Nipping when rugs are being done up

C

cellie

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 September 2007
Messages
4,944
Visit site
What have you done to improve behaviour of mare that hates rugs being put on.
She has lovely nature never bites or kicks normally but lunges to bite when her rug goes on.I have improved her reaction with saddle as Im really gentle laying it on her back which has helped ,her old saddle when we bought her didnt fit so probably associated with previous pain.
What positive things can I do to help with her rugs. I give her scratch and rub which she likes and tell her no when she goes to nip.
I guess someone has cured problem
shocked.gif
grin.gif

Tips please!
 
Does she do it with all her rugs? D did it with one rug last winter but I think it must have been uncomfortable as she stopped doing it as soon as I tried a different rug.
 
Yes all of them.Only tried waterproof so far .she had improved end of last year with calm handling but seems much worse again.
 
Long standing problem with my lad, I think he is ticklish, but he doesnt just nip he bites and means it. I have tried all the usual tricks, the only thing that works is a water pistol! When he goes to bite I spray him on the cheek, I only have to hold the pistol now and he stands still.
 
my gelding was like this and it turned out that its was physcological, once before he had a badly fitting saddle and even once his back had been cured and saddle was correct still thought that anything that went on his back was going to hurt him. I have a loevly scar on my stomache where he lunged for me one day. He was so lovely and didnt mean any harm he just believed it would really hurt him
 
One of mine dislikes it too. However I noticed the further away from him I stand (and thus kinda fling the rug at him .... i think i'd probably been moving away to avoid being bitten!).

When i stand right next to his neck, with a folded rug and gently place it on him and unfold (practise this on a different horse!) he is loads happier
 
Mine does this too, with whatever kind of rug you put on her, if she has caught my coat while nipping, she knows shes done wrong and goes the the back of her stable, she does get told off.
Does'nt matter how softly and gently I do it, and how much time I take she is always like this and I don't know why?
 
My gelding does it too - no matter how careful and gentle we are. He always has. Has issues with girths too so i think he is just ticklish.
He is slightly better tied up outside than in his stable and being tied up he can't reach people so easily and let him have a haynet to distract him. We have also come to a compromise where he is allowed to take it out on the stable door or wall as long as his head doesn't point in my direction.

Wasn't so bad last year as he was on box rest so I didn't clip and he didn't go out. For a TB he is quite tough so I left him unrugged. He will be going out this year so he will need at least a turnout at some point.
 
If we knew all their previous history might have a chance of understanding to solve problems.Water pistol could help but I would rather try calm and patient method.Guess we will all have to watch our backs
blush.gif
laugh.gif
 
my gelding is narky when i put his rugs on. he ever actually bites but will slyly grap your jumper/jacket when you rugging him up. he has never got my skin and once jumper is in his mouth he is happy!!!

he also pulls faces and walks away when i get the saddle ready to put on.
he did have a very badly fitting saddle before i got him and vet/back person and saddler are all 100% happy he has no more pain at all. it is all remembered.
it upsets me though as he is the least grumpy horse you can meet (everyone calls him happy harry).

i am just trying to take my time and never punish him (but he doesn't actually bite like some others) i just say no when he grumpy then pats when he happy again!! don't know if he will ever change but i can hope!!!
 
My horse has been extremely grumpy being rugged, actually biting at times, for years.
I have - at long last - realised it's because I have been over-rugging him all this time. He's a native, and he's been trace clipped, so has had a really thick winter coat over his back. So an additional heavy rug has been making the poor soul far too hot.
Last year, I had him clipped out and kept him in much lighter rugs most of the winter and he was a lot happier.
I do believe we over-rug our horses a lot, thinking we are being kind. Certainly this was the case with me and mine
blush.gif
 
I can understand that but its not the case with mine.Shes tb no coat at all is out overnight and I only put rug on for one night as we had torrential rain and thunderstorms.Im quite hard and feel that in the wild she would be out with nothing so unless the temp goes below single figures i wont consider unless there are high winds and rain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top