Comment

Comment by Ellin McGinley Daum on February 20, 2011 at 6:34pm

Thanks, Cindy, for the nice comment!  I developed the whisker pull after seeing so many foals become head shy from being smacked and it didn't seem to work.  It works well with spoiled older horses, too, but you have to let the whiskers grow out long enough to get hold of them.

Comment by Cindy Jeffery on February 20, 2011 at 6:16pm

BE CAREFULL!!!!! Sure they are cute but it can become a real bad habit. Best to nip it in the whisker so to speak like Ellin suggested (I like your suggestion Ellin, makes sense)  I think biting is the worst habit and needs to be dealt with immediately or they think it's a game.

Comment by vickie lawson on February 19, 2011 at 10:52pm

my guy is just so into the licking. not nipping, but licking, every time he sees me. and he doesn't care what he licks, arm, shirt, hair, hand, pants..... he's a pain! but cute at the same time.

Comment by Ellin McGinley Daum on February 19, 2011 at 8:06am

After years of trying to move out of the way of nippy babies I developed a strategy to deal with it.  No smacking, just quietly hold onto the long whiskers and give a tug with a verbal "no".  Works even with the youngest ones, guess they don't like to have their hair pulled either!

Comment by Cindy Jeffery on February 18, 2011 at 11:06pm

All the babies I've had around here have bitten me sooner or later.  Mostly the colts and usually around the 2+ yr mark.  I used to smack them on the nose for it but that only made them shy, but I figured a way that was quite effective.  This has to do with your timing and how much you can calm your insides before you do it.  It's important too that the horse doesn't suspect a thing.  What I do is when I have them in hand on the lead and walking or standing and they start lipping or tugging on my sleeve I just bring my fist up under their bottom lip hard enough so their teeth meet the lip with force so they feel a little numbness/pain. A few of those and they don't want to do anything with their lips cause they can't seem to figure out where it is coming from and then it is no longer a game.  The key is to be totally unsuspecting so they can't put the blame on you and have some reason to get back at you or think your playing games with them.  A 2+ is all about having fun and playing games, so when you don't play and it's not fun, they quit.  Sure they will try again just to see if you were serious, which at that point you need to repeat the maneuver exactly the same and above all remain emotionless and don't say a word both times. I believe the reason they do it is because we think they are so cute and affectionate when they are little and still have their milk teeth, but they learn quick that it can be a fun game they can play with us, cause we don't discipline them like their mothers do.  If you notice the mares they don't take any of that nipping and biting stuff and they will dish it back as hard as their little one dished it out. We need to do the same and at an early age so they don't get to have bad manners which can become dangerous to all concerned.

Comment by vickie lawson on February 18, 2011 at 1:24am

i have a 3 yr old who i bred. he has been a licker since day 1. i have tried and tried to discourage him (he does occassionally throw in a nip), but i have yet to be successful.  he is otherwise lovely on the ground and knows to respect your space. when his mother came home, he bothered her by licking constantly. anywhere he could reach!! i live in hope!!

Comment by Tracy McDermott on February 17, 2011 at 11:37am

Absolutely a biter doesn't discriminate about what they bite and will become dangerous. Your right to put treats into the feed box but any nibbling, licking of fingers or nosing through hair should be discouraged completely. It's not love so much as a prelude to a bite. The phrase 'OH I'M SO SORRY' can't repair a friends finger or a persons shoulder or face. It's also a very immature behavior. It sounds like your sister needs to deal closely with a trainer who knows immature horses with some habits that need to go. It also sounds like this horse is insecure, so a strong person with a steady hand needs to be inserted into the mix before someone gets hurt including the companion horse. You can tell your sister that if heaven forbid for some reason she has to sell or re-home this horse it needs manners, ground and seat. Otherwise it will become a problem NO ONE will want to take on.

Comment by Sherry Cassetori on February 17, 2011 at 10:59am

I guess you are correct, he has a good home feed very well and is taken care of . My sister is taking riding lessons at my barn now. I can see in her face when I jump, That she would like to do this also, she is learning to jump (beginning stage)

but her horse has had a bowed tendon before she bought it. One more thing about the horse he is a bitter.  I told her to stop feeding treat by hand and put it in his food box,

Comment by Tracy McDermott on February 17, 2011 at 10:28am

Sherry it sounds like what you see in horses and what your sister sees are two entirely different things. If she wants to ride her horse eventually then she will definitely need a trainer for the horse and herself, possibly have a trainer/instructor come to her place and train them both. She needs to know what the horse is expecting and the horse needs to learn that running isn't what is expected. If the horse already has ulcers then it's probable it's a nervous runner and was sold because of overexcitement, these are usually very bright but respond not to the prompt but to what they anticipate. Maybe the horse needs some time for the meds to work, mental decompression and chiropractic adjustment. Riding a horse that is 'from the track' is not easy and sometimes dangerous but it seems your sister wants pets and companions more than the riding. There are far worse fates for x-track horses than to be a companion/pet.

Comment by Sherry Cassetori on February 17, 2011 at 9:34am

Where I keep my horse my trainer breeds olenburgs and trains them.  She has done it all 3 day eventing  everything, I tried to get her to bring the horse there so it could be trained and schooled, I told her it would be best for the horse.  My trainer can take him in the spring, I almost have her convinced. one problem is my other sister has a horse that she does nothing with her horse neither, She does not want the TB to move anywhere because her horse will be lonely.  I just want to have something done with the horse give him  a purpose that way he can burn off some energy.  It is like talking to a brick wall.

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