# Advice for training a young pony



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

He bit you and purposely attempted (and succeeded) to hurt you with NO reason. WHY would you not reprimand him by smacking him back? If he was my mini he would have been kicked into tomorrow.

I doubt you're going to listen to me, but please try to consider what I say. I have a miniature horse who is much like your colt right now. She bit, kicked, lunged at people, bared her teeth, ran into people, etc., She was a holy terror. I dealt with her for over a year trying to sweet talk her into doing things because I thought she was a 'poor baby' due to her past, and earned multiple bites and kicks for doing it. Each bite I got was worse than the other. I actually have a few scars on my arm from her. Then I realized something. If I am part of her herd, and I am the herd leader that she needs to trust and RESPECT, I have to use her language to earn that. Horse language is physical. Now I didn't march out there while she was munching hay and start beating her to a pulp, but I got tougher. If she shoved me, I shoved back twice as hard. If she tried to bite me, I elbowed her in the face and chased her backwards. If she even gave me a ****y face and acted like she was about to bite, she'd get sent backwards hard and FAST with a good smack on the chest. Horses in a herd, especially the 'alpha' horse, use kicks, bites, and body movement to teach the others who is in charge. Once you have established that you will NOT take that kind of crap from your colt, you won't have to hit him again. It just takes one well timed smack. You won't hurt him, he weighs as much as or more than you do. My mini mare is only 34" tall and 225lbs and can EASILY out-strength me at any time. I'm not going to damage her with a good smack or a kick.


For the record, my demon spawn of a filly (who was one at the time) is now five years old and a very well behaved cart horse. She hasn't tried to bite me in two years, hasn't tried to kick in even longer. And in return, I haven't hit her in that amount of time either. She knows I'm in charge and she likes me for it. She holds no resentment.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

that is exactly how i feel about my lttle guy He was a sweety, wouldnt even dare to push me, but little by little he started pushing me, then trying to bite my toes, 1-2 back kick bluffs, a real one and then the front lunge and bite. when the bite happened i was kneeling, trying to secure his fence(he is running loose in my backyard) and he came at me from behind. He is about 5 months old so i figured that this is about the time he starts to become a true male, so i understand why he did that but still...i just cant hit him, he is still a child(or youngling-not sure what to call him) after all.
*how should i go about making him respect me and recognize me as the "herd leader"?


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

He's a weanling at 5 months old, and more than old enough to learn proper manners. This is the age when foals learn how to behave with their herd mates. It is a VERY bad idea to have him without any other horses, and his behavior reflects this. In a herd situation, a young horse will nip and play with the other young horses, but if he tries to roughhouse with an adult that doesn't want to play, the adult will reprimand him with first pinned ears as a warning, then a kick if the foal doesn't listen. They may not kick as hard as they would with another adult horse, but they will kick because the foal MUST LEARN that he can not just do as he pleases.

Your foal is not going to learn that, so you must teach him. If he tries to bite you, smack him on the nose. You don't have to full out whack him so hard that he falls, just a firm smack and a 'NO!' or 'AH!'. He will quickly learn that this is NOT acceptable and stop testing you, and eventually you'll just be able to say 'No!' without the smack for him to stop immediately, because he'll know you mean business. 

He is testing you. If you let him get away with this now, as he gets older he'll establish dominance over you and you'll really be in trouble. Its cute right now, but when he is 200 lbs or more, it won't be cute at all for him to kick you, bite you, or push you around. However, if you tell him with a good smack that 'NO you can NOT bite me', he will realize you are in charge. Once he has accepted you as the rightful leader he will be happy to exist beneath you without any hard feelings. All throughout his young years (and often adult years) he will continue to challenge you, and you MUST win. Living with a horse, big or small, that does not respect you and considers you to be 'beneath him' is a horrible way to live, and he WILL hurt you, if not kill you.


