Conference noted::equitation

    One of my youngsters had a terrible habit of biting, in fact he
    was quite nasty, and meant to hurt.  I smacked him every time
    he did it (it went on for a year or so...), but it never
    registered in his head. Hes the sort of colt you can't pay
    attention too, as he takes advantage.  I decided to ignore
    his biting, and not to fuss, cuddle or spoil him.  He's very
    good now, he obviously thought, me smacking him, was a brilliant
    game. He doesn't bite now..... try it..
    
    Jayne

    If the horse truely has been abused, smacking him will only make him
    all the more certain people can't be trusted. If he is just threating,
    but not actually biting,(pins ears, snaps teeth) ignoring it will have
    the best effect. No good threating if it doesn't get a rise out of you!
    If he really is making contact, bite him back! The nose or ear will get
    his attention. Thereafter always tell him what a good boy he is if he
    doesn't try anything. I own a mare whose previous owners were convinced
    she was visious, but after smacking her didn't work for awhile, I
    decided to see if she really would bite, (she would snap her teeth at
    everyone), I held out my arm a said "Go ahead bite me!". The mare went
    and hid her face in the corner, and has not threaten me since! My pony
    on the other hand, has had to be bitten back several times over the
    last year, but he is a snotty two year old.
    Sandy
    

    I find the best thing is to get your fist up so that the horse bashes
    his upper lip against his teeth.  This way, you're not hitting the
    horse, the horse is hitting you.  The key is to be very quick...once
    they've lunged at you, you're already too late.  When you see the ears
    go back, move.  After they've bashed their lips once or twice, they
    give it up real fast.         

    .3 is on the right track. Except for the occasional horse which is
    deliberately nasty or vicious, most horses (especially young ones)
    start nipping as a game. When two or more horses are together, this
    kind of thing goes on all the time. The trick is to set up situations
    for the horse to try to nip and put up your elbow or fist for him to
    bump into. If done right, the horse's basic cause and effect mind
    will have him think he was hurt for his action. If you only try to
    retaliate when the horse nips, he will almost certainly be quicker
    than you are and your actions will be self-defeating.

    thaks all. I guess he is basically fine, I'll just watch him..
    I just cant hit him. i guess maybe screaming at him will have to do!:&}
    
    
    
    
    wendy o'
    

    
    dont laugh..but..I bit mine back!  
    
    it worked..he never bit again :-0
    
    L

    my vet claims that biting back works too!
    

    
    My mare was an abused horse in some of her prior homes...so when I
    bought her she really hated people.  She would try to crowd, kick
    and bite.....only one time did she make contact with her teeth...i
    bit her back!  She hasn't even tried to bite since!
    
    
    

	I'm trying to be open minded about this 'bite them
	back' theory, but tell me, *where* exactly is the
	best place to bite them back?  :0    -Melinda
	

    I have often heard about biting them back, however I think a good
    knee in the under belly would be just as effective, your not hitting
    them around the head not causing them to be head shy..
    
    like i said... I guess i was just going with hearsay about the horse.
    he seems fine for me and the woman who rides him..
    
    
    hi paulette....!!!!
    
    you chicken you!!! :^} x100000
    
    wendy o'
    

    
    A knee in the under belly made this mare swing her rump around
    quickly...like I had said, she had been an abused horse prior to my
    home.....when I bit her back she was surprised!  Of course, a horse
    that has been abused needs time to build some confidence in their
    owner...this stuff takes a lot of time and patience.....one good
    example was her dislike in being ridden....especially away from the
    barn.....she liked to balk....so every time she did I would let her
    just stand there....no matter how long it took!!!!!!!! well, she would
    get pretty bored standing there...(and it only took a minute)and then
    I could signal her to move forward...and off she would go again.....
    I didn't take her long to realize that she actually enjoyed be
    ridden...she wasn't being hit or kicked or yelled at!  I tried
    something different for her and it worked....she's a terrific trail
    horse now and is working well in the ring........she doesn't even try
    to bite now.....and she doesn't try to kick either.....
    
    
    
    
    
    

    The purpose in biting back rather than striking them, is it mimics the
    manner in which horses comunicate with each other. If a lower ranking
    horse nips a higher ranking horse, that horse will bite him back to
    assert their rank. Humans should always be of higher rank than their
    horses and using their "language" sometimes works the best. As to the
    best place to bite back, the nose or ear give the strongest message.
    

    I've had a nipper for 11 years, and have never been able to completely
    control the problem.  He's very outgoing, agressive, and wants to
    dominate everything.  Long ago I did the biting back routine and
    it did work better than anything.  I'd grab his ear, or a big hunk
    of skin on the neck.  We still go rounds sometimes, but it's more
    of a "who's the leader here" kind of thing.  He never nips to be
    mean or do any real damage, just to test me.  Over the years he's
    really kept me on my toes, I've always got to have one eye on him
    if he's not in cross ties.  I wouldn't want him any other way, though.
    He's a firey little man.
    
    Kel
    

    
    	Hi anyone ever try a nail between the fingers? Only let it stick
    out a little bit, so that when they go to bit they get pricked in the
    nose. Ofcourse you have to have your fist in the right place and let
    him do it to himself. This worked with our young filly and she was just
    being fresh. I'm not sure if it works on a vicious biter, but it might
    be worth a try.
    
    	Becky

    Hi, Wendy.  It sounds like you have a basic sour animal to deal with. 
    If any animal, one that was once abused or not, bit me, I wouldn't
    hesitate to smack him hard in the mouth...do it quick and do it once
    and then get on with whatever I was doing.  I would not beat him
    over and over again for the same offense, but just once and then
    pretend like nothing ever happened.  I think that perhaps he is testing
    to see just how far he can push, and from what you have said, he is 
    being allowed to push very far!!  I would tell the owner that she is 
    only helping the animal to remain sour...just like a spoiled child.
    If he is never shown the limits, he will never know the limits.  Try it
    and see if you get results.  I got my App when he was 8 months, and he
    was just as ornery as could be...as stallions often can be.  I had to 
    "train" him for 1 1/2 years, and that included some right crosses to
    the mouth!  But at 3 1/2 years now, he will do anything and everything
    that I ask him to.  I won't say that he doesn't play with me, because
    he most definitely does.  But he never hurts me, and I think that's
    what you're talking about here.
    
    Good luck!  Laurel.
     

    
    Thanks laurel.. I know what you mean.. my horse would test me and try
    and scare me.. but she always.. well i take that back  :*}
    knew her limits.. THis horse i'm talking about .. I guess has turned 
    around and just gave him love and understanding. so I definetly changed
    my mind.. although I dont work him anymore:*}
    But I still agree with you, a good belt for being sassy never hurt
    'em:*}... 
    
    
    wendy o'