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nikki
Platinum Member
 Wales
4384 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 3:46:32 PM
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one of my mares bit me today the horror!
it was while i was rugging her up, doing the breast-straps, i am always very gentle and careful has she has warned me on a number of occasions, but never actually did anything, well this time she gave me very clear warnings and i just pretty much ignored them and carried on, so she got me a corker. I'll tie her up from now.
any idea's at why she is like this, some days fine and sweet, other days she's trying to eat me.
cheers nikki
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pagey |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 4:14:57 PM
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I am in the Parelli programme and have taken the text below from their website....thought it might help 
Biting
Horses bite for two reasons... they're afraid of you or they are trying to dominate you. That's the big, confronting truth. But most people see a horse trying to bite (or they get bitten) and the reaction is the same, they slap him on the muzzle.
Biting is not a bad habit, it's a very real response to something that is really worrying the horse. Either he's reacting to something that is scaring or hurting him, or he's saying that you should move out of the way because he is the boss!
This is where knowing your horse's HorsenalityTM is important. Right Brain horses bite in defense whereas Left Brain horses bite in dominance. So in order to 'cure' the problem you have to first know where your horse is coming from, in that way you can be appropriate in either your response or prevention.
Number one, keeping your horse at a distance is a good solution. Keep him out of biting range; that means you need to know how to back him up from a distance by wiggling your rope using the Yo-Yo Game. Secondly, if you just back him up a step or two that may not be enough. You need to back him up until the look on his face changes - see the Liberty & Horse Behavior home study program for more information. |
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ashabarab
Gold Member
England
1378 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 4:33:13 PM
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sounds like she doesn't like the rug...does she try and bite you on other occasions?
if not..try a different rug.....some horses do not like being rugged at all...maybe this one is uncomfy...mine usually conplain when l want them off [not by biting!]
others do try and be the boss, so what ever you do if she is not keen she will let you know her way...i e biting!
ash |
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weirton
Gold Member
873 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 4:52:52 PM
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We have had horses that will do this at this time of year. They are quite clearly saying just because you're cold I'm not and I don't want a rug on yet. I just try it every night and one night it's suddenly cold enough so it's alright for the rest of the winter. Come spring the reverse happens. That's ok by me ,I know what it's like to get too hot at night!!!
Jean |
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Edited by - weirton on 24 Sep 2008 6:06:27 PM |
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nikki
Platinum Member
Wales
4384 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 4:58:29 PM
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i think this is more a dominate me thing, she's gone as if to bite when i put the headcollar on too and at feed times, i've always put it down to facepulling, she pulls loads of them.
she totally got her own way as by the time i registered and got over the shock that she actually bit me, it was too late to do anything, so i just tied her up short and finished rugging her.
thanks guys appreciate any advice, don't think it's rug though.
cheers nikki
p.s she was nice after!lol |
pagey |
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Slave 2 Magic
Gold Member
England
1023 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 5:10:09 PM
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| Sorry Nikki, I dont have the answer but just letting you know that you are not alone. My mare does the same when fastening the front of her rug and I believe with her it is a dominance thing. Since I started to toughen up with her abit she has stopped doing it. She still puts her ears back if I walk too close to her when leading. Thats why I figured that with her, its a "pushing the boundries" thing. |
West Yorkshire
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 5:46:06 PM
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slave2magic, from what you are saying about your mare pulling faces when you are too close to her, She is more likely saying that you are disrespecting her space. i.e you are in her personal bubble. You have to respect her space for her to respect yours.....
I had the same problem with my mare and once we established our "bubbles" things improved dramatically.
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loosefur
Gold Member
584 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 8:35:36 PM
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| Haj always does the bity gesture when doing up the breast straps - doesn't matter which rug. He doesn't do it if I look at him and never actually bites. If he gets a bit too close I blow on his nose - which he hates and stops him immediately. Sorry I don't buy all that Parelli Horsenality stuff - right brain v left brain horses?! Just another marketing gimmick IMO. Much more simple (and nothing new!) to say that horses are herd creatures and some are more dominant than others. If your horse is quite dominant you have to establish yourself very firmly as above him/her. Haj is fairly dominant but not overly so - bosses my other horse about in the field but will quickly submit to anything seriously tough. He occasionally tries to push my boundaries but always gets put firmly back in his place. The one time he did bite me - I turned my back to go out of his stable and he grabbed my jacket - I threw the headcollar at him (the thing I had in my hand at the time). He's never tried it again. |
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Mrs Vlacq
Platinum Member
Wales
3776 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 9:53:42 PM
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Try doing the straps up while on her off side. We had a horse would nip when girthed, but ONLY if you fastened it on near side. Could go as tight as you like from offside!
Worth a try? |
    
