My mare is kicking our on the hunting field - how can i stop this?

[Beany1800]

Hi, my 6 year old mare is really good out hunting. My only problem is she kicks out at anything if it comes up behind her or passes her.

I am riding at the back with lots of red tape in her tail but she is also forward going and wants to move up front and keep up.

Any ideas on how to get her out of the habbit/problem of kicking.

Someone suggested putting a chicken in her stable with her - no thanks.
Someone else suggested tying things to her rugs in the field? probably end up with a ripped rug!

She means the kicks and has connected on occassions. This in turn makes me aeare of every rider around me and not relax cos I am forever saying 'she will kick you'.

Thanks

 

[fornema]

Could you try and long rein her but as if you were teaching to drive attach a tyre behind as she wont be able to do much damage to the tyre?

 

[JanetGeorge]

Horses who kick out hunting are a dangerous abomination - and should be sent home at first offence!! Does she do the same if hacking in company or is it the extra adrenaline rush from hunting that sets her off?

No doubt some people will take umbrage at this suggestion but I'm afraid that ANY horse of mine who kicks out while being ridden gets screamed at and whacked - hard - a number of times! I throw the book at them - they rarely do it again. Kicking should not be tolerated!

 

[Josie Joe]

I agree Janet, horses that kick peristently out hunting are extremely dangerous. I have seen a small child kicked in the chest by a 16.2 - a couple of inches higher and it would have been a nasty head injury. Nevermind the damage to other horses and adults. On the odd occasion a horse of ours has kicked out (and luckily never connected) I have hit it hard and it has never done it again. If it had, I'm afraid I wouldn't take it - the risk is too great.

 

[Batgirl]

I had looked forward to hunting with my new horse but as I am nervous of him in company I won't be taking him. IMO you shouldn't either, it is selfish and dangerous.

 

[Posie]

I don't understand why people hunt kickers? I've had my leg smashed by one when I was on my mare and did not appreciate. My poor gelding got a kick in the shoulder last week from someone without a red ribbon who said after oh yeah he kicks!!!!

 

[Judgemental]

Once it becomes a habit is is very difficult to cure.

The most serious offence is to kick a hound. Certainly if you kick a hound you will be sent home and told never to bring 'that' horse out again. That might as well apply to the rider, because you will simply be persona non grata.

I am in complete agreement with Janet.

The gravity of the issue is very serious and I hope fellow posters will forgive the way in which I have stated matters.

In order to avoid horses kicking, as I have said in another thread, purely in my opinion is to keep chickens and fowl about the stables on a free range basis.

That way horses are used to 'things' running about their feet and flapping hither and thither.

 

[Goldenstar]

Horses who kick out hunting are a dangerous abomination - and should be sent home at first offence!! Does she do the same if hacking in company or is it the extra adrenaline rush from hunting that sets her off?

No doubt some people will take umbrage at this suggestion but I'm afraid that ANY horse of mine who kicks out while being ridden gets screamed at and whacked - hard - a number of times! I throw the book at them - they rarely do it again. Kicking should not be tolerated!

I agree I throw the book at them too.
OP I work a lot at home when we ride out in a group I ride into them past along side them and touch them it gets them used to it and if it goes wrong it my horse that's kicked .

 

[meesha]

I speak from experience, my chap first time out hunting raised a foot to a hound (with a front foot as it dashed in front of him) and also raised a leg at another horse (never made contact with either)- he had red in his tail and both times I was told to "beat the beep out of him" I have to say ..... it worked... I gave him hell and I mean hell !! I then gave him a stern talking to if he even put his ears back - kept red in his tail and also stayed at the back for the rest of the season. This season, I still have red in his tail but he hasnt raised a leg even cantering side by side with others and having horse right up his behind or being in the thick of things - he has had hounds run through his legs and paid no attention.

If he was a "kicker" - ie. I thought he was going to attempt to kick another, there is no way I would take him out hunting - just not worth the risk to others (horses, hounds and riders)

 

[Beany1800]

thanks - I think, for your replies.

She doesn't kick at the hounds and they have litterally run through her.

I will give her hell when she tries kicking and see if that works. She is young, not used to horses coming up behind as I mainly hack alone.

 

[Maesfen]

thanks - I think, for your replies.

She doesn't kick at the hounds and they have litterally run through her.

I will give her hell when she tries kicking and see if that works. She is young, not used to horses coming up behind as I mainly hack alone.

