Stepping on you!?

[Sukistokes2]

This weekend I was grooming my four year old when he tried to step on my foot. Now I put it this way because I happened to be watching him as he did it. Moses has blue eyes and because of the blue iris and black pupil you can really see where he is looking. He glanced at me , looked down at my foot and then lifted his foot up to bring it across to try and stand on my foot. As he brought his hoof down on my foot I gave him a slap on the shoulder with the brush and he changed his mind so I wasn't hurt. Now I am pretty sure he was just pushing a few boundaries to see what I would do, he is at that age but some might say it was just an accident. I am pretty sure that horses know where their feet are most of the time. When I tripped over leading my other horse up the ramp into the box, Ffin stepped over me without even brushing against me so I am pretty sure that Moses had every intention of stepping on me, to see what would happen. what do you think?

 

[muff747]

I too have seen horses step on their human's toes and I do believe they do it to try get you to step away from them, therefore controlling your movements.
Horses determine who is the leader by trying to make others move out of the way.
I think you did right to avoid stepping away. My gelding tried this trick when I first got him to see what he could get away with. When I twigged on what he was doing, I would smartly move my foot out of the way and put it onto his coronet. I just applied enough pressure to make him move his foot away from me and he never did it again.
I know this sounds a little brutal but I didn't stamp on him, just made him move his foot!

 

[Sukistokes2]

I do not think its burtal, much less than another horse would do as part of the herd. I think Moses is just pushing boundaries as the mare he was with was put down in jan, so he is now free to try things out. He is also a bit of a bully, that is why I keep him away from Ffin, they are in seperate paddocks but of course can see each other.

 

[Hoopsa]

I agree he's testing the boundaries and needs to learn to keep in his own space. How is he when being lead? I teach my youngsters to keep away from me by using a showing cane and if they come within treading-on-me distance I poke them with the end of the cane on the shoulder and say 'out' firmly until they move away. I use 'out' because the same aid and word then works on the lunge. Good luck!

 

[Sukistokes2]

He is usually very good but he had the devil in him on Sunday! I just found it really funny, watching his face and watching the thoughts going through his little brain!

 

[_GG_]

Haha, there's a mare at the yard that knows absolutely where her and your feet are. She's had other people so many times and as a bystander I can watch and warn. People always say, "oh it's fine, I know what she's li......OUCH, YOU LITTLE BITC....."!

I just try not to laugh, but honestly, she is so quick, you can't get complacent. The moment you think you have the measure of her, she has you.

Of course if she were mine, she'd have learned some manners a flipping long time ago, but she's not, so she carries on and loves every second of it.