What can we do about horror pony?

Hullabaloo

Hullabaloo

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One of the ponies at our yard has developed a nasty habit of biting people.
A couple of years back he bit me on the neck when I was fixing a rail between his field and mine. He did the same to his owner soon after. I've never trusted him since but he didn't do it for ages.
Over the past few months he has started to do it again. He's bitten his owner a couple of times and once knocked her over, tried to bite someone else (who luckily had a big coat on) and now yesterday has bitten the owner of one of the ponies he shares a field with while she was adjusting the electic fencing. He sneaked up behind and bit her hard on the back. She's got a hell of a bruise and now won't letter her daughter go into the field to catch her pony incase he attacks her too. That's fairly typical of his mode of attack - run in, bite hard and run away. He doesn't do it on the yard, only in the field and is well out of the way before you can do anything.
I know his owner will be distraught - she's a lovely person, just not very knowledgeable. Her daughter has outgrown him but she won't sell as she adores him (and he's a quirky little so and so!).
I know she'll be looking for help on what to do with him and I wondered if anyone else had encountered anything like this and had any suggestions?
 
Next time this horse bites someone, tell whoever it is to whack him VERY HARD on his quarters with a schooling whip, as soon as he's done it.

My lad bit me once on the upper arm about two years ago and drew blood. I had a stick in my hand at the time and walloped him with it. He has never bitten me or anyone else since.
 
Definately does need a good smack & telling off - problem is you have to catch him first. He's only done it once when being handled - that was with his owner and she belted him straight away. Usually he's leaving the scene before you know what's happened.
When he bit my neck I was throwing bit of broken fence at him but I'm a rotten shot
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my sisters horse bites has since we bought him and we have so far never managed to stop him, tried smacking him. He knows now though so he bites and then runs!
 
next time anyone goes into the field DO NO turn your back on him. If you keep your wits about you im sure you can see it coming!! take a stick with you and when he goes to try it smack him really hard!! its not just little nips he is doing so he needs it knocked out of him
 
Pony at the yard bites - hard.
We've been told to smack her on the chest or when she turns to bite you flick at her nose - or growl. Seems to work and she only trys it with new people now and us 'oldies' she leaves alone and doesn't try it.
 
fresh air in a can works rather well (the noise of presurised air scares the life out of them!!)
if that fails i know one person who used a personal attack alarm with immediate results! he bit, she let it off!
 
Ive been told to stamp my feet at the offending horse/pony . I learnt it from Ga-Wi-ne (sp) pony boy.
Its a trait from there wild instincts. 2 horses squaring off; 1 will always stamp there feet.
 
i agree with burton dog, make sure his owner or someone else isnt giving him treats in the field, my pony is now banned from getting treats from anyone as this caused him to start biting, its now stopped and god help people that i catch feeding him! he gets his treats in a bucket or on the ground!
 
Get one of those air horn things - that make the loud noises, and have it in your hand ready to go - water pistol or anything like that would work - pretend like you are going about your business checking your fencing etc, but secretly be watching him so that as soon as he goes to bite - frighten the living crap out of him!

You just have to make sure that everyone who goes in with him is ready to follow the same rules. O(Oh yeah - an be prepared to dodge a flying leg as he runs for the hills!!)
 
would be a bit careful about stamping feet I took this advice from a trainer to try and deal with my horse and ended up bitten and kicked really badly as if they are assertive animals like some horses are, they will take it as a que to assert themselves and fight if need be. A friend of mind has a coat with metal currycombs sewn to it very effective and quite funny to watch as well!!!
 
Carry a whip with you all the time. If he bites, make him think you're going to kill him for 3 or so seconds. I mean, really get after him, beat him, shout. Once those 3 seconds have passed, go back to normal. If you do it right, you should only have to do it once.
 
Thanks guys - love the idea of the attack alarm or air horn - recon that might do the trick if we couldn't get hold of him to give him a beating. Will suggest it. Think we should keep a whip or stick handy too.
He definately doesn't get given treats - I think he just enjoys biting people the little git!
 
Depending on the size of the field, I'd pursue the little toad (keep a lunge whip handy) and lunge him round the field so he realises there are consequences to his actions.
S
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water pistol with a squirt in the face....

my mum once bit a horse back and drew blood... it never bit again!!! i wouldn't recommend this one though, but i think the pony had tried her patience to the absolute max!! lol!!

x x
 
Beating will teach it alot, Like shitting himself every time you get near him.
The chestnut in my siggy was abused like that.It took me 2 years before, i could raise my hand to her head. I spoke to her old owner at a show about her napping, His reply was "Give her a good kick in the stomache, that soon sorts her out" Probably the cause of her napping, fright.
Shes now 100% IN ALL WAYS by me asking her nicely. No fear now
 
[ QUOTE ]
Beating will teach it alot, Like shitting himself every time you get near him.
The chestnut in my siggy was abused like that.It took me 2 years before, i could raise my hand to her head. I spoke to her old owner at a show about her napping, His reply was "Give her a good kick in the stomache, that soon sorts her out" Probably the cause of her napping, fright.
Shes now 100% IN ALL WAYS by me asking her nicely. No fear now

[/ QUOTE ]

Do it once, fairly, and it won't harm them. Like I said- about 3 seconds to make them think they're going to die, then back to normal, no aggression. It's the constant slap, kick whack that makes them scared.
 
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