Would you hit your horse properly...

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atot

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Or could you physically, which might be the case, if his/her behaviour was just plain dangerous, and you wanted to?

Are you appauled by the thought of even laying hands on your horse in an aggressive way? If so, why?

I have never had to, and don't think I ever will with Chloe.

A well respected horseman I know beat (not repeatedly, 2 times) his 18hh hunter with a hunting whip after it reared vertically out of frustration from being left behind, out hunting. It worked because he had never done it before. No physical or mental scars left, and he stood still whilst his rider remounted. To you, would this be acceptable, or would you be fuming if you saw it?

What are your thoughts in general with disciplining a horse behaving very badly.(fresh spirited bucking not included...)

All thoughts appreciated, simply interested.
 
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Have hit horses numerous times for various misdemeanours
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and
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have used a crop as a punishment *slaps wrist*
and on saturday left whip marks on Dodges bum
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after an incident in the middle of the main road
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but think they only showed up cos he was mucky
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But then Im a very bad and cruel person
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eta: totally agree with huntsman
 
Sounds like the huntsman did exactly the right thing, he knew his horse best, knew the situation and took the right steps.

In answer to your first question I don't see two short sharp smacks with a crop would be wrong in those circumstances, luckily those circumstances haven't happened to me.
 
Yep if i think they deserve it. I think there is a huge difference between a horse that knows it is doing wrong and deserves it and a horse that doesnt know its doing wrong and is confused. I think all to often, bad riders are riding their mounts in the wrong way and mistaking their own bad riding as being the horses fault, or mistaking the horses confusion and anxiety as bad behaviour.
 
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But then Im a very bad and cruel person
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very true my dear
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i see things as their horse none of my business, people have different methods of dealing with situations so who am i to comment on how the do things with there own horse.
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i personally believe a god sharp smack on the shoulder is sufficent for a horse to stop and think but should that fail then yes i would consider hitting my horse, afterall they are much stronger and larger than us and should be kept in there palce to avoid them becoming a danger.
 
I wouldn't hit my coloured because he came from a place where he was repeatedly punished for no reason, and so for him it would be pointless, he would simply become scared of me and expect a random slapping. A couple of weeks ago I caught his eyelid with the clippers as he spooked and I can't remember who was more mortified, me or him, I cried I was so upset, not because I am a push over but because I am so careful not to upset him.
I have had some real little shites though, and I won't tollerate spiteful behaviour. I believe that if you have the chance to punish a horse for bad behaviour within a few seconds of it happening you should. Its no good your horse dropping you, belting around the field for 10minutes and then when he is finally caught getting a good slapping, as that teaches it confusion and doesnt have a positive effect. I have a very cocky little conny x TB that has a character on him, he gets a stern warning when he looks as though he is going to do something bad, and a growl and a smack across the soulder for doing it.
 
I could and would if it was needed! My 4 year old recently bit the top of my arm whilst I was doing her girth up - I yelled at her in big bad scarey voice and smacked her on the neck with my hand (bloody hurt my hand too!!) - she knew full well that she had done wrong and stood there like a saint afterwards.

Its only an effective punishment though if used when absolutely necessary!
 
I can say that there is a difference between a couple of hard smacks with a whip and beating a horse sh*****s.I will reprimand a horse for naughtiness but I disagree with some peoples view of telling their horse off.An example of this is someone I know who broke their whip through beating their horse after it whipped round on them and on another occassion after snatching its hoof away got several seriously hard kicks up the gut.That to me is abusive and personally I have always found that the merest growl followed by an instant smack when on the ground or a couple of good cracks with a whip if misbehaving when ridden is usually more than enough for a horse to behave.
 
I've only hit a horse (meaning properly hit, 2 hard thwacks on the backside with the whip upturned) once and he throughly deserved it.
 
I disagree with you. One of Rob's youngster's cornered me in the field and really really scared me. Given I shouldn't really have been in the field is irrelevant, I was, and the horse in front of me I believe would have seriously injured me had I not cracked it across the front of the chest. It is something I would do again should I be put in the same situation because had I not, not only would I have hurt myself but the horse would be lead to believe from a young age that this is acceptable behaviour.
 
