Why do horses bite? I mean REALLY bite

[ArklePig]

Just musing on this really. New horse on the yard today, beautiful looking thing. I was stood outside its stable admiring it, not touching it or in its space. Literally just standing at a good distance saying how pretty he was. In hindsight I should have left it alone. Anyway, it bit me, and I mean it really bit me, he kind of recoiled his head into his neck and sprung out at me with a proper forceful bite so it was almost like an attack rather than a leave me alone nip. He got me in the boob but luckily didn't break the skin as I was wearing a fleece, a baselayer and a padded sports bra lol.

Obviously I've made yard owner aware - not in a complaining way, just thought she should know. I've never seen anything like it and just wondering if this is normal in a horse who may be anxious on a new yard or if that's particularly bizarre behaviour?

 

[Michen]

Some horses really don’t like people in their personal space outside their stable. One of mine flattens his ears and snakes his head at people/horses walking by with the exception of the people that “deal” with him aka me and my sharer, where the ears are always pricked forward and he’s all sweetness and joy ?‍ doesn’t bite though.

 

[ArklePig]

That's the thing if I saw flat ears I'd give a super wide berth, I've just never seen a horse go from zero to 100 like that was just wondering if it was usual. Poor thing, I hope he settles in soon.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I used to stable next door to an 18hh horse who did this. Was not a fan as he had a VERY long neck and long reach and was fast. It took me a while to remember to stay very far away when passing his stable or doing chores nearby. And occasionally I’d forget and have a near miss.

 

[shortstuff99]

It is a defense mechanism, new place, nervous horse, new human at the front.

There was an old stallion on a yard I was at once, he hadn't had the best life so could be very aggressive. The water tap was near his stable and if he was in you had to be very careful. I was filling up a bucket once with my back to the stable as I thought he was out. Turned out he was actually in and he suddenly launched over the stable door, picked me up by my shoulder and flung me. I doubly watched out after that!

Also this video....

 

[ArklePig]

Omg shortstuff that sounds terrifying. Also that video ? yes in hindsight I should have ignored him and admired from further away! We live and learn I guess I just never thought he'd do that but will be more careful in future.

 

[Spottyappy]

One of mine years ago, launched at me for absolutely no reason I’m aware of.
like Shirtstuff, he picked me up. He grabbed me by the shoulder. Luckily, it was winter and I was very padded out, but I had a huge bruise.

 

[Gloi]

It is a defense mechanism, new place, nervous horse, new human at the front.

There was an old stallion on a yard I was at once, he hadn't had the best life so could be very aggressive. The water tap was near his stable and if he was in you had to be very careful. I was filling up a bucket once with my back to the stable as I thought he was out. Turned out he was actually in and he suddenly launched over the stable door, picked me up by my shoulder and flung me. I doubly watched out after that!

Also this video....

Years ago the farrier's new apprentice stood outside a stallion box at a yard I was at and was picked up and thrown in exactly the same way.

A friend of mine asked me to go and help someone with a new pony which was biting. I'd not expected more than a bit of rude behaviour but I got there and it was in a little paddock and as I approached it launched at the fence and slammed into it mouth wide open just like a guard dog would. It was horrendous. Funny thing was that if you got its driving bridle on, done over the stable door, once harnessed it settled down. It had been raised by someone who it learnt to bully and had no respect for people at all.

 

[PurBee]

Glad you had padding arkle...that sounds like a nasty bite he struck at you.

As others have said, it being a new place, the ‘new boy’, everything is unusual - so they feel intimidated - especially if they've been used to another place/routine for a while.

My mare was from a previous quiet home (not yard) for 10yrs, same 1 handler too - told she’s sweet and doesnt kick/bite - within the month she’d cow kicked my thigh and bit hard down into my shoulder! Escapee, tough to handle, feet etc...very ‘green’...but really it was all nerves, and wanting her old home/mates.
The new surroundings and different gender handler really fuzzed her brain and she went on the defensive.

Took her 6 months to settle really, due to her just 1 previous home with same horses. Now she trusts me and she’s a real sweetie, as described! Lol

 

[Wishfilly]

That type of bite is nasty, and it's not normal, but...

The way we "stare" at horses can feel quite predatory/intimidating to them, and arguably if you are within bite range, you are in his space.

I'm not blaming you at all, but it's worth bearing in mind that behaviour you may think is innocuous can feel quite intimidating to a horse.

 

[ArklePig]

Totally agree wishfilly, I clearly upset him or intimidated him-if only we could talk to them and say 'it's okay, I'm only saying how gorgeous you are!' eh!

