Moody Arab

[1horseygirl123]

Im currently having a bit of trouble with my part bred arab gelding. When I first bought him about a year ago he wasn't that bad had a biting issue but that was resolved. As he's an arab he's quite spirited and has lots of character- which is something I love about him. He's currently 7, he's beautiful-and knows it! It's just recently he's become particularly bad in the stable. It started with him trying to bite the workers at the yard and has escalated. I was informed that he has bitten 2 workers, but he was perfectly fine with me until the last few weeks where whenever a person/horse goes near him his ears are right back and if you go into his stable he will either be fine until you start grooming or taking his rug off. I've spoken to the stable owner and they told me if he tries to bite just smack him, however it's something I don't like to do and just seems to make him worse. As when a worker smacked him for lowering his head to bite them he tried to kick out. He's also started pounding the ground as he's quite impatient. But I will take him into the arena and he will happily trot after me and play with me. I need advice before it get's out of hand. I am also an experienced horse handler and rider and I have dealt with grumpy horses before just not an arab. Any advice would be great! As I don't want him biting or kicking people.
Thanks

 

[texel]

As you can appreciate we only have your description of the situation in order to base an opinion, but from what I have read I suggest that as horses are reactive by nature it may be that a human is the cause of this recent change in behaviour. Assuming he has been at the same yard since you have bought him.

Horses require sensitive and patient handling, they are very receptive to mood and fear, he is expecting trouble and is protecting himself. The difficulty is trying to find the reason.

What changes have been made to his general management recently?

Has he been living out previously and now has to be stabled ?

 

[Buddy'sMum]

^this^

Or has a different member of staff at the yard been handling him recently? It sounds very much as if he's expecting a confrontation. I'd pay close attention to who handles him and how they behave around him. If the YO is telling you to just smack him then that's what she's telling her staff to do. He needs firm but fair and consistent handling so everyone who handles him needs to be on the same page. Tell him off for bad behaviour, absolutely, but smacking him is likely to just escalate into a battle and one of you is likely to end up getting hurt. TBH I wouldn't stay on a yard where my horse was being hit by anyone, for any reason.

 

[ZoeF]

Hi I have an Arab too and have found that he is very much a one person horse and boy did he like trying his luck with me when we were getting to know each other! Is it possible that your boy may not be used to being stabled or like sharing his stable space with different people? Me and Reef used to stand outside for what felt like ages before he was ready to step in the stable, now I only have to open the Door and he takes himself in there