What do you mean a 'true male?' he's trying to figure out if he can be on top of the pecking order in your herd of two right now, and he would do that whether he was a male or female. It is in a horse's instincts to need an order, and if you are not willing to be the leader, he will happily take that role himself. 

Make sure you geld him as soon as his man jewels drop as well. That will help contain his behavior. Stallions are even more dominant and mouthy than geldings usually, and you have to be VERY firm with them to get anywhere. That is not for beginners.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

Ok so maybe a few smacks wont do that much bad after all. And what about the time when he is not rude? Should i play the "thats my spot" game with him and shoo him from place to place sometime?(thats what i saw in a Missy Wryn video on youtube about training horses) I will try to spend more time with him the next days, after i take the hay home to dry.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I really do think it will help. I promise that you will not hurt him terribly, and he will be much better for it ^_^ Just make sure your timing is correct. You must smack him within 2-3 seconds of him doing it for him to realize WHY he is being smacked.

When he is not being rude, no I would not play "that's my spot" with him just yet. For now, work on basic things such as leading, backing up if you ask him, picking up his feet, and NEVER biting or kicking. Once he has all of those down you can work on him yielding to pressure that you put on him and 'pushing' him out of your space with your body language. HOWEVER, do realize that being rude is more than just him biting or kicking. Him trying to knock in to you, crowd you when you're feeding him, forcing you to scratch him, barging past you when going out of a gate, not getting out of the way if you need to squeeze past him, etc., are all 'rude' and should be corrected, and THAT is when you tell him "HEY. I did not say you could go there!" with your body and your voice, and make him get back out of the way. 

I do not condone walking over to him in his pen and waving your arms at him to get him to go away just because though.


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## Stirrup (Aug 25, 2013)

The more i read the more nervous i get... This is a foal. Not an adult horse that knows what its been taught. I know your trying your hardest, but this foal just might end up a problem horse (er, mini) because this animal is not a dog that you can just cuddle with for a couple hours, and then let be. This horse needs training. I dont think you are nearly expierienced enough to take on the resposibility of a youngling. And the internet wont give you expieience. I know im not helping in the slightest, but i just wanted to throw this out there.

Eta; horses are heard animals, and they need a companion, whether its a goat or a dog, you cant be with it 24/7 and it gets lonely.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Endiku is right--under no circumstances is it acceptable for a horse of ANY age to deliberately try (and succeed!) in hurting you. Put him in his place, and teach him some respect. You are not going to hurt him with just your hand, but it will get the point across.


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## swimminchikin (Feb 27, 2013)

Zexious said:


> Endiku is right--under no circumstances is it acceptable for a horse of ANY age to deliberately try (and succeed!) in hurting you. Put him in his place, and teach him some respect. You are not going to hurt him with just your hand, but it will get the point across.


I second this. Endiku is definitely right. The nipping and bad behavior will only get worse as he gets bigger and stronger if this is not approached correctly. This guy definitely needs some rules and boundaries. Good Luck. You have some good advice, now the goal is to follow it. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

Horses almost always have reason for doing anything they do.

You should really focus on teaching him to respect you in order to earn your respect. Make sure to do lots of groundwork with him as well.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

Ooh my, my...if groundwork is the problem here it will be solved, i just took it lightly thinking that he is too young and i certainly dont want to stress him. I already taught him to raise a leg and he can keep it up there for some good seconds, i dont force it though. I made him a rope halter for the sole purpose of teaching him to follow me but, from what i have seen in photos i deffinetely need a thinner rope(i used a ~8mm rope because i didnt want it to cut or bruise him).He already has a pretty decent ideea of what is it to follow me so i will just work on that a little more. He actually pushed into me, "forced" me to scratch him, went out through the door in front of me and all those things, but i didn't think it was such a big thing for horses. I have a pekingese(i guess thats how you call it) dog, about 8 months old and they get along really well, they always play and run together. Please write any tip that crosses your mind and would be helpful for a begginer like me. Also i would love links of lessons that you consider to be good. I hope i am not being rude by asking this much. Thank you very much for your posts!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

You're not being rude at all. I am glad you want to learn and are willing to take advice. Many newcomers are not.

