Whats your biggest bugbear about horses's manners?

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

I was having a discussion with some friends today about horses having manners, and we starting talking about what lack of horse manners annoys us most. It was really interesting.

My personal bugbear is deffo horses who don't turn for gates. There is nothing worse than a horse shooting though a gate, desperately trying to hold on to said horse as they attempt to get to wherever you are trying to take them, whilst trying to stop other horses coming out and shut the gate with the other. Any horse I work with learns that they come out, turn around, and wait patiently whilst I shut the gate, pronto!

What lack of manners annoys you most?

 

[xloopylozzax]

above, and barging. both easy to fix, but both overlooked the majority of the time, its not "normal" or ok!

or head rubbing

(as well as usual biting, rearing, kicking...)

 

[Potato!]

I hate it when your leading a horse and they are pulling almost to the point of dragging you.

The first thing i did when i bought my bolshy Haffie was to teach her manners when leading.

She is so good now that i dont actually need a leadrope (but i use one anyway just incase).

 

[SavingGrace]

Barging, dragging, rubbing head on you and biting!

 

[stargirl88]

Leaning full on against the stable door in preparation to throw themselves out of it once they hear the bolt! I can't bear it.

 

[RuthnMeg]

Barging drives me bonkers
Napping would make me insane
and I like to have a horse that picks its feet up, without leaning on you or kicking out. I normally do this from one side or the other. Most are very good, but you get the odd few.....

 

[misterjinglejay]

Rubbing on you and walking off when being mounted (which Reilly is far too good at!)

 

[Allie5]

All the normal ones biting, kicking etc but a personal no no for me is horses with no concept of personal space! I'm all for affection and love snuggling in for a cuddle but I don't want mugged when I'm trying to talk to someone or do something on the yard. My 18 month old knows he must step back to let me into his stable, he will stand where he is put ( on a loose lead rope) until he is invited into my space. I hate horses rubbing their heads on me or having my pockets searched!

 

[xloopylozzax]

oh yeah, when i enter the stable they are up against the back wall as soon as the bolt is touched and stay there until i call them towards me. general good manners, even if i have food! stops being knocked and barged aswell

useful if your doing waters so you dont have to shut the door each time, back and stay there sort of thing.

 

[SonnysHumanSlave]

Barging!! And snatching food, like feed bowls, and at Hay when hanging nets!

Teds habit that really Irritates me, is if tied up and your doing something, and he wants to turn round and look at something, It wont matter if your standing there, he will just shove you out the way to look. I have nudged him the other way so many times he still does it! Its not intentional, he's just thick! lol

 

[Banner Year]

pulling faces at the mare in the stable opposite him! he's the lovliest horse with people just not that keen on other horses whilst he's in his box

 

[bryngelenponies]

A lot of things I can forgive but barging really gets to me. I hate horses that have no respect and throw their weight around- biting and kicking is also a bit of a bugbear. I used to help look after a horse on my old yard who was really stressy and high maintenance: bit anyone who dared walk past and often threw a kick in for good measure whilst you were walking him but the thing that always got to me the most was his barginess.

 

[FanyDuChamp]

On the ground, I won't tolerate barging or being dragged along. Both mine lead nicely. Can't stand a horse that won't back up for you to go into the stable.
Captain's worse mannered behaviour is he hates the vet and is hard to get to stand for him.Also he is a rearer, but Elizabeth just deals with that. I no longer ride much, due to illness and injury.

Fany doesn't really have any bad manners ridden or on the ground, her worse fault is that she will not lunge, so many people have tried. A friend stood and said "I'll get her lunging" She refuses to move and it makes no difference who it is. Also hates schooling, just as well she was bought as a happy hacker, which she is.

Both have been taught not to leave their stable, even if the door is open. I hate not being able to leave the door open with out worrying they'll be off. Cappy tried once and we made him walk backwards all the way to his stable. Not done it since.

FDC

 

[LadyLuck1977]

Horses that rub themselves on you, I'm not a scratching post. Horses that wont lead properly don't like being pulled around.

 

[riding_high]

pulling when being led, pushing their butts in your face for a bum scratch when you walk past, biters, kickers, door kickers, horses that charge at the stable door then back up and repeat (seen a few do that and blank the people around them) and horses that don't understand what standing means when you get on or off.

 

[conkers]

I hate it when horses cling onto you when being led so they are almost walking in your footsteps.
And horses who have no respect for your personal space and who leap on you with no notice.
Both of mine are really good to lead. It always amazes me how many horses aren't

 

[Kenzo]

I don't have a particular bugbear, all of them are annoying.

Horses that won't stand to be mounted or won't stand still next to the mounting block.

