my horse HATES other horses!

rach260

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Last year he would tolerate them and would only attack if they got to close so he was reasonably safe to ride with other horses around, even got him to a show and when it came time to do our individual show he didn't want to leave the group!

But now if another horse is in the same arena with him he will bolt & attack it (you get no warning he just goes for it out of nowhere), if its on the other side of the electric fence & it gets to close he will attack it, even if he is tied up or in his stable and a horse goes past him in or out of the arena he tries to charge at them ears flat back attempting to bite them, hacked him once in company and he kicked 1 other the horses (and he's not a kicker!) and bite the other.

Oh and he is a 15hh 10 year old uber heavy weight trad cob gelding, if that makes a difference. Ridden in a pelham.
Any idea's to sort his behavior out? Will be having blood tests at some point as has been suggested by several people he is actually a rig/wasn't gelded properly (which would probably explain his extreme interest in the mare next door when she's in season).
 
Is he only doing this when you are around? Is it something to do with protecting you? If your horse is a rig, he'd be leaping out of fields/stables and finding mares in season, and probably trying to mount them whilst you are out riding.
 
I work on the yard he's on livery at so I'm always around really, but people have said he's a total grump once I'm gone.
 
Is this horse turned out with others regularly? Have you studied his behaviour in a field with other horses?
It could be a number of things. Do you think he gotten attacked by another horse?
Also, when he first attacked a horse with you on him did you get/fall off or released the reins?
Is he out in the field on his own? How long has he been behaving like this?

Sorry for the questions, but I need a bit more information. (:
 
Right now he is on box rest after colic surgery but this is how he has been acting since January (was fine for the previous year I had him). He was turned out daily, individually as he's always been know to be a fighter in the field. I've not come off him (yet), didn't let got of the reins just gave good pull on one of them in an attempt to stop him.
 
yep turned out in his own field, and only 1 other horse near him when out in the field next door to him but she tends to stay at the furthest end from him
 
my mare is the same! at the yard people cant walk their horses around her cause she kicks so i usually have to leave her in her box to tack up and things like that. she also runs at horses the other side of the fence in the field, making threatening faces etc. But out on hacks and in the school she is okay (she will make faces at the other horses but she wont try and kick them) we have individual turnout at our yard but where she was kept with a previous owner she was turned out with others and was okay so I don't know whats up with the old girl!
 
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