In my opinion (and this varies from person to person) ground work isn't a huge deal right now, but he DOES need to know how to follow you when on a lead rope, and now is a great time to get him used to you messing with every inch of his body, including rubbing his ears, picking up his feet, messing with his tail, etc., He should also know how to be tied up under supervision for a few minutes at a time very soon. Other than that, just let him be a baby.

Pushing into you, forcing you to scratch him (and by that I mean shoving his butt at you or using you as a scratching post for his head), and walking in front of you through a gate are definitely no noes with horses. Remember, he is going to end up weighing at least twice what a normal Labrador Retriever dog would weigh, and those dogs get big. Do you want an animal like that trying to drag you out of a gate or rubbing its head on you? Nope! He should wait for you to open the gate, step through, then follow you out and turn to face you while you latch the gate. My two horses ( 1 year old Thoroughbred and a 5 year old mini) can actually be 'sent' through a gate with just a point of my finger and will turn and stand to wait for me without trying to graze or walk off, and that is your end goal down the road. Your horse should ALWAYS be respectful of your space which means walking behind or even with you, at least one foot away (preferably 2), not having to be drug along, keeping pace with you. He should be willing to move in any direction you ask him to at any time without question, and he should always be attentive to you.

I will try to find some videos for you but honestly a trainer is going to be the best bet as you go along. It is very hard for a beginner to learn from someone off of youtube because each horse and each person is different.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

Well Endiku, that is somthing i would really love to achieve with my mini, and i am pretty confident i will. I don't need step-to-step guides on how to train a specific type of horse, i just need to get into that specific mindset, get to know a few methods and i am pretty confident i will manage. Thank you for helping me along. The fact that you and other members as well post and give me information means alot to me. Thank you again.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I've had my fair share of bumps and bruises (and scars. Remember my arm? LOL) along the way so I always try to help keep others from getting into the situations I got into when I can! It took a LOT of work to un-teach some of the bad habits that I unintentionally taught my mare while I was still a beginner. 

Its not so much the animal type as the animal itself. Some are very reactive, some are not. Some are sensitive and extremely intelligent, some are born with nothing but air between their ears. Some horses become aggressive easily, some will do anything not to hurt others. Some horses are natural leaders and become bossy without you to lead them, others become spooky and terrified of everything. It takes a LOT of experience to differentiate between all of those and know how to train your horse correctly. I've been around horses for over 6 years and I don't feel like I'm NEARLY good enough to ever train an animal completely on my own! I do tons of reading, I go watch clinics, I talk to other experienced people, and when I have the chance, I work with them so that they can critique me and help me along. Experience comes in doing, but it also comes in realizing when someone needs to step in and help you, which you have done. I wish you luck and be safe!


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

Today i did a little leading with him and also i had some friends over. He got really angry with us around him(5 people including me) and he started jumping around and running. He does somethig similar when i keep his halter on for more than, say 5 minutes. what should i do when he gets angry because of his halter and tries to chew it or to jump around? Should i let him calm down by himself or to hold on the rope untill he decides that it is useless to try?
I am pretty happy with how he did during leading today, he kept up with me most of the time, maybe he walked a little too close to me but i guess we will work things out pretty soon regarding to leading.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Did you reprimand him?


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

well...i tried holding on to his halter but we always pulls really really hard....sometime i feel sorry for him


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

That is not repriminding him, you're letting him get away with it. If he tries to run away while on the lead line, pull his head around (not too sharply) so that he's facing you and say "NO!" He'll get the message pretty quick and realize he can't just go off because he's angry and doesn't want attention. If he is 'jumping' (I'm assuming you mean bucking, crowhopping, rearing, etc) deal with them as they come. You can keep him from bucking by keeping his head up, and rearing is VERY dangerous. If he tries to rear in hand, pull him off balance. If he is 'playing' on the end of the line, give him a good tug on the lead line towards his chest, not down and again say "NO." He needs to learn to stand still on a line and let you do whatever the heck you please with him. Don't feel bad for him, he's not a puppy. He needs to learn to chill out and listen to you or you're going to have a big mess in a few months.

