“I have a 5 year old mustang gelding that I have had since June this year. He is a great companion to me and follows me around. He nudges me for a few moments and than sometimes he nibbles at me and than will open his mouth to bite. I don’t want to make him mistrust me with my hands and do any bad reactions in his eyes. I have used my fingers and kind of nipped him back on the nose.
This seems to work for a little while, than he will try again and I do the nip on the nose again. Than he will look at me and rub against me or go to graze again beside me. Am I doing the right thing with this?
I know a horse bite can be serious and I have I don’t want to be bit or my teen age sons to be bit either. I also want to keep his trust.
I just read your e book on natural horsemanship. It was great! I would of liked a bit more information on different subjects that you discussed. The mustang is my second horse to share my life with. My first horse was a 1/2 quarter 1/2 Arabian gelding. He was about 18 hands high. He weighed almost 1200 pounds. We had an awesome relationship. I could ride him with no halter. We would play tag and run in the pasture. He also wanted to bite when I first got him.
Any information on this would be wonderful. I also want to know about natural remedies for vaccinations and worming if you have any suggestions. I leave my horse in an open field around my house. He comes up to the house at night and through out the day. I know he has never had shoes on his feet. I’m not feeding grains right now either since its is summer. I plan on feeding oats and natural unsweetened grains this winter like I did my first horse.
Thank you for your site ,e books and information.
God Bless
Julie”
I thought this was an interesting one because the biting issue comes up time and time again – but there are not that many posts on worming and vaccination. Let’s change that!
Best
Al
I am so glad you asked this question. I am experiencing exactly the same thing. My darling 4 year old mare a Chicoteague, quarter horse cross , Twilight, and my 26 yr old thoroughbred retired race horse and a mini moved to a new location and rescued an 8 year old mini mare. Twilight became very aggressive to all of the others. she has always been Alpha, but now she is biting them. And yesterday she tried to bite me and did bite my stable hand. I have no idea what to do or why this is suddenly happening. She is usually so gentle. She didn’t bite hard, but ears back and a snap. I slapped her when she did this. She is so smart and so curious and so affectionate. There are a lot more people around her now. She used to live in my 2 acre garden and now has 5 acres of field and lots of stables to choose from. But I think she is bored. The garden was very interesting and she could almost come into the cabin. Could she be feeling rejected? Could it be the feed? She can now graze. There were no fields before, she just got hay and grains.. gentle balance to make her less aggressive to the other horses. Now she gets less hay and less grains. I can’t get gentle balance in Canada. I never whip her,or bit her or anything aggressive to her. Any advice is greatly appreciated, but I don’t want to hurt her. I want to have a trusting relationship. But she can’t be biting everyone.
You hit the nail right on the head – he thinks he is the alpha over the others and YOU too – never allow him to do this – you have to be the alpha person – react immediately by raising your energy and slapping him hard on the neck if he bites again. In the mean time, get this horse in a round yard and work him – I have written about this technique before – no headstall, halter or lead on horse – no whip or lead or anything with you – raise your energy and chase him around the round yard till he canters if possible – make sure you block him and send him the other way when you want him to – don’t allow him to choose his direction ever – if he chooses a direction block him and make him go the other way. He may be very surprised by this and react quite a bit but you must keep doing it. Then once you have his undivided attention lower your energy, say Whoa loudish, look down to the ground and back off. He should stop and look at you, if he does not, then keep chasing him and putting pressure on him to go where you want. Then repeat lowered energy, Whoa, back off and eyes down. When he has stopped (should be immediate – not when he feels like it) and is looking at you, keep your eyes down and walk to his shoulder – any resistance from him and you raise your enery and work him again – when you walk ahead he should walk with you, if he doesn’t then around he goes again – until he chooses you as the alpha and follows you around the yard with out a headstall, halter or lead. Once he follows you, stop and rub him all over, every inch – if he wont stand while you do this, then, yes you guessed it – work him again and repeat the whole process. Any horse that accepts you as the leader/alpha would never dream of biting you. The other thing is that when he bites you now, he is giving you a warning – in his current position as Alpha if you don’t obey he is likely to attack you. Work this horse – do not be cruel and run him for hours – just till he does what you ask. You may have to repeat the round yard procedure a few times. Hope this helps, Trish
Trish, Thanks for that very helpful and comprehensive answer. Being the alpha is an issue I face with my horse too. Have been riding her almost 10 years and I believe she trusts me, but doesn’t respect me. I’ve had the same concern about wanting to be alpha, but without hurting her. Your method makes a lot of sense. Thanks.
