# Horse won't let me touch her? HELP!



## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

If that was my horse, it would be getting a konk in the head. You should not be allowing her to even try to bite you. Have you been disciplining it? It seems like you are a food provider now, and that's it. It sounds like you are being dominated by her. I would stop giving treats, and make her work for a change. Groundwork, whatever. She doesn't respect you


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## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

KylieHuitema said:


> If that was my horse, it would be getting a konk in the head. You should not be allowing her to even try to bite you. Have you been disciplining it? It seems like you are a food provider now, and that's it. It sounds like you are being dominated by her. I would stop giving treats, and make her work for a change. Groundwork, whatever. She doesn't respect you


We just recently got her so we kind of thought it was a trust issue? Like maybe she was abused and we didn't know about it? I don't know, I am still new to horses.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

By hand feeding you are teaching this mare to bite you. In nipping and biting at you, she is showing you that she doesn't respect you.

It is time to treat her like a horse and not like a big puppy dog.


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## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Red Gate Farm said:


> By hand feeding you are teaching this mare to bite you. In nipping and biting at you, she is showing you that she doesn't respect you.
> 
> It is time to treat her like a horse and not like a big puppy dog.


Okay, so how do you suggest I do that? I can't do it by force because, ha, frankly, I am no match for her in that aspect.  I am short and scrawny, (still growing) and she is short, but stocky and very very strong. So, force is not an option. She doesn't let me catch her or anything, if my dad goes out there with me, we can chase her around for about an hour before she finally lets us catch her but he works two jobs so he is rarely here.:?


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

I would suggest doing a lot of reading on horse behavior and horse training, and then seeking professional help at the very beginning – your size has absolutely NOTHING to do with a horse respecting you – I have seen Clydesdales dominated by ten year-olds as long as they go in with the right attitude, knowledge, and skill. 

All of that comes by knowing what you're doing to begin with, basically having learned it from somebody else that taught them first. You need to start at the ground level and do as suggested by others above - you need to understand what your horse is telling you and why she's behaving they way she is before you go ANY further.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If you dad will help you, have him circle way around until he's way behind the horse then suddenly run at it with arms waving. Don't yell. The idea is to startle the horse. It will run off but just stand still until she stops. Circle around again. This is done to get the horse to keep both eyes on your dad. Now he can approach to greet the horse, shoulders slumped and arm extended fingers down to make a soft fist. Wait until she touches, then back up turn around and walk away. She may even follow. Leave it at this for now as he has gained her respect yet asked nothing of her. I'm concerned you may get hurt so let you dad do this and you stay outside the field and observe.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

I would suggest getting professional help to work with this mare. Then they can show you how to do it. By trying to do it yourself or with your dad, you are only going to contribute to the bad behaviour, simply because you don't know what you are doing.

She also has an 8 month old weanling with her, which might be adding to your problem. She will be protecting the baby while keeping an eye on you.


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## redrose1 (Jan 17, 2014)

Gonna take alot of work and patience and help. Is there a smaller area you can have her in to work with her?


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## CowboyBob (Feb 11, 2013)

It really sounds like you need help there with you. If this was my horse she would be in a round pin learning that I AM THE ATHORITY in her life biting is out. And that she can run away from me all she wants but if she wants to rest she better be looking at me at first then later she better be standing with me. It really sounds like this horse is out of you skill range. And stop feeding her spend time in the pasture with her if you want but work on understanding horse behavior so you can start to be the leader of this horse but first get some help.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Your best bet would be to enlist a trainer to help you with the mare. At 8 months, it's time that the foal can be weaned and once that happens, you (with a trainer) can start working on getting her attitude right.

She doesn't respect you, she doesn't trust you. If you continue on the way you're going, with no experienced help there to teach you the correct way to handle this horse, you're going to get hurt.



Also, buying a new horse won't help. You are lacking knowledge on the basics of handling horses. Until you have that knowledge, each horse you come across will continue to take advantage of you.


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## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Okay, so how do you suggest I do that? I can't do it by force because, ha, frankly, I am no match for her in that aspect.  I am short and scrawny, (still growing) and she is short, but stocky and very very strong. So, force is not an option. She doesn't let me catch her or anything, if my dad goes out there with me, we can chase her around for about an hour before she finally lets us catch her but he works two jobs so he is rarely here.:?


Doesn't matter how small you are and how big she is, she still needs to respect you. I am 5'1" and maybe 100lbs soaking wet. My largest mare is close to 17.3h and built like a WB, she learned very quickly to respect me (and anyone else handling her). Size has nothing to do with respect. 

Since you say you are still new to horses I would strongly suggest getting a GOOD trainer out to guide you. It'll save a lot of trouble in the end.


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## Pat1960 (Aug 17, 2011)

Please get the help of a trainer. I was in a similar situation with our mare. It took 75 days of training and it made all the difference. She turned out to be a great horse. We all received training. Our mare , myself and my daughter. It was worth it.


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## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Okay, so we got rid of the colt and a couple days later, I got on our new horse, rode up right next to her and draped a rope across her neck very quietly. (she will let us get close on another horse but not on the ground.) Then, I grabbed the edges. Once caught, she would let us pet her just fine. We saddled her up and rode her for a while, then when unsaddling her, my sister tried to brush her and she kicked out at her? Then, when she was trying to take the bridle off, she tried to bite her, but as soon as I went over there and held the reins, she was just fine? Why is she doing this? She is really a very good horse to ride, just needs some help with the ground.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Okay, so we got rid of the colt and a couple days later, I got on our new horse, rode up right next to her and draped a rope across her neck very quietly. (she will let us get close on another horse but not on the ground.) Then, I grabbed the edges. Once caught, she would let us pet her just fine. We saddled her up and rode her for a while, then when unsaddling her, my sister tried to brush her and she kicked out at her? Then, when she was trying to take the bridle off, she tried to bite her, but as soon as I went over there and held the reins, she was just fine? Why is she doing this? She is really a very good horse to ride, just needs some help with the ground.


What did you do when she acted out aggressively? She can't just get away with that crap. Pop her on the nose when she bites. Man, my horse would never try to bite me. Much less kick, and if he even threatened I'd make him feel like he was gonna die. 
You have to establish yourself as leader. This mare is walking all over you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CowboyBob (Feb 11, 2013)

CowboyBob said:


> *It really sounds like you need help there with you. * If this was my horse she would be in a round pin learning that I AM THE ATHORITY in her life biting is out. And that she can run away from me all she wants but if she wants to rest she better be looking at me at first then later she better be standing with me.* It really sounds like this horse is out of you skill range.* And stop feeding her spend time in the pasture with her if you want but *work on understanding horse behavior so you can start to be the leader of this horse* *but first get* *some help*.


So I still believe this to be true. You need to very careful with this horse


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

*You need to go back and re-read all the advice already given in this thread. *

And then take it to heart - especially the part about seeking professional help at this point given you are new to horses. 

This will not get better without such. To the contrary, it can, and very likely WILL only get worse, and the chances of you or someone else in your family ending up seriously injured are very high.


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## jmike (Aug 21, 2013)

i would knock the taste out of that horses mouth - or chase it with a whip 

biting is not acceptable


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