Need advise with a aggressive dangerous 14 mo colt

[user 3234]

We now have a 14 mo old colt (to be gelded ASAP) that is extremely aggressive. To halter him consist of biting and rearing. In cleaning his pen I carry a crop for protection. He will come directly at you whipping him to stop his attacks, which he will go right thru with a full rear up and will come at you with full blown bites. I now carry a buggy whip for protection when in his pen to clean. He was my neighbor’s mini and born on her property. He was only with his dam who was mild and did not discipline him. The neighbor only feed him with very little contact. His sire was also an even temp mini. I know a great portion of his issue besides being 14 mo old colt is he has never had boundary set or ever disciplined and now that he is in a new home is trying to see how far he can push. I am hoping after he has been gelded a month or so and most hormones are in check I can put him in with my 38 inch gelding who will hopefully teach him manners.

Since he is only 14 mo old will gelding him resolve the aggressive issues?

How soon after gelding him would you put him in with a dominate gelding?

If we had not taken him he would have been possibly put down and/or sent to slaughter. He is very aggressive and dangerous. He has bitten several people at the prior owners property. If gelding does not resolve his issue putting him down is still a possibility, as I could not put an animal like this back in the system.

Please bear in mind I have taken in many colts which have all been gelded and I have never had one at such a young age be so aggressive. I am hoping the gelding will resolve much of the issues or I may have to consider the above alternative.

Any and all advise is appreciated.

 

[valshingle]

I would immediately put him with your gelding. I hope gelding him helps. It should, but it takes about 60 days for the hormones to be completely gone. Try not to be afraid when you deal with this colt as he will sense that. He needs to consider you the boss, and have a healthy respect for you. I have put obnoxious colts out with senior stallions, who usually teach them some manners. I currently have a yearling that was gelded 2 months ago. He was quite difficult as a colt. After gelding he was immediately put out with 3 stallions. Now that 60 days have passed, he has been moved into the broodmare pasture where his education is continuing, lol. Good luck!

 

[BSharpRanch]

Per chance did he have a stifle issue that they used estrogene injections on?? I had a friend whose colt had a locked patella. Their vet refered them to the equine hospital where he recieved two estrogen injections into the stifle joint, spaced about a week apart. About two months later he turned into the horse from he**. It was a challenge to do his feet or anything else. Last time I seen him was a a few years ago. He had mellowed some, but was still bad. He was sold as a two year old but never gelded. I think it had to do with the injections. A long story as to why.

 

[Carolyn R]

Discipline by you and other horses and as you are already doing, gelding. It will make a huge difference but he will need those manors and a job to do. You are already headed in the right direction and you are asking the right questions. Having a job to busy his mind and set goals / praise for him will go far.

 

[user 3234]

I doubt this little guy has seen any medical issue

 

[user 3234]

What can be done about the excessive bitting and rearing. I noticed he has a special dislike for women whom I believe he has learned to rear and bite and they back off of. He has had very little experience with male humans. My husband was able to go in and hook him up and brush him. Good start.

 

[user 3234]

Really could you some positive feed back if Gelding has help unruly colts transform into nice geldings. I know this is not a cure all and that respect training is still a must. Hopeing the Gelding resesolve the Agressive issues first.

 

[MountainWoman]

Yes, gelding makes a world of difference along with other training, a turn out buddy and lots of time to run around and exercise and play. Takes a little while for the hormones to go away but when they do, it makes all the difference in the world.

 

[MyMiniGal]

My friend just had her colt gelded a couple months ago. She said he was aggressive. I don't know what degree to compare to yours, but she said it has only been a couple months and he is such a sweetie and a clown now. I've walked him and been around him, and he is great now.

 

[Marty]

I've had a couple colts like this and actually a filly who got territorial with me too. Its really no fun. You can't do anything with him while he's loose so you need to get a halter and rope on him and do a lot of hands on..I'm not the type to go around with a whip or smacking my horses although I do have a great sense of self preservation. I solve the problem by tieing them up and working within their space, claiming their space as mine, not theirs. Works all the time (for me). Wherever the horse is challenging you, in a pen, field, or stall, tie him there (while you are present) and do whatever you have to do around him and to him (brush etc.) and be very firm about it. If he rears, he can rear tied up till the cows come home and have a tantrum while he's tied. Sometimes I'd have a horse tied up to the wall while I clean his stall and there he'd be wearing himself out, and then I'd go "Are you done yet?" He'll soon figure it out that it will get him nowhere. Tie him up 2 or 3 times a day for about 10 minutes and he'll get over himself pretty quick but do not tie him up and leave him unattended for a minute just to be safe. .

Gelding will certainly take him down a peg but will not replace good manners and respect that you have to teach him..Good luck.

 

[madmax]

I agree one hundred percent with Marty, I was thinking that before I saw her post, because it works. Sometimes simple is always the answer, tie the horse up a little short, not too tight let him have some head space, to a strong post, stay in the area, a couple of hours will be okay if you stay close.. When he is calm go 'rescue' him. This must be done every day. I have experienced this before, not with a biter, but with a very excitable guy and my goal was getting his respect and learn to listen to me and not himself! Doing this more than once a day, I am okay with that. I am not an expert, but have 35 years working with horses big and small and I have learned a little bit, always still more to learn, lol. I'm sorry you have to protect yourself with a whip, be careful.