Lesson definitely learned to leave new horses well alone. I'm not upset by it, just a bit perplexed as there were no warning signs-as you said its not completely normal, but I can see how he would be defensive in a new home.

I only mentioned it to yard owner as the woman who stables next to this horse and is incidentally yard owners sister, has two (very well behaved) kids and I'd hate to think it could happen to them and I had said nothing! ? He settles in well and doesn't display that kind of behaviour again.

 

[Wishfilly]

I agree it's a good idea to let people know.

Is this on your share horse's yard?

 

[ArklePig]

Riding school loan pony-which is why it gave me chills, lots of kids about. yo was very good about it was a bit mortified and thanked me for letting her know.

I'm finishing up with him this week as per prior arrangement, the way things have worked out I've ended up with an overlap and have two horses this week that live 30 mins apart from each other! Am exhausted ? share horses yard seems a much calmer place and a better fit for me so am very much looking forward to getting stuck in with him!

 

[SEL]

My mare used to bite when she was younger. Combination of being hand reared and extremely food aggressive. She once launched herself at me just as I picked up a dropped whip and i retaliated instinctively with a whallop across her neck. She was shocked (so was I!) but I think that was the first time she'd actually had proper consequences. I'm not actually sure when she stopped but she doesn't do it now.

We have a huge incredibly bad mannered warmblood in the yard who most of us won't handle. I led him to his paddock last summer - calm day, normal routine - & he got his teeth around the top of my arm with no warning. I couldn't tell him off in the moment because if he'd pulled back I think I'd have lost a bicep! If it was my yard I wouldn't have him on it because ultimately a YO is responsible. A new horse you might give the benefit of the doubt to because it's unsettled but I'd be extremely careful

 

[vmac66]

My mare used to bite when I first got her. After the day she bit me on the thigh with no warning then went back to calmly eating her haynet I always keep one eye on her whatever I'm doing.

 

[Sandstone1]

Poor horse, hes obviously either been hit or spoiled neither of which are his fault. Some horses dont like people staring at them, if you were within range of him biting you you were pretty close.
He might just need to settle or he might need some work to help him stop behaving like that. I dont mean hittting him either! aggression often breeds aggression. Most bad behaviour is caused by humans sadly.

 

[Casey76]

One of the horses at my old yard used to bite viciously. It started out by him lunging and biting when he was a youngster and he was never corrected for it, and his owner used to actively encourage him to bite things. Once time she was hacking and had stopped to chat to someone in the village and out of the blue the horse lunged and bit a bystander on the chest causing significant bruising... and still he was never corrected.

By the time I left the yard, he could be standing, calm as you like, ears forward, interested etc, and absolutely out of the blue, lunge and bite, normally shoulder of chest, depending on how tall you were, but once he got someone on the neck/side of the face.

 

[Sleipnir]

My older gelding bites when he's very, very stressed and unable to escape the situation. I appreciate knowing this, because it reminds to help him and to de-escalate whatever is stressing him out. Considering the facts, provided by the OP, I'd guess that the new horse is also probably extremely stressed out right now and needs time to settle down - in situations like this, even an admiring gaze by a stranger can be translated as a predatory stare while the horse is locked in and unable to escape. Hope he gets better soon and nobody gets injured!

 

[smolmaus]

I only mentioned it to yard owner as the woman who stables next to this horse and is incidentally yard owners sister, has two (very well behaved) kids and I'd hate to think it could happen to them and I had said nothing! ? He settles in well and doesn't display that kind of behaviour again.

Oof, doesn't bear thinking about! ? Glad your poor boob is okay ArklePig!

I've had a good few nips over the years but all just inappropriate communication, nothing that was ever intended to do any damage. We do have one at the rescue who will bite and bite hard but he gives you plenty of warning with big scary faces first (and he has significant trauma from his past so it's hard to blame him). Giving no warning at all is bloody scary.

 

[SEL]

One of the horses at my old yard used to bite viciously. It started out by him lunging and biting when he was a youngster and he was never corrected for it, and his owner used to actively encourage him to bite things. Once time she was hacking and had stopped to chat to someone in the village and out of the blue the horse lunged and bit a bystander on the chest causing significant bruising... and still he was never corrected.

By the time I left the yard, he could be standing, calm as you like, ears forward, interested etc, and absolutely out of the blue, lunge and bite, normally shoulder of chest, depending on how tall you were, but once he got someone on the neck/side of the face.

This sounds like the warmblood that caught me around the arm. I'm not the first to suffer a nasty bite and I doubt I'll be the last.

 

[SEL]

I only mentioned it to yard owner as the woman who stables next to this horse and is incidentally yard owners sister, has two (very well behaved) kids and I'd hate to think it could happen to them and I had said nothing! ? He settles in well and doesn't display that kind of behaviour again.

