What to do when a horse bites you/how could I have handled this incident better?

[jkitten]

This happened a while ago and I didn't think much of it at the time, but seeing the biting thread over on the main board made me think of it and wonder if I should have acted differently.

Short story short, I was grooming my riding school horse before our lesson. He's in his early or mid teens, really good-natured with a cheeky streak. I was standing by his shoulder brushing away and he was rubbing his face against my side and back. Then out of the blue he chomped down on my shoulder, hard enough to leave a pretty heft bruise. It was completely unexpected, no warning whatsoever, and when I looked at him in astonishment I found his body language was totally relaxed and got the sense that he was just being cheeky and seeing what he could get away with. My reaction was pretty much instinctive, I gave him a firm tap/shove on his shoulder with the brush I was holding, not to hurt him but to express my feeling of 'hey that really hurt, I know you didn't mean it but you hurt me and it's not okay'. I think I said 'hey' in a similar tone, more like hurt/disappointed than angry. He swung his head away a bit, not up but a little wary, maybe wondering what I was going to do. I then went back to grooming where I left off, and he very quickly gave me what I choose to take as an apology nuzzle. After that everything was fine.

Looking back I realise that my actions were based entirely on instinct and sort of how I would react to a friend who hurt me through foolish behaviour, which is probably not the best way to deal with infamously skittish half-ton animals...

Advice from the veterans please?

 

[windand rain]

You need to keep your wits about you and check the bite before it happens depends on the horse but a bold cheeky horse biting me would be a swift tantrum on my part sending the horse away from me I don't hit or shout but face up to them and back them out of my space at speed. Once standing quietly out of my space I go back to what I was doing as if nothing has happened dont do this with a shy spooky horse or a nervous one in those cases quietly move them backwards out of your space and again without comment go back to what you are doing and repeat if it happens again slightly more forcefully

 

[Caol Ila]

Same as what windand rain said. My Highland gently nipped me, and it was gentle -- no worse than a slight pinch from a human -- and I was trying to pry off a hoof boot that didn't quite fit, but I still went a little ballistic. I didn't hit him, but quickly sent him out of my space with energy, and then went back to calmly pottering along. In fairness, I kind of deserved it -- their heels are sensitive -- but I don't want him to think nipping is an acceptable form of communication.

I also bought him new hoof boots.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Thee is a thread running on this in the tack room.

 

[Widgeon]

Could he have been "grooming" you in return? Just a thought, although it sounds a bit hard and painful for that.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Could he have been "grooming" you in return? Just a thought, although it sounds a bit hard and painful for that.

Yep this was my immediate thought; you'd said that he was rubbing himself on you just prior to the biting incident - you had allowed him to do this without challenging him - and he might have thought innocently enough that he could "mutual groom" you.

For me, I always seek an explanation that would fit the exhibited behaviour; and to me, that WOULD fit very well indeed.

I don't consider this horse was being nasty or vicious at all - it was simply that he misunderstood the situation.

Another time, you will be aware! It is important for all horses being handled to understand the ground-rules, and for me, I do not permit horses to rub themselves against me or treat me like another horse by chewing me or riffling my clothing! End of! If they start it then I will quickly carry out actions which will "tell" them that this is not acceptable!! I will click my tongue as well as using my body (and breathing as well) assertively and will big myself up and walk into their space to push them back so they are in no doubt that this is not ok. I am not rough and I never hit them; I am using my body-language just as they do so they know not to mutual-groom me.

Hope this helps.

 

[Arzada]

Advice from the veterans please?

I never let a horse rub its head on me. It is rare to see a horse rub on another horse. The only time I allow rubbing is after a ride and my horse has an itchy/sweaty head. Then, after the bridle is off, I will hold up both hands so that he can rub his head up and down between them. I wouldn't do this with anyone else's horse.

 

[jkitten]

Thank you all! I agree he is definitely not a vicious or bad horse, I was never afraid or intimidated because it was obvious he meant no harm, he had just gone a step too far and knew it immediately when I reacted. Maybe I'm humanising him but I really did get the sense that he was apologetic, and understood when I accepted his apology.

I would never let a horse riffle my clothes etc but I never thought of head rubbing in the same category. Maybe I need to start but I don't mind admitting I will miss it!

 

[criso]

Just another thought. A bite hard enough to leave a big bruise is not really a little nip, even when a horse tries to groom you it's more of a raking action than a big chomp. As you were grooming, could you have hit a sore spot or injury which could have caused a sudden snap in pain?

 

[jkitten]

I did have a look but I couldn't see anything, and he didn't react in any way when I went back to that spot. I don't think I would really call it a snap, it wasn't quick or sharp enough. More of a sort of thoughtful chomp...