Manners........

[MontyandZoom]

Following various posts including the one below, what are your thoughts about horses biting/kicking etc when ridden.

I understand that some horses feel uncomfortable with others in their personal space (ie horses getting too close behind) however, how about when horses go out of their way to bite/kick a horse when ridden?

I ask because there is a certain horse at my field who always bites Zoomy when we are on hacks if I get within a few metres. I do my best to avoid riding side by side but sometimes it is impossible and he lunges from miles away. Due to Zoom's missing eye, he usually gets her since she cannot see him coming. His owner thinks it is funny but I don't! I don't ride out very often with them now!

There is also a mare that is mean to Zoom in the field and we were out hacking once and she was being led. We stopped to cross a road and me and Zoom were about 10 foot away to the side, the mare swung round and double-barrelled Zoom, unfortunately getting my ankle!!!

What are people's thoughts on this type of behaviour? Monty can be mean to the others in the field, horses are horses, but I would certainly reprimand him if he did it when ridden! I was quite shocked that neither owner did anything about the fact that their horse behaved in that way.

How would you react to this situation?

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I would not be happy, I am protective like most owners of my mare, she is very dear to me, even though she can be a moo sometimes. If horses were doing this to her, I would do my utmost to get her well away from them at all times.
If it was my horse that was being aggressive in the ways you have mentioned I would be embarrassed and would not find it funny, I would do everything in my power to keep my horse under control, especially when hacking out with others!

 

[bethyboox]

My mare has never kicked but will make faces and has attempted to bite another horse while being ridden, strangely she only acts this way while returning from a hack. I hack out alone most of the time but if I do ride with others I just keep out of the way of their horses but like I said she isnt too bad behaved.
If someone elses horse kicked mine and they thought it was funny they would certainly get an ear full from me.

 

[3Beasties]

Millie used to be very funny about other horses coming up behind her, she would swing round and kick out several time during a ride.

We have done some conditioning work with her so that she is now much happier about horses riding behind her, cantering past her etc. If she does kick out, or even go to kick out, she always gets a sharp smack with the whip.

 

[Umbongo]

I used to ride with a friend. Whenever I tried to go up alongside her horse would kick out at mine. One day he missed my horse and got my leg!
The girl riding said sorry but thought it was ok for him to do that as "he is only a baby"...He was 6 at the time. My horse was just turned 5 and an absolute angel!

She did nothing to let the horse know that it actions were unacceptable and I have since stopped riding with her (she also used to let her horse go full pelt in fields when I was trying to teach my horse to stay in a controlled canter). Thought it would be better to not ride with her anymore for my horse, as he started to get quite shy and anxious when riding out with this other horse.

If the horse is like that at 6 yrs I dread to think what he will be like in a few years time!

 

[legaldancer]

They should get at least one sharp smack with the whip as soon as they've done it. If not more...

It isn't funny, & if they're not reprimanded will think that it's acceptable.

 

[chestnut cob]

I'm afraid mine would get a few good whacks with my stick if he kicked another horse while riding. I've been told my horse has kicked out hunting before (though never with me) so for that he wears a red ribbon and I keep him out of everyone else's way. On fun rides and at competitions, he also wears a red ribbon. If we're hacking in company then everyone else knows he has kicked and that they shouldn't ride right up his backside or come cantering up behind him.

The owner of the horse that is biting should be paying more attention to what her horse is doing IMO and not allowing him to bite in the first place.

 

[metalmare]

Yes, I know someone who had their leg broken by a horse lashing out at their horse when they were mounted. You can normally anticipate a kick quite easily and give the horse a sharp smack as well as using leg and rein to keep them away from the other horse... hard if you need to!

 

[LauraWheeler]

I just don't let my horses have that kind of behavour. Lucy knows she will get told off if she kicks anyone but then she was a hunting pony and if your horse is a kicker and you allow it to kick someone out hunting you will get sent home. She also has to ride and lead the girl i nanny for when we go hacking and out hunting. My new pony Herbie is a bit riggy he was only cut in 08 and he's 8 yrs old. So i am teaching him not to kick at the mo.
I have been known to smack other peoples horses with my hunting whip if they try to kick Lucy.

 

[MontyandZoom]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one!!! The owner of the biter doesn't EVER tell him off and lets him slob along and do as he chooses.

The mare who kicked Zoom can be such a cowbag........but the owner thinks it is Zoom's fault since she has one eye

I have to admit I tell Monty off for even giving dirty looks when ridden.

 

[Enfys]

I would be mortified if my horses caused injury to another horse or handler/rider. I don't tolerate anything like this when handling or riding my horses, if they kick, or bite, me, or at another horse then they get walloped, if I was another horse I'd kick or bite back, not whisper "Oh you naughty boy." They learn, and it goes without saying that people generally learn to see the signs and act before retribution is necessary, but sometimes we can't all be perfect.

I also don't tolerate bullying in the field having lost a horse due to injuries caused trying to escape a persistant bully. Bullies are either put in an individual paddock where they can bully themselves or with horses that will stand up for themselves. I juggle until I have happy groups. Horses are horses, and of course there is naturally a pecking order, but continuous physical aggression is simply not acceptable to me. I don't leave horses for hours and hours in a field to sort out ranking either.

 

[Tickles]

An old favourite RS pony I know will threaten and indeed actually kick others (usually those much bigger than his 14hh self!). But, as with most horses there are warning signs first. It took me a little while to get used to it but now I can see when his face, ears and body language are looking annoyed and move him away before anything actually happens. If you do it consistently he realises he won't be allowed to kick and stops trying. Can't see why (most) people with their own horses (assuming they aren't seriously mentally damaged/don't have a major personality clash with another individual horse) wouldn't be able to get to know them and nip it in the bud before any kind of punishment/laughing became an issue.

Having said that I do know one person who encourages novice riders on lead reins to allow some biting because they would rather the horses were annoyed with each other than the riders! ho hum...

 

[M_G]

If mine did either they would get a good sharp smack or two and I would be mortified at the behaviour.

He is a grumpy so and so when stabled and pulls faces... I have asked people numerous times not to give him treats as he will bite those who titbit him do they listen? no so they get bitten.

 

[Rouletterose]

The rider that you were riding with that you said she thought it was funny is IMO totally stupid!!! how anyone can think that is funny I'll never know, just goes to show their level of intelligence I suppose. I'm glad to hear you don't ride with her anymore, your horses well being is the most important and as your mare has only one eye then it is doubly important that you choose which horses you ride with.

If I had been on a horse that attacked another from that distance for no reason then he/she would have had a sharp whack accross their backside with the riding crop.

 

[Kenzo]

Its a tricky one to answer for me because my horse is a swine with others, I can't ride him at the side of others because he really does plundge for them and he goes for the throat and he means it, I just wouldn't ride him out with others, have in the past but had to go in front or behind but like you say, you can't always do that all the time, I wouldn't want to risk him injuring anyone or their horses.