monster horse - please help me

twisteddiamond

twisteddiamond

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my youngster (nearly 3, gelding, 16.3hh) has turned into a monster recently, biting everyone who gets close enough to him and trying to stamp on them with his front feet ive cut out his hard feed in case it was making him bolshy but its steadily getting worse to the point where im the only one brave enough (or stupid enough) to go near him
before he was a quite easy to handle horse please any suggestions welcome
 
What was your grass like in the winter?

Try not to be bolshy with him to try and get him to behave, quiet handling makes a quiet horse.

I knew a 17.2 who all of a sudden became bolshy, i think its down to finding his strength, if he tries to bite you then ignore it, he will soon learn its not getting him anywhere.
 
Sorry, but if gentle handling hasnt worked up to now I wouldnt be standing for this behaviour and he would be getting a good hard slap and a sharp voice if he bit me for no reason. If unchecked his behaviour will get worse as he obviously thinks he's the boss.
 
I will probably be shouted down here but have you tried natural horsemanship techniques? My horse also bites and kicks but I have been having clicker training lessons and he is definitely getting the idea that being nice gets him what he wants and being agressive doesn't get him anything. It's early days for him (and me) training wise but I am convinced that it is the way forward because traditional methods have only worked up to a point.
 
Hormones! Two year old horses can go through a stage very similar to two year old children! You need to be the boss of him. Can you do some NH work as capon suggests?
 
Agree with Capondeville, try some natural horsemanship or just general groundwork. You could start teaching him to lunge and longrein, both of these will get him paying more attention to you and so teach him to respect you more. they'll also be something interesting for him to do, maybe he is bored! He wuld probably enjoy learning new stuff, often bolshy horses are highly intelligent so put this to good use.
 
Agree with all NH ideas! It really worked for my delinquent boy who is now an angel. I sent him to Nicola Golding and Adam Goldsmith in Gloucestershire (who wrote the book wispering back) and they sorted him and ME out. You have to get involved as they said its not the horse its the owner in most cases! If you want I can PM you their e mail address. Let me know
 
Forgot to say, whilst I was in Gloucestshire with Adam and my horse there was another horse there about to be PTS it was so evil and the improvement this horse made in front of my eyes was just astonishing! The day I left Adam voulted on this "evil" horse bare back with just a Dually halter on and 1 lead rope.......need I say more!!
 
My 4 year old started getting nasty/naughty about 3 weeks ago. I really do think it is the spring grass and the change in weather.
I definately found being confrontational with him was pointless as he'd then just get his paw out and try and stomp on me!!!
Have you moved yards yet?

Jo
 
was that for me or twistd?! the moving yards bit
confused.gif
 
we moved yards about 8 wks ago. i have tried the NH techniques and if he doesnt get his way it just makes his outbursts worse. when you lead him from the field he will rear up and try to stomp on you with his front feet and if that doesnt work hell get you squashed between his neck and shoulder and bites you
 
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