What do you do if a horse bites, kicks, or threatens to?

Depends why. Usually it's better to avoid making a drama out of it.

If it's a defensive response (99%), then the key is to repeat whatever they're scared of until they're comfortable with it.
Cheeky nibbles whilst girthing up etc, can be met with an elbow or brush, without any drama, with a quiet NO.

However, if it was aggression they get hit, immediately, and HARD. Then straight back to business as usual.
 
Threats are responded to with a growl and finger clicking. Connections are met with a timely smack. High jinks in the field is met with waving arms and usually - If you f ing well catch me you will ruddy well know about sunshine! That's usually enough to send them wheeling away bucking and farting back across the field.

I know my horses well enough to know when they are trying it on and when they are genuinely sore. In Gray's case he is a 15yo gelding going on a 2yo colt in his head sometimes so he usually gets a telling off a couple of times a week for being ott. My stallions and colts have always had manners drilled into them from day 1.
 
I think we all have to be careful on an open forum suggesting that we approve of a smack. Most experienced owners will know to what extent and with what timing and lack of emotion a short sharp smack as a reprimand may be used but for novice owners and those under the spell of the "local expert" we should aware that they might take this as advice to wallop several times over, especially if they themselves are scared or angry
 
JillA said:
I think we all have to be careful on an open forum suggesting that we approve of a smack. Most experienced owners will know to what extent and with what timing and lack of emotion a short sharp smack as a reprimand may be used but for novice owners and those under the spell of the "local expert" we should aware that they might take this as advice to wallop several times over, especially if they themselves are scared or angry
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...but suggesting that it's all done with sugar lumps and "love" is irresponsible. There are guidelines - such as: never whack a horse more than 3 seconds after the behaviour, never more than three times, and never on the head (slap on the muzzle for biting being the exception). Horses are simple creatures; sometimes you have to reprimand them, and talking wuffly doesn't hack it I'm afraid. Many, many more horses are ruined - and I mean properly, dangerously out of control, need-to-be-shot ruined - by under disciplining than are actually cruelly beaten.
 
pennyturner said:
Depends why. Usually it's better to avoid making a drama out of it.

If it's a defensive response (99%), then the key is to repeat whatever they're scared of until they're comfortable with it.
Cheeky nibbles whilst girthing up etc, can be met with an elbow or brush, without any drama, with a quiet NO.

However, if it was aggression they get hit, immediately, and HARD. Then straight back to business as usual.
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This! Never infront of shoulder with anything colty as they just see that as a game IME. It really does depend on circumstances too, we have a 20yo gelding owned for 12 years who when we viewed him was described as victor meldrew. He’s pretty much never bitten but always pulls faces being rugged up- we just ignore it now- saves frustration all round! Equally my stallion is bottom of the herd and consequently can get a little food defensive over hard feed. It’s a normal response so we just make sure he’s done before he’s fed and if we forget put a headcollar on him before doing him to keep everyone safe. No dramas just horse sense and consistent handling.
 
One of mine will bite for Britain if he is in a situation he perceives to be stressful. In those circumstances I reassure him while being firm and fair. If however as sometimes happens he tries to take a chunk out of me just for the hell of it he will get a sharp no and reminder of his manners.
 
depends-as others have said. colty nibbling is met with meeting my fingers jabbing into side of muzzle or with my elbow. wouldn't hesitate to smack for a full on bite but would think carefully afterwards as to why the horse bit and address it.

High jinks in field is not tolerated-pony tried doing it (kicking out/bucking) while I fed him once when he was a 2yo colt and he got the feed skip up his backside-he's never done anything like that since-he's very mannerly.

Kicking really depends, mostly its defensive so don't see the point in doing much. if they kick out while I was doing something such as feet I would reprimand-even if they are sore I want them to remember their manners.

Feeding in the field aside, I do find this sort of behaviour pretty uncommon though and shouldn't be happening with the majority of family type horses? I'd be gobsmacked if either of mine did either tbh. The only thing the Fell tried when I first got him was tanking off in a head collar when I tried to wash his feet the first time and when a vet approached him with a big syringe lol-again, didn't get away with it, hasn't tried it since.
 
You don't have to hit a horse to have a mannerly horse.

I am sure there are horses out there who walk all over their owners but there are other ways. Some on this thread make out that you have to resort to hitting a horse if you want it's respect and that's just misleading.

I hope any novice owners reading this will think of a different way to deal with unwanted behaviours
 
JillA said:
I think we all have to be careful on an open forum suggesting that we approve of a smack. Most experienced owners will know to what extent and with what timing and lack of emotion a short sharp smack as a reprimand may be used but for novice owners and those under the spell of the "local expert" we should aware that they might take this as advice to wallop several times over, especially if they themselves are scared or angry
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I don't agree. I think there is much, much more damage being done to horses these days by handlers who want their horses never to dislike them than there ever was by one smack too many or 'too hard' (which is actually darned difficult!).
 
