Help, my filly is getting too sassy and nipping!!

[misty'smom]

Misty turned a year old this past May and I have had her a year now...... She has always had a sweet disposition but the past few months she has been nippy and a little too sassy! She will walk up to us, more to my husband and try to nip/bite us. I am not afraid of her and I will slap her on the chest or top of her leg and sternly tell her No! Also have tried pushing her away or holding her head or the end of her nose, even using a crop and tapping her shoulder steering her in the opposite direction! My husband is somewhat intimidated by her, he has never been around horses before and he will wave his hat or hands up at her to get her to back off. Now I know she is young and going throughout that terrible 2s but not yet 2 stage but what else could I be doing to break this habit? I don't want her to turn into a fresh mean horse as I have grandchildren that will be around her more as they get older. I have been able to be around her since she was 10 days old visiting the breeder she came from weekly until she was 5 months old then coming here. She has always been sweet and gentle so I want to nip this (no pun intended Lol) as soon as I can!!!

Any help training ideas or discipline advice I sure would welcome!!!!!! I want my sweet girl back!!!

 

[Jenny]

Do you feed her any treats by hand? My guy used to nip me and other people all the time, and I had many bruises to show it. My farrier suggested to stop giving him treats by hand and don't interact with his mouth a lot. He hasn't even tried to nip me since

 

[misty'smom]

No, no treats by hand! If they get a cut up apple, sweet potatoes or carrots I put them in with their hay. It keeps them busy finding their treats!!

 

[Jean_B]

Both you and your husband need to place yourselves at the top of her 'pecking order'. In a herd setting, if a horse gets out of line, the boss of the herd will pound the snot out of it and put it in its place. Not that you need to beat her up - but both of you must make sure that you IMMEDIATELY put her in her place (think "2 second rule"). Flapping hands isn't going to do it, and neither is pushing her. A very HARD wack on the nose, and an extremely loud, deep and growling NO. If you are like me (I have grandkids too) and your hands are getting a little arthritic, carry a crop and wack her hard on the neck or shoulder at the first sign of a nip along with the "NO". You aren't going to hurt her and you will save you and the kids a lot of difficulty in the future. Here's an example: I just brought home a new mare - 4 years old. When I was putting her grain in her feed tub her ears went back and she started to go for me. She was doing what came naturally - and was treating me like I was another horse. So did I. I was wearing some heavy work boots and she immediately ended up with a toe print in the middle of her chest...hit her hard enough to rock her back. She hasn't tried anything stupid with me since.

 

[MyMiniGal]

I agree, a crop works wonders. My Halo is such a sweetie but pulled a few things with my husband last month. Bought him a crop, and he popped her a couple times and now she is pretty respectful with him. She is young too. I think young ones test, and try to get away with things, and that is certainly the time to "nip" it in the bud, as you said.

 

[Marty]

I'm a believer in tying up a horse. Teaches submission. I have a tiny little monster in my barn that loves to jerk my chain on occasion. I usually just tie her up for a good long while and that does the trick for until next time. But one day I got sick of her stuff because she thought she was going to run me out of the stall. For some dumb reason, and I mean dumb, I scooped her up of the ground into my arms. She froze. Or died. Or something, but she didn't move an inch. Of course we almost fell over backwards nearly getting ourselves killed but that stopped her crap for months. Until yesterday when she decided to throw me out of her stall again. I tied her up. Mission accomplished. For now.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I carried a short crop with my stud boy when he was in the one year old chompy stage. I don't hit heads, but gave him a smart crack on the chest or side but without big swinging hand motions. Just smack and continue, you can flip back the crop quickly while still leading and give them a good shot on the shoulder or chest. No treats by hand as was said. I also purchased a nice clinton andersen rope halter and only used it until I got respect with the biting. sometimes I did the sneak attack by holding a longer driving whip with a short lash in my left hand, dragging it along as we walked, if he motioned to bite, I swung back with my left hand and popped him on the butt around my back like a surprise attack, he would spin around and I looked innocent and we went back to walking.
I am also fond of the "3 second spaz" as we call it, where if I got bit or close to got bit, I spaz for three seconds correcting and backing them up using the halter and smack with a short crop on chest, then stop quickly and resume walking like nothing happened. Like the bite caused me to spaz. My boy got it very quick. Timing is crucial though. If they connect and there is a delay on the correction, (correction best made when they make the "face" and you "know" they are going to strike by the way).

I corrected quickly for the attempt or beginnings of a strike, but if I got bit I corrected much harder.

also don't get yourself caught walking ahead of her. Also helps to do double duty and lead with somebody on each side like human cross ties.

Those one year hormones are something. take care, you will get plenty of suggestions to choose from where you can pick what works for you and her. Every horse and owner is different as to what works and doesn't.

 

[shorthorsemom]

ps, do you feed alfalfa? Just curious, I have a boy that gets very nippy when fed any percentage of alfalfa.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Is she living on her own or does she have company?

 

[HGFarm]

I have fed alfalfa for 40 years and have not found it to cause a horse to be nippy. It's an age thing. I agree that she is trying to push her boundaries and move up the ladder in the pecking order. If she did this to any other horse in the herd, she would be put in her place immediately. Perhaps your corrections are not firm enough to get it through her brain that it's not nice and not allowed. And the correction must be made immediately- not 2 minutes later. Her brain has already moved on to something else by then, lol. Just keep correcting her firmly, and she will get it.

