Help, need advice & suggestions

[Valerie]

Hi all, ok, so Rascal is now just over 2 weeks old and let me tell you this boy hit the ground running, and has just done everything at top speeding, including learning bad habits. He has been wanting to bite since day 1, and I have been trying to correct that nasty habit since day 1. I do know he is teething & has been since day 2 or 3, unreal how he is growing so quickly, so I am not sure if this is all due to teething or if he is just a little brat. I learned years ago from a top QH trainer & judge if a horse/foal trys to bite, to pull their whiskers on the chin, well, that isn't working. Rascal has learned that if he goes behind you (like when you are in picking the stall or putting in the grain tubs that he just goes behind you & bites your behind..and then he runs & hides behind mom. Big brat!! He is fun, but has major attitude.

I am also already (since 1 week old) to start haltering & just doing some leading lessons, thinking again this may curb his enthusiasm for biting...not. Now when you stop & work on picking up his feet (another good lesson to learn) he trys to bite you when you work with his front feet.

He is very cute, but he has a nasty habit of this always wanting to bite, he comes for you with his little mouth open. I am thinking of changing his name to Jaws or Gator!! :bgrin

I know it sounds funny, but it's a nasty habit, anyone have any good tips on how to break this habit?

He is out in the big pasture with his mom and she doesn't really discipline him at all, I have seen her correct him 2x (just when he got way over-eager to nurse) and she literally did bite his back leg & pick it up. She did it 2x in a row, so he settled down, but for the most part, she lets him walk all over her, literally.

I told my hubby, this is like watching a parent & a child at the grocery store where you see the kid having a temper tantrum, that would be our boy Rascal.

I don't know where he gets this from, his sire, our stallion CJ, is very well behaved & Mom, DeeDee, is shy and she is not a biter either.

Anyway, any ideas or suggestions? I don't like biters, even if they are cute 2 week olds, they grow up & they can't be biting at everyone.

Oh I did also buy him a couple of big balls at the store & I think he is going to be trying out for the soccer league, he is hsyterical to watch. He kicks & bites at the ball & will kick it & chase it and run around it, I think he is going to be quite the soccer star (I think he would give our dogs a run for their money).. :bgrin

I really did think the ball would again, give him something fun to do, and it is, but he still wants to bite.

Thanks all.

:

 

[countryrose]

Wish I could help you. I too have a 3 week old colt acting exactly the same. I have tried slap on the neck, on the tummy, pulling whispers, yelling loudly.

Still comes up behind you and gets you or bites when you touch front or legs.

He ignores the toys and manages to bite and chew on anything we dont want him to. He really tries to be friendly but can't seem to understand how to be nice!

I hope some of you out there can help us.

 

[Valerie]

Yep Countryrose, you are dealing with exactly what we are dealing with. I know that Rascal knows the word No and he probably thinks it's his name, along with a few other choice little names....that I shan't repeat here.

Yep, please anyone out there have any ideas/suggestions?

I know he does try to behave, but the bad little angel on his shoulder wins out & he trys to bite.

I already told Marty to get a stall (jail cell) ready next to Timmy, we have his future cell mate in WA.

Hmmm..Countryrose, do you think it's something in the water up here?...haha. Ok, I am done making a joke out of this, it really is a serious problem, I shouldn't make light of it. But then again, laughter is the best medicine. :bgrin

 

[rockin r]

Shooter was the same....But I got some good advice on here..and WALA he stopped biting...He needs to know "YOU'RE" the BOSS!!! Yell at him and STOMP your feet at him all at the same time. When he gets into "YOUR SPACE" let him know his behavior is not acceptable. Don't wait for him to make the move, you go first. I will admit, at times he still will try, but not very often!!! Good Luck Theresa

 

[rockin r]

Shooter was the same....But I got some good advice on here..and WALA he stopped biting...He needs to know "YOU'RE" the BOSS!!! Yell at him and STOMP your feet at him all at the same time. When he gets into "YOUR SPACE" let him know his behavior is not acceptable. Don't wait for him to make the move, you go first. I will admit, at times he still will try, but not very often!!! Good Luck Theresa

I got booted off, I guess that is why it posted 3 times...sorry....

