Biting Horses
Biting or Nippy Horses
A lot of nipping behavior in horses is actually attributed to a desire for connection. Horses use their mouth to explore their world and you are part of that world. Once you strip away the “naughty” label that we often give to mouthy horses, and instead we see it as a bid for connection, we are then able to respond to it differently and meet the need that your horse is asking for.
Keep working on the flowchart exercises until your horse transitions smoothly from the moment you catch them to leading them to the working area, where they stand still and remain present for the majority of the time. You’ll know it’s time to move on when you no longer observe your horse twitching for extended periods, and you start feeling that it’s becoming routine. Trust your intuition and reflect on the insights from the passing grade podcast as you progress.
Then and only then will you move on to Step 18.
A reminder of how to use this course: click on Mark Complete below and when you are ready to move on, go to Step 18.
These videos are EXACTLY what I needed! I have an OTTB much like that in your video but with the CHOMPINESS of the grey from your first video. This connection is something I hope to build on and show my horse that I am listening! Trying to analyze my energy level as well as not treat his biting like it’s a “bad” thing ….just trying to communicate! Thank you 😊
Also, I forgot to mention my horse itches his sides which I always related to his chronic ulcer problem but found it very interesting this could be a sign of him “releasing stuff” as u mentioned in one of these videos. He has marks on both of his sides almost daily but it’s below zero in Chicagoland so it’s definitely not bugs :)
The horses that you have come across that seem to have abnormal mouthy / chompy behaviours , I’m curious, in your experience, how they relate to other horses?
Is the abnormal behaviour solely in their relationships with humans??
Yes, for the most part
I’ve had a 6 year old Thoroughbred on trial for 7 weeks and having a difficult time assessing whether I want to keep him based on some behaviors which some folks attribute to being green while others think are bad habits. At first he seemed shut down, especially since he won’t allow me to engage with his muzzle at all, but instead wants to bite. I’ve been trying to get him to rub his teeth on my flattened hand while being careful not to let him come too close with his feet. He REALLY tries to get his mouth around to bite the blade of my hand, pretzeling his neck to try to get to it. I either guide my hand back to the center to make that impossible or withdraw my hand slowly (I don’t snatch it back which would seem like a tease). Staying present, I’ve managed to only sustain a couple of blood blisters.
After watching this video, I spent 25 minutes letting him go at it, and he became almost frantic to bite, lunging with his neck back and forth like a cobra to get at my hand. He also vigorously swung his neck up and down in what I perceived as frustration that I wouldn’t let him really bite but I held my “sacred ground” which he respected. At one point, he licked my hands for about 30 seconds which seemed like progress but then went back to trying to “strike” with his teeth in a nipping way more frantically than before. He also twice bit at his sides.
I get the impression he’s trying to process past messages of “don’t bite”, likely accompanied by a swat to the muzzle, so I’m willing to give it some time if it seems I’m on the right track and not just further frustrating him (and endangering others at the barn who think I’m “teaching him to bite”.)
Also, word to the wise: don’t wear your wedding ring while doing this. He managed to catch it a couple of times with a tooth and I was concerned about hurting my finger, so I finally took it off and put it in my pocket but then lost it in the paddock. Thank God I noticed before it got buried in the gravel.
Id only engage with him over a fence