Cortez
Tough but Fair
TBH, I always assume that EVERYONE is an idiot!
My horse bit someone.. whay would you do?
- Thread starter fidgeuk
- Start date
Jesstickle
Well-Known Member
Mithras
Well-Known Member
What is with some people? Can they not simply leave other people's horses alone? My horse doesn't see a man wanting to "cuddle" him, he sees a stranger competing for his food, just as food resources are becoming more precious.
I had one the other day. My horse is notoriously grumpy but fine with me and if left alone. He is on DIY livery. YO's male friend informed me he had nipped him the other day, "even though he had been doing his horse whispering on him and he seemed to like it". Its a difficult horse, he is perfectly well behaved if you do everything correctly (and I mean lead in a bridle, tie up to groom, etc), but not if you treat him like a cuddly toy!
I had one the other day. My horse is notoriously grumpy but fine with me and if left alone. He is on DIY livery. YO's male friend informed me he had nipped him the other day, "even though he had been doing his horse whispering on him and he seemed to like it". Its a difficult horse, he is perfectly well behaved if you do everything correctly (and I mean lead in a bridle, tie up to groom, etc), but not if you treat him like a cuddly toy!
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
Jesstickle- i second that !
mcnaughty
Well-Known Member
Agree with this wholeheartedly - whether the man was cuddling or just standing by the stable when the horse bit him. If a horse took a swipe at me I would wallop it too. As OP knows the horse bites a sign on the door would suffice to warn others this animal is either protective of food or down right nasty.
I have seen a horse bite a face and it left a mess that needed stitches. God forbid a child got it wrong and tried to say hello.
Grinchmass
Well-Known Member
To the dog comment, you wind a dog up and mess with them, you get bitten = your fault I'm afraid, even if it's a child. Keep the child away from the dog, letting them pester an animal is irresponsible parenting IMO.
If a dog charges and bites this is not ok, or attacks without provocation.
If a horse charges at you in fields - there's an issue that may need to be resolved as this behaviour is dangerous.
On the other hand if a person hassles them and they get bitten more fool them. I don't like strange people touching me and like my own personal space so I know how they feel!
And Mithras if someone tried horse whispering on my horse or messing with them/hassling them without my permission in any way they'd get an ear bashing.
I'm quite lucky with my bit being on a private yard with a friend. No idiots
If a dog charges and bites this is not ok, or attacks without provocation.
If a horse charges at you in fields - there's an issue that may need to be resolved as this behaviour is dangerous.
On the other hand if a person hassles them and they get bitten more fool them. I don't like strange people touching me and like my own personal space so I know how they feel!
And Mithras if someone tried horse whispering on my horse or messing with them/hassling them without my permission in any way they'd get an ear bashing.
I'm quite lucky with my bit being on a private yard with a friend. No idiots
Batgirl
Well-Known Member
Child shouldn't be unsupervised.
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
Agree with ginger witch & others. The man is an idiot, served him right. And I don't see the relevance of the 'what if it bit a child' argument. When my daughter was too little to understand not to go touching unknown animals, I stayed at her side. I'm pretty confident her own pony would take a chunk out of some wierdo pouncing on her & invading her space. Yet I don't think twice about my daughter being in the stable with her with pony loose.
The only thing I'd add is that if the horse is defensive about food anyway, some random moron walloping it is only going to make the horse more defensive.
The only thing I'd add is that if the horse is defensive about food anyway, some random moron walloping it is only going to make the horse more defensive.
mandwhy
Well-Known Member
Maybe we could just put a sign on the stable door that says 'horse' and silly men could assume that horse type behaviours may occur?
If someone I didn't know was coming towards me threatening a 'cuddle' I'd probably react, I don't know if I'd bite them but it would be their own fault if I did
Spot_the_Risk
Well-Known Member
You just never know what's going on when you're on an open type of yard. Many years ago I realised my sweet natured and obedient horse was unhappy, depressed really - then I discovered that my so called close friend who I was paying to bring in or turn out once a day as needed, was clouting him about the head... and we were gone, to a new yard.
For my own peace of mind, I would put up a sign, carefully worded. Hmm, now I think about it, maybe the yard owner should do this - a blanket policy as part of yard rules ie please do not approach horses other than your own unless you have a verbal agreement to do so with the owner. You could go compltely over the top and stick a CCTV camera in the stable, aiming at the door!
