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Message |
    
Dorothee Whitaker
Neonate
Username: Dorothee
Post Number: 5
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 03:21 pm: | 
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Our colt will be one month old next Sun., ( 4 wks. old). He's such a nibbler!! I want to rename him "Nibbler".  Friends of ours that raises babies said to kick him in the shin when he "nibbles". (Soon the nibble will hurt if he ever uses his teeth!!) His mother and other mares in the pasture sure set him straight when he nibbles on them. They let out a scream that's quite scary, and they kick him in a gentle way to let him know that he may not nibble on them! This is our first baby, so we're asking lots of questions. Also, he is losing hair. Right now it's under his neck. Is he losing baby hair? Thanks! |
sandra dillard
Breeding Stock
Username: Magnolia
Post Number: 182
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 03:34 pm: |
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Dorothee, my filly will be 1 month old tomorrow. She started the biting thing at just a few days old. (it was cute at first until the teeth really came in good) I would put her muzzle between my hands and kinda rub vigorously(sp?) and say NO! NO!. I wouldn't do it too hard but I guess it was uncomfortable and she learned pretty quick that biting was a nono.....Now, if I can get someone to give me advice on kicking...Usually its playful kicking but since she has started eating a little feed, when I have the feed bucket, she gets very demanding and Kicking (not playful at all) I've tried spatting her and saying NO but she is very determined... ..Any suggestions on helping that would be great!! |
Kathee McGuire
Breeding Stock
Username: Katheekj
Post Number: 546
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 10:16 pm: |
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On the biting - when mine was doing that, I would grab and twist her lip enough to make it uncomfortable and say "NO". I was trying to associate the pain with the same area she was using. On the kicking - mine was only the playful kind and I would smack her hind end when she kicked. Hers was more of a straight up in the air and not really a direct shot. Yours maybe a different situation. She has also reared on me a few times. Again, it was playful and not an attack. I would grab her front leg when she did and it was very startling for her. She has only done that twice in her 3 months.
If her nibbling is not really biting, but just a busy mouth, i would give my filly something appropriate to nibble on. When I was grooming her, I would give her an old rope. In the pasture, I would pick up a stick for her to chew on. Part of nibbling is the reciprication of affection like horses would offer each other in the pasture. I was trying to redirect her well meaning gestures and disciplining her not so well meaning gestures. What ever you do...keep address it with something! They get big fast! |
Elena Vieira
Breeding Stock
Username: Opheliaimmorttal
Post Number: 143
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 11:13 pm: |
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WHen my colt riley went through the phase of biting i would either smack his mouth(not hard but hard enough to were he was a little shocked) and say NO really loud then I got to the point i could just say NO and he would stop in mid motion. The grabbing the mouth and rubbing it hard works too- i do that with my other horses and have with him too. When he reared I would smack his chest and when he kicked I would hit his butt. He stopped all of this really fast and now is a great lil colt. I didn't beat him so please dont think I did lol. I just made it uncomfy for him to do it! |
Jan H
Breeding Stock
Username: Jan_h
Post Number: 369
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 11:24 pm: |
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well for my filly I would pull a couple of chin hairs when she would try to bite, that stopped fast, the nibbling when being scratched I would just push her head away and she would nibble her mother or the fence or stop all together. never has kicked at all, she has tried to rear when being walked after being stalled over night, she gets so anxious to run and play she may rear up because we are not walking fast enough a jerk on the lead and slap on the chest quickly puts an end to it. They do grow up so very fast, too fast actually. |
Fred H. Moyer
Yearling
Username: Fmoyer
Post Number: 55
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - 11:54 pm: |
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The hair loss is normal, I was worried when my mule baby started losing hair around her muzzle and inner thighs. As far as kicking I started carrying a long buggy whip and smacked her once, very gently as she ra up and spun around to let loose with a playful kick. Rest of the day she wouldn't come near me. Now she is lovey dovey and no kicking. I heard flicking her lips when they bite also works. |
Hannah Elizabeth Lough
Nursing Foal
Username: 20hannah10
Post Number: 11
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 11:19 am: |
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My two week old filly, Roxy, is spunky just like her name. When she nibbles i grab her lower chin and fold the lip skin in her mouth and pinch down to let her feel it a little. With my first filly I tried natural horsemanship (ignore bad behaivior, reward good) that did not work!!
When she kicks it is playfull but I do give her a litttle smack on the rump(if i hit to hard my hand is sore lol) but You always have to make sure you punidh within three seconds or they dont assosiate the smack with the kick. |
Dorothee Whitaker
Neonate
Username: Dorothee
Post Number: 6
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 03:58 pm: |
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Thanks for all the advice! I have 4 kids, ages 6-12, and my youngest is about the same heigth as the colt. He bit her the other day in the back!! My oldest is able to discipline him, but for my youngest, we still need to find a method that she can use. She might be able to twist his mouth. We'll definitly be trying all these different ideas that you gave me. Thanks. |
K. Koehler
Neonate
Username: Echo_ridge_farm
Post Number: 6
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - 08:02 am: |
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My advice is treat your colt like the adult horses do. Make the foal respect your space - ALWAYS. I agree with Elena. Don't abuse your horse - BUT watch the other horses and imitate what they do. Don't encourage anything that you wouldn't want a 1200lb beast doing to you.
I remember when I was going to purchase my first horse 10 years ago and went to go look at a 5 year old mare that insisted on "sucking/biting" on your clothing anytime you stood next to her. The owner (her only owner) just laughed and said how cute it was and that the mare had always done it since birth. AUUGGGHHHH!!!
The horse must respect your space and not come into your space UNLESS INVITED.
There is a very fine line between the next two statements: NEVER beat a horse for something it has done wrong. ALWAYS correct a horse when it is doing something wrong. The first is abuse the second is training and we must know the difference.
Personally, my one month old colt always seems to "bump" into my elbow, lead rope or something hard anytime she attempts to nibble or rear up. I try not to use my hands as much as possible as I don't want him to fear the "instruments" that I use to comfort him.
I agree with Hannah... it has to be done within seconds.
Even beyond nibbling is his attempts to scrath/rub his head on me. That is a "no-no" also. If you have ever been around an adult horse that uses you as a scratching post... you know how bad that can be.
K.K.
(Message edited by echo_ridge_farm on July 27, 2006) |
Ruth
Neonate
Username: Rooty
Post Number: 4
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 03:02 pm: |
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For the biting I will cup my hand and smack them on the end of the muzzle (right on the lips). Hard enough to make a noise and scare them, not hard enough to hurt them or me.
For kicking a slap on the rear, a yell and chase them AWAY.
Both corrections must be done immediately after the offensive behavior occurs. |