You did the right thing. Ultimately the YO is responsible for safety and if its new yard nerves then everyone can keep their distance for a while.

 

[Sprat]

It needs to be nipped in the bud quick-sharp. A horse at an old yard bit a fellow livery when she was walking past his stable, he took a huge chuck out of her breast and she ended up having to undergo reconstructive surgery. She sued the owner, successfully.

 

[Shilasdair]

I think you need to be careful with body language.
Standing square to horses, and staring at them (even if meant as kindly admiring) is a predatory threat behaviour.
And for an already stressed horse, he probably couldn't cope.
Try standing sideways on, rest a leg (bend your knee), glance at him only briefly, and maybe let him smell you.

I've worked with horses for decades and only been bitten once, by a 2 year old who I was hand twitching as he had his hind leg stuck in a metal gate. I let him go and turned away to help lift the gate off its hinges and he got me in the second I was sideways on. You could have aged him from the bruise on my ribs. Not his fault at all - he was in pain and scared.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My friend's old stallion bit her badly. He was a lovely chap, bred by them and had done everything, everyone loved him. She was bringing him in one day and just reached back to shut the gate behind them. He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her off the ground. Took a big chunk out of the muscle. She was left badly scarred. Stallion was collected by the hunt and put down. They had noticed he was getting a bit grumpy and with hindsight it was thought that he had a brain tumour. This was so out of character for him they weren't prepared to take chances. She later developed breast cancer on that side, may or may not have been connected but it killed her.

 

[BaronSamedi]

Defending itself and its territory, new horses should be left alone by anyone that doesn’t have a reason to go near. The staff handling should be told what the horse is like by the owner and other people should keep distance until he/she has been there a while

 

[BaronSamedi]

It needs to be nipped in the bud quick-sharp. A horse at an old yard bit a fellow livery when she was walking past his stable, he took a huge chuck out of her breast and she ended up having to undergo reconstructive surgery. She sued the owner, successfully.

Stupid woman. She had no right to sue the owner

 

[ArklePig]

Stupid woman. She had no right to sue the owner

Sorry to derail my own thread, but I can't let this slide. She had every right if it it happened as @Sprat said and I've no reason to doubt her. There are very strict laws around animals being under control and with good reason. Yes we should all be careful-for example I'll be more aware in future.

But, I'm sure that lady was traumatised, are you saying she should expect to get aggressively bitten to the point of needing surgery for the crime of walking past a stable? Sorry I don't ever lose my temper on here but that comment makes you seem extremely ignorant and cold. Also, if she had no 'right' to sue, I'm sure a judge wouldn't have found in her favour.

Errin, I couldn't bring myself to like your comment but I'm so sorry about your friend.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Funnily enough Jacob bit me for the first time yesterday. He had the saddle fitter and was waiting for his dinner, he had had enough of the saddles coming on and off and being fiddled with etc and gave me enough warnings so he turned round and got me on the thigh. I ignored the warnings as it had to be done for his benefit and he has never so much as nipped since I first instilled some manners in him, so serves me right really! He was told in no uncertain terms that it’s not acceptable though, despite the fact I don’t blame him.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Sorry to derail my own thread, but I can't let this slide. She had every right if it it happened as @Sprat said and I've no reason to doubt her. There are very strict laws around animals being under control and with good reason. Yes we should all be careful-for example I'll be more aware in future.

But, I'm sure that lady was traumatised, are you saying she should expect to get aggressively bitten to the point of needing surgery for the crime of walking past a stable? Sorry I don't ever lose my temper on here but that comment makes you seem extremely ignorant and cold. Also, if she had no 'right' to sue, I'm sure a judge wouldn't have found in her favour.

Errin, I couldn't bring myself to like your comment but I'm so sorry about your friend.

I agree with Arklepig. I understand if you get to close to a stabled horse it is at your own risk, and you shouldn’t approach an unknown horse.

But many yard set ups involve walking past to other stables / feed room / tack room etc within lunging reach of stabled horses.

A horse with a tendency to not tolerate people passing stable within lunging and biting distance should be signpost snd in a stable no one needs to pass in proximity.

My yard is set up so there is a block of stables, with a bit of an overhang, and a concrete walkway. The stabled horses could lunge over door snd reach lead horses or people walking on the path.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Sorry but I feel sorry for the new horses owner. Standing being nosey, and close enough to be bit without the owner being present at a new arrival of an unknown horse has now caused a huge question mark over this horses stay and its owners enjoyment of the yard.

If you had not been stood close enough to have been bitten the horse probably would not have even reacted whilst it settled in.