# when im riding my horse he almost always stops and turns around to bite my boots on b



## DannyBoysGrace (Apr 6, 2013)

Have you had a vet out? That sounds like a pain issue.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Doesn't sound like pain to me, sounds like a habit, so two options, 

First, when he does it give him a good crack in the face with your foot...the aim is NOT to hurt him, but neither should a be a love tap, a good solid bang

or

Carry a crop and when he does it give him one heck of a crack on the neck.


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## Fimargue (Jun 19, 2015)

It can be a pain issue, but also that he is on top of you. Age is no excuse for bad habits. I assume he nibbles in all situations, or just when wearing a tack/while tacking up? Does he walk away when you are mounting?


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

No I have not, I was thinking about that too but he doesn't seem to be pinched by the saddle it could be his teeth too possibly? I'm not sure I'll definitely have a vet come and look at him


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

Golden Horse said:


> Doesn't sound like pain to me, sounds like a habit, so two options,
> 
> First, when he does it give him a good crack in the face with your foot...the aim is NOT to hurt him, but neither should a be a love tap, a good solid bang
> 
> ...



Okaaayy thank you so much !


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

Fimargue said:


> It can be a pain issue, but also that he is on top of you. Age is no excuse for bad habits. I assume he nibbles in all situations, or just when wearing a tack/while tacking up? Does he walk away when you are mounting?


Yes he nibbles a lot when I'm watering him he'll stick his head over and I'll be petting him n he'll try and nip, it's not aggressive just being playful but how can I stop him of that? & yes he walks away when mounting because his old owner is a charro rider


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

@dannysboygrace No I have not, I was thinking about that too but he doesn't seem to be pinched by the saddle it could be his teeth too possibly? I'm not sure I'll definitely have a vet come and look at him


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Walking off when mounting will become worse if it is not corrected soon. It depends on the horse for the solution. If he is a nervous type, then practice approaching, then back away without mounting several times until he is okay with it. Then flap the stirrups around until that's good. Place a foot in the stirrup, or even just raise your leg, and just practice all the parts to mounting separately without mounting untilhe is okay with it. Or, you might try doing some groundwork exercises to help him to think and not react. If he is a lazier type, then I would make him work on the ground, and rest near you for him to realize that it is easier to hold still than to be silly.

Turning and biting when asking for a trot could be either a respect issue, or a pain issue. If he has just recently started doing this or does it at a walk also, it is likely a pain issue. If not, then one would assume it to be a respect issue. When he turns to bite, bump him with your foot to make it uncomfortable. Do it hard enough that it won't happen again, not just push him away. Keep pressing and asking him to move forward, and steadily increase the pressure. If he still refuses to move, spank him with a crop or a spanker, immediately release all pressure once he begins trotting. However, don't release until he trots, keep spanking if necessary.


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

Greenmeadows said:


> Walking off when mounting will become worse if it is not corrected soon. It depends on the horse for the solution. If he is a nervous type, then practice approaching, then back away without mounting several times until he is okay with it. Then flap the stirrups around until that's good. Place a foot in the stirrup, or even just raise your leg, and just practice all the parts to mounting separately without mounting untilhe is okay with it. Or, you might try doing some groundwork exercises to help him to think and not react. If he is a lazier type, then I would make him work on the ground, and rest near you for him to realize that it is easier to hold still than to be silly.
> 
> Turning and biting when asking for a trot could be either a respect issue, or a pain issue. If he has just recently started doing this or does it at a walk also, it is likely a pain issue. If not, then one would assume it to be a respect issue. When he turns to bite, bump him with your foot to make it uncomfortable. Do it hard enough that it won't happen again, not just push him away. Keep pressing and asking him to move forward, and steadily increase the pressure. If he still refuses to move, spank him with a crop or a spanker, immediately release all pressure once he begins trotting. However, don't release until he trots, keep spanking if necessary.



Okaayy great thank you so much! He's lazy and nervous , I will definitely try that, I also noticed that when I did bump him when he'd try to bit me he seemed to get more irritated. I think it's a respect issue


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I also suggest working VERY consistently at standing to be mounted. Your goal is that your horse stands like a rock on a loose rein, until clearly cued to go forward. Believe me, this is something you want your horse to learn. The reason horses get into this habit is because we want to get going and won't take the time to do make sure our horse is with us mentally. My antsy green horse got into this habit and I have just now after a whole summer of working on it made the breakthrough of an automatic stand on a slack rein. That's because I let little stuff slide. 

Don't let little stuff slide. It becomes big. Nibbles become nips and nips become bites. My mare is mouthy, too. She gets an elbow in the face when she does it now (not often any more). I don't necessarily hit her with my elbow, just raising it is usually enough.