An after thought - your husband grooming him could be a real positive.

 

[romewhip]

I'm currently working with a pony who had become really aggressive and was unmanageable for his people. He was a stallion for a while, and then gelded. I've only known him after gelding, and had him a week, but we've made great strides in that time. He wasn't a biter, but reared and stomped all over you, and had no respect for personal space. He also overreacts to a whip, so even longing him I'm not using one. I am doing like others said- he stands tied for a little while, he's learning that my space is more important than his, he's getting some good grooming time in, and I have zero tolerance for his crap. Thankfully I have a nice big backside to push him with. It'll take time for hormones to settle down- and in the meantime I'd have hubby tie him up while his pen is cleaned. Good luck- you're the last hope for this kid and I hope he can decide to be good instead of a terror.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

No doubt it is a behavior issue, but I am wondering about pain. Some horses do not handle pain well. Do his eyes look "inward" or preoccupied? You could try giving him a dose of banamine and seeing if there is any improvement in his behavior. That is not a cure, of course. A horse that cannot handle pain safely is a menace. I rescued a miniature stallion that was rather scary. He was a kicker, for one thing, and so quick you couldn't see it coming. His face showed something was wrong. I took him to the OSU vet hospital for xrays and discovered his tendons were deformed ( I can't remember the technical term). He was 7 years old when I got him, too old to repair. I left him at the hospital. He had been in constant pain his whole life. $150 to "rescue" him, $90 to have him gelded, $250 for xrays and euthansia. The only thing that made it okay was knowing I'd taken him out of the breeding pool.

I agree; dangerous horses do not need to be in circulation.

 

[disneyhorse]

Lots of exercise, too maybe? Some horses, when bored, will be aggressive because they've got nothing better to do. A tired horse won't have the energy to be as aggressive, and work will have him respecting you during the exercises as well.

 

[LAZY J MINIS]

I AGREE WITH MARTY, I HAD THE COLT FORM HE** I WAS IN DANDER AND SO WAS ANYONE NEAR HIM. HE WOULD STRIKE NO MATTER WHAT OR WHERE, HAD HIM GELDED AND INTENSE TRAINING, HE SPENT TIME WITH THE STALLIONS AND THEN MARES. WHAT AN EDUCATION HE GOT. HE IS A VERY NICE BOY AND A BIG MOMMA'S BOY NOW. WHAT A CHANGE ALL WORTH WHILE. GOOD LUCK.

 

[Tab]

I tell you what. It's just like with kids. If they weren't disciplined early, it may soon be too late. However, recent experience has definitely humbled and taught me that all of the sudden, a normal horse can one Spring go crazy. I remember seeing some of the most gorgeous creatures that were geldings and wondering why they were gelded. Now I know. I had a colt that was dropped at his sale as a weanling and I said, geld him asap, as a yearling at the latest. Luckily he has gone to a 4-h home where gelding was a priority. Geld him, keep him solitary, even in a pasture to recover by himself. Don't stable him with mares until he's a full 2 weeks healed. Even better keep him solitary for a full 4 weeks, and then introduce him slowly to other horses that are close to his size. Preferably with a horse who is slightly bigger and can hold his own. If the gelding is dominant, even better. Just make sure he's fully healed before he is with another horse. Lots of handling at halter, lots of tying, and if he pulls anything kill for 3 seconds. I like to do kick or discipline in the chest. You don't want headshyness. I'd kick and squeal and make a terrible ruckus for 3 full seconds. If a riding crop to the chest is what it takes... better than being savaged.

 

[ohmt]

We bought a 3 yr old stallion who was just like this-the lady who raised/showed him was afraid of him and he knew it. He would rear and then bite while striking at you with his hooves. He'd pin those ears back and looked like a little monster. One day i held his halter so he couldn't bite and I held him up while he reared. The horses absolutely hate it. He never reared again and it's my go to now-only once or twice and they are done. They can't stand being held up when it's not their own doing. The biting issue is one that I had to be patient with. I led him by the halter only for a while and then slowly gave him more space. If he tried to bite it was a very loud NO and a smack on his shoulder. I think the biggest thing was that i was not afraid of him-and there was a lot of praise when he was a good boy. Once they figure out the whole "if i'm good she'll scratch my itchies and feed me treats" bit then you are good to go. It's just going to take a little while.

 

[HGFarm]

Have not read all the posts but just wondering how much turn out time does he get? Or is he stalled all/most of the time. Sounds like he is bored and not a happy boy and needs to take out his boyish roughhousing on the next nearest thing- you. Can you turn him out or tie him out while you clean? It's easiest to avoid bad habits than to break them later. He needs a buddy to play/romp with or I would turn him out all day- and make sure he has toys to play with too. Just some ideas.

 

[user 3234]

I wanted to say thank you for all the great advise. On a positive note I did find a gentleman that really likes him, will have him gelded and a trainer that is willing to work with aggressive horse. He has a bright future and I have a few less bites and bruises.

God loves me!!