# New to this side of the forum everyone meet Batman



## miniaturehorselover (Jan 2, 2015)

So i recently been giving a handsome little boy named Batman! Perfect personally in his pen but when he comes out he tries to nip and once he spots something he wants he runs at it .. how do I stop this behavior? Also he was ridden by kids but apparently my friend was riding him and every time she kicks him he bucks.. is there something I can do for that thanks also gonna upload pictures later my phone is acting up


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## Minimor (Jan 2, 2015)

Pictures???

Every time she kicks him he bucks? I have these questions--

-what size is the pony?

-what size/weight is your friend?

Pony may buck because he is objecting to an overly large rider as compared to his size. He may be objecting to the kick--perhaps a squeeze of her legs would work better than kicking him?


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## FurstPlaceMiniatures (Jan 3, 2015)

Sounds like his personality might not be oh so amazing.

Honestly just smack his nose when he nips. Another horse would nip the end of his nose back. And he charges by the sound of it? Only way I broke my charger was a hard well placed smack. Had to do it once. However I am an experienced horse person with a longggg history of working aggressive and dangerous horses.

As for the bucking he either sounds over loaded, in pain, or it's the rider and not his fault: it concerns me she would just kick a horse instead of steady leg pressure.

Good luck with your horse. It really might be a good idea for both your safety to consult a professional.


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## amysue (Jan 3, 2015)

It sounds like your little man needs an attitude adjustment and a lesson in minding his manners. As far as the nipping, I personally use a verbal command immediately after the offense. Horses only have a few seconds of relay process before their brain is on to the next thing, it is imperative that you scold him for the behavior immediately after he does it. If a loud "no" doesn't grab his attention, a tap on the nose may be necessary. Be advised that too excessive force could lead him to become head shy or skittish if you over do it. You don't have to flip out on him, just scold him, as his dam would if he nipped her. It sounds to me as if his lunging and charging at things he needs to be reminded of how to lead properly and respect space. When he begins to pull and get ahead of you, as if preparing to charge, try stepping in front of him to block him and give a verbal cue like "whoa" or "easy" and if he still gets anxious, you may have to gently swivel the lead to encourage him to back up. With horses that try running me over I like to teach them to respect space by swiveling the lead or snaking it like you're playing with one of those ribbon dancer tools that were popular in the 90's. Some horses really respond and others just try to jump or run around me, in that case I try a lead shank. Some horses simply comply just with the lead rope over their nose but others need a chain. Be sure to only apply pressure when he begins to charge and immediately release when he gives to the pressure. Keep working with him every day, keep his sessions short and always end on a positive note. Most importantly you need to remain consistent so he gets the idea and begins to behave. You may want to avoid feeding treats by hand to discourage nipping. You also want to be sure that every time you lead him, you reprimand him if he lunges or charges so maybe for now you should avoid letting children or inexperienced handlers lead him until you straighten him out. That way his training remains consistent and nobody gets hurt. Personally, I would avoid riding him until you straighten out his ground manners. It sounds as if he may be reacting to too much weight or perhaps he is not really "broke" to ride, just because someone sat on his back does not mean he is broke. I do not ever recommend kicking the sides of a horse while riding (except if the horse is attempting to lay down and roll on you) many horses buck in response to being kicked, gently "squeezing" to apply pressure is the appropriate cue to ask a horse to move forward.


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## miniaturehorselover (Jan 3, 2015)

My friend is 140 pounds , Batman is 8 yrs old and 12-13 hh he is a Shetland believe cross... and yes i agree she is pretty heavy for the little guy.. but even with me on his back he tried to buck.. and im only 100 pounds and 5ft tall. So i think its just he gets to hyper, as for biting and stuff i been working on pinching his nose not lots but as a nip and he seems to back away and respect my space.. but he still bolts for cows lol!


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## JWC sr. (Jan 6, 2015)

Great advice from everyone, I don't know what else can be said other than a well trained horse is a joy to own. A horse that has been allowed to misbehave becomes a liability to the owner and keeps the horse from having a full life with a lifetime job to do. Do yourself and your horse a favor by either giving him some training yourself or getting help from someone with more experience.

Good Luck and welcome to the forum!!


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