 

[outlawridge]

I had a similar problem a few years ago with a colt and we tried the lemon juice trick as nothing else worked with him. He also would present a gaping wide mouth to bite the halter as you tried to put it on him. What we did was get one of those small plastic lemons you find at the grocery store filled with lemon juice. Hold it discreetly in your hand BEING VERY SURE which direction the squirt will end up (be very very careful you don't squirt him in the eye or anywhere else but directly inside those piranha jaws). Don't set him up to bite, but calmly be near or reach to pet him etc. When he would reach out to bite and was very very close to that hand, we did a tiny quick squirt of lemon juice into his open mouth. Woooeeee what a face he made!

: Just don't squirt it from farther away cuz then you have less control on where that squirt ends up. Our little man was a tough nut and it took several times and a few days but we were consistent and won out!

: Also, when cleaning out the stall we always faced him so that he couldn't get us from behind.

 

[horsegal5]

OMG, I have one too! I wasn't sure if scaring him might make him timid. So I only tried that once, as it really scared him, but only worked for a short time. I think I will try the lemon thing, and I will try it on my 2 yr old colt too, who never got the no bitting thing, no matter what I tried. Something's gotta work, I love him to pieces, but I'm sick of the biting.

 

[Dorrie & Frank]

Thumbs are really yucky! I stick my thumb into thespace in the teeth where we insert meds, or a bit and i push the tongue down letting him get a big ol taste of nasty thumb - It takes once or twice and its gone - however do not ever give treats in hand - treats go in buckets - horses get mouthy or get to be pains in the butt when they think they can beat the hand by going into the pocket.

 

[Valerie]

Oh, I love the lemon juice idea, thank you, I will definitely give that a whirl.

I will also try the thumb trick, I have just kinda grabbed his lower jaw when his "jaws" are wide open & I tell him "no" very sternly....it works, but for just a minute.

I am thinking the lemon juice idea may just work, I will have hubby get a little lemon juice thing today.

I don't give baby treats from the hand, he gets grain but only from his feet bucket.

Thanks again for the suggestions!! :aktion033:

 

[HGFarm]

Keep in mind that much of this is natural coltish behavior and many outgrow it in time. The lemon juice sounds like a good idea.

 

[Champ]

Lemon juice sounds like a great idea I can't wait to go home and try it on my guy, I can reprimand him until I'm blue in the face and it doesn't work so now I muzzle him when ever I am working with him.

 

[Miniv]

We go through it EVERY YEAR with at least one or more of our COLTS!

I hate to reprimand them too much, but you still need to show them that YOU are boss. At this age, the best thing we've found to do is just grab hold of their little mouths with our hand and clamp gentley but firmly. Then I LOVE THEM UP.......Drives them crazy!

Initially, it DOES drive them crazy.....LOL! ........but it also doesn't scare them off from being friendly either.

MA

 

[countryrose]

Yeah, maybe it is in the water!!

I also will try the lemon juice. He did get over the kicking and now backs up for butt rubs. So guess the other end should work out okay soon. Yelling and clapping hands only spooks him off for a quick minute and he is back for more so dont need to worry about scaring him.

Thanks everyone.

 

[clpclop]

GEEZ! I haven't been on the forum since my colt was born 3 weeks ago and here I get on, wanting to post a question regarding ...this URGGG... SAME PROBLEM!!! Were all these little dudes born during a full moon or what??

My little guy also came out with his mouth ready to chomp on something. He bites my pants when I'm trying to clean the stall, nips his 6 week old sister and will nibble, chew and bite on anything that doesn't move! I've watched his momma discipline him several times and she nips him on the rear end. I've tried doing that (a little pinch), and he turns his little butt on me. I also found myself tapping him on his nose, but I don't want to create a head-shy horse.

The lemon juice sounds like a good idea. Can't wait to try it out.

Does anyone know if these little nippers carry this on into adulthood? I love this little guy and had planned on him being my first experience in showing. (He's on my Avatar) He's got attitude and legs a mile long, but still small at 19".

 

[sugarboy]

[SIZE=10pt]Im so glad you asked this question!!![/SIZE] I have a now 3 year old gelding that is horrible for my daughter. He will back off and give me respect but he is impatient and nippy for my 11 year old daughter. Its one of those things trying to teach both at the same time just does not work. we bought him as a 2 year old and he already had a nipping habit firmly established. I'm going to try the lemon juice too! ANYMORE GOOD SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE SHARE.

 

[hrselvr728]

If you have good reflexes, sometimes this at least annoys or surprises them. If someone tries to bite me, I'll try to pinch their muzzle right away, or sometimes it's easier to just pinch the whole upper lip. Kinda like biting them back with my hand. But sometimes the horses figure it out what you're going for and duck out of the way before you can discipline them!