Re dogs - as a child I was taught never to approach a strange dog, bit this seems to have been completely dropped! A kid walked up to my dog, which was tied up next to me on a pub picnic bench, and started stroking him. I had no idea what my dog would do - we don't have kids and don't spend time with any, and out of character, Finn started to bark at the kid. Where were the parents, and why would you let a kid do that, do some people just not care about their children?
For my own peace of mind, I would put up a sign, carefully worded. Hmm, now I think about it, maybe the yard owner should do this - a blanket policy as part of yard rules ie please do not approach horses other than your own unless you have a verbal agreement to do so with the owner. You could go compltely over the top and stick a CCTV camera in the stable, aiming at the door!
Re dogs - as a child I was taught never to approach a strange dog, bit this seems to have been completely dropped! A kid walked up to my dog, which was tied up next to me on a pub picnic bench, and started stroking him. I had no idea what my dog would do - we don't have kids and don't spend time with any, and out of character, Finn started to bark at the kid. Where were the parents, and why would you let a kid do that, do some people just not care about their children?
AmyMay
Situation normal
Being a sheep again. But I completely agree.
As for the man walloping the horse - quite frankly how fracking dare he!!!!
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
OP - could you not accidently print this thread of and leave it on the notice board????/
Or as its close to christmas buy him a secret santa muppet ??
Or as its close to christmas buy him a secret santa muppet ??
Christsam
Well-Known Member
Personally I'd tell him maybe next time he'll think before going up to my horse with open arms!!!!
Cortez
Tough but Fair
If any horse bit me I'm afraid I'd whack it too. But then I wouldn't just march up to a strange horse and start mucking about with it either....
stargirl88
Well-Known Member
The woman clearly can't control her eejit husband, it's not you or your horses fault.
mcnaughty
Well-Known Member
When I say child, I mean anyone up to the age of 16 - believe it would be a bit OTT to supervise a 15 year old at all times - my 12yo walks to school by himself! I stand by my opinion of a horse that bites over it's stable door - putting a sign up would be ample warning.
I'm not agreeing with the idiot that decided to cuddle a random horse but these days you need to cover your arse!
Antw23uk
Well-Known Member
This ....
We have a little chesnut mare at my yard and she is really stroppy in the stable. I just avoid her, simple as that. She or I would not benefit at all from interacting with each other so i just ignore her.
paulineh
Well-Known Member
The man is in the wrong. He should not have approached the horse in any way. It does not matter how friendly the horse is , the man should not have done it.
If the man was just passing the stable and the horse went for him, then that is another matter.
Hitting any horse around the head is a No No what ever the circumstances.
I would not be happy if that happened to any of my horses.
I would put a sign up saying "Do No Touch"
If the man was just passing the stable and the horse went for him, then that is another matter.
Hitting any horse around the head is a No No what ever the circumstances.
I would not be happy if that happened to any of my horses.
I would put a sign up saying "Do No Touch"
paulineh
Well-Known Member
Cortez = if I found you had hit any of my horses You would not be standing on your feet.
Hitting a horse around the head can cause a lot of damage and they can become head shy
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
But mcnaughty, by 15 surely you'd expect a child not to go mauling unknown animals? My daughters 7 & I can trust her at friends yards, auctions, dogs in public etc. It's not exactly a difficult thing to learn.
kirstykate
Well-Known Member
Serves the **** right, I think I would have bitten him to
DW Team
Well-Known Member
I feel for you OP
I fail to understand people who seem to think oh I will come to the yard and give everyones horse a cuddle or worse treats. I have the same problem with some people at the yard where mine horses are. I now have notes on the doors asking people not to feed as they are on diets. What it really means is one horse can't take treats as it makes her very hot/hyper. Horse two makes him kick seven bells on his door then YO has a go at me. Horse 3 a youngster makes her very nippy and demanding. None of mine gets treats at any time from me why should other people think it is ok to. I also don't like people touching as last year I did battle with Lice for a number of months due to cross contamination. If it is not yours leave it be please. Sorry rant over!
I fail to understand people who seem to think oh I will come to the yard and give everyones horse a cuddle or worse treats. I have the same problem with some people at the yard where mine horses are. I now have notes on the doors asking people not to feed as they are on diets. What it really means is one horse can't take treats as it makes her very hot/hyper. Horse two makes him kick seven bells on his door then YO has a go at me. Horse 3 a youngster makes her very nippy and demanding. None of mine gets treats at any time from me why should other people think it is ok to. I also don't like people touching as last year I did battle with Lice for a number of months due to cross contamination. If it is not yours leave it be please. Sorry rant over!
mcnaughty
Well-Known Member
Mauling? Not sure what you mean by that - I was just talking about stroking! Little prone to exaggeration aren't we? I've known horses to lunge over stable doors at people walking past.