Again, as soon as his balls are both present, get him gelded. It will help with a lot of the behavior I think, but a lot of it is just that you're letting him get away with it.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

Thanks for the quick answers! Will begin to apply them first thing in the morning


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Good luck, and remember. Be firm with him! He needs boundaries of "this is what you can and can not do" to thrive.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Wow, this mini is going to be hell on hooves of you don't set him straightened out. Put his halter on and leave it there. It's not hurting him so there is no reason to "feel bad" for him. Horses wear halters. Whatever he dishes out you need to give it back to him times 5, especially since he has no herd mates to teach him a thing or two about respect. If he were to lay both his hooves and teeth on me he would be one whack away from going on the BBQ! That behavior could hurt, or even kill, someone as thats IS what that type of behavior is for... Seriously hurting their opponent.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

^ to clarify that, do NOT leave the halter on this colt 24/7. He should only wear it when tied and when you are leading him/holding him. That is what I got from SlideStop's comment but I don't think that's what she intended to imply. Just wanted to make sure that was clear instead someone else reads that like I did xD


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

No, not 24/7 only when your around to supervise. When you come out to the barn stick it on and go about doing your chores or working where you can keep an eye on him. The more the merrier, as long as your there to get him out of trouble heaven forbid something happens.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Mrspyrydus said:


> Hello guys! I have a mini since june(i guess he was born somewhere aroung april-may) and he was pretty sweet and calm but yesterday he jumped on me with his front feet and bit my arm(not too serious but pretty). I have read a little bit about horse training and personal space so i always tried to keep him at a distance(he would come to me and try to bite my toes or clothing). The problem with him is that i do not have any companions for him. He is all alone and i am the one that plays with him and keeps him company (i spend about 3-4 hours a day with him at leats, plus several "visits" to check if he needs anything). I tried to do with him a little bit of training on personal space and i also tried to "dominate" him by making him leave certain places when i was around, but he wouldnt move even if i would go straight at him. How would you advise me to proceed with teaching him some basic manners?
> PS: i will not use a whip to smack him, i will not even slap him so please do not tell me to do that. Thanks alot guys!


 Well that's how babies play with each other. I think it is unfortunate that he has been taken away from other mini's. They learn from the herd dynamics and he thinks you are one of the herd. He is VERY Young to even been taken away from his mother assuming that she is living. Why would you not use a whip to smack him? I am borrowing a friends mini as a companion and he was invading my space and somewhat of an idiot at feeding time, something that could become dangerous and dangerous to a small person. I took the crop and smacked him gently and got harder and harder until he decided to move. I hit him in his mid section not his face or neck. He had every opportunity to move away and not get hit. It took some pretty hard whacks before he got the idea. I have never had a problem since. 

I chewed my friend out for not training her minis properly and she said they are all that way, they like there food. Doesn't everybody? She will really have a problem when her grandkids come along and get run over.

You will soon have a dangerous and out of control animal and it will take way more than 1 whooping to teach him if its not too late. This is just the beginning of what is to come.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Am I the only one wondering if this is a legit poster?