I believe in discipline; I don't believe in beating seven shades out of an animal. There have been incidents in the past where I have had to deal out a fairly severe punishment, but it has been justified - no lasting effects on the horse, other than that the act of misbehaviour for which it was being reprimanded has not recurred since! I don't carry a whip as a general matter of course, as my horse rarely needs it; however I have had ponies in the past who have needed a few slaps down the shoulder practically every time we went out, to prevent napping. With a horse that bites, a slap round the chops is more than justified, as is a slap across the legs for a horse that has purposefully kicked out at you. What I dont agree with is the punishment of a horse for things like being head shy, scared of farrier/clippers etc. Some horses are genuinely frightened, and should not be whacked for this. I think it's down to the individual to dole out the correct kind of punishment; you should be able to tell whether your horse is misbehaving, or if it is genuinely scared.
 
I broke a whip hitting Moon out hunting (she leapt and landed on someone) but I didnt actually hit her that hard. It was a proper nice evnting whip too!!
 
I think it depends. If its out of naughtiness and purely the horse being impatient and it was dangerous I would tell the horse off. But if the horse is generally frightened then I wouldn't beat it. I clipped a horse the other day who was absolutely pretrified, everytime I went near it, she shook and kept jamming me into the wall, was doing round under her belly and next thing I see a leg fly past my head about 1inch awy from it. So I growled and tapped her leg, but didnt beat her and she didn't do it again!!
Again I was clipping this morning a pony, and she reared and it was generally being a bit scared and there wasn't any point beating her, I just growled and digged her in the belly and carried on and she was fine.
Some people would of beaten them in that situation, and to be honest there wouldnt of been much point!! Would of just made my job harder and longer and they'd be even more scared next time!! Its the main reason why I dont like owners being present when I clip for them!!!!
 
I wouldn't class two whacks with the whip as 'beating', I do believe that sometimes a horse does need a good whack, but only on rare occasions. I have nothing against a good thwack for seriously bad behaviour.
 
If a horse is knowingly misbehaving, I have no objections to that horse being repremanded quickly and sharply, after all - if you watch 'horse speak' in the field, if one steps out of line, the top horse gives them more of a pasting then the average persons telling off ever would.

Saying that, I do not agree with mindless beating, or the telling off of a horse that does not understand what is being asked of it. Confusion and fear should not be mistaken for bad behaviour.
 
If I felt the need to reprimand my horses or any horses I was riding I would do so and not feel bad about it either.
I won't tolerate bad behaviour by any horse in particular my own because there are times when others have to lead them into field or out of it and I like to think they are well behaved enough that they wouldn't try and take the p**s out of someone else if I were not present.
Both are big horses, Mcfly is not as tall as Doug but is very strongly built. He is young and inexperienced though so I do take that into consideration. On occasions he has played up with a foot when picking out and a growl and tap has done the trick as there is no need for heavy handiness at his age and his stage of training. I know he is taking the p**s when he does it though because he has grown up mentally since we first got him and has overcome his fear of having some of his legs touched.
Doug on the other hand does play up with a foot from time to time. It can be any of his feet so it is not due to feeling stiffness etc. He will either try and kick out backwards at you with the foot when you are holding it or else occasionally stamp it down. He does get told off for this usually a strong growl or raised voice and a slap. It does work because then he is well behaved whilst the rest of the feet are being picked out.
I also agree with the disciplining of horses at the time they are naughty rather than as others have said too long after the event when the horse would not know what it was being punished for.
I don't agree with belting seven bells out of a horse though and never will.
However there was a time when Mcfly got a big crack and it has left no ill effects. When we first got him and he had sore legs and the fields were muddy he was stabled and not turned out to grass for nearly 2 weeks. Sometimes he would lunge at people as they went past ( was an inside stable he was in at the time). He wasn't bearing teeth or threatening people. I think maybe he just wanted a fuss ( as he does enjoy that) however his actions were scaring people and I was getting a few complaints. Even tried the hanging of bottles of water above stable entrance to no avail as they didn't bother him and he still poked his head through lol.
One day ( before I put the bottles up) I had been in his stable putting up a hay net or something like that. I was talking to a friend in the stable opposite and as I was walking through he tried to barge through and was told to go back which he did but then just as I was about to go through the opening he bit my arm. Crikey it hurt lol and left a right old bruise too. I had his headcollar and leadrope in my hand at the time and lunged back and whacked him hard across the chest and said in a loud voice "no". After then he was mainly good except for a bit of sticking head out ( hence the reason I put up bottles). He later moved into a different stable which was bigger.
As soon as he started to go out in the field though he was much better and I can only assume that the day he bit me was a result of boredom ( had a boredom breaker never used it lol) and frustration.
Hitting him like that did work. He never tried it again but for a while I was wary when in the stable with him. I think because it was only the second time I had been bitten as last time was as a teenager when a horse bit me on the boob just as I was getting ready to mount ( that hurt as well).
Mcfly didn't suffer any ill effects or fear as result of my actions and is very trusting and still loves a fuss and is not headshy.
So yes I will wholeheartedly say that in certain situations a reprimand even a severe one is needed to confirm a position as leader or to control a situation.
I certainly think that a whack with a crop is a lot less severe that some of the punishments dealt out between horses by kicks and bites!
Caroline
 
