what a mare!!!!!

[debonhorse]

Hi all
for all of you who I havnt had the pleasure of chatting to yet (I am new here) I look forward to chatting with you all, as I need a lot of confidence building, assurance and advice. I am sure you will all get fed up of my stupid questions LOL
I have just taken on 2 horses(on Loan) a 17.1 gentle natured mare t/b (17 years old) and a 5 year old 15.2 chestnut stroppy mare.(t/b)
The latter is my problem...... she was backed for the first time in April of this year, and is an abdolute dream to ride (although still very green and quite fizzy) but on the ground she has the worst habit BITING.
She can have her ears forward. I can be rubbing her face/ears etc. which she loves, when all of a sudden the ears go right back and she is trying to take chunks out of me for no reason what so ever.
Her owner who bred her has always fed her titbits, she has a sniff on me for these(which I never carry) and if I dont offer her any she will threaten me and really try to bite me. she dosnt actually lunge forward but she does open her mouth and you hear her teeth clunk together. She hasnt bitten me yet but I tink it is a matter of time before she does.
When being groomed, she has to be muzzled, and someone has to hold her while I groom her, and if she cant bite she will try to kick, I know all of this is very bad manners but HOW DO I STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING??????? It is difficult, as even if I go to the field gate, she will come trotting down, whinnying, ears forward all friendly and then when she realizes I dont have a treat for her she will threaten me;over the gate. The owner (an old man) lives on site, and wont hear of me 'biting' (NOT LITERALLY LOL) back, he says its just her nature as her mother was like that!!!! he also fed her mother titbits!
I am always weary of turning my back on her as you hear her teeth go for no reason what so ever. If she didnt have this awful habit she would be my dream horse, PLEASE HELP. HOW CAN I TEACH A 5 YEAR OLD BETTER MANNERS without putting my life in danger!!!
ANY HELP gratefully recieved.

 

[Skhosu]

If the owner won't let you deal with it(not sure how I'd sort it out but...physical checks and then help from an experience person might be a start?) I would give it back!

 

[kirstyfk]

If you are not allowed to decipline her than I wouldn't risk my life to be honest. Personally every time she went to bit you i would give her a tap on her cheek and say no but it has to be consistant. I really am not a big fan of tipbits as the problem is quite common.

 

[mrgoop]

Sounds like you have yourself a lot of hard work, probably for a long time. I agree with the others, she needs to be disiplned and needs to know her bounderies, if you are not allowed to show her the basic rules she can never learn any different behaviour. You could always have all her teeth out, LOL. Seriously, she sounds like a nightmare. Get yourself some help. Good luck, with her. I don't think anyone would blame you if you bailed out!!! Take care

 

[Fairynuff]

The next time the owner is OUT and she lifts a foot to kick give her a damn good thrashing. You joked about bitting her back-DO IT! The muzzle is the best place or on the neck, just do it HARD.Its always worked for me, probably the shock of being bitten by a human does it. If you cant get her over it then leave well alone. Mairi.