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I think that not understanding the dangers of a rude miniature horse is a very common problem, unfortunately, and this poster seems very willing to try new methods and has seemed agreeable...so no. I very much think that this is indeed a real person.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

If you wonder whether I am a "legit poster" or not, I can't provide too much evidence but this is the thead i opened around the time i got my mini http://www.horseforum.com/new-horses/i-got-pony-now-what-223074/

I started applying some rules and i see some positive results:
-He comes when i snap my fingers(it takes some snaps to get him come to me but he will get it eventually)
-I now keep his halter on for the whole time i am with him and he doesn't mind it that much. I always scratch him after i put the halter on.
-He began to understand that nipping my clothes or even opening his mouth to bit me is a no-no. I didn't smacked him yet but i say a loud NO and i push him away.
Today after several attempts of coming too close to me and nipping he gave up and went grazing, coming with his head mid-way down when i asked him to.
I am pretty happy with how he is doing and I believe he is pretty smart, so we'll get through.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Mrspyrydus said:


> If you wonder whether I am a "legit poster" or not, I can't provide too much evidence but this is the thead i opened around the time i got my mini http://www.horseforum.com/new-horses/i-got-pony-now-what-223074/
> 
> I started applying some rules and i see some positive results:
> -He comes when i snap my fingers(it takes some snaps to get him come to me but he will get it eventually)
> ...


 Just thought it was odd that you didn't address my concerns as to why it was taken away from the herd and more importantly from its mother at such a young age. you do not know simple terminology and sometimes it seems contrived and so far fetched.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

I don't know myself why he was taken away from his mother/herd and abandoned at such a young age but i felt sorry for him and that's why i took him. As for the terminology...well excuse me but i grew up in an east european country. I am pretty sure that even some british/american teenagers that grew up in a big city dont know the "simple terminology"


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I think you are in over your head. I did read your original thread on how you got the pony . don't you have rescue groups or anything you could turn it over to ?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^Or maybe a trainer to help you? His behavior is unacceptable and doesn't seem to be making strides in the right direction...


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Zexious said:


> ^Or maybe a trainer to help you? His behavior is unacceptable and doesn't seem to be making strides in the right direction...


if you look at another thread when they got the pony they really do not know how to take care of it. Sounds like they treat it like a puppy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

Of course i don't know how to treat it...that is why i am asking for advice on this forum instead of just doing with him whatever crosses my mind. Did you know how to treat a horse when you first saw a horse?Of course you didn't! His behavior is getting better each day and that is because i turned to this forum the day i saw some nasty behavior and i corrected it...Now everything is just shy attempts but i guess that is allright because that is what horses do...or is it what puppies do?


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Mrspyrydus said:


> Of course i don't know how to treat it...that is why i am asking for advice on this forum instead of just doing with him whatever crosses my mind. Did you know how to treat a horse when you first saw a horse?Of course you didn't! His behavior is getting better each day and that is because i turned to this forum the day i saw some nasty behavior and i corrected it...Now everything is just shy attempts but i guess that is allright because that is what horses do...or is it what puppies do?


I didn't get a horse until I learned how to care for one. To me from this thread you do what ever crosses your mind and you ask questions later. With some of the things you are doing you might very well kill it or cause it to have some permanent health issues. You did not respond about turning it over to a rescue and let someone care for it properly. 
http://www.horseforum.com/new-horses/i-got-pony-now-what-223074/


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

I didn't ever think i would get a horse or a pony or a mini or whatever in that area; it was all in just an instant and i had to learn on the way. The "turning it over to a rescue" would be the zoo or another horse owner. I can see you are living in the USA so i know it is hard but try to picture the extent of care and importance that is given to an animal(any animal) in a country where alot of people are without jobs and with barely enough money to live from day to day. I don't really want to take the chance and let this little guy get on the hands of someone who may abuse him. I would love if you could tell me what i did that represents a risk at killing him or leaving him some permanent injury(or better off...any injury at all).
I can see you don't sympathize with me very much and that is ok but just so you know, I care alot about him and doing my best to learn everything i need to be a good owner for him.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Mrspyrydus said:


> I didn't ever think i would get a horse or a pony or a mini or whatever in that area; it was all in just an instant and i had to learn on the way. The "turning it over to a rescue" would be the zoo or another horse owner. I can see you are living in the USA so i know it is hard but try to picture the extent of care and importance that is given to an animal(any animal) in a country where alot of people are without jobs and with barely enough money to live from day to day. I don't really want to take the chance and let this little guy get on the hands of someone who may abuse him. I would love if you could tell me what i did that represents a risk at killing him or leaving him some permanent injury(or better off...any injury at all).
> I can see you don't sympathize with me very much and that is ok but just so you know, I care alot about him and doing my best to learn everything i need to be a good owner for him.


