I don't like the sound of this....

[_jetset_]

My farrier once said to me that you can't hurt a horse with your body... they are built far tougher than that! But he said as soon as someone starts using another device (spade etc) then that's when they are in the wrong!

 

[S_N]

To the OP, I too cannot understand how doing this could teach a horse not to barge - I agree re. the FUH!!

Re: Kicking horses - now I've never kicked a horse (been tempted, but walked away), but I have raced backwards and threated foals with being kicked and boy do they respect that threat!! And yes I have carried out the threat and lashed out, but not to make contact!! I have also torn strips of farriers, vets and people working with me and those under my supervision for kicking horses - by this I mean a damn great boot in the ribs/belly area - absolutely unacceptable IMO!!

 

[Malibu]

once a month, well glad it is not more often as i would be thinking it obvi is not making any effect at all, what does the youngster do to get a kick?

 

[S_N]

Also it is up to the individual horseman to read the situation and react in an appropriate way............

 

[GTs]

Not pulling anyones bells this time.

She does young retarded stuff - pick up a leg, paw, etc.

 

[_jetset_]

I felt dreadful after I did it... and would never do it again, that's for sure. It was one of those moments when I lost my temper then regretted it for ages afterwards! I think Han has put it behind her though, we have a fab relationship now, but I learned by the mistake I made.

 

[Malibu]

what do you mean pick up a leg, paw, to kick you?

 

[Oldred]

Where knowledge ends, anger, frustration and violence start. That's why people kick, whip, punch, slap, beat up horses. They have a limited set of responses and never make it their business to find other ways.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

GT, with the greatest respect, you are missing the point here.

With horses you need to become the leader, not the boss. A boss will dictate and bully, a leader will lead, teach, empathise and conduct the herd safely. Violence is only used as the last resort.

 

[Malibu]

Agree with you, that is so true, those who cant deal with the problem or situation normally result to methods such as violence!

 

[GTs]

[ QUOTE ]
what do you mean pick up a leg, paw, to kick you?

[/ QUOTE ]

Picking up a back leg as a threat, and pawing for attention or out of boredom.

 

[GTs]

I never do anything out of anger, or loosing my temper - kicking them was done with a smile on my face and forgivness a second later - I wish you guys could have seen my old horses, they were perfect! I guess if you put up for sale and 2 days later they are both sold I must have known what I was doing.

 

[EllieBeast]

Ok, c'mon people. im sure GTs didn't 'Beat up' his horses, i will admit that the one and only time that Ellie tried to bite me, she had a 'bite' back (i.e. i pinched the skin on her neck, not hard, but as a warning), she wasnt being nasty, just a bit boistrous, and she had to know where to stop. i DO NOT beat my horse up and she is in no way scared of me, but she needed that instant reaction. how do you deal with a horse that tries to bite or kick?
- i bet ill get shot down for that too! but my horse has impeccable manners, and great trust in me - as i do in her. im afraid i couldent just smile and ignore a horses attempt to bite/kick/domineer me.

 

[Daffers]

I too agree, violence comes about usually because the human doesn't know of any other way of dealing with the issue.
Horse lifting leg or pawing, surely u would want to know why he's doing this, instead of going in with a "kick"?

 

[Malibu]

One i have right now i only had for a month and the other 3 yeasr, he is the best horse ever, i can walk under him, leave the stable door open for hours and he will not walk out, he'll allow me to do anything to him, he has NEVER bite me, kicked me or another horse, or just misbehaved, he is cheeky and will do funny things. i never had to kick him to be that perfect. the other one pawed whe i got him for feed, i said"NO" in a firm yet tolerent voice, and he dosnt do ti anymore, i think you should tey other methods as although the kick may not hurt it is disrespectful to the horse and not very tolerent of a owner!

 

[EllieBeast]

so is what i did wrong? - honestly, i am just being curious, not trying to start a mass debate, i dont think i'm known for that! lol

 

[Malibu]

im my opinion, yes, you pinched the horse back with the fingers, so you can do it but the horse cant? that dosnt make sense, if the horse is not allowed to bite then dont bite it! thats only fair. instead use your tone of voice , also your eyes can do alot to, the horse relys on our body language and tone of voice alot, if it recognises/remembers NO is said when it kicked last time or bite you then it will remember it got shouted at (well strong tone) so will soon learn not to do it again! your horse is smart so it will pick it up try it next time, firm voice and make eye contact!

