|
|
Post by mustangdara on Mar 10, 2010 0:54:38 GMT -5
My little almost 2 yr old is getting really aggressive with her grain. Its when i am not getting it fast enough or when i walk trough her pen with empty buckets to put grain in then for the horses. tonight i had to almost hit her in the face with the bucket when i turned my back to shut the gate and she pinned her ears and leanned it to take a big bite of me( at least her body lanuage was showing that she was willing to bite me). I felt bad but then i think a lead mare would do more than i did! i only give her bucket to her when she faces me and i invite her in to eat, but sometimes it seems to make her more aggitated. Do you ever have any trouble with this stuff? Any ideas?  |
|
|
|
Post by DianneC on Mar 10, 2010 8:05:19 GMT -5
Feed from outside her stall or enclosure. Never feed a horse with its ears back to start. Stand there and wait until the ears come forward. She's telling you that she thinks you are lower in the pecking order than she is. Do you have access to a round pen and someone who knows how to use it?
|
|
|
|
Post by Michelle Clarke on Mar 10, 2010 8:49:53 GMT -5
Make her move her feet away from you when she does this. All the horses here learn to stand back and wait for the food to be given and do not approach the feed as we leave. This has been accomplished by moving their feet when they are pushy or nasty. With some of the horses we get in for training, we actually get a whip and push them away. Some charge or even kick. We have runs attached to the training horse stalls, so they learn to leave and stay out. The first week or so can be very interesting! I've also helped clients with groups of horses that get pissy with eachother. We put the feed buckets in a large semi-circle and use a whip to teach them all to stand back. Only when they all keep back PLUS don't argue with eachother, then they can come up and eat. It does not take long until they all stand respectfully back and wait for the food to be given. If they argue again, then they get pushed out again and it is the whole herd, not just the naughty ones. No whip at hand.... The "bucket training" always works!! |
|
|
|
Post by Brandy Deck on Mar 10, 2010 9:37:01 GMT -5
I went through something similar with my yearling app filly. When she was a weanling, she starting getting very aggressive at dinner time. She would wheel around and act like she was going to kick me. I got a whip and the next time she did this, I popped her rump and said "No!" in a very loud voice. It only took a couple of times to break the habit. Good luck!
|
|
|
|
Post by mustangdara on Mar 11, 2010 22:54:18 GMT -5
well... the last two nights since the bucket to the face ordeal she has been VERY well behaved.
She has been standing quietly back from the gate and was polite when i entered the stall.
I will definatly work on the staying back thing until i leave thing!!
Thanks,dara
|
|
|
|
Post by Michelle Clarke on Mar 12, 2010 8:37:40 GMT -5
Great!!
|
|
|
|
Post by stlkigers on Mar 12, 2010 21:20:55 GMT -5
Glad it's getting better...they are like kids; they'll test you occasionally and you just have to stand your ground and keep your behavior consistent....
|
|
