How to stop a horse nipping, thoughts?

sandi_84

sandi_84

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Have read a few posts recently with mentions of horses/ ponies that have given a nip to thier owners. In one someone suggested big bodylanguage to show them who's boss. Had an image of puffing myself out like a bird, is that what they meant?
How does everyone stand on the stopping your horse nipping and what were your methods?
Also was wondering what sort of things people think I can expect behaviour wise from a new horse (they brought one into the yard yesterday they think might be suitable for me as a first time owner) in the first few months and any advise they'd like to give me :o
 
A horse suited to a first time owner........., well as long as you have the YO willing to help you and answer questions as they arise, you should look for one with a friendly nature both on the ground and ridden, one that will look after you a bit, and not one which scares you in any way. It should not have any health issues, as these can be complex and expensive. Good luck.
 
Clinton Anderson (waits for howls of anguish from bunny huggers) has some great advice on anti social behaviour in horses. His best one on nipping is to make the horse think he is hurting himself by doing it. You do need good reflexes for this one - any time the horse is likely to nip, stick your elbow out quickly and he will bump his face on it. It doesn't really hurt him, just comes as a surprise, and they really do start to think 'Ow - better not do that'. It has worked a treat with my rather colty 3yo gelding :D
The other important thing with one that nips is NEVER to feed him treats from your hand, and don't let anyone else do it either. If you must give him a treat after riding put it in his manger/feed bucket or on the floor.
 
I agree completely with Ironhorse. My daughter used to loan a cheeky Sec A that always wanted to do a playful nip when being led home from her field. Daughter used to laugh that I'd eyes on the back of my head because without looking AT the pony I could see her and got my elbow out to meet her chin before she actually nipped. She never got away with it, so she gave up.
 
MrsD123 said:
A horse suited to a first time owner........., well as long as you have the YO willing to help you and answer questions as they arise, you should look for one with a friendly nature both on the ground and ridden, one that will look after you a bit, and not one which scares you in any way. It should not have any health issues, as these can be complex and expensive. Good luck.
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Thanks MrsD, those are definately qualities i'm out for looking for :). I am fully prepared for all the hard work i'm going to have to put in to get the horse (when i finally decide on which one is right for me) trusting me and everything else I'll need to do to care for one. This particular horse only came in yesterday but I already feel confident in myself that I could go in and handle him, pick out his feet etc etc without feeling nervous of him and my YO has been brilliant offering me loads of help on the ground and even some free lessons to help us find our feet together :D Definately going to take my time and not rush into any decisions till i'm absolutely sure though. Last horse I looked at I spend a lot of time with before deciding he was too much for me.
I have heard though that a lot of people have had teething problems during the first teething stages with their new horse (up to 2 years! :D) and just wondered what sort of things might be expected and any advice to counter them. Oh and the nipping question too ha ha! :)
 
DubSeason To Be Jolly said:
I agree completely with Ironhorse. My daughter used to loan a cheeky Sec A that always wanted to do a playful nip when being led home from her field. Daughter used to laugh that I'd eyes on the back of my head because without looking AT the pony I could see her and got my elbow out to meet her chin before she actually nipped. She never got away with it, so she gave up.
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Wow bet your daughter never got away with anything with your major eyes in the back of your head skills :p

Just got a call from the YO to say she's had a ride on the new boy and he's lovely to ride apparently he is very polite and popped over a few small jumps no bother. Going up there in a bit and she'll ride him again for me so I can see how he goes and then i'll probably stay at the yard for the rest of the day to spend some time with him.
 
taz went though a nipping stage and one day he got me quite hard and i bit him back on the neck. he hasnt done it since :) although i did have a mouth full of hair which wasnt so pleasant :o
 
sandi_84 said:
I have heard though that a lot of people have had teething problems during the first teething stages with their new horse (up to 2 years! :D) and just wondered what sort of things might be expected and any advice to counter them. Oh and the nipping question too ha ha! :)
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You should be fine, you are best to schedule lessons at the beginning, this to include assistance with tacking up, mounting and discussion about horse health, so if you have 30 mins riding, your lesson will take 45 mins, and maybe start off with two per week, so you can progress quickly, make it clear that you want help with the very basics and when you have grasped these you can build up the lesson to 35-40 mins including trotting poles. usually, I get my instructor to ride my horse:
a) so the horse knows what is is being asked to do
b) from the ground you will develop an eye for the balance of the horse, and its paces.
After four weeks you should be "a happy hacker"
Not many horses are confirmed nippers, so don't worry, they are obligate vegetarians!
If you feel you need to establish some sort of "dominance", say if a horse canters towards you, just open up your body to make it larger by sticking hands in the air if necessary, look it in the eye, and shout STOP!, this will not normally be required, as most pleasure horses are just that, a pleasure.
 
