Help with kicking

[betwys1]

Horses are not in general, approached from behind. That the kicking direction. Horses can and will bite too but an apple wafer presented say once in five visits, sets up a presumption to present their nose. In the last twenty years, I have been bitten once. I had a nervous horse at the gate, with a dozen loose horses behind, and I made a performance about getting the gate open which resulted in a bite in the forearm.

 

[MiniInTheCity]

Wow, thanks. Will have to go back through and read again more thoroughly. A few questions answered - yes we had him gelded right after we got him.

He is rarely in his stall - only comes in for feed/water, usually chooses to stand out even in the rain, although he did stay in there during most of the arctic blast so he has some sense. It actually doesn't even have a gate/door right now. The back of the stall has an opening we reach through from the other side standing in front of our feed shed. That's why he's fed at the back.

He had access to grass 24/7 until it died down for winter. His hay is rationed because we read so much about over feeding minis and foundering them. We researched how much he should have by weight and then weighed out his hay to find how much that would be.
I don't think he kicks out when he only has hay, just for grain but I will double check with my daughter. He has an obsession with his grain.

He was very scared of everything when he came and especially of "tall" people. He considers anyone over about 3 1/2 feet to be "tall". If you are 5 or 6 years old you can walk right up to him, catch him, lead him, whatever. Anyone taller better bring grain or squat down and waddle!
I think he feels scared if you come in the stall when he's facing the other way. If he was just getting a drink or something he will just turn around and bolt out past you. It's when he wants to stay there to finish his grain that he stomps/kicks.

We've read about not letting them get away with bad habits, especially cute minis, just literally don't know what exactly to do when he does this or how to show him it's not acceptable. Fwiw I also thought it was being said to kick him back with your foot. I know people have different answers. But specific examples please if you walked in and he started threatening to kick what would you do at that time?

 

[Amyln29]

I think that every horse has to be approached differently with training maybe based on their personalities. One of mine was bad about turning her butt to me and pinning her ears when I brought feed in. The first time she kicked me I did kick her back with my foot..not hard..flat footed on the rump…more of a push really and yelled NO. This happened twice and then a couple more times I brought the longe whip in and tapped her and with held food until she turned around. Once she turned around she would get her grain. Now I don’t have any issues during feeding time and I can pet her..etc…while she eats. The breeder I bought her from fed them into one trough so it was a fight for food and I think that is where she learned her behavior. I’m far from a professional horse trainer and everyone has their own opinion on how horses should be trained but I just wanted to let you know what helped mine. Good luck..it definitely takes time snd patience but they eventually get it . Mine were about 10 months old when I got them ..never had on a halter…etc…they were wild at first but they learned to trust me and now I can touch them anywhere without fear and they always meet me at the gate. They will be two this summer and they still have a lot to learn with ground manners but we try to be consistent…they are slowly getting it . Since they were so fearful at first my daughter and I would get a chair and sit in their stall where they couldn’t run from us. We would let them approach us first and then it just got easier over time..they learned to trust us. Wishing you the best! This is the first time I have owned minis and I’m in love!

 

[MiniInTheCity]

Trying to attach pics. Not sure it worked.

 

[Crimson Rose]

The pictures didn't come through.

I personally wouldn't mess with him when he is eating his grain. He is resource guarding, and adding a punishment will just create fear when this guy already has fear issues. Is there any reason why your daughter wants to mess with him or enter the stall during feeding? Maybe feed him grain outside of the stall? I would also make sure that his hay is in a slow feed net, so that he doesn't eat up his ration too fast, and then go on an empty belly for a long period of time. The slow feed net helps to keep that from happening.

 

[Standards Equine]

Have you ever heard of the idea of "meal sharing" @MiniInTheCity ? The idea is to help bonding by sharing a meal with the horse. Basically to sit with a bucket or feed pan of whatever you're feeding in your lap and to put your hands in the bucket while the horse is eating. To be very present while the eating is happening. The idea is to replicate when two best-friend ponies share a bucket. Each will take a turn taking a bite and allow each other the opportunity to eat as well. When I observe it, it seems to be a very important part of the social bonding in the herd. Especially of the youngsters eating with the older mares.

Anyways, just a thought.

 

[Cayuse]

Have you ever heard of the idea of "meal sharing" @MiniInTheCity ? The idea is to help bonding by sharing a meal with the horse. Basically to sit with a bucket or feed pan of whatever you're feeding in your lap and to put your hands in the bucket while the horse is eating. To be very present while the eating is happening. The idea is to replicate when two best-friend ponies share a bucket. Each will take a turn taking a bite and allow each other the opportunity to eat as well. When I observe it, it seems to be a very important part of the social bonding in the herd. Especially of the youngsters eating with the older mares.

Anyways, just a thought.

I have done this! But with hay, I would kneel down and take a handful of hay, mess with it and then give it back. After awhile my mini started to "flip" me a portion of hay with his nose to share. However the first time we did this "sharing" session it stressed him badly. I think I spent too long with him doing the exercise because as soon as I left, he stood over his hay and peed on it. A territorial display, I think. I felt quite badly about that and eased off on the length of time spent doing the exercise the following times. I'm on the fence about the experience and not sure I'd do it again with another. Both me and his trainer who was there when the peeing took place thought we took it too far and frazzled him, but no harm was done to his psyche in the long haul . And now I have a mini who feeds me hay!

