Teaching a horse not to kick other horses?

[Pearlsasinger]

Well you can either leather her, or carry on as you're doing.

Nothing worse than a kicker.

Poor, poor mare. No wonder you have a problem.

I suspect you're just going to have to manage it, as she's been completely ruined.

Poor horse.

I think I must have misunderstood your first post AM. What would you have done?



HashRouge, I think my mare was a broodmare in Germany/Holland until she was about 12. She is in charge in our small herd of mares but she wasn't while the elderly cob was here, she would chase her occasionally but always deferred to the cob if it really came down it. She wouldn't dream of kicking a person, even if they ran up behind her. She is also very good with dogs.

 

[Gloi]

We have a mare that is a kicker. She was fine, a kind sweet thing when she was young but then she went away and she lived for a few years with a horse that was a bully and had to defend herself against him. She ended up back at our place and now she has learnt to kick very efficiently and anyone riding behind her has to take care. She is still sweet with people unless you happen to be in the way when she takes offence at another horse.

 

[mynutmeg]

My girl us generally good tempered just doesnt like.other horses too close too her. She's boss in her field but isn't a bully about it. She postures and threatems but never makes contact - same as when ridden, fornher its all posturing. Shes the same with face lulling - pulls wonderful faces but has never, ever followed thru. Interestingly shes actually better since she went to stud 2 years ago. Shes 9 now

 

[YorksG]

My mare is not a kicker, but there have been a few occasions when I have wished she would threaten! The worst was a RC ride when a woman used my mares backside as her breaks for most of the ride, my mare nearly got hit by a car passing us, as she turned her quaters out to avoid being concerteenerd by the thing. If you can't keep a horse length between you, stay in the school, or ride with an instructor until you can. I do wish people would understand they are responsible for the horse they are riding (or all too often, are sitting on!)

 

[fattylumpkin]

Just a quick update: no luck yet with yesterday's ride. As is blooming typical with horses she must've sensed that we had a plan for her and decided not to play ball. We started on the ground and my friend passed by with her gelding over and over getting nearer and nearer and she just stood there like a rock and didn't pull any funny faces, tail thrashing or foot stamping, she just ignored his existence. I felt hopeful, but suspicious. Then we went on a hack and tried bringing the gelding closer and eventually she started to react, so the minute the ugly face came out she was made to turn around and circle, but by then both horses were tired and the gelding started to get angsty. We're going to try again but with another mare next time.

 

[AmyMay]

Does she respond to a good growl?

 

[fburton]

I would be interested to hear more about the horses mentioned on this thread who are kickers. I.e. are they dominant or fairly low in the pecking order ...

That would be interesting to know - although I suspect that relative dominance isn't going matter for this kind of behaviour because any horse can be provoked into kicking if they feel threatened (and this can turn into a habit) and horses lower in the order can certainly kick more dominant ones, especially if they find themselves in a situation where they can't get away.

 

[fattylumpkin]

She responds to growling depending on her mood some days it works, some days not.

In answer to HashRouge I'm not sure where my horse is in the pecking order! Low I think. She does try it on in the field from time to time but the minute the other horse tells her off she turns into a timid fluffy bunny and submits. If other horses are at the gate when I turn her loose she gets upset and scuttles past them as if they were hot coals. There's a haflinger she likes to groom and she stands near him when when he's sleeping, but the same haflinger sometimes herds her around the field and bites her. She's always got teeth marks on her from other horses. YO tried putting her in with the oldies who are very gentle, but she turned into a despotic tyrant and terrorized them all. I wonder if she's a bit socially retarded tbh!

 

[FreshandMinty]

if it were me I would work from the ground up. Get someone in to help you with groundwork and a longline, doing all the usual things; backing up, yielding etc. Then you can work your horse on the long line in circle, lunging. You can then progress to working with other ‘guinea pig’ horses moving around her. The right person should be able to explain to you how to keep her focus on you, how to read her body language and stay a step ahead and disengage her hind quarters when she is about to kick. You could then progress to being on the lunge undersaddle and do the same. I emphasise, it needs to be the right person for the job.

 

[STRIKER]

All horses have their own space zone and depending on whether she was out with others as a youngster and learnt that its okay to invade this space, she is simply protecting herself. How to stop it. I dont think whipping does any good. Only keeping at the back of the ride is the safest for all concerned.

Agree the working on the ground, however i wouldnt volunteer my horse for such an exercise. Because you have to disengage at the exact moment, but you can learn when riding her when she is likely to give a pop and disengage her yourself, but if she kicks another horse you wont be popular.