We have a 2.5 yr irish sports horse who is big and strong. Join up and follow up is all fine. We've been working on walking around the farm and school at walk and trot, backing up, standing, etc and doing reasonably well. Using dually. The problem is that he just wants to put everything in his mouth. We lead and he takes he rope and clasp and rolls it around his mouth, he will take the hood of my coat, will take anything he find laying around (head collar left near him, towel, etc). Putting on his dually is a bit of a mission because if there is anything he can reach ... Yep, you guessed it, it goes in his mouth. When we are just being sociable he wants to lick your hands, arms, etc, All sounds like you should say "ahhhh bless" but he quite often goes for a little nip as well. He doesn't mean to hurt but it is can and it is bad manners,
I've schooled. Dipped the lead rope in vinegar. Tapped his shin with my boot. Sent him away. Is he getting the message. Nope! He persists.
He is a bit spirited so we eliminated carrots, food containing molasses.
He has some wolf teeth coming through. He is also in a field on his own.
So, teethng and just be patient? School it now at all costs. Just let him grow out of it? What is the best thing to do?
I think one problem is that you have to correct already a minimal nipping (that will become a little more later). The other thing is that you have to be very patient and consequent. I had a young horse with the same problem. It finally almost disappeared. I also took advantage of the behaviour to learn him tricks.
Rudi
Thanks Rudi. What kind of tricks? He is very keen to learn.
Hi Nellie - I think if Rudi has some tricks up his sleeve that may help as your youngster sounds rather bored and also missing horsey companions to nip and talk to. Not sure where you live but if you are in the southern hemisphere then it is spring and that may also contribute to his nipping and playfullness. My horses love having their rugs off now the weather is better and spend ages side by side chewing at each other so this may be what your young fellow is asking for. If you have a fairly stiff brush I would spend time brushing each day - school him with the dually whenever he goes to have a chew at you or any of your equipment. You mentioned that he is getting his teeth too and this will mean that his gums are itchy and he wants to chew on something. You may think about buying him some play toys for the paddock which he can chew on and play with. Has he got access to trees or things to rub and chew on? If not adding something for this purpose may help e.g a chewable wood pole cemented in - not treated pine - and too high for him to hurt himself on. Good luck - always discipline the habit with the dually when he is with you but try to introduce things that he can chew on as much as he likes in his paddock/field.
Tricks. Two of my horses I have trained do overthrow a chair with the mouth. The horse of my daughter keeps a rope in the mouth for some time. With another horse I am trying to teach him to bring back objects. I must say that all these tricks are based on clicker training. Unrolling a little carpet to get pieces of carrots hidden is also a nice game for mouthy horses.
Rudi
Thanks everyone. We're about to go into winter but we've had an indian summer with some rich grass. When i took him out this morning he ran around and went up on his hinds. No malice. Just wants to play. I am working on more horse contact and have started looking at some toys for him to chew on. He was good as gold tonight in his stable loving lots of attention. Patience prevails.
"Unrolling a little carpet to get pieces of carrots hidden"
Oh, oh! I *must* to try that one!
Mr. Smartypants is in sore need of more mental challenges since I still don't ride him - and I am really lousy at coming up with ideas.
.
Rudy, could you give some more details or hints on that one. Sounds simple enough, but are there any "pitfalls" to look out for when starting?
Just sounds like a baby teething to me. And maybe a little lonely and bored if grazed on his own. I had two cobs who at 2 years old would both want to knaw on my hands, like puppies do when teething, they had never been fed from the hand so weren't looking for treats, I would just move away and say no, nothing else, no chastising, just 'no' and just got on with the whatever I was doing with them. By 3-4 years old, it had stopped and no nibbling since. Hope this helps. :-)
Sorry, Kicki, I missed your message.
I am using a little carpet, about 1 m long. Then I put three pieces of carrots at regular distances. The rolled carpet is put in front of the horse. For the first time you put a carrot that is visible for the horse. Then the horse will start trying to resolve the problem. Sometimes they find strange solutions and you have to correct them, maybe by fixing the open end of the carpet. I have a video of different games. The easiest way to make you see it would be via Facebook.
Rudy
I was about to respond too when I realised this post is over 2 years ago! Hopefully the problem has been solved by now.
Hi, just. To round this off, both the current & the 2012 bits, my 19 month old colt, Kirk, was in heaven yesterday. The vet came with students, to check teeth & passport Spitfire Holy Moley. They bought with them wonderful new things - stethoscopes, buckets with racks of rasps in & best of all new people. The vet commented that it was a pleasure to work with such friendly, easy ponies - even if one student needed to be ' on guard' to stop Kirk spreading their equipment field wide! The only sad part was my incredibly brave mare, Bella, who fractured her knee last Christmas whilst pregnant with Moley, has very little time left. Her leg is now a very awkward angle & her knee is huge. She has had injections directly into the joint & gets daily pain relief. This has given her the time to raise her foal to nearly 6 months. However, it is getting more difficult for her to cope & I noticed this morning a further swelling. Clearly my friend of 13 years is loosing the battle & will not be with us in December, if not sooner, although I will give her as much time as I dare - she could suffer a stress fracture I'm told, the angle is so drastic. BUT she leaves a legacy which I will enjoy to the full, Kirk & Moley. Cheers, Jo.
Ahh, Jo, I'm so sorry, it's so hard isn't it. Bless you both . Beryl
A sad time ahead Jo but take comfort in the fact that you have given your horses all they could ever need and wish for, including a kind and respectful end to their lives when the times comes.
Maggie, I think you are right...
Rudi
Rudy,
Thank you so much for the extended explanation! (I had plain forgotten about it, so extra thanks for the reminder!)
.
Jo, I am really sorry for your mare. Vicci really said it all, so just HUGS for you both.
Yesterday, Bella was not wanting treats but ate her meal ok. I was really worried - she loves mints & I thought perhaps she was trying to tell me something but she nursed her foal, Holy Moley, as usual so I went to Montys demo, trying to put my fears aside. The demo was fabulous, Monty was better than ever & when I came home I went to the field to check my ponies. Bella was over her blip - she must have been just a bit off colour. She avidly devoured mints! Phew!! The 'bad day' is coming - but we fight on. Cheers, Jo.
Thinking of you and Bella, Jo.