For deworming, you can feed FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth at the rate of 1/4 to 1/2 cup per feeding, and then deworm quarterly with ivermectin. My Arabians get 1/4 cup, 3 times a day. Or you can use Strongid C which is a daily dewormer but you will still have to do the ivermectin quarterly.
As for vaccinations, I give VEWT, Rabies, and West Nile in the Spring. The vaccines are given at two week intervals beginning in March. There is no need for flu or rhino, etc. unless you have other horses coming in or you are going to shows.
As for the biting, since you know the signs leading up to it, DON’T allow it to happen! If he manages to get in a nip, put your hands on both sides of his mouth and rub vigorously. He shouldn’t like this and will keep his head away from you after a couple times of receiving this treatment.
Good luck!
Thank you for the advice on the rubbing on his mouth. I never would of thought of this. I will try it. He tends to be a mouthy horse. He picks up buckets, hoses, lead ropes, reins….. what ever he can. He doesn’t destroy anything, he just likes to play with stuff.
He tosses empty feed bags around, buckets around. He even picks up a basketball that is deflated in the yard.
I will also try the diatomaceous earth. I have heard of this and knows it works on ants. Thank you again
My views on the subject of biting I would look at what he is trying to say to you takes food and the has a nip at you what is it he is saying look at my mouth, my teeth, my pallet, my bit, my diet Look at whatever works around mouth/nipping.
Natural dewormers pumpkin seeds a handful,given daily sweet potatoe raw, bran all natural dewormers and does work as I do this for horses. Mary
Try a grazing muzzle next time he nips. Leave it on half a day. Horses are smart…he will get the message.
With the biting, think of heard dynamics. He bites you, you ‘bite’ him.harder. It won’t affect the trust but he will respect you more. Hope this helps a little 🙂
I had a young horse that bit me once. I did bite him back right on the muzzle. He never bit me again. I think it is a playful thing, but not sure. In the wild it can be both playful and a reprimand from a dominant mare. My new horse that I have had for about three months will snuffle my pants and feet and then gently tries to nip and has managed to get me. Not a painful, but I know he nipped me. I have nipped him back on the muzzle, not real hard but he pulled back. He hasn’t nipped again, but I will nip back harder if he does it again. Hope this helps.
I also give my mare DE. I test her for parasites and she comes up clear. Did give her ivermectin this year as she had a lot of bot fly on her. Otherwise I don’t do this. As for shots be very careful, they are loaded with mercury, formaldehyde and other stuff. There is no proven evidence that West Nile vaccination works.
My 13 year old gelding is also very mouthy. He loves picking up things with his mouth. I kiss my horses all the time on the face and nose. Scooter will lightly nibble, lick and suck my fingers and hand, then do his horsey laugh. He never hurts me. It is almost like he is trying to kiss me back. My other full size horses do not do mouthy things. My young mini gelding is a nipper……he will nip feet, legs, butts and anything he can on both the big horses, my other mini, or people….it is a game to him. When he nips me I snap his nose and shout NO, and that will do the trick for about 30 seconds. When I first got my young mare, she bit me real hard on my side while I was hugging her when she was eating. She got a big slap on the face and has never done that again. I can now hug on her all I want while she is eating or any other time..LOL. If she ever starts to get mean to any of the other horses, I only have to sternly say her name and hold up a finger and she immediately stops.
If a horse’s behavior has changed you may need to consider if it is troubled by the change in environment, or if it is in pain? Does it need its teeth seen to? Shoes? Does all the tack fit?