 

[Miniv]

I agree with the 2 to 3 second rule....and never smack her face, but other areas are fair game.

We use a number of methods which include stomping our feet, smack the neck, shoulder, butt (not the face), and a very loud command. We use the word "QUIT" because the word no is so close to whoa. If she's on a lead, making her immediately back away from you is also good. And often even if she's not on a lead, by stomping your feet will cause her to back away.

This is definitely a hormonal/age thing and she needs to be taught to THINK and that YOU are the boss.

Good luck.

 

[amysue]

This is typical baby behavior. Young horses generally learn herd behavior dynamics at this age and nipping/pushing is how horses in a herd test eachother and establish a pecking order. Momma horse would nip and put baby in her place as would other horses in the herd. If you can turn her out with others they will learn her good. If shes alone, you neef to teach her that you are the alpha. When walking make her "heel" and respect your space and speed. When working on the ground, tie or crosstie her. She needs to learn to respect space and boundaries. When she nips, immediately verbally scold her and pinch her in the neck. Just like momma would nip her to scold her. Do not hit her hard, scream or smack her in the face as that will make her headshy. You have 5 seconds max to reprimand the behavior before her mind is off on the next thing. Wait too long or overreact and you'll turn her sour. A crop is good to make snapping noise to deter biting and establish your personal space when out in the paddock. Teach her respect and she'll respect you.

 

[misty'smom]

Thank you for all the great responses!!

Shorthorsemom no I do not feed her alfalfa. She gets hay (mixed orchard grasses) and textured feed. Nothing has changed in her diet.

Jane, she does have a companion her half sister Josie. They are 1 month apart in age and were in the same paddock with their Moms and then weaned together. Josie is a sweet little dwarf and they defiantly are BFFs!! They are always together out in our field and love to run and play together!!

I am trying the suggestions you all have given. I think if we stay on it and stay firm with her I think she will out grow this "not so nice habit"!!!

 

[oakrunfarm]

We bred and raised QH halter and riding babies for quite awhile, and if you don't instill respect for them at the beginning, you end up with a surly, spoiled LARGE brat, capable of really hurting you.

My suggestions may sound a little silly, but using "horse" language to stop this kind of behavior always worked for us.

First of all, I completely agree with those who say never hit one in the face or head. That is just asking for a head-shy problem, which is exceedingly hard to correct, and causes multiple issues. (Think about all of the things you have to do around the face and head that having one that won't cooperate will mean major problems.)

What I always did was replicate the behavior of a mare disciplining a naughty baby. When faced with any sassy behavior (nipping, ears pinned, snaky neck, etc.), the key is an IMMEDIATE and aggressive response. I would take a fast step forward into baby's space, raised arms to make yourself larger, with a loud squeal, like what a mare would do. (I am pretty good at that, lol.)

That normally gets the, "Wow. What the heck?" response, and immediate attitude change, but if it doesn't, I take my thumb and forefinger and grab the loose skin on the neck or shoulder and give a nasty, twisting pinch. I then stand there staring, right up in their face.

To be honest, I don't know what you'd do after that if it didn't work, because it always has!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Ditto on the body language thing. I saw a special on TV once (probably RFD) where some girls made a hat with horse ears. They could make the ears prick forward and could make them flat back against their head by pulling on a string. It was amazing the horses response to the ears back position vs ears forward.

Your horse is more in tune to your body than you think. I have tested this with my guys on the trail. I can be walking along leading and if I see something "scary" like a tire in the weeds if I get a tighter grip on my lead and I look at the object my horse will shy. If I walk past the scary object with my shoulder in relaxed position and either look forward or slightly away, my horse looks where I am looking and walks right past.

Nothing wrong about letting a horse check out something they are scared at, but my trainer says there is value in just asking the horse to move on past something odd and not have to reach out and touch it. Over played and the horse can take advantage and over think the object you are trying to desensitize.

Same true about corrections, don't make a big deal with it... just swiftly correct and then just as quick recover and don't give them much time to think about it.

Just thought of a funny story about a full sized horse I had. She was quite a handful, I over played the "lets touch the scary object". We were on a trail ride and there was a box in the trail. She was going nuts but I finally encouraged her to go up to the box and touch it. A cat jumped out of the box. Never saw a horse do a one and a half with a full twist... LOL. I went flying.

I know you didnt say your filly was scared... but your body language for fear as well as for correcting sassy behavior is important. On my boy that liked to nip, when I was more relaxed, not choked up on the lead and shoulder soft but "ready", he more often did not get nippy. Hard to explain, but often when you change your body language in anticipation of an event, you can actually cause the event. Centered riding book for riding biggies had a lot of examples of how to relax your body and I try techniques like that to see how my mini reacts and often are amazed as to how much in tune he is to me. Turn my head and he looks to see what I am looking at. They read us very well. take care!

 

[Minimor]

I don't do much of anything to "fix" biting/nipping--I make sure the horse fixes it himself. If one decides to start biting I don't do anything except make sure that when the horse makes a grab he/she encounters my elbow or a knuckle. After getting themselves a sharp ***--and with no movement from me the horse associates the *** in the muzzle with their own actions--a couple of times they generally give it up. I have found that to be very effective. There isn't a horse on the place that will nip or bite, and I DO hand feed oats and treats.

 

[AnnaC]

I agree with Minimor, works brilliantly for those few that try the 'nipping' trick as youngsters. No need to panic or go over the top - it is a phase and most of them will grow out of it with normal care and good handling.