Help on biting

Haleh · 08-12-2003, 10:43 AM

Hi everyone. I'm new here but I hope this is a place where I can get my answers.

I've just got my 5 year old gelding (my first horse) and he nips when I try to pat him in the stall!! He's O.K. under saddle but my hand still hurts from the last time he bit me

I would appreciate it if anyone can help me out blushing

Karen · 08-12-2003, 08:38 PM

Hello Haleh welcome, I also have a horse that was bad about biting. I read an article by John Lyons who writes the perfect horse magazine and he suggested that when a horse bites to do something to distract him by maybe making him do exersices such as backing everytime he tries to bite and the horse will get the idea that is is better not to bite because when he tries he has do do something else. John also suggests that if you are going to smack a horse for biting that you do this in the first three seconds because if you wait any longer the horse wont know why you are discpling him. Hope this helps i dont know if john has a web site or not but the article was in the march 2000 issue

Karen · 08-12-2003, 08:41 PM

Okay i just checked i typed in www.theperfecthorse.com and was told that the site is coming soon. YOu might keep trying it im sure you could find the article it is very helpful

Haleh · 08-13-2003, 05:41 AM

Tahanks Karen. I will surely try that because I still have his teethmarks on my hand!

Beau&Dixon · 08-29-2003, 09:11 AM

This might seem harsh but when she is just about to bite you squirt lemen juice into their mouth and she just might stop.

<small>[ August 29, 2003, 10:12 AM: Message edited by: Beau&Dixon ]</small>

Mary_k · 08-29-2003, 09:32 AM

I had a huge ugly bruise on my arm from a biter that I could not stop. Have you tried grabbing him by the halter, slapping the side of his face and telling him "NO" or "QUIT"? That is what worked for me. Just slap hard enough to make a noise, not to really hurt them.
You have do do it really quick, though, so he gets the connection between the bite and your displeasure.

Dawn · 08-29-2003, 11:38 AM

I agree with the lemon juice and pushing away, but do not slap your horse in the face. I would much rather deal with a horse that bites than one that's head shy.

Dakotas_Black_Magic · 09-03-2003, 03:31 PM

I would say bop them on the chin not very hard...just when they bring thier head around let them hit your hand or some they dont like but dont hurt them they will get worse and bite harder the second in self defense if they feel they TRUSTED YOU and YOU HURT THEM...so just be careful about what you do...

spyro1 · 09-03-2003, 03:52 PM

If you have never been seriously bitten by a horse before,smacking a horse in the muzzle for biting may sound like you will make it head shy. Not the case. There is what is called the 3 second rule. After a horse has bitten, kicked, or any other potentially life threatening behavior, you have 3 seconds to react and 3 seconds to kill them (not literally, of course). I was working with an app stallion that tried to take a chunk out of my chest. Guess what, after my 3 seconds was up, he never tried to bite me again! He was looking for blood when his teeth came at me and I was looking for blood for those 3 seconds. He never got head shy and always respected me after that day. I would rather smack a horse in the muzzle for biting me than letting him/her walk all over me and hurt me (or someone else).

Dakotas_Black_Magic · 09-03-2003, 04:04 PM

Im still sticking to my post but yes the three second rule does work...

08-12-2003, 10:43 AM	#1
Haleh Full Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Iran Posts: 197	Help on biting Hi everyone. I'm new here but I hope this is a place where I can get my answers. I've just got my 5 year old gelding (my first horse) and he nips when I try to pat him in the stall!! He's O.K. under saddle but my hand still hurts from the last time he bit me I would appreciate it if anyone can help me out blushing

09-03-2003, 03:52 PM	#9
spyro1 Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Swamp..Home of The SEC Champs~Go Gators Posts: 6,881 Images: 62 Blog Entries: 21	If you have never been seriously bitten by a horse before,smacking a horse in the muzzle for biting may sound like you will make it head shy. Not the case. There is what is called the 3 second rule. After a horse has bitten, kicked, or any other potentially life threatening behavior, you have 3 seconds to react and 3 seconds to kill them (not literally, of course). I was working with an app stallion that tried to take a chunk out of my chest. Guess what, after my 3 seconds was up, he never tried to bite me again! He was looking for blood when his teeth came at me and I was looking for blood for those 3 seconds. He never got head shy and always respected me after that day. I would rather smack a horse in the muzzle for biting me than letting him/her walk all over me and hurt me (or someone else). __________________ I used to have a handle on life, but it broke off. Do unto others......

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08-12-2003, 08:38 PM	#2
Karen Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 17	Hello Haleh welcome, I also have a horse that was bad about biting. I read an article by John Lyons who writes the perfect horse magazine and he suggested that when a horse bites to do something to distract him by maybe making him do exersices such as backing everytime he tries to bite and the horse will get the idea that is is better not to bite because when he tries he has do do something else. John also suggests that if you are going to smack a horse for biting that you do this in the first three seconds because if you wait any longer the horse wont know why you are discpling him. Hope this helps i dont know if john has a web site or not but the article was in the march 2000 issue

08-12-2003, 08:41 PM	#3
Karen Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 17	Okay i just checked i typed in www.theperfecthorse.com and was told that the site is coming soon. YOu might keep trying it im sure you could find the article it is very helpful

08-13-2003, 05:41 AM	#4
Haleh Full Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Iran Posts: 197	Tahanks Karen. I will surely try that because I still have his teethmarks on my hand!

08-29-2003, 09:11 AM	#5
Beau&Dixon Full Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 41	This might seem harsh but when she is just about to bite you squirt lemen juice into their mouth and she just might stop. <small>[ August 29, 2003, 10:12 AM: Message edited by: Beau&Dixon ]</small>

08-29-2003, 09:32 AM	#6
Mary_k Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Smoky Mtns, TN Posts: 21	I had a huge ugly bruise on my arm from a biter that I could not stop. Have you tried grabbing him by the halter, slapping the side of his face and telling him "NO" or "QUIT"? That is what worked for me. Just slap hard enough to make a noise, not to really hurt them. You have do do it really quick, though, so he gets the connection between the bite and your displeasure.

08-29-2003, 11:38 AM	#7
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,652 Images: 1283	I agree with the lemon juice and pushing away, but do not slap your horse in the face. I would much rather deal with a horse that bites than one that's head shy.

09-03-2003, 03:31 PM	#8
Dakotas_Black_Magic Full Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sooommmeee Whhheeerreeee OUT Thhheeerrreeee! Posts: 73	I would say bop them on the chin not very hard...just when they bring thier head around let them hit your hand or some they dont like but dont hurt them they will get worse and bite harder the second in self defense if they feel they TRUSTED YOU and YOU HURT THEM...so just be careful about what you do...

09-03-2003, 04:04 PM	#10
Dakotas_Black_Magic Full Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sooommmeee Whhheeerreeee OUT Thhheeerrreeee! Posts: 73	Im still sticking to my post but yes the three second rule does work...