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## Fimargue (Jun 19, 2015)

If a horse nips me, I usually go for their neck instantly grabbing it (as in with "my teeth") and push him down by the neck. 

If a horse moves when you are about to mount him, you make him instantly move his feet sideways and in circle, and then you put him back where you wanted him to be. Repeat as many times as needed for the message to sink in.

It definitely sounds like a respect issue, and needs to be corrected now before he does take more rough actions.

How does he lead?


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Just out of curiosity, do you know if your horse was orphaned or weaned too early? My QH was a orphan from birth, and she chewed on EVERYTHING! Lead ropes, posts, gates, coats, anything she could get her mouth on. The vet said this was common for orphans, I suppose since they didn't have the opportunity to nurse. I would gently rub the thing she was chewing on, like the lead rope, on her muzzle for awhile until she didn't want to chew anymore. She used to try and nip, but she usually bumped into my elbow. Now, she rarely tries to chew or nip.


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

Avna said:


> I also suggest working VERY consistently at standing to be mounted. Your goal is that your horse stands like a rock on a loose rein, until clearly cued to go forward. Believe me, this is something you want your horse to learn. The reason horses get into this habit is because we want to get going and won't take the time to do make sure our horse is with us mentally. My antsy green horse got into this habit and I have just now after a whole summer of working on it made the breakthrough of an automatic stand on a slack rein. That's because I let little stuff slide.
> 
> Don't let little stuff slide. It becomes big. Nibbles become nips and nips become bites. My mare is mouthy, too. She gets an elbow in the face when she does it now (not often any more). I don't necessarily hit her with my elbow, just raising it is usually enough.



alright I notice when I saw the orginal owner riding him he would let him get away with a lot of things I definitely will work on those things you told me thank you so much !


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

Fimargue said:


> If a horse nips me, I usually go for their neck instantly grabbing it (as in with "my teeth") and push him down by the neck.
> 
> If a horse moves when you are about to mount him, you make him instantly move his feet sideways and in circle, and then you put him back where you wanted him to be. Repeat as many times as needed for the message to sink in.
> 
> ...


Okay I'll definitely do that ! & he leads good sometimes gets in my space but I check him on it and make him back and get off me and he's fine after that


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## quarterhorses1913 (Sep 6, 2016)

Greenmeadows said:


> Just out of curiosity, do you know if your horse was orphaned or weaned too early? My QH was a orphan from birth, and she chewed on EVERYTHING! Lead ropes, posts, gates, coats, anything she could get her mouth on. The vet said this was common for orphans, I suppose since they didn't have the opportunity to nurse. I would gently rub the thing she was chewing on, like the lead rope, on her muzzle for awhile until she didn't want to chew anymore. She used to try and nip, but she usually bumped into my elbow. Now, she rarely tries to chew or nip.


I don't know anything about his past I barely got him a few months ago, it could be that because he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, he even picks up the lounge whip! And pulls on the lead when he's tied up and tries nibbling on my jackets .


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## Bondre (Jun 14, 2013)

My mare did just this when I was starting her under saddle. In her case it was that she didn't understand what I wanted her to do when I squeezed her with my legs. I would cue her to move forward and she didn't understand so in frustration she would turn her head and nibble at my boots. I was green about starting a young horse then, so I hadn't taught her all that she needed to know and hence her frustration. 

Maybe your horse is also feeling frustrated or confused and looking for reassurance. Because I think a young horse's nibbling is not at all an aggressive behaviour, but is actually reverting to foal behaviour and demonstrates a combination of curiosity and submissiveness. 

I remember that I was equally frustrated by her apparent refusal to understand me and in the end I taped dry prickly thistle heads to my boots lol. This stopped her from nibbling my feet but it didn't solve the underlying issue of incomprehension, although we did work our way through it in the end.


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## Fimargue (Jun 19, 2015)

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quarterhorses1913 said:


> Okay I'll definitely do that ! & he leads good sometimes gets in my space but I check him on it and make him back and get off me and he's fine after that


Good for correcting him. I was wondering if he is also trying to lead you, or rush past you, as so often happens with the horses with respect issues.


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

also have your vet check for ulcers. a response by the horse is to bite at their side when an ulcer is bugging them. and with you asking for trot when he does it says the stomach acid could be sloshing onto the ulcer when speed is increased vs walking.

always rule out pain/medical before behavioural.


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## JerseyDevil (Jul 27, 2016)

I would absolutely check for pain everywhere. My gelding is semi retired for arthritis which we have X-rays of and some days he feels great, other days he doesn't. He does exactly what you described, reaches around and bites my toes to let me know that this day is not a good day. I remind him to still listen to what I asked but I end it quickly. I much prefer this method of communication to bucking.


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