Horse's that kick, can you stop it??

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aregona

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ok, slightly long story. Mare, breed very well to compete. Has been owned and ridden by professionals for most of her life. She has spent the last year with a happy hacker.

I was warned by the happy hacker owner that she was 'kicky' and bites when doing up girth etc... she also kicked another horse when being ridden.

She has been kept on her own for the last year as all the horses at the livery have there own 'space'.

Brought her home (sunday) and she went to kick when i put her rug on, told her off and she run to the back of the stable and didn't attempt it again. Went to bite when brushing her, gave her a slap on the nose and she didn't do it again.
Farrier came today, i warned him of all her possible tricks. She seemed calm and ok, he took all the shoes off and she was fine, as he was rasping her front feet my other horse pushed his nose through the bars in the stable at her and she reared up and boxed with her front feet kicking my farrier in the head.

I spoke to her original owner who has had her for many years and he said she was a lovely sweet mare that anyone could handle. He said she once lifted a leg when she was 5yr old (now 15) and he told her off and she never attempted it again. Clearly the women i brought her from was very scared of her.

So my question, can i sort it out?? with training will she calm down. I really like the mare but i'm worried about taking her to shows if she kicks. She never used to do it so i know she has been left to get away with it but is it too late to sort her out??

any help greatly appreciated

thanks :)
 
Yes you can

Training with other horses can be done by riding together and putting pressure on her and having superb timing with a schooling whip to train that kicking out with a rider on board is unacceptable (this is how polo ponies are done)

The on the ground you need to keep her totally inline and aware that any unacceptable behaviour has consequences - again its all about timing and i'm not necessarily talking "violence" here, but even growling when you see her ears flick can nip this in the bud.
 
Thanks jen_cots. I'm sorry I may be being quite thick here but I'm not too sure on the first paragraph you wrote. So is this 2 horses 2 riders?
 
First paragraph was to stop kicking other horses whilst riding at shows etc

2 horses, 2 riders - you talk to the other rider and carefully manoeuvre them around essentially daring yours to kick (without putting other horse in danger, and its not easy - use boots all round on both!)

You can train them not to kick even if another horse runs into the back of them
 
I have owned my horse for 13 yrs and at 3 years old when I bought him was a prolific kicker..... I almost didn't by him because of it.

13 yrs on he is much better, but unfortunately it is always there.
In the early days I could even ride 2 abreast it was that bad.
Like said above it's all about timing with either leg or whip.

Mines terrible with a new horse even to this day, but I can feel when he might kick and I can give him a quick kick with my spur.

He doesn't turn out with any horses, but oddly enough excepts my Shetland pony. But that's it.

As for shows, I always park with enough space to tie up, and I tend to warm up away from others if I can, mainly because he is so sharp and bucks anyway so I avoid people like the plague!

As long as you are aware of the problem it is manageable.

My chap is such a good cmpetition horse I've learnt to cope with it.

Have no reason why he's like that either, he's such a lovely person, has never kicked out at people and i trust him completely with my 2.5 yr old daughter!

Incedently he used to bite too, but managed to nip that in the bud quite quick.

The only think I am careful with is Stabling while away competing, I always ask for a quiet stable pref with nothing next to him, lodden type boxes a nightmare as can see/ touch the next horse. I've always been catered for too which has been nice.

Good luck sure you'll be fine, and nxt shoeing just make sure you tie her away from anything else!
 
My broodmare came to us as handy with her back legs. She us much better now with consistent handling, and not bring afraid to tell her off for even thinking about kicking
 
Jen_Cots said:
Yes you can

Training with other horses can be done by riding together and putting pressure on her and having superb timing with a schooling whip to train that kicking out with a rider on board is unacceptable (this is how polo ponies are done)

The on the ground you need to keep her totally inline and aware that any unacceptable behaviour has consequences - again its all about timing and i'm not necessarily talking "violence" here, but even growling when you see her ears flick can nip this in the bud.
Click to expand...

echo this!!! I have done it with two horses ok both were younger but she has already shown that she respects it when she is told off, so I don't think it will be too difficult. If she kicks out at another horse on the ground do the same as you would if she kicked at you, I appreciate this time was more difficult but also use your voice a sharp oy or NO as she goes to do it then a smack. that way if you are not near enough to smack the NO will stop her (in time)
 
Sounds like yours was protecting her space re the farrier. I would be aware of other horses when you are handling her, she may well react from instinct, in which case you won't be able to catch her in time... re kicking out when you are doing rugs etc then yes, ditto, you should be able to catch her with a smack as you see her think about it.

At shows I would put a ribbon in her tail, then if other people run up her bum and get kicked thay've had fair warning. I'd kick if someone I didn't know ran up my bum!
 
oh some great advise, especially using very strong voice as well, disiplin (spell?) from a distance, great idea!!

i really like this mare and she is talented but with the bitting, kicking at me with rugs etc and and stropynous to other horses i do have to questionif this horse is safe to have around as at the minute i dont think she is. She is worth a chance though so i will stick with it and keep you informed :)
 
I don't let any of my horses get away with lifting legs at anything. I also don't let them turn their heads towards me when i'm grooming etc. You can tie up short enough to tactfully eliminate the chance of getting bitten when doing girth up, but I always just push their heads away from me. I like my horses to stand quietly and still when i'm dealing with them. They learn from the repitition and don't bother putting their heads near me. I find all of mine love a good cuddle and face brush despite this.

I have a 4yo at the moment, who started trying to kick me when I pick up one of her back feet. I smacked her with the back of my hand, told her 'no', and then calmly asked for a foot again, she would try it again, and she got the same treatment. It sounds like your mare has been taking the mickey on the ground with previous owner, and you can nip it in the bud. My old gelding used to wave his back feet at me when he was eating in his stable. I didn't have time to hang about, so decided that a smack with the shavings fork would do, and again, he tried it a few times more, but not again. It's the same sort of thing as teaching a bad loader to load - they get the idea eventually!

I am harsh with my horses, but love them to pieces. I will not be walked over by a horse! I teach mine to stay in their stables with the doors open too.

But with other horses I think it is a separate issue. I would personally look more into the polo pony suggestion as above. I had an ex polo pony for a bit and he was fantastic for hacking out with the little kiddies - if they couldn't stop, they would just aim at his bum! Also could look at change of hay/feed at different yard? Maybe she could do with some magnesium? My mum had a rig and the right supplement stopped him being arsey!
 
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