 If he is as young as he appears in the photos he needs milk. Your vet would be able to tell you his age and what to feed him. You said you had one out, did you not discuss all of your concerns with the vet? Your vet should also be giving you proper care instructions. He know the resources in your area. The wrong food or wrong quantity could kill him or cause permanent damage to him. 
We obviously do things different in the states because we would not typically feed corn to a mini. Mini's have such different care than normal horses and they can founder very easy on the wrong food.It doesn't take much because they are so small.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I for one do agree that you have a lot to learn, but I don't think you _neccesarily_ need to get rid of the colt so long as you are careful to take advice seriously (which, from this thread, you thus far seem to be doing) and you don't let him go too long without being gelded/teach him to respect you. I made just about every beginner owner mistake in the book with my first mare (the mini), and while I don't condone ever BUYING a horse when you know nothing of them, sometimes fate throws them into your hands and at that point you just have to do the best you can do and research, research, research. 

I do agree that your colt really does need a companion besides you and your dog though. Horses are herd animals and develop problems when they're alone. Some of these problems are habits that they can not be broken of, some are personality problems, and some are just total disrespect for every thing and every one around them. Are you in a position where you can get him a companion? I wouldn't buy another horse or pony right now since you're super new to horses, but if you're familiar with goats or something of that type, that might be a good option for now. An even better option would be finding a place to board him (if you can afford that) where he can be around other horses. He needs social herd interaction to thrive.

Churumbeque- I do not know about your area, but in mine rescues are 150% full and would never take on a miniature horse colt, especially if it was perfectly healthy. They're just too full of broken, nearly dead horses and the economy is supplying more and more of them every day. Its sad, but its true. 

Mrspyrydus- I'm glad he has taken a small step in the right direction, but DO NOT let him back track! The firm NO and push is fine if he has not yet nipped you for now, but if his teeth make contact whatsoever, even if it is a tiny nibble, you need to physically reprimand him with a smack. It doesn't even HAVE to be on the muzzle, if that's what bothers you. A firm smack on the chest or shoulder should do almost as well.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Endiku said:


> Churumbeque- I do not know about your area, but in mine rescues are 150% full and would never take on a miniature horse colt, especially if it was perfectly healthy. They're just too full of broken, nearly dead horses and the economy is supplying more and more of them every day. Its sad, but its true.
> 
> .


 I don't know what rescues are like in the ops area. They never responded when I posed that option. I do not believe it is something that they even considered and that is why I through it out there. I think it would be worth investigating before jumping to conclusions.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

I am trying to find him some mates but around here what people do when they have a horse is just tie it to a tree in a grassy are or keep it to a cart. I am looking for someone that actually respects and care for his horse so i dont let my little guy around an agressive one that could easily stomp the life out of him. The vet told me that he is old enough to eat grass and other weeds and i had him take a look around the area i keep my mini in and the vet said its allright. I never even heard about someone with a mini so i assumed that they are just like horses but smaller, that's why i tought that stocking on corn would be a smart ideea if i run out of hay during winter.
@ Endiku for now the NO and a little push do pretty well but if i ever find him showing even the slightest hints of aggressivity i promise i will smack him.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Corn probably isn't a great thing for him to eat, but I know that your options are very limited according to your other thread and if its all you have, its all you have(your colt is ADORABLE by the way. Love his name.) Hay is the best thing for him, as well as small bits of grazing. It is very important that he always have some kind of hay every day though, in order to keep his digestive tract healthy. He should be eating at least 4-5 lbs of it per day, more as he gets older. Eventually he will need 8+ lbs to sustain him. Other options is looking at your local food places for flax seed, barley, or oats since you don't have a horse feed store.