- V Khazad - V Calacirya & V Sulime - Quarida(L) - V Boogie Knights - V Hamra Tofiq |
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Sahir
Gold Member
England
847 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 10:05:24 PM
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Well said loosefur - couldn't agree more - especially your views on Parelli !!!!!!!
P.S. I wonder how many people who are posting on this thread actually rug their horses themselves  or are just too nervous to do so - and get someone else to do it for them !!! |
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Pixie
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
6586 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 10:12:35 PM
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| proper biting - not funny. if dominance a loud noise and a slap required. if scared a loud noise and a slap required. No excuses. Biting not acceptable EVER EVER EVER. I am sure you will all think I wrong with my treatment - but mine both tried it - just the once. Problem solved. Maybe I got lucky |
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natntaz
Platinum Member
England
2919 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 10:51:36 PM
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I to have a grumpy mare, she grinds her teeth next to
my face, she never bites me as she knows she would get
a slap on her shoulder. I never allow her to dominate me
as much as she would like to. I have known her bite others
and she definatly would dominate someone if they were week
with her. If it were me i would grouch back at her and if
that doesnt work and she does it again give her a slap on
her shoulder. short sharp shock as pixie has said |
   
Natalie Pix. Essex. Tariq ibn Radfan and Taroub |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
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Montikka
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2653 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 12:03:38 PM
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| My mare used to be the same, trying to bite when touching her chest. I think it is a 'personal space' thing. I don't think she was being nasty, just acting instinctively. When she did it I would turn and look right in her face with my finger close to her eyes and say a firm 'NO'. She would always back off and almost look sorry as though she'd forgotten how to behave. I wouldn't rule out a sharp slap if she persisted, afterall look at the way they discipline each other in the herd! Now she only pulls faces when in the stable with her feed. I let that be 'her time' and leave her enjoy her feed. |
   
Louise, Warwickshire |
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arabic
Platinum Member
England
4562 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 12:27:56 PM
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Blimey - Im not alone. Freddie only ever tries to bite on 2 occasions when he is being girthed and that tells me he is uncomfy and when I am doing up the front of his rug. Not any specific rug, not the same rug every time. He has never bitten, only half hearted attempts into my back and I have no idea why.
I found the parelli theory v interesting but wouldnt say he is frightened or dominant. Not too sure how to categorise this one.
However, I have been learning NH for a few years now and love every minute. I think its a very personal thing as far as opinions go. It has certainly achieved what I wanted and Freddie absolutely loves it, ears *****ed and having fun. |
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loosefur
Gold Member
584 Posts |
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Pixie
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
6586 Posts |
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nikki
Platinum Member
Wales
4384 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 1:25:07 PM
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if it was any of my other horse, they proberbly would of got a slap, but i feel very un-comfortable doing that with this particular mare. She would either never trust me again, or fight back!
hence wanting an alternative to that.
Thanks for all your helpful replies and tips. |
pagey |
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Pixie
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
6586 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 1:30:06 PM
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| indeed only you know this horse - keep at it and good luck |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 1:43:34 PM
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Years of practical hands on experience does not qualify someone as knowing everything about horses. I have been around horses for over 30 years, owned horses for 25 years and still learning.
Pat Parelli does not advertise NH as anything new, far from it. He always talks about his mentors and previous generations of wise horsemen. He and Linda have just put all the information together as a structured training programme.
Parelli is not advertised as a quick fix to a problem, far from it.
I can only speak from my own experience. I have experienced the results and I have a happier horse for it. That's all that I am interested in.
As the saying goes "Don't knock it until you have tried it"..... |
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Suelin
Platinum Member
England
2514 Posts |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
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SueB
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 3:30:26 PM
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Nikki we had a grumpy old mare here some years ago, she never passed the trait on to her babies, but was an old so and so. I found that if we gave her a tit bit before she pulled the face and rewarded her for being 'nice' to us!!! it worked quite well. If she pulled a face we growled at her and no tit bit.
Seems a way of giving in with food, but much better than being bitten, you must always play safe with any horse.
As for Parrelli and the likes if you look at the rodeo clips often seen on 'You tube', they are quite horrendous, the cowboys would break a horse in using quite rough methods, yes they do need another way to back and break horses, they ought to stop using rodeos for fun too
Here in the UK we have always backed and broke our horses in using kind sensible methods, maybe some of the new wave methods help explain more to some, maybe people want another way that does not involve doing things in our long drawn out regular way that some can't seem to get their heads round. At least we don't resort to bucking bronko rodeo shows..... |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 5:42:00 PM
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I am not going to be much use to you, because I have NEVER had a female biter here ever. I think a lot has to do with respect, if you have mutual respect yet showing her you are the one who is in charge, she shouldnt attempt to bite you.
she should be put firmly in her place however if she bites, but show her you hold no grudge as soon as she has backed down, give her a little cuddle or a scratch on the shoulder thats my advice for what its worth |
   
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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Honeyb060674
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4301 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 6:29:56 PM
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I have a grumpy mare caused by mistreatment in her stable before I bought her. She constantly snarls, bares her teeth & acts in a generally menacing behaviour if you are in her stable, in her space. She grumps when I'm doing her breaststraps up without fail, but has only ever caught me once, & by her reaction of complete horror, it was a mistake. A good growl & eye contact usually sorts her out, but its purely down to her personal space in Honeys case. Anyone who didn't know her would think she was about to kill someone!
Shes a lovely fluffy angel out of her stable |
      
Claire & Sunny x
http://sunnyandclaire.blogspot.com/ |
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weirton
Gold Member
873 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2008 : 6:54:08 PM
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I agree with every word Loosefur. Just wish we had thought to "sell the package". Might have been rich by now but each to his own.
Horses ( and children ) have always been about common sense and consistancy whatever label you put on it.
Jean |
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