes naturally and driving another horse that he deems is inferior to himself. Rather like stallions when they drive mares. He could simply be telling the other horse to get a move on.
Cazx

 

[AmyMay]

Don't lead him with another horse. He obviously doesn't appreciate them being in his personal space uninvited. Some horses just won't tollerate it!

 

[zigzag]

It could be that he is frightened off the other horse, does he bully your horse? he could be having a go at the other horse cos you are there and will protect him so he is biting him while he can

 

[Dreckly]

Zig-zag you know you could have hit the nail on the head. Of the two (the other is a fell mare, bolshy and a bit of a bully) she is I would say the more dominant so perhaps he feels that is the only time he can get his own back because in the field she calls the shots (in the nicest possible way of course!)

AmyMay, leading them separately could cause a problem. They go out as a pair as neither is happy out on their own. The field is a five minute walk up the road from the stables so one would be out for sometime on their own whilst I went back for the other!! Horses - life is never simple!!