I would not give a second thought about properly hitting my horse (or any other for that matter) if I felt they deserved it (they did it out of naughtyness and knew that it was wrong).
Took my lad out for a walk in hand, stopped to talk to someone and he kept trying to nip me, smacked him each time he did this. Carried on talking and out of nowhere he tried to seriously bite me, never smacked him so hard in my entire life and he looked quite shocked that I had just done that......never tried it since!
 
I honestly can't ever imagine beating, or even hitting, any of my horses - they just don't need it because they are really well behaved horses. 3 of mine came from a really rough cowboy and I know that they were beaten with whips and pitchforks and pretty much anything which was available - these 3 I would never in a million years dream of whacking.

If any of mine do something wrong when they are ridden out it is generally because they are young and have become confused as to what I am asking of them - the way I deal with this is to take them to the large arena and work them through their paces. It always works and no-one gets all het up.

As to the hunter, him hitting the horse twice would not be an issue to me and it appears was the correct thing to do for him and his horse.
 
A raised voice is enough to scare Gin
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If a horse is misbehaving then they will get a smack, I have a habit of making them back up when they are being naughty. It seems to do the trick.
 
Yes I could and I would. At the end of the day, it's a horse, and if the life or well being of a human was at risk I'd have no qualms at all in ensuring that horse knew otherwise.
I am lucky in that clydesdales come with pretty chilled personalities but mine is still young and still has that cheeky streak. When a 16.3hh heavy horse is trying to crush the farrier, something needs to be done!
 
When we first got my daughters pony she constantly tried to bite you when you were doing up her rugs. Obviously this isn't ideal for a kids pony.

One day she got me and I gave her the biggest wack on the neck and really shouted at her, she ran to the back of the box and knew she had done wrong. She still lays her ears back, but knows that its unacceptable to bite.

What I hate is people who hit their horse because they moved an inch when their trying to do something, i'm sure the horse doesn't really know why its being punished.
 
Well my mates horse WAS very dangerous. In fact extremly scraed his old owners so so much that my friend had t obuy him because she couldnt stand there and watch this happen to such a good potential horse it someone stood up to it. So he would corner you in a stable and all the rest of it. She stood up to him when she was brushing his tail (old owners would not go anywhere NEAR his bum!) and he went to kick out at her and she wacked him on the ar*e and guess what...hes never EVER tryed it again! And i went to watch him being shod (helped out at the yard then was going to my mates) and we went to mak the farrier a drink and we heard a huge bang so we ran out an he tryed to kick the farrier in the head when he was nailing in and my mate said beat him up if he does anything naughty (shes said this for ages but the farrier wouldnt, max (horse) fidgets and trys to bite the person holding lead rope and kick out etc). So this really got on the farriers nerves (dont blame him!!) and he grabed a brush and wacked him on the back the brush broke and flew on the stable roof. Guess what...hes perfect for the farrier now!!!! Ok i wouldnt recommend it in every case obv. the farrier could have done some damage to his back but really didnt! but it worked!
 
Anyone that knows my horse knows that out in the paddock, and when being ridden or going out to shows he is a sweetie.

