Food Aggressive horse??

[Lucky Duck]

Well, my new boy has been showing aggression toward people around food, hay and grain. It started with my husband and now he has shown aggression toward me. He hasn't bitten or kicked, just put ears back. BUT, tonight he put ears back and came torward me a little... I chased him off and he showed more aggression (turning to kick)... I didn't have a whip or I would have really gotten after him. I yelled, waved my arms so he just went and chased the next in pecking order horse (my other gelding) off their hay.

SO, is this a common problem? If I get after him, I imagine he will stop doing it toward me, but will he do it to other people still?? When I work out of town, other people (my hubby, my neighbors) feed for me... neither of the other two show aggression like this. I check them all while they are eating their grain usually.

[shell]

My mare Cleo is also food agressive. If she shows agression towards me, I chase her away from the food with a stick or whip and don't let her back to eat untill she can stand quietly and not try and kill me. She has been this way since birth, so it is nothing from her past. It is just her. Her mother and full brother are not food agressive at all.

[Lucky Duck]

Do you worry about her with other people? Like if someone fed the horses for you?

[Horse_Lover92]

It sounds like you are doing the right thing, keep it up

[crazy4horses205]

My friends mare does that, but she is just an all around grumpy mare, lol. If you stand in the opening place above her grain place outside of the stall when she is eating she will try to snap at you. It sounds like you're doing the right thing. You have to show her that you are the alpha horse and that that behaviour is not acceptable.

[shell]

Do you worry about her with other people? Like if someone fed the horses for you?

If you are referring to me, yes I worry about it, but the few times I have had someone else feed, I tell them to take a whip in with them and don't let any of the horses eat until they are ready to get out of the pasture. Right now Cleo is in a barn situation and has her own stall. She is fine with others feeding her there, but they don't go in with her when she is eating.

[horse_luvr83]

Crook is kind of like that, he's not horrible though, he knows when to back off. maybe it's a sign of dominance???

[BestofPrincess]

my mare is food agressive toward horses, her 2004 colt is food agressive toward people. Its very anoying so I bring a whip with me

[Lucky Duck]

I guess I'm just worried about it because I know my hubby will be feeding them a lot soon because I'll be in TN every other week. He will probably be fine, but he tends to treat ALL horses like his mare (who is very sweet and mellow). My gelding threatened to kick him once and he didn't really react quickly.... I think he doesn't think any horse would ever really hurt someone...

[Shotgun93]

There are a couple of really good threads on here about how to deal/stop food aggressive horses, you should look them up because there is some really good info on them.