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Girl on our yard has this problem, she tit bits constantly. I won't have titbitting and mine don't nip. I hand feed as reward only.

Nipping back does work IME
 
My mare has just started to get nippy and my instructor said don't get mad - keep calm and controlled and 'nip' her back (a quick pinch / twist on the neck).
Also if I'm grooming and she gets nippy I try to intercept the nip with the body brush so she gets a mouthfull of bristles.
I'm hoping my mare is just going through a phase of trying to dominate me as she's always been good before.
 
sandi_84 said:
Wow bet your daughter never got away with anything with your major eyes in the back of your head skills :p

Just got a call from the YO to say she's had a ride on the new boy and he's lovely to ride apparently he is very polite and popped over a few small jumps no bother. Going up there in a bit and she'll ride him again for me so I can see how he goes and then i'll probably stay at the yard for the rest of the day to spend some time with him.
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Daughter believed that I had eyes in the back of my head till she was about 6!
New horse sounds lovely, hope it all works out.
 
We had a rattle (plastic bottle with gravel in) for my sister's youngster to use when grooming him etc, as soon as he went like he was going to bite, the rattle was enough to distract him and he's soon learnt not to do it (although is only 2 so will occasionally stiill try). Saves elbowing them in the face :)
 
My boy has recently started to nip, I do as others have said and "nip" back with a pinch on the neck and he seems to have stopped with me, however he tried to nip on my OH last night, who just stood there and let him, despite me telling him otherwise *rolleyes*
 
I think it depends on the horse and as you get to know your own horse you learn what works. mine tried to nip once (he's been fed tit bits *rolls eyes*) and i leapt about squealing - a totally over the top reaction which seem to make him think twice about doing this again. However, I wouldn't do this whilst holding onto the lead rope of a nervous horse - mine is steady as a rock so I knew we wouldn't come to any harm.

OP - take your time and find yourself a lovely friend of a horse. Trust your gut. I think it takes 2 years to know a horse inside and out but as long as you have good support, and can put the odd bad day behind you, you'll be fine :)
 
A youngster (ish) at our yard constantly nips and i'm trying all sorts ( as YO and main handler) to get him to stop but he doesn't seem to learn. Will try iout some other ideas on him though. I've tried 'nipping' him back, being mean and nasty in voice, pushing away etc but he still turns to nip you 70% of the time. If it's not you it's your boots, jacket, headcollar, rug and anything else that is in reach, even when leading him he does it.
 
Tinselface said:
We had a rattle (plastic bottle with gravel in) for my sister's youngster to use when grooming him etc, as soon as he went like he was going to bite, the rattle was enough to distract him and he's soon learnt not to do it (although is only 2 so will occasionally stiill try). Saves elbowing them in the face :)
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Think i'll try this, i know it works on cats & dogs but getting so fed up of him nipping and me constantly saying no etc so worth a shot!
 
Cheers guys, got some good ideas now :) We don't have any nippers at the yard anymore but just in case it's always good to know what to do :)
Went to the yard to see the new boy ridden and he did really well, ears forward and happy. He eyed up the gate and stopped at one point as if to say "i've done my work, how about i go for a rest now?" but our crash test dummy kicked him on and there were no temper tantrums about not getting his own way. He popped over a wee jump really happily (he saw what they were doing and gave it his all and then realised it was only a wee thing so next time he didn't try to jump the height of himself over it ha ha!) and there were workmen putting a roof up on the new block of stables banging and clanging intermittently and he wasn't bothered at all. Went walking with him and the rider past the scary generator (v.noisey) and he wasn't keen but went past without too much fuss, walked along a relatively busy roadside and through the gate to the woods with no bother at all. When we got back I took him into his stable and untacked him. Gave him a good brush all over and he was perfectly happy to stand and let me run my hands all over him except his ears (which is fine, a wee bit of paitence and a gentle hand'll sort that) and even though he was a wee bit confused as to what i was doing at first he picked up his feet and let me pick them out fine. Going back up tomorrow to have a lesson when he's a bit fresher (he was ridden twice today to see how he'd go) to see how i get on. And even though i haven't made a decision yet the YO let me give him a stable name, "Loki" :D It's been a good day :)
 
Ditto Ironhorse.

A sharp elbow in the face, hard and fast and straight away, that's before they go to bite, NOT after so timing is important.

No tit bits.

Make sure hands never smell of horse food.

Don't let him invade your space, so if a younger is not in your face, pocket sniffing, rubbing you, making you move around them, then there's less chance of them nipping in the first place.
 
I slap them on the neck and chase them away and not look at them for about 5 mins,then they seem very sorry and they don't nip again!!!!!:):D:):D
 
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