Are you feeding things like oats which have been linked to ulcers here in the UK? I’d talk to my horse set to see what other factors might be influencing their behavior.
❓ I am very lucky my horse does’t bit but I don’t think a thump on the nose immediately would hurt. I use it on the colt a the stable next to him and he no longer nips at me.
My mini gelding bites when I want him to walk on lead, he’s nine years old and I’ve had him for 8’years. When he tries to bite I firmly say ‘NO’ and kinda slap him on his shoulder. Then I will wait til he calms down and try again. If he doesn’t try to bite I either give him a treat or say ‘good boy’ and I scratch him behind the ear. Hope I helped
I give my horse applesauce in a big syringe for 1 week – 10 days before & after administering wormer & this keeps him from resisting when I worm him, if he gets nippy or too mouthy I simply send him out of my space.
Biting- He might have a sore in his mouth bitten his tongue so many things and he could b doing it for attention or just being ornery!
If I read correctly this is your older horse. I’m sure you have probably checked for any physical problems? I used to keep a lot of horses in pastures. You may have to separate them in buddyed pairs so no one gets hurt. The ones that get along the best of course. There is always going to be an alpha.
As far as biting goes, I have used many methods and I really don’t like to hit one even though it is sometimes nessacary to defend yourself. It can make them head shy. So I have carried a large safety pin with me, hold it in my hand with a very small amount between my thumb and index finger, maybe a1/16″ or 1/8″. I never poke them, let them try to bite you and let them meet the end of the pin in the lip. Sounds mean, but will not make them head shy and will cure the problem quickly. Remember do not poke them, let them do it themselves as they go to bite.
Personally I would never tolerate a horse that nips/bites. However, with regard the worming, if it is possible to pick up the manure from the paddock you will reduce the horses worm burden and if you can afford it have a fecal egg count done, by the vet, to determine if the horse needs worming. A count of more than 200 eggs per gram of manure indicates you need to worm them.
I had a 13.1 hand pony sent to me to be trained because he had a bad biting habit. Since I was aware of it, I would hold my hand by his mouth, ready for him to bite, as soon as I’d hear his mouth open, I’d pull my hand away very fast. He didn’t seem to like this reaction and he quite biting within a month.
Trish, Thanks for that very helpful and comprehensive answer. Being the alpha is an issue I face with my horse too. Have been riding her almost 10 years and I believe she trusts me, but doesn’t respect me. I’ve had the same concern about wanting to be alpha, but without hurting her. Your method makes a lot of sense. Thanks.
Thanks Laura, it certainly works and I have used it on all my horses. I like it as it is not cruel or mean, it is just a lesson on who is the leader, horses are not silly they soon learn to accept you as the alpha and they hate to be forced away from you, they want to be with you and want your approval. I have had excellent results in particular when a 3 year old filly (I had just rescured) refused to allow her hooves to be lifted and trimmed (I do my own) – she kept pulling her front hoof away and stamping it down defiantly and would kick with her hind – so into the round yard she went and around she went – then I stopped her and walked to her – she chose to follow me to the centre where I continued to do her hooves without a headstall, halter or lead – the moment she attempted to pull her hoof away around the yard she went again – then repeated the walk to the centre and resumed hooves – after the third try she stood as if she was asleep and I did all four hooves with out a flinch – as I said with out any halter etc, she just stood there like a statue – she has never been a problem since and is now around 6 years old. It certainly works a treat and I have used it many many times. What I will say though is that being the Alpha is a huge responsibility and must be taken seriously – your horse has chosen you and you must look after them – even down to being careful where you ride them, a simple thing like walking them on a grass verge rather than up the middle of a gravel road makes a big differenc to a horse. Trish
I have a mouthy gelding as well. He tried to bite a very important part of my chest, thank goodness for a thick sportsbra. A good back to his muzzle is all it took, he knew he was in the wrong. He wasn’t hand shy before the smack or after. He still nibbles and licks my hand, but hasn’t tried to bite.