Either try her in a school with others on a lesson and work through this so she's used to others behind, in front and overtaking her; it is, after all, just basic training which should have been done before taking her to the exciting hunting field or taking her to a competition even if just for the warm up until she is so bored that she accepts it all. Either way, a negative action from her demands immediate and strong action from you; if you feel you can't do it, ask someone who can and will otherwise you will always have a kicker which is not socially acceptable. I'm in the firm but fair camp like Janet; don't be wishy washy about it, mean it.

It is up to you to train her out of it and if you don't fancy putting in the time and effort to do it, don't be surprised if you're asked to stay away from hunting for others sakes.

 

[AmyMay]

My little mare used to be wonderful out hunting - and then just started kicking out, so I had to stop hunting her. Simply not worth the risk to life and limb.

 

[posie_honey]

i'd try to enlist a friend to hack out who understands the situ - when she goes to kick then give her hell - a telling off she'll remember
i use a red ribbon on HRH's tail for hunting as she bucks with excitement in the first few fields - she'll also lift a leg if someone literally barges into her back end - she doesnt do it at any other time - but beacuase she is easily stopable and well mannered (bar the few bucks) she is often used as a stopping device which drives me up the wall!! have seen a horrific accident wich resulted in a horse PTS by someone using a large derrier to stop - awful maners too - but seen one too many times for me to assume no one will do it
if she kicked out at anything that was just near and out of nastiness then i'd not take her out or try to 'train' it out of her
ETA _ she used to also lift a leg at any dog (so figured she would at hounds too) = but an over excitable cocker who copmes out on every ride with us and weave round her legs soon made her give up - she spent first few hacks with him trying to do anything to kill him - font legs, back legs, teeth = he just slithered out of way every time and now she ignores all dogs/hounds

 

[arizonahoney]

One of my rides is a mare who is a kicker - we stick to the back of the field OR I have her full brother and field-mate as a buffer; she doesn't kick him, just unfamiliar horses.

 

[frostyfingers]

Before I took my new horse hunting I spent all summer riding him out with our dogs, despite the fact I'd been told he was fine. He is, the only time he's kicked is when some idiot used me as a bumper and careered into him at a full on canter. Not surprisingly he lashed out and luckily only made slight contact. I did beat him and roar at him, but actually it wasn't his fault at all. The culprit then spent the next few minutes saying "mind that one, it kicks", at which I responded by saying that if he hadn't barged into us he wouldn't have been kicked, and it was his fault if he couldn't control his horse. I learned later that he always crashes into people - stupid man will get seriously hurt one day.

Having said that I'm always very careful of what's going on around me and try very hard not to pull up suddenly, and am very aware of where hounds are as they do have a habit of popping out of hedges which can give any horse a fright.

 

[spotty_pony]

My boy has shivers and often raises/waves a leg due to this (although it looks like he is going to kick) He has also kicked out twice recently due to people running up his bottom so I am going to have to red ribbon him. He is fine usually, just understandably funny if horses get 'too' close - it is basic common horse sense after all, any horse can kick therefore their personal space should be treated with respect!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My pony will kick if someone uses her bum as breaks, which has happened once this year. In prep for hunting I took her to common ridings and apart from one incident was fine.

Any horse can kick for any reason even if they normally don't, I give any of mine hell for kicking, but if other people can't respect your space and get a belt for it then I'm afraid they get what they deserve if the person on the horse is doing their best to keep out the way, and this is coming from someone who has had a compound shin fracture from a horse NOT waering a ribbon reversing into my horse and kicking.

Manners come through experience you can't teach them how to behave out hunting unless you take them IMO but it is the roiders responsiblity to keep out the way and take precautions but accidents happen.

OP some of the advice you have been given is good, I'd use it

 

[Goldenstar]

My pony will kick if someone uses her bum as breaks, which has happened once this year. In prep for hunting I took her to common ridings and apart from one incident was fine.

Any horse can kick for any reason even if they normally don't, I give any of mine hell for kicking, but if other people can't respect your space and get a belt for it then I'm afraid they get what they deserve if the person on the horse is doing their best to keep out the way, and this is coming from someone who has had a compound shin fracture from a horse NOT waering a ribbon reversing into my horse and kicking.

