LankyDoodle
Well-Known Member
I have been trying to understand this behaviour in the 17.3hh warmblood I have had for 9 weeks. I have, however, known the horse for 4 or so years.
He is the most gentle animal you could come across, but I have noticed that for absolutely no apparent reason, he will suddenly pick one or other back leg up, twitch it up and down and then kick it backwards as if to kick out. The first part of this movement is as if he is trying to remove something, and the latter is akin to kicking out.
He never does it when other animals or people are around him, and if he does then it is not directed towards them. There is not an ounce of malice shown. I have noticed it happens most when he is tied up for a longish time (like today), although it does happen at other times. I have also noticed that he will sometimes do it as he poos, as if he is disturbed by that in some way!!
The thing I should mention is that from March to October he is blighted by sweet itch and mainly gets it on his belly (horrendously). He scratches his belly using these back legs (and that is what the first part of the action looks like), but he also kicks out at the flies a lot as they understandably annoy him. I wonder if this is an almost involuntary movement born out of habbit because of the scratching.
I also wondered if having fillet strings or back ends of rugs dangling round his legs is annoying him enough to make him do this.
Confused because there is just no malice there at all :S Any ideas? I obviously want people to be wary around him but I also don't want them to have the wrong idea about him.
He is the most gentle animal you could come across, but I have noticed that for absolutely no apparent reason, he will suddenly pick one or other back leg up, twitch it up and down and then kick it backwards as if to kick out. The first part of this movement is as if he is trying to remove something, and the latter is akin to kicking out.
He never does it when other animals or people are around him, and if he does then it is not directed towards them. There is not an ounce of malice shown. I have noticed it happens most when he is tied up for a longish time (like today), although it does happen at other times. I have also noticed that he will sometimes do it as he poos, as if he is disturbed by that in some way!!
The thing I should mention is that from March to October he is blighted by sweet itch and mainly gets it on his belly (horrendously). He scratches his belly using these back legs (and that is what the first part of the action looks like), but he also kicks out at the flies a lot as they understandably annoy him. I wonder if this is an almost involuntary movement born out of habbit because of the scratching.
I also wondered if having fillet strings or back ends of rugs dangling round his legs is annoying him enough to make him do this.
Confused because there is just no malice there at all :S Any ideas? I obviously want people to be wary around him but I also don't want them to have the wrong idea about him.