However, ever since I have known, (since he was 4 yrs old and I bought him, he's now 11)........he has been agressive in the stable. He often pulls faces, barrs teeth at the stable door and lunges out. He sometimes kicks the walls. He just does not like people outside his stable looking in. Walk away or do something with him and he is fine.

The issue really is when he is havng his rugs done up at the front, being groomed etc on tickly bits he will sometimes try to nip. He knows if he gets me he will get a slap or an elbow in the face, and for that reason he rarely actually gets me and if he does he is mortified. He's not a kicker, but if he ever does try to kick out (perhaps he's done this twice over the years I have owned him) I have to say I'd kick him back. (Just the once you understand).

I love my horse to bits, he is truly my best friend and I would never abuse him or his trust in me. But there are occasions where you have to apply a reprimand to avoid things getting dangerous. There have to be some boundaries, but I guess with most horses you wont run into the sort of issues that I have. I never scream or shout at my horse or tug on the rope. I only ever tell him off if he actually bites or kicks me. I do however enforce things such as making him go back from the door, stopping him pushing his quarters over into his space. Although force is not needed to achieve this, just training and consistency.
 
pluto gets a smack now and then he respects this and as hes a very in your face sort of horse that has been spoilt id rather give him a smack than keep nagging him, he needs telling once, ridden i only carry a whip if going out on my own then only time i ever hit him whilst riding was with the reins (he wouldnt go forward through road works hed already been through) this got me 3 rears... learnt a good kick and walk on works better, snapper the new mare is different i wouldnt even dream of hitting her, she seems to respect the naughty corner more!! i would never hit a horse more than once though and for no reason
 
If I was bitten in a vicious manner, then I would sock the horse in the teeth. Awful, awful behaviour to bite without a cause.

I completely agree with what the huntsman did, and he said that the horse never, ever even thought of doing it again. Lesson obviously learnt.

I would not hesitate to wallop my horse if I thought it necessary. Luckily, my horse is well behaved a lot of the time, therefore I think if I was to do it, it would have the desired effect of making her think twice before daring to do anything dangerous. Never around the head though, would always be somewhere which would give her a shock, but not around her head.
With other people's horses I do think it's very different. First off wouldn't knowingly get on a horse who was dangerously behaved anyway.
 
If the horse bit or kicked then yes they would get a slap.

When my girl was young the first time she it she was skelped across the nose and has only tried her luck a few times since (it has been 5 years and counting). The first time she kicked she got my boot glancing accross her ribs not enough to hurt but enough for her to get a fright and remember, she has never kicked out since. In the wild if the horse bites or kicks it generally gets bitten or kicked back. Usually I find that I only have to do this once for the horse to learn by their mistakes. On the road it would depend on the situation, i have ignored her throwing a strop and pushed her on because we were on a main road in the city so to do anything would hold up traffic, but I have had it out with her on a country road and it lasted 45 minutes. When she refuses to go forward then yes I would and have used a whip as I was always taught that a horse will go backwards until it gets to a point where it can go no further backwards so it will go up, and we don't want a rearer.

Horses are far too big to be ill mannered.

I sould like a bad mummy!!!
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altia
 
I have given horses a sharp smack with the whip before if they are misbehaving or being bolshy. It wouldn't work with my current two, though. The mare would take it very personally and my poor gelding has obviously had a severe pasting in the past - I don't even carry a whip with him.

I have smacked both with the palm of my hand when they've nipped or been stroppy, and both seem to accept this as a punishment and don't repeat the bad behaviour.

I would imagine the bloke in this situation knows his horse very well and what sort of punishment is necessary and when. I would only say something if it was a really over the top beating.
 
In certain circumstances yes I have and would again hit my horse.
They are big strong animals and sometimes a clout works, but it has to be delivered at the right time and not out of anger.
 
well i believe in discipline but would never beat my horse, she will get a smack if she is being a complete twat or dangerous basically, she got a smack on the nose (as she wouldnt have felt it on her big bum) the other day for almost trampling me just so she could get to the new horse in her field to say hello, suffice to say i was not taking such behaviour as its downright dangerous and horses generally should never be allowed to barge like that IMO, if they are scared you have to kind of understand but she was not scared, just being a tart!!
 
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