Manners come through experience you can't teach them how to behave out hunting unless you take them IMO but it is the roiders responsiblity to keep out the way and take precautions but accidents happen.
OP some of the advice you have been given is good, I'd use it

I can't bear it when your horse gets run into in a gate way why any one runs into another horse to stop is beyond me.

 

[VoR]

Horses who kick out hunting are a dangerous abomination - and should be sent home at first offence!!

Oh dear, where to start!? So, maybe a green horse, never hunted before, not used to being in a field of x number, etc and gets sent home the first time it kicks out. Question, how does that horse LEARN to hunt, be in the field, etc, etc, etc?

From experience, took mine out several years ago now, had never (to my knowledge) hunted before, lifted a foot twice in first season. Stuck red in his tail, kept out of the way, anticipated what was happening (which taught me a lot)to keep out of the way and eventually he became more used to the whole thing....will go no further, don't want to tempt providence!!

I think this statement is a bit crass to those of us (and there are almost certainly quite a few) who have stuck with a basically good horse to overcome an issue like this, but that's just my opinion!

 

[JanetGeorge]

Oh dear, where to start!? So, maybe a green horse, never hunted before, not used to being in a field of x number, etc and gets sent home the first time it kicks out. Question, how does that horse LEARN to hunt, be in the field, etc, etc, etc?

From experience, took mine out several years ago now, had never (to my knowledge) hunted before, lifted a foot twice in first season. Stuck red in his tail, kept out of the way, anticipated what was happening (which taught me a lot)to keep out of the way and eventually he became more used to the whole thing....will go no further, don't want to tempt providence!!

I think this statement is a bit crass to those of us (and there are almost certainly quite a few) who have stuck with a basically good horse to overcome an issue like this, but that's just my opinion!

A green horse can be educated in company first - without taking him hunting. Our breakers start going out alone - or with one sensible companion. Then it's built up to 2 companions, 3 companions, 4 companions - going first or last, having horses overtake him, etc etc etc. Then they can go on hound exercise, which is a lot quieter and safer. Then cubbing, then hunting proper when you keep him to the side, or to the back, and go home before he gets over-tired or silly. THAT's how a horse learns. A horse has to be properly educated to ANY role in life and he shouldn't be educated at the expense of others who end up with their leg broken - or their horse's leg broken - because someone hasn't done their homework!!

What's CRASS is when you're out enjoying a day's hunting, minding your own business, and some stupid green hothead with a useless rider reverses into you kicking like a mule!!! And stupid rider sits there like a dummy saying: "Oh, sorry!" - without even whacking the ruddy horse for its ill manners! And you've heard the crack!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

A green horse can be educated in company first - without taking him hunting. Our breakers start going out alone - or with one sensible companion. Then it's built up to 2 companions, 3 companions, 4 companions - going first or last, having horses overtake him, etc etc etc. Then they can go on hound exercise, which is a lot quieter and safer. Then cubbing, then hunting proper when you keep him to the side, or to the back, and go home before he gets over-tired or silly. THAT's how a horse learns. A horse has to be properly educated to ANY role in life and he shouldn't be educated at the expense of others who end up with their leg broken - or their horse's leg broken - because someone hasn't done their homework!!

What's CRASS is when you're out enjoying a day's hunting, minding your own business, and some stupid green hothead with a useless rider reverses into you kicking like a mule!!! And stupid rider sits there like a dummy saying: "Oh, sorry!" - without even whacking the ruddy horse for its ill manners! And you've heard the crack!

Yep I've been that person with the broken leg

But horses can be fine with company in familiar surroundings like home, then you take them to another place and they do stuff they havent done at home, sound familiar to anyone.

I take precautions and stay out the way to the side! I also put ribbons in to warn folk but horses are horses at the end of the day and if every horse who has ever felt over whelmed was sent home not to return then there wouldn't be very many experienced hunters out there.

 

[livetoride]

My personal pet peeve is riders who will not discipline kickers and instead make excuses like "you shouldn't have come so close" or "oooh he doesn't do that very often". They simply do not realise the dangers of kicking and are quite simply selfish and thoughtless, thinking that a red ribbon is a licence to kick.

In our hunt, if you don't deal firmly with a kicker, you will be spoken to and made to feel very unwelcome. On the very rare occasions over the years that any of mine has so much as lifted a leg, they have always received a good hiding, often with encouragement from the other riders. In my experience it works - the kicker remembers the beating, puts two and two together and does not normally do it again.