# Head rubbing and shoving



## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

I'm continuing to work with the green pony I've been assigned to this summer (see my Cute Little Goofus Horse thread -- starting a new one though because this is an issue I haven't addressed there), and while things are mostly going pretty well (yesterday's 20 minute battle of wills to get her to stand still for mounting notwithstanding) I have one specific issue I would love some advice on handling.

She's a total jerk with her head. She tosses it around, tries to rub it on you, and will even headbutt in some situations. Total. Jerkface. Especially with her bridle on -- it's like she wants to try to rub it off her head, and you're the rubbing post. She actually bumped me off the mounting block yesterday.  I know I need to put a stop to this crap but I worry about finding the balance between making sure there are consequences vs making her head-shy -- which she already is on the edge of, believe it or not, even though this behaviour would *seem* to indicate otherwise. My current thought is to let her run into me but make it thoroughly unpleasant when she does, rather than come after her for it. HOWEVER -- as good as this advice to myself sounds to me, I'm often not fast enough with my reactions to block her in a way that's effective.

Any tips?


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

My horse is similar in that he always wants to be rubbed or scratched on his face when he's bridled. He doesn't swing it around so I can't help much with that. I think he just gets itchy from the tack (might consider getting a different bridle at some point) because he will try to rub his face on his leg pretty consistently when I halt him.
What has worked for me is to make rubbing on me an unpleasant thing, sort of like what you're already thinking about! If I can tell that he's going to try to rub me, I try to stick my elbow out so he bumps himself on that instead. If it's quick it will startle him and stop him from itching. If I don't catch it in time I'll usually just push his face away and that stops it for the moment.

Something I also do is if he tries to rub on me after a ride, I'll push him away or elbow him but then I'll scratch his face with my hands, so that he gets to stop being itchy.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

That is disrespectful behaviour. Stop it with a nasty poke with your finger, stab with your finger right in the fleshy part on her face below the jaw. If you're on the mounting block and she goes to rub, stick your foot out and she will connect with that. Sounds like you gave an inch and that pony took the whole mile.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Yeah I wouldn't be nice about it either. You can deal with head shy issues when she's not using it as a weapon!

If she's that annoying I'd honestly carry a whip and let her run into that (no of course you don't actually want to hit her in the face with a whip!) or a good elbow... lots of different options. You're letting this behavior continue by being hesitant.

**The RIGHT correction will not make a horse worse** They are perfectly capable of understanding when they're being bad and being corrected. It comes up time and time again where basic good behavior is unenforced due to concerns about other behavior. Manners come before EVERYTHING else.

If she does overreact with her head shy issues just ignore her. She doesn't need to be comforted for whacking you with her head. She will figure out pretty quickly that she's expected to behave and misbehaving = punishment... but if she doesn't misbehave there isn't punishment.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

I mostly agree with all of the above, and your idea of setting it up so *she* punishes *herself* by doing it. Yes, that's sometimes hard to catch in time, but if you're going to punish, *at the time of* the 'wrong' behaviour is vital. So it becomes associated strongly with the behaviour, not you, your hand hitting/waving at her face, whatever. You are aware that she likes to do this, so expect her to, whenever she gets the chance, and you'll be ready for her. The more she gets away with it, the less well she will learn 'better', so try to ensure it ALWAYS incurs unpleasant consequences.

Firstly though, I do suggest you stop thinking of her as a 'jerkface' or doing it to be 'naughty' or 'disrespectful'. She is doing this, because she has not been taught clearly or consistently that she shouldn't. That's all. She doesn't know better, and it may have worked well for her in the past - I know people who encourage their horses to rub on them!

It's also possible that her headshyness may be directly related to this behaviour - if someone has got angry with her about it, swatted her inconsistently for it or such, then she hasn't learned what she should/shouldn't do, just to be edgy with hands near her head.

And one thing I think is vital, especially in conjunction with 'correction' or punishment, is that you also make a point of teaching her & reinforcing 'right' behaviours, good manners, 'respectful' behaviour. Teach her to keep out of your personal space, to keep her nose to herself, to stand quietly, by reinforcing & rewarding those things frequently. For an itchy head, my horses learn to wait for me to scratch them, and I make a point of giving them a good scratch frequently when I think they're wanting one, *IF* they're being 'polite'. I usually hold my hands out like sort of claws, and the horses know that's the cue to raise their head to my hands(but not push) if they want a face scratch.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

@loosie good thought, like the very common habit of "nip and yank head away" when the person hasn't even reacted yet.


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