If I were you I'd also go talk to horse owners in the area. Only talk to owners of horses who are healthy looking with good weight, and ask them what they are feeding their horses and where they get it. They can probably tell you how to get hay and other horse-safe food. Have you found a farrier for him yet? Chances are he is going to need one very soon if he hasn't yet. Typically they need their feet done ever 5-8 weeks, depending on the animal. The more often, the better. If you don't have a farrier yet, ask the horse people. 


Also, please note that your colt is a miniature horse (or appears to be, anyways) and that his dietary needs are a little different than full sized horses. He will obviously need less food than they do (they will eat as much as 25 lbs of hay daily, he will eat a max of about 10 most likely) but his food also needs to be low in sugar and fairly easy to digest because miniature horses are at risk of getting terrible feet problems called laminitis or founder, where they become very sore, their hooves become deformed, and in bad cases, the bones in their hooves and legs actually rotate and they can't walk well or at all anymore. That is why corn is not a very good option for him.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

I found a farrier and someone that sells baled hay near me so the food and hooves are checked. I want to know what do you think about this situation and about what i did: I was in his yard with my father and he started running around the fences and back-kicking from time to time. He made like 10 laps and then stopped. During this time he tried to run towards me a couple of times but i just stood there(in the place i always stay when i am back there) and when he came towards me i just made a kiss sound and raised my hands. After he calmed down i gave him a little scratch and everything went back to normal. How should i act if this ever happens again? Also i noticed that he becomes nervos only when there are people (other than me) around him.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

So to clarify, he was running around like an idiot while you were in his pen, getting too close to you and bucking/leaping around? 

If it had been me, I probably would have gone slightly more extreme just so it was completely clear to him that I wanted him to stay out of my space, and I woul have both raised my arms harshly, made myself look 'bigger' (raised shoulders), and stepped purposefully towards him, the equivalent of an alpha horse pinning it's ears and taking a few steps towards him with a snaked head- but I'd say you did pretty good. He should never be allowed to buck or play too near to you. 

You were right not to let him in your space while he was acting silly. Only let him approach when he is calm and quiet. Good job.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

He probably isn't nervous with other people around him, more like excited. He probably sees it as another opportunity to play with new "herd mates" since he does have any. If you look at a new horse coming into herd there is A LOT of running, bucking and playful activity!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Critter sitter (Jun 2, 2012)

Mrspyrydus said:


> Of course i don't know how to treat it...that is why i am asking for advice on this forum instead of just doing with him whatever crosses my mind. Did you know how to treat a horse when you first saw a horse?Of course you didn't! His behavior is getting better each day and that is because i turned to this forum the day i saw some nasty behavior and i corrected it...Now everything is just shy attempts but i guess that is alright because that is what horses do...or is it what puppies do?


You are doing the right thing in asking for help. I hope you can also find some one close to you knowledgeable that can also help you.
Consistent and firm hand not harsh. don't let him get away with something once or he'll feel he can do it every time. You have about 2 seconds to act when he is misbehaving. swift quick reprimand and then back to normal.


Look up John lyons on you tube.


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## Mrspyrydus (Jun 30, 2013)

@endiku: he did have a bucking attepmt while pretty close to me and i was behind him. I gave him a little slap on his backside with the lead rope as that was the only thing i had in my hand. I did step towards him when he was running towards me and he would stop/slow down and go the other way.
@critter sitter: since i started this thead i corrected everything that seemed like a wrong thing. I let him smell my hands and only send him away when he is opening his mouth(as in trying to bite). He now just smells me and only from time to time opens his mouth at me.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Very good. I think you're making great progress.


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