How about if you try to introduce cars to him slowly- in the barn parking lot with a friend driving a car and you approaching it. Use the dually halter and if your horse tries to bite you, distract him but 'tap-kicking' him in the leg gently enough to get his attention but not hard to be taken as an actual kick kick. I read in Monty's book the suggestion of leg 'kicking' for horses that bite. He also always suggests incremental lessons. I hope this works should you choose to give it a try. Keep us posted:-)

I am having the same problem, my horse goes to bite me when I attempt to mount and lead him. I have pressed my foot gently on his coronary band and he goes to kick me. I will use the dually halter to help destract him.

Nichola--

It is unclear how old Oskar is or what might have triggered his "usual nipping", but if he is young, he may yet have teeth coming in. Have his mouth checked. He may just be trying to relieve discomfort, as a human child does by nawing on everything he can get in his mouth while teething.

Also, I have used Monty's suggestion to great effect with horses who were biting for other reasons: when Oskar goes to bite, bark his shin with the toe of your boot. It is a distraction you are looking for, not pain. This is in From My Hand to Yours. It works quite well. If he is biting while walking, bump him back hard with the Dually.

Make sure when you walk that you have a nice J (formed by the slack) in the lead line and that your hand is at least 2 feet away from the clip. This will give you more space to stay safe and more leverage should you have to correct him.

Your timing on both these corrections must be within 3 seconds-negative instant consequence for negative actions.

Good luck!

Hi Nicola... Julie M has advised exactly what I would have, so I'd definitely give it a go! Good luck!

First, you are right: DO NOT HIT HIM. This will only make him afraid and resentful.

Second, never feed him out of your hand. If you do this, stop immediately and don't let anyone else do it either.

One suggestion I have is to go back to to round pen. Put the halter on him and lead him as you usually do. When he tries or threatens to bite, immediately send him away. You will not be able to clip a lead rope onto the halter as it will take too long to unclip it to send him away. Try leading him with a string looped through the ring so it will slide right out when you send him away. (I did this with my mare who bite while being saddled. It worked wonderfully)

Another thing you can try is to school him back when he bites or threatens to bite. School him with the Dually to back up quickly and far. Soon he will learn that biting means work and grow tired of it.

Thanks jcycleb - I've tried the tap/kick to the leg and coronary band and my filly just stomps down and tries to kick me. I'm hoping, since it's a herd/disrespect thing (i think) that your suggestions will help restore some respect from her.

Hi nichola_good, he may be trying to tell you he's in pain!
My mare has just had a laminitis attack, the last ride i had on her, she was hurting, i got off to lead her home very slowly, but she nipped my arm to tell me i was going too fast for her; her muscles in her loins had gone into spasm so she was tied up as well as her feet hurting.
He is obviously very scared of the cars & this biting, if he isn't actually physically in pain is because of fear, so hitting him sure won't do anything to make him unafraid will it?
I think you are going too fast for him, just start with one parked car with the engine off, see if he will lead towards it, but don't force him past where he's comfortable, just walk him backwards & forwards past it at that point until he relaxes & PRAISE HIM! finish the lesson there. do the same for a few days until he can cope with walking to the car & touching it; stay quiet & comforting with him, no force is acceptable to overcome his fear. You must take it at his pace, not yours, I know you want to get on with it, but he's got no other way to tell you how scared he is.