You've probably heard the saying that "there are no bad horses, only bad riders", but this is only half the story. While many aggressive horses develop bad habits because their owners don't know how to train them properly, others simply are born with hostile personalities. In fact, aggression in horses is more common than you might think.
Horse trainers and owners need to learn how to deal with aggressive horses. While it might seem easiest to ignore the behavior and stay outside of striking distance, a horse that is prone to biting and kicking is a danger to both people and other horses.
Develop a Response
An aggressive horse needs to know that behavior like biting and kicking is totally unacceptable. To do this, horse owners must develop an immediate and consistent response, then deliver it each time the negative behavior is observed. The response could be anything from a tap on the nose to a jerk of the halter, but it must be the same each time.
If the aggressive horse is more sensitive to negative reinforcement, it is important to tailor the response accordingly. Biting and kicking might be unattractive, but this does not mean the owner should abuse his animal. Instead, determine the best response for the personality of the horse, which might be as gentle as making a loud noise.
Warn Other People
It is the job of the owner to let other people know he owns an aggressive horse. For example, owners who board their horses at the local stable might place a sign on the stall that warns people against feeding or petting. The same goes for horses who live in paddocks. Similarly, when riding an aggressive horse, it is the rider's responsibility to let others know they shouldn't get too close.
Remove the Reward
In many cases, aggression in horses can be "cured" simply by learning that his behavior will not yield a positive response. For example, let's look at a horse who kicks. He kicks out because he is trying to send the message that he is the alpha horse, and with the expectation that he will get his way.
A great way to solve this is to introduce stimuli that will cause the horse to kick, but fail to stop the stimulation when he tries to kick it away. Stand at the horse's head and run a lunge whip up and down his back right leg. When he kicks out, maintain contact with the lunge whip and continue rubbing the leg. If he stands still for a pre-determined period of time (say, three minutes), remove the whip and praise his behavior.
This teaches the horse that he will not be rewarded by kicking out, but that he will be rewarded if he stays still and resists the urge to kick. This same exercise can be used for biting, rearing, bucking and other aggressive equine behavior.
Keep Up the Good Work
Horse owners don't have to beat aggressive horses to bloody pulps in order to make a point. The secret here is simply consistency, usually over a period of several months. Results might not materialize immediately, but rewards will come once the horse figures out that kicking, biting and other negative behaviors will not be tolerated.
Laura Thompson - Laura Thompson is a horseback riding instructor and freelance writer living in Houston, Texas. She is proud to be the feature writer for ...
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