Tormenta
Well-Known Member
I would never approach anyone elses horse at a yard, in a field, at a show or whatever if the owner was not there and certainly not without asking first. I don't allow my children to do it either. Some horses have past histories, some do not like strange people, some are not keen on being approached in their stables, some do not like people around them whilst they eat, some are headshy, I could go on but for those reasons, I am respectful and leave them alone. They are animals after all. I have a mare who absolutely would not tolerate anyone strange trying to faff around with her in her stable or while she is eating, heck it has only taken me four years to be tolerated and not threatened anymore (She has a bad past) I don't want some person scaring her and/or undoing efforts that I have put in and then blaming her if she reacted. It's about being respectful, having some sense and for your own personal safety!
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
Mcnaughty, I was talking about what's occurred here. The horse didn't just lunge at someone walking past.
pansymouse
Well-Known Member
Whilst I share the common concern that a random man thought it was OK to cuddle a horse who was not familar with him and then to hit it when it bit him, I don't think much is gained by being agressive with the man. I would take time to explain the horses behaviour and set out some boundries in dealing with other people's horses. Much more gained by being calm and educating than by ranting. If handled right you maintain a pleasant yard environment and help someone understand horses better.
My old geldiing had a bad habit of head butting people who tried to stroke his nose so I educated all the local children who liked to stoke him to do so on his shoulder - all parties safe and happy.
My old geldiing had a bad habit of head butting people who tried to stroke his nose so I educated all the local children who liked to stoke him to do so on his shoulder - all parties safe and happy.
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
Look just whilstle the muppet theme tune whenever you see him - it will make you smile and take away the stress of seeing him.
TheoryX1
Well-Known Member
I havent read all of the posts on here, but firstly I do agree it was a bit silly of him to approach a horse in its stable with open arms like that. I can do pretty much what I want with my two horses, but on the odd occasion I have raised my arms like that to give either of them a cuddle (either out of or inthe stable), I have got an odd look from them, and I know neither of my two will bite. I dont agree that he walloped the horse either.
However, OP I would be sticking a sign up outside your stable door pretty sharpish, and doing some work on your lad to stop this. We live in a very litigious society, and if some clever dick decided to take this to a solicitor, I guess you might be on pretty sticky ground. I am not a lawyer by profession either! In your shoes I would be taking all steps to prevent this from happening again in the future. As to apologising to him, well I dont know if apologise is the right word, but in your shoes I would be pretty mortified if my horse had done that, but I would also make it clear to the guy that he cant go walloping horses around the head either.
However, OP I would be sticking a sign up outside your stable door pretty sharpish, and doing some work on your lad to stop this. We live in a very litigious society, and if some clever dick decided to take this to a solicitor, I guess you might be on pretty sticky ground. I am not a lawyer by profession either! In your shoes I would be taking all steps to prevent this from happening again in the future. As to apologising to him, well I dont know if apologise is the right word, but in your shoes I would be pretty mortified if my horse had done that, but I would also make it clear to the guy that he cant go walloping horses around the head either.
Elbie
Well-Known Member
The yard I used to work at had a sign up saying "Warning...all horses can bite!"
That way, every horse was covered.
I would stroke a random horse, only if I was standing near it and it seemed interested. I wouldn't make a point of going round every horse. And there's a senisble way of doing things. Approaching a horse you don't know with outstretched arms to cuddle it probably isn't the best approach!
Can't blame your horse for biting him. Maybe your horse saw a man coming at him with arms stretched and thought he wanted to wrestle!
That way, every horse was covered.
I would stroke a random horse, only if I was standing near it and it seemed interested. I wouldn't make a point of going round every horse. And there's a senisble way of doing things. Approaching a horse you don't know with outstretched arms to cuddle it probably isn't the best approach!
Can't blame your horse for biting him. Maybe your horse saw a man coming at him with arms stretched and thought he wanted to wrestle!
Luci07
Well-Known Member
Just put a sign up. Very few people tend to offer treats at our yard anyway as there are precious few horses who will take them and then not expect them and be bolshy about it. Exceptions are the oldies who are always polite! I would be cross if someone went upto my horses as this chap did and then walloped them and would say something. I think you should slightly bite your tongue and give this man the benefit of the doubt as you did infer he was rather nice but dim. Try training him rather than having a proper rant (which is what we would all probably like to do but possibly not the best solution)!