Horses that are in your face and invade your space (ooow little ryme there )

Horses that don't wait to be invited out of their stalls and just try to walk out as soon as you open the door.

Horses that won't lead correctly on a simple headcollar.

Horses that don't back up or move over or just simply stand still.

 

[Bug2007]

Not standing still, i can manage verything else it can be trained out of them. But a horse that is just fidgety drives me mad, most of all when trying to plait.

 

[L&M]

Ones that snatch at grass either when being led out or ridde

Ones that bully you for food - my 2 lads appear to smile as if to say 'good morning' as I go to get their morning feeds, but the other 2 liveries kick the door and whinny until they get attention/feed - drives me up the wall!

 

[maggiesmum]

Pretty much all of the above, I have very low tolerance for bad manners, my 9yo son comes to the yard with me and I refuse to have him hurt for the sake of teaching manners. He can handle either of my ridden horses (16HH TB and 17HH hunter) but knows to give the 2yo some space as whilst she is very well mannered she's only young and a little more unpredictable.

It does run across the board though, my dogs are not allowed to pull / jump up etc etc and my son's pretty well trained too! LOL

It drives me crackers when I see kids being rude to their parents and people allowing their dogs to tow them down the road! And thats the point its all about what you'll allow or tolerate, I believe (and I'm aware that it sounds harsh and lots of people disagree - sorry) that a lack of manners plays a big part in todays society, horses that start head rubbing can very quickly start to try their luck with other things, dogs that are allowed to pull quite often jump up, once one thing is 'allowed' another usually follows until it rollercoasters into a real problem.... hence the large amount of remedial trainers and dumped dogs.

Maybe if some of these asbo children had learnt some manners and discipline they wouldn't be so out of control??

By teaching manners and discipline we set an animal (horse, dog, human whatever) up for life and if we have to sell a horse or re home a dog its chances will be far better if its well mannered and well behaved.
Sorry - rant over.

 

[Charla]

My filly drives me insane when she's tied up and I move my gelding about a foot away from her, she starts neighing, pawing the ground, won't stand still and just generally makes a real fuss. It really winds me up, especially if my gelding is still in her sight and really close to her!
I'm going to have to work on that.

I also hate it when horses are bargy and horses that aren't polite to lead.

 

[Vetwrap]

Barging, pulling when being led, not turning for gates, thinking that they can take off like their **** is on fire the moment their feet touch grass...

Door kicking, I cannot abide. It drives me up the wall. Biting is another one - but there are so many people who will stand there playing the the horses mouth and then complain when they get nibbled... SO DON'T PUT YOUR HAND IN IT'S MOUTH!!!!!!!!

I also dislike those horses that show no manners at gateways when you are trying to get another horse out the field. I have and will gently bounce the gate off them to get them to move back. They do learn.

 

[Seahorse]

All the above but most of all horses that paw the ground when tied up, until their well trained owners give them a haynet that is...

 

[maggiesmum]

I also dislike those horses that show no manners at gateways when you are trying to get another horse out the field. I have and will gently bounce the gate off them to get them to move back. They do learn.

Thats my method too! They learn to move themselves around the gate once they realise it doesn't move for them.

 

[Pipkin]

i hate bargers and biters.


My horses bad manners

Rox - walks off whilst mountain

Beau - rears if he doesn't get his own way

Ayla - doesnt have any is so well behaved she wont eat her food until i`m out of the stable doesnt barge, doesnt push, doesnt bite, kick, she does rub her head on me but only when i let.

 

[only_me]

Walking all over you.

And horses that won't tie up!

 

[FanyDuChamp]

Forgot Cappy is a door kicker if he does not get attention. All round bad mannered horse. Still a lot better than when we bought him. Used to rear and kick when we lead him, when we first got him.

The door kicking we have never managed to get him out of. Other than that he is getting there. Any ideas about getting rid of the habit gratefully received.

FDC

 

[monkeybum13]

2:
- Door kickers
- Horse that have no manners when being led and walk all over you/drage you where they want to go.

 

[Sadiemay]

Horses that dont stand to be mounted drive me insane as well as the usual rearing, bucking and especially napping.

And finally the biggest current bugbear is pawing/scraping the ground.

In the 18 years I have had Sadie she still does it, its starts off as begging then proceeds to scraping even though I have done my best to train her out of it. Its one of the reason's I still have to have her shod up front even though she is retired and not in work.

 

[spotty_pony]

Probably napping, I have had both of my boys from a young age and so they have never learned to nap but I find it very frustrating working with a nappy horse.

Also, I hate barging, walking into you when your leading them and door kicking.