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Wheels said:
You don't have to hit a horse to have a mannerly horse.

I am sure there are horses out there who walk all over their owners but there are other ways. Some on this thread make out that you have to resort to hitting a horse if you want it's respect and that's just misleading.

I hope any novice owners reading this will think of a different way to deal with unwanted behaviours
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I don't think anyone has said you need to hit a horse to gain it's respect or to have a mannerly horse, I think what most have said is that a timely smack gives the horse a very clear message that the unwanted behaviour won't be tolerated, not unlike the way they get treated in a herd situation when they misbehave. TBH I don't think any timely smack I've given a horse has ever hurt it and if it did but made it think twice about repeating the behaviour then for me it's a risk worth taking. I've seen too many people injured by bad mannered horses that frankly just need proper boundaries set for them and I do not intend to be one of them!
 
As a novice owner I use my voice if threatened. My horse gets a little nibbly now and then, and I then push him away and ignore, which works. He doesn't kick, bite or barge.

There are a couple of horses at the local RDA that you have to watch. They are girthy and will try to bite, possibly from being yanked up quickly (which I don't do). Most times reassurance or a growled 'don't you dare' works. If they did go for me they would get an immediate slap on the nose or shoulder. Likewise kicking - threats get voice, actual attempts get a quick slap and a shout and then getting on with whatever it was. If I can't correct immediately or I think it's from pain/fear, I don't do either.
 
Wheels said:
Again, you don't need to hit a horse to have boundaries
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But sometimes you are faced with a mannerless thug who will walk right through you/over you unless prevented by timely firm physical chastisement. A well timed wallop can be a life saver - I doubt I would be alive to be posting on here now if I hadn't resorted to some pretty tough tactics at times with the young late chestnut git. I'd have been found squashed in the field or stable, probably.
 
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Surbie said:
As a novice owner I use my voice if threatened. My horse gets a little nibbly now and then, and I then push him away and ignore, which works. He doesn't kick, bite or barge.

There are a couple of horses at the local RDA that you have to watch. They are girthy and will try to bite, possibly from being yanked up quickly (which I don't do). Most times reassurance or a growled 'don't you dare' works. If they did go for me they would get an immediate slap on the nose or shoulder. Likewise kicking - threats get voice, actual attempts get a quick slap and a shout and then getting on with whatever it was. If I can't correct immediately or I think it's from pain/fear, I don't do either.
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Maybe the RDA horses have sore backs-not uncommon.
 
Wheels said:
Again, you don't need to hit a horse to have boundaries
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That depends on what has happened to it before you got it, and how long you are prepared to wait, and what risks you are prepared to take to instill some manners in it.

I frequently read things (not by you) where people seem to take a pride in 'kinder' methods taking longer than a quick slap. My own experience is that horses are happy to know quicker who the boss is and what the boundaries are.
 
Just to add it is also a question of scale and timing. My boy would kill you if you hit him he does bite and kick and attacks you he is dangerous and should be shot He has never had a bad day in his life he has been very strictly controlled as even as a new foal he was dangerous, He has had firm but fair treatment all his life in fact people think having to stand in his own space while caught is harsh give him an inch he will take a mile but we love him he mostly behaves with me. my oh and his much loved friend who backed him. He is the only pony I have ever met who loved someone so much he ran back from a field full of newly opened grass and put his own bridle on as best he could so he could continue being ridden.All this bearing in mind he is laminitic so rarely gets much good grass. he will rodeo with the best if he doesnt like you. If I cannot guarantee his life with me he will be shot. He will never leave us and will do the job he does now which is a field mate for the others, A job he is perfectly suited to as he is happy in company and on his own. We have driven him quite a bit as OH likes driving, I cannot trust him free in the field as his boundaries are very clear while on a lead loose he loses perspective and will attack. Fortunately he is only 12.2. So sorry hitting him will never be an option regardless of how he behaves. Driving him away is the only way to gain his respect
 
ycbm said:
That depends on what has happened to it before you got it, and how long you are prepared to wait, and what risks you are prepared to take to instill some manners in it.

I frequently read things (not by you) where people seem to take a pride in 'kinder' methods taking longer than a quick slap. My own experience is that horses are happy to know quicker who the boss is and what the boundaries are.
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I don't think another horse would take the "kind" approach. It would dish out its signal of disapproval immediately & with no mistake.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
Maybe the RDA horses have sore backs-not uncommon.
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That's a fair point. They have full checks termly because from the nature of their job they are carrying unbalanced riders. 2 of them are generally passed each time, are in the older generation at the stable and have a reputation for just being bloody-minded/needing clear boundaries.
 
ycbm said:
That depends on what has happened to it before you got it, and how long you are prepared to wait, and what risks you are prepared to take to instill some manners in it.

