treats over door now started head shaking, advice please!

[italylyns]

Hi all,

I am on a private yard ( moving soon to a bigger yard!) that is owned by an old couple who till last year always had horses.

My problem is that the old lady feeds in the mornings and always gives my 6 year old treats over the door. She also has friends who give mints over the door if he is in and now if you walk past or go near his door he gets angry if he doesnt get given anything!!

He shakes his head about and in the last few days he has started snapping out!

I have asked her to stop as i have been there 6 months and he NEVER did this before. Hopefully when i move him he will get out this habit.
Has anyone had the same thing or know how i can snap the habit???

Thanks!

 

[Enfys]

Just be really firm with the YO and say, very politely "No treats, at all" as you are concerned that he will bite and injure someone, don't lay any blame, what is done is done, he will soon get out of the habit if it isn't getting him anywhere.

For safety sake I would also put a note on the door as well.

When you move yards make it clear that he is to be fed nothing by hand.

As to breaking the habit, perhaps teach him to back up when anyone comes in or passes the door?

If it is persistant at the moment and there is no space for people to avoid him then consider putting a bar above his door so that he cannot lean so far over. Or, does he absolutely have to be in?

I feel your pain, everybody on my yard loves the minis, so they started giving them treats, the inevitable happened one day and Rose bit a little girl's fingers quite badly.

I got the blame of course, I wasn't there at the time, I had asked and asked for them not to be treated, and had even put up notices. In the end I put a big sign on the gate and fixed the fencing so that it was live (and of course I have to put signs up saying "Fence is ON" then too) and the ponies wouldn't go near anyone.

I never hand feed, and all my horses have been spoiled (in my view) because flipping liveries will insist on giving treats - really pees me off. I hate putting LEAVE MY HORSES ALONE signs on doors, but I have done so Angry YO hat on there, sorry

 

[italylyns]

Its very frustrating as i have asked but she has been seen heading to the yard with a carrier bag of goodies!!! GGRRR

he is such a sweet boy but looks so nasty when he shakes his head about, dont want him to turn nasty over food :-(

need to move yard asap i think!!!