Horse developing aggression and biting?

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ScattyBella

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Any idea what has caused this?

My 9yo ISHxWB gelding has taken to biting and displays of aggression to humans.

he is still absolutely fine with the other horses, and with me, but the other liveries have reported him charging at them, snorting and whinnying, and even trying to bite them over the fence, always them, never their horses. if they walk past his stable he will stretch for them and if he cant reach he'll bash about in frustration(?)

He doesnt do it when im with him, people can easily walk by him/touch him if im there watching, but as soon as my back is turned he'll go for them. he managed to bite one of the younger liveries on the back the other day. luckily he only got her coat, but it was close.

Ive never had any issues with him before. and as far as i know nothing untoward has happened to him. the only thing ive noticed was out hacking about a month ago a cyslist flew past and shouted something, which spooked him like crazy and it took him a while to chill after that.

and one other way shortly after that he tried to bite hubby so hubby whacked him on the nose, more in surprise that anything and certainly not hard, it was more of an 'oi s hitlegs, not acceptable' !!!

anyone have the foggyest clue why he could be doing this, ive run out of answers!
 
How long have you had him? Sounds almost like riggy behaviour to me, and the mares coming in season may have sparked off the aggression towards what he sees as people handling his mares!!
 
My lad can be like this. I have found it is a security thing. He hates too many people around him, he has been abused and is mistrustful of humans because of it. It is interesting that your boy is striking out at humans rather than other horses.

It seems there has been some issue, how much do you trust the other liveries? Your yard staff/ YO? Could someone have hit him? At our last yard a groom hit my boy in the face and Captain clearly indicated that this particular person had hit him, turned his head as far away as possible and turned his back to kick, which he doesn't do. When challenged the groom admitted hitting him because of some minor naughtiness. In the short term can you put up a grill over his door so he can not get at people? That may also give him the security he finds when he is with you. It is strange he does this only when you are not present.It feels very much like an insecurity problem.



Also he will bite if he is treated too much. All treats are now given in a bucket.


Hope you find a solution.
FDC
 
It would be a couple of things.

As above if you haven't had him long he may be riggy and getting wound up by the mares in season. Or if this is a new yard he may need a more quiet stable, out of the way.

It is also possible that he is in pain and he may be just about managing to keep control of himself around you, but finding it too much around other people. If he were mine I would get the vet out for a general check up, but then again I do think that a lot of sudden behaviour changes are down to physical causes and it's best to eliminate pain before anything else.
 
i kept my pony on a yard which i thought was a good one, after a while he started getting really nasty and aggressive towards people, especially anyone smaller than him and also dogs.
turned out he was being tormented by another livery and the kids she used to child mind for. they would go up to the door and wave food under his nose then run away laughing, her dogs would constantly jump up at his face when in the stable. within a month of moving him to a better yard he started to chill and is alot better.

it would only take one person to upset him so maybe keep an eye on how he's being talked about/handled by others.
 
Like FDC's horse mine also has past abuse and is very insecure about people around him whom he doesn't know well.He will pull faces and threaten to bite anyone who comes too close to his stable door. Is your horse definitely getting enough turnout and exercise? Has his routine been changed at all recently? Are there any new companions in his field or a neighbouring stable?
 
If he has no history I would also never allow him to be hand fed anything (we never hand feed our horses, especially the youngsters, none of them are biters, no coincidence) & find out what the other people at the yard may have been doing. Have they scolded him? Given him treats? I knew one woman who was scared catching her horse, so took some food to throw on the ground to distract the other horses whilst she got hers. End result when they saw other people they expected food & got nasty if it didn't appear. It only takes one person to be doing something like giving him a treat in the field then stop doing it, for behaviour to change.
 
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