 

[MiniInTheCity]

The pictures didn't come through.

I personally wouldn't mess with him when he is eating his grain. He is resource guarding, and adding a punishment will just create fear when this guy already has fear issues. Is there any reason why your daughter wants to mess with him or enter the stall during feeding? Maybe feed him grain outside of the stall? I would also make sure that his hay is in a slow feed net, so that he doesn't eat up his ration too fast, and then go on an empty belly for a long period of time. The slow feed net helps to keep that from happening.

She isn't messing with him. Just going in to fill water bucket or access chicken coop etc.

 

[MiniInTheCity]

Have you ever heard of the idea of "meal sharing" @MiniInTheCity ? The idea is to help bonding by sharing a meal with the horse. Basically to sit with a bucket or feed pan of whatever you're feeding in your lap and to put your hands in the bucket while the horse is eating. To be very present while the eating is happening. The idea is to replicate when two best-friend ponies share a bucket. Each will take a turn taking a bite and allow each other the opportunity to eat as well. When I observe it, it seems to be a very important part of the social bonding in the herd. Especially of the youngsters eating with the older mares.

Anyways, just a thought.

Haven't heard of it. Thanks! Might try this.
And will get a gate back up on stall so she can just sit in there with him when not feeding and he can't get out.

 

[MiniInTheCity]

I have done this! But with hay, I would kneel down and take a handful of hay, mess with it and then give it back. After awhile my mini started to "flip" me a portion of hay with his nose to share. However the first time we did this "sharing" session it stressed him badly. I think I spent too long with him doing the exercise because as soon as I left, he stood over his hay and peed on it. A territorial display, I think. I felt quite badly about that and eased off on the length of time spent doing the exercise the following times. I'm on the fence about the experience and not sure I'd do it again with another. Both me and his trainer who was there when the peeing took place thought we took it too far and frazzled him, but no harm was done to his psyche in the long haul . And now I have a mini who feeds me hay!

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Do you all ration hay or just free feed?

 

[LostandFound]

Lots of mini people weigh out their hay. I prefer to give them as much as they like and increase exercise if my minis need to lose weight.

 

[Amyln29]

I do the same as LostandFound and I think it just kind of depends on your mini. I’ll put two flakes out in the morning and two flakes when when I put them up at night. Sometimes they will eat it all but there is usually a little left.

 

[1roadtoad]

I also feed as much hay as my minis want. They are wicked active and the vet says that their weights look good. I'll keep doing what I'm doing until something changes.

 

[MiniInTheCity]

I have tried clicking both "attach files" and the "pic" symbol, checking pics, hitting "done" and nothing happens!

 

[Cayuse]

I'm home all day so I feed out hay in small amounts 5 -6 times a day I weigh it. They get about 5.5 - 6 lbs a day.

 

[Jeni&EllieMae]

My teen got a mini (our first horse) last May. He is about 18 months old now. When he is facing the back of his stall eating and she comes in from the front he will kick out with a hind leg. It reminds me of food protection aggression in dogs. But I don't have experience with horses. Even when he's not eating he doesn't like people to come in when he's in the stall, appears to feel cornered and gets out. He's been skittish since he came and she's made a lot of progress with him, but it's still difficult to catch him without grain. Just wondered if you had advice on how to respond and teach him not to kick when someone comes into stall with him when he's eating.

My Mini Ellie Mae does that sometimes too, backing into me when I enter her stall while she is eating. I have done the same by sending her out of the stall and waiting to let her back in for a few. She has been doing it less. Eventually I am hoping it will stop.

 

[MaryFlora]

Hi MiniinTheCity. I’m sorry you are having trouble posting photo!

On myiPad, I hit the ‘landscape’ icon above my text. (It’s on the top bar between something like a paper clip and a colon.) Once I hit that another box opens that says drop image. I click that and choose the ‘photo library’.

 

[MaryFlora]

Incomplete post above, my apologies!

….After ‘choosing photo‘, I click ‘use’, then wait while it fully loads onto my text, such as this one of Tinker last summer. While it is loading on my device, there is a pale gray screen that covers the photo. I wait until it after the photo is completely loaded and clear then hit the blue ‘save’ button. After that, I hit ‘post reply’.

Apologies for being so long winded! I’m not sure all devices are the same but hope this helps somehow. Maybe someone else will hop in with tips!

 

[Spottedmini]

It seems sometimes people are willing to put up with a lot more from a mini than they would from a full size horse.
I have a lot of friends with minis and Horses but a lot seem to have the same attitude they don't tale bad behavior in minis serious. I think any animal you spend that much time with needs rules and structure you have to be in control and you need to get there respect.
I grew up in Germany dressage was my discipline that and fox hunts but one thing I always expected was respect from my Horse no matter the size. My little guy is a stallion as of now he has great trades I would love to keep going but will see once he matures right now he is just sweet.

 

[Jeni&EllieMae]

Incomplete post above, my apologies!

….After ‘choosing photo‘, I click ‘use’, then wait while it fully loads onto my text, such as this one of Tinker last summer. While it is loading on my device, there is a pale gray screen that covers the photo. I wait until it after the photo is completely loaded and clear then hit the blue ‘save’ button. After that, I hit ‘post reply’.

Apologies for being so long winded! I’m not sure all devices are the same but hope this helps somehow. Maybe someone else will hop in with tips!
View attachment 49425

So cute!!