My pony sometimes has the worst attitude!

[metalmare]

I have a welsh, who I am firm with. He isn't allowed tit bits, or to itch his head on me, etc. I am working on personal space - he likes to swing his quarters into you while tied, which I deal with firmly, but I also do lots of work on moving over / backing up, etc. He used to mug people for food, but with persistence I have now taught him to wait until he is allowed to his bucket. So we are making progress.

But here is an example of how utterly foul he can be. I was in the field the other day, feeling his feet to check for heat, when he reached down and bit my hand! Cue a firm smack on the neck, at which point he then cantered around the field double barrel kicking in my direction. I kept him moving until he dropped the aggressive behaviour.

He so desperately wants to be top dog and he takes it so badly when he is punished. We're on the right lines I believe and I will keep persisting...

Being a welsh I guess it will always be lurking.

 

[puss]

your lucky last time I smacked my horse for biting he tried to plant his front feet on my head. Hes been beaten in the past now will not take a smack and fights back so a loud shout is all he gets Hes only fifteen hands maybe its small man syndrome

 

[metalmare]

your lucky last time I smacked my horse for biting he tried to plant his front feet on my head. Hes been beaten in the past now will not take a smack and fights back so a loud shout is all he gets Hes only fifteen hands maybe its small man syndrome

Hmmm, I have known some horses like that. Usually a raised voice is enough for Kes but I didn't think that matched the crime for biting. He seems to go more into flight than fight mode when disciplined - I am the worst, most evil person in the world type thing!

To be fair, I don't know his past history, but judging by the lack of manners and the work I'm having to do to try and make him semi-respectable I think he's used to pushing people about (literally).

The sad thing is, like yesterday when I was handling his feet, he was as good as gold and happily lifting his feet in anticipation. He's very moody.