I frequently read things (not by you) where people seem to take a pride in 'kinder' methods taking longer than a quick slap. My own experience is that horses are happy to know quicker who the boss is and what the boundaries are.
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I know I've said on here before that my Appy came to me with issues. Not from abuse, but hand rearing as a foal followed by an owner who I think was out of their depth with a difficult youngster.

She was nasty in her stable. One day I opened the door and she launched at me and got her teeth around my arm before I could react. I had coincidentally picked up a dropped schooling whip that was by her door and whacked her across the neck with it. It was completely instinctive and we were both a bit shocked. She let go and from then on training her to step back and not come at me proceeded a bit more smoothly. The bruises on my arm were black for days.

Having watched her in a herd of mares that winter they weren't soft about teaching her how to socialise with them.

Not recommending that approach, but safety first and there were good reasons she was heading for a bullet back then sadly. Nowadays 'ah ah ah' gets her attention if she's getting herself into a state.
 
My new mare decided a bit of high jinks in the field was appropriate when getting her morning haylage. When a hoof whistled past my ear I did not agree, so for the last 2 days I have gone in the field with a schooling whip. Not smacked her at all but a few waggles of the whip has reminded her of her manners and this morning waited patiently for me to set down her haylage in the middle of the field, without bucking in my face!
In a dangerous situation though, I would not hesitate in giving any horse a smack.
 
I'm another that says 'it depends'. If a horse has hold of me in it's jaws and won't let go then absolutely wallop it to get it to let go.

However, in other circumstances I'd probably opt to go the full 'crazy lady' i.e. violently flapping lead rope, growling, backing them up for several paces, jumping up and down if I have to. Enough to make them think 'holy cow...don't think I'll do that again'. :)

Kicking is a whole different matter. We all know that a kick from a horse can shatter bones and if they are already of a mind to kick you need to be ever so careful how you handle it.

Recently one of mine swung round and aimed both barrels at my head. It was completely out of the blue. I knew I didn't have time to get out of the way and I basically stood there and thought 'this is it...game over' and waited for the impact. How he didn't make contact with my head I have absolutely no idea (I had my eyes squeezed shut!).

During the aftermath he somehow managed to kick me hard on the thigh. I was in agony but this is a young pony and I thought that I had to deal with it so he knew that it was totally unacceptable.

I'm not a Monty Roberts fan AT ALL but the only thing I could do, given the pain I was in, was drive him out on the circle and work him hard, making him change direction every couple of circuits (surreptitiously glancing down every now and then to make sure their was no blood coming through my jods).

He's been an absolute lamb ever since though I don't let my guard down around him. And I somehow managed to get away with a massive, painful bruise on my leg just above my knee. An inch lower and he's have smashed my kneecap.
 
Wheels said:
You don't have to hit a horse to have a mannerly horse.

I am sure there are horses out there who walk all over their owners but there are other ways. Some on this thread make out that you have to resort to hitting a horse if you want it's respect and that's just misleading.

I hope any novice owners reading this will think of a different way to deal with unwanted behaviours
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I hope you don't mind me going back to this post but the question was "What do you do if a horse bites, kicks or threatens to?" I am not a novice owner and I know my horses very well, as indeed do most of the others who have posted on here. Over the years we've had everything from pc ponies, youngsters, competition fit eventers, well bred big horses with quite a bit about them and without exception they have always been well mannered and polite to do in every way. When I was a novice owner I got support from people who were experienced and who also had well mannered horses What I realised very quickly is that horses read your body language and confident handling makes for confident horses but I put great store by how horses and ponies are started, this is when the boundaries are put in place. so, if one of my horses went to bite me, I'd know something was awry because it would be completely out of character. However, horses still need to mind their manners and a quick jab with the elbow or a sharp smack is not going to do it any harm and as I said in my earlier post, I'd be looking for the reason the horse reacted. With horses that bite or kick on a more regular basis, I think you are looking at a different issue which would need more than just a quick reprimand and tbh my first reaction would be to ensure I didn't put myself in a place where i could be bitten or kicked in the first place and I would be thinking that they were unsuitable horses for novices to be handling.
 
oldie48 said:
However, horses still need to mind their manners and a quick jab with the elbow or a sharp smack is not going to do it any harm and as I said in my earlier post, I'd be looking for the reason the horse reacted. With horses that bite or kick on a more regular basis, I think you are looking at a different issue which would need more than just a quick reprimand and tbh my first reaction would be to ensure I didn't put myself in a place where i could be bitten or kicked in the first place and I would be thinking that they were unsuitable horses for novices to be handling.
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completely agree :)