 

[GTs]

If it was as easy as saying 'no' why are there so many badly behaved horses? I am not really that concerned with my methods - they work, I have good horses, and I am sure they would much rather a kick then being a POS.

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, c'mon people. im sure GTs didn't 'Beat up' his horses, i will admit that the one and only time that Ellie tried to bite me, she had a 'bite' back (i.e. i pinched the skin on her neck, not hard, but as a warning)

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, but LMAO - when I was 11, my cob, who I'd had for 2 weeks ATT, bit me on the shoulder blade and tried to lift me up. I calmly turned around as if nothing had happened, put my hand on his neck, got hold of his ear and bit it!! To this day I have NO idea what made me do that!! The memory of it is really surreal and in slow motion......... However, it worked, he never bit another human again!! Though putting the bridle on him was interesting for about a month - but then who can blame him!!

Yeah, I don't think that GTs is a regular horse beater. We all do things that others disagree with! Being in the US, he'll either be wearing trainers or trainers or maybe cowboy boots......

 

[GTs]

SN_B in the summer it was regularly sandals until I got my boots on!!

 

[Malibu]

Ellie, dont be ofended but i just think that it is great you are asking and willing to take advice, please try it, my new one has soon learned that when he chews the lead rope a few too many times after me saying no and taking the lead rope away from him , he dosnt do it anymore, same as he has learned so many other things, it takes time ! but so much better to teach than to dominate or bully! your horse will love and respect you sooooooooooooo much more! my white one in sig used to be bullied alot and he was in mental state was awful three/ 4 yeasr later and he is my baby, he will do anything for me, so honest and trusts me, and i know i can trust him!

 

[Daffers]

[ QUOTE ]
If it was as easy as saying 'no' why are there so many badly behaved horses?

[/ QUOTE ]
Because humans dont know the right time to say 'no' or how quick to nip problems in the bud. If ur method works then carry on using it. All we're trying to say is there is another way of dealing with issues!

 

[S_N]

PMSL F!!!! I there are always exceptions

 

[Malibu]

gt, gosh darling its called trust, your young horse is young hence being kicked once a month and not once a year like older one, it hs to learn what is ok and what is not! teach it dalring dont bully it otherwise it will fear you, even if it is will snadals or whatever you are still kicking it!

 

[EllieBeast]

LMAO @ SN!!
Tophorse - i do just need to use my voice now, but at the time i was a weedy little 12-13 yr old, el was a big, boistrous 16hh 6yr old weighing over half a ton(ne). she wouldent listen to me, i had had her for only 3 days, she saw me as her play thing and wouldent listen to my tone of voice. i pinched her once, lightly so that she knew that when i said no, i really meant it, and she has been fab ever since (and i have had her for near on 5 years now). it was not an angry reaction, i just thought that she was taking the p!$$. i am not a horse beater, by any stretch of the imagination, but she did need to realise that she couldent walk all over me. she is now an absolute dope on a rope.

 

[EllieBeast]

i dont condone violence, and i really dont think that what i did counts as 'cruelty'. tophorse, i am always open to peoples ideas, as one of the things i hate most about the horse world is people who think that their way is the 'only way'. so i like to try being open minded!

 

[S_N]

[ QUOTE ]
my biggest bug-bear, Ibel...Rude Horses/Ponies....

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I agree!! You wouldn't have cared much for B when I first had her!!

 

[siennamum]

I often pinch. Usually in the form of a tweak on the shoulder, it's a surefire way of gtting a horse to back off if it is being a bit ignorant. I cannot imagine what anyone would do with a concete block though sounds horrific, getting a youngster to stop barging and respect your space can be managed in about 5 minutes if you know what you are doing, with no violence, though with some fairly physical behaviour and some stern words.

 

[GTs]

No one who has seen me work my horses would say I bully or come anywhere close to bullying my horses - there is a mismatch between what goes on, and what you think goes on.

Also I find throwing a brush at them good for desensitizing them.

 

[EllieBeast]

lol GTs - i do think that some people manage to over - dramatise things that they read!
if you type 'kick' - it could mean a tap to you, but someone reading it could take it as a 'boot'. oh well, thats the problem with forums, no way of telling