kicking 3yo

[Linz29]

My 3yo is going through a bit of a brat stage, trying to be dominant over my older horse, pretending to bite. But worst of all trying to kick me if I touch his back legs, I can pick up his legs no problem but because he has white legs they will need to be chalked when going to a show, 1st one being end of month . I managed to do them last year with a garlic lick as a distraction but I'm fearing this year is going to be a struggle... He was born with wounds on his hocks and had to be bandaged last year with a cut so is rather paranoid about being touched below and on the hock. Fine everywhere else!! Anyone got any tips to help me not have my teeth kicked out??!!

 

[ladyt25]

Can you brush his legs at all?
Mine was like this a few months after I got him. It started as he got sore legs and (understandably) didn't want me, or anyone to touch them. That started him being a bit paranoid about his legs and doing the same as yours. Vet advised to just leave them alone - hose them if we could but otherwise just leave them to sort themselves (we think the cause was just due to introduction of hay to his diet).

Anyway, it did take a while after that tio get him ok with me touching his legs - he was fine to have feet picked out. The minute he even thought you were so much as LOOKING at his legs, he would get fidgety and, if we tried to do anything (ie trim his bits of feather off) it resulted in some threats to kick!

He never really lashed out as such and I just had to perservere, brushing his legs with a nice soft brush and not overdoing the attention to his legs. Just being matter of fact about it. I also hosed/hose his legs a fair bit (he has white legs so will also need a lot of washing in the summer!!) sohe is pretty good with that although did not really like it at first. I just found, lots of praise for good behaviour and not real reactions to bad - although i do admit to the odd growl and elbow in his side when his quarters have swung my way!

I think that's the key really, just keep doing it, little and often. Mine is still slightly ticklyish on his hinds (one more than the other) so I just make sure I use a soft enough brush and he is happy for me to wash and scrub his legs with a soft brush. Once they get over the paranoia that you are going to mess with their legs when they remember this associated with pain, you will get there!

 

[Linz29]

Yeh think your right there's no fast track to this will just have to persevere, he's just been unfortunate in having a few injuries! Doesn't help when last year he managed to kick me at a show when I was putting hoof oil on and cracked a bone in my arm! So I have a bit of paranoia too LOL. That was my own fault tho didn't think and just bent down when he was high as a kite! Won't do that again!! Il just have to keep at him brushing, he will almost fall over rather than have his front legs below the knee brushed!

 

[ladyt25]

I am still cautious walking behind mine if he's eating or anything as because he's bottom of the pecking order he's protective of his food. He is tonnes better now though and very rarely ever kicks out at people.

Make sure you use a nice body brush or even a sponge on his legs and just do it very matter-of-factly. If mine gets twitchy with his back legs now when I am brushing them then I just move to brush a bit he doesn't mind (ie his flanks/bottom on the same side) and then move back to do the lower leg again. Mine though now might just lift his leg, I say something calming to him (I don't even know - just sometimes "ok, ok") and get on with what I'm doing. he used to do quite a qucik snatch up of his leg and bum swing towards me, now he doens't move his body at all.

I do think trust is a major thing as well.

 

[Linz29]

Yeh he's completly fine everything above hock/knee I can squish past him and never feel hes going to kick me. I just usually avoid his lower legs coz I don't want to make a issue of it but I will have to do it! He's fine with hose so that's a plus!