My WB struck out this morning, the physio was with us and she had the H wave on which is obviously a bit weird feeling. Out of the blue, out came a front leg. I was standing at the front, slightly to the side but could have been in the firing line if she'd lifted the other leg.. I booted her as she reached out with her leg, it was like a reflex. Didn't hurt her, she wasn't frightened, she just needed to remember her manners even when something odd is happening. And then we carried on as though nothing had happened, only this time she remembered to keep her feet on the floor :)

Some things can be so, so dangerous that it's important that they learn quickly and well that it's not allowed. If I'd made myself big and imposing and pushed her around instead, then she might have run backwards or squashed the physio, so I don't think that moving them about is always the most appropriate response. I didn't want her to move, I wanted her to not be rude ;)
 
I had a horse bite me once. It was a bite, not a nip. I got such a shock I didn't do anything. Have no idea why the horse did it and she never did it again.

Not great training on my part as I didn't do anything to discourage it from happening again, but at any rate it didn't.
 
Depends on the situation. If my colt or filly threaten to lift a leg/nip to me when I’m getting them used to touching over they get a sharp ah and a nip on the bum/belly/chest (no point me slapping it it will not even make a noise with foal fluff) and I’m happy to say they picked it up very fast and ah tends to stop most unwanted behaviour. I’ve not encountered a situation where one of my horses wanted to kick out in temper so can’t comment on that. One gelding did lift his legs a lot but I knew he was a good boy so knew he had an issue - turned out his long winter coat had got dirty and stuck up into his sheath, when that was cleared he never lifted his leg again. My big boy would swing his head around to nip and he did get an ah and a tap on the nose to protect myself, but again I knew something was up and he had a new saddle and the behaviour disappeared. I’ve nothing against a quick slap when the action is in progress, but if you move away and call them a few names then go back to hit them there is no point in it.
 
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I've always been very hard on my youngster whenever she's tried to do something untoward, but in a verbal, crazy maniac kind of way. I've only ever hit out of reflex, like the few times she's tried to bite I've instinctively given her a jab or a slap on the muzzle. Seeing as the smack comes out extremely rarely, when it does happen she tends to take it seriously and realise she dun goofed and apologises/behaves. As a result, she's not one to bite or kick, as she knows in no uncertain terms that these are not tolerated.

I think some people hit their horse for every little thing, and the horse eventually gets dull to it and just thinks it's a thing that happens, not a punishment/consequence of their actions.
 
Depends on the horse, their age, their background and their sensitivity and why they did it. I've had to give a good wallop (chest or shoulder), a sharp tap, a growl or just a look. Sometimes they need their feet moving, sometimes not. There are too many variables to say just a good smack every time. The key is a swift response, whatever it may be. Although some people think they're better horsemen (or more usually women) by boasting about how tough they are. There is a middle ground between too hard and fluffy bunny.
 
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horse bites are not to be taken lightly, IME they are a world apart from a cheeky nip (which is obviously to be discouraged!). I was once bitten by a mare, over her stable door on my shoulder. I am 48, this was when I was 16-through a shirt, jumper and wax coat and I still bear two scars from it, she didnt want to let go. she was also a kicker both under saddle and not and quite aggressive-one of the most aggressive I've met bar one, who had been used in a trial for a new tendon treatment in the 90s and who was sick of people sticking things in him, so fair enough. He was a racehorse we were rehabbing and two people saw to him at any one time. Another aggressive one was a colt by Storm Cat.
 
I think its impossible to give a clear answer on a forum. We all know our own horses (I know from his facial expression if he understands from my reaction if he did something wrong) and we manage our own risks.

Ideally we wouldn't smack / scare or intentionally cause harm unless it was in the interests of removing a greater risk. We are on this forum because we care about our horses and want to do our best for them. Sometimes that means being clear about boundaries. If these are well established early on then the need for reinforcement of rules should be relatively easy to deliver.

In the real world, some of us are brave and kind enough to give a second chance to a horse who didn't enjoy the best education and we need to be able to clearly and effectively communicate when a line has been crossed. As long as this is done with the best interests at heart, then it can't be judged at a distance on a forum.
 
My mare will only kick or bite when she feels threatened/ petrified. I have no idea what has happened to her in the past, it has only ever happened when more than one person is in her stable.
A loud yell at her is enough to back her off, if I hit or smack I think the situation would escalate. But we avoid situations like this where possible, whilst getting her used to it.

General duties outside the stable in other situations, general manners are expected, a timely smack on the shoulder works. Not that I have really had this with any of my horses
 
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