Do you have or know a biting horse? If so, you know what challenges and dangers he can present. Here’s how one horse was cured of this bad habit.
Biting is a problem that all horse lovers come across at one time or another. It can be a very frustrating challenge, not to mention a dangerous one. A biting horse can be a real concern, not only for the rider but also the barn staff, grooms, other boarders, and pretty much anyone who comes in contact with him. Hermano was one of those horses. He was majestic, powerful, determined, masculine…and a biter.
I met him on a trip to the East Coast where I went to help with a number of my clients’ equine problems. Hermano was known to attack people and kick innocent individuals not paying attention to him while in his aisle. He certainly didn’t disappoint during our first meeting. His calm demeanor suddenly turned ferocious with his ears pinned back, and my swift, instinctive move away saved me from losing a chunk of my shoulder. It was very clear that for the safety of everyone in the barn, this was not acceptable behavior.
Uncovering the cause
I asked about Hermano’s biting history and it appeared most of the behavior occurred either in or close to his stall, where he would lunge at passersby, or while in the cross-ties in the barn aisle. As I was listening, Hermano reached toward me with his neck, persistently smelling my clothing and seeking what appeared to be snacks. Without hesitation I announced: “Someone is handfeeding him treats, and this needs to stop as he can’t handle the disappointment if he doesn’t get one. He sees humans as treat dispensers, and when they don’t deliver he gets very upset.”
“It’s not just me,” my client announced in her defense. “It would be difficult to stop everyone from treating him here in the barn.” I turned to Julie, the barn manager, and asked whether it would be possible to enforce this request. She immediately supported the idea. When training a bad habit or behavior out of a horse, consistency from everyone at all times is crucial, and Julie understood that. The next step was to see Hermano in action. He was led out of his stall and placed on the cross ties in the barn aisle. Although I’m not an advocate of this particular means of tying, it was the norm at this barn and I wanted to reenact the situation as accurately as possible. Again, Hermano didn’t disappoint. Up came his adrenaline as he grew by several inches in height. While posturing his neck, he began to bite at my client as she touched his sides while doing an imitation of grooming and tacking up. Then he raised and danced on his hind feet while swishing his tail in disgust. I could feel the energy bubble he built around himself keeping everyone at bay and instantly demanding respect. He had defined his domain.
Now came the hard part: figuring out the cause of this behavior, not only to establish the depth and degree of his aggression, but to also create a clear plan of action for everyone to follow.
First, I wondered how much of this was Hermano’s true nature? Was he affected by his bloodline, herd hierarchy, previous history, self defense, or was his behavior based purely on inappropriate manners? Those who knew him had drawn many conclusions, but I knew that listening to Hermano himself would give us the answers and direction we needed to rectify the situation.
The round pen experience
I realized the risk I was taking as I ventured outside to the round pen to engage in a conversation at liberty with Hermano. I began to “reach out” to him, a method I use to determine the characters and personalities of horses as equal partners.
I asked Hermano to do multiple tasks whereby he would come to understand that I spoke his language, the “language of Equus”. Using gestures and movements, I asked Hermano to explore his path in all three gaits and his flight path, as well as listen to my other requests. I listened to his responses and needs along the way. I then raised the bar by including turns, gait changes, “whispers” (aka light gestures) and “shouts” (stronger use of body language). All the while, Hermano remained respectful, responsive and rhythmic.
Biting, kicking and being unruly wasn’t his natural way. This was his true nature; he was at liberty and as such we were automatically presented with a situation based on equal terms. No whips, or paraphernalia, just the two of us. I had my character read and he knew who I was, creating a base on which we could work together.
Vulnerable areas for all
Sometimes issues like biting can be directly attributed to unnoticed physical pain or discomfort. That is one of the first things I look for in an uncooperative horse. But for Hermano this was definitely not the case. Prior vet examinations had all shown he was not suffering from any pain or discomfort. Furthermore, under direct supervision from a very thorough barn manager, he was on a balanced nutritional plan and regularly received massage and other complementary therapies.
Next, several staff members joined me in the round pen as we lavished Hermano with attention. Rubbing our hands all over his body, we massaged him while exploring sensitive areas, hot spots or pleasure zones. When entering his vulnerable areas (around his rib cage, throat, underneath his belly, etc.) we reassured Hermano to take our actions on face value and acknowledged his ability to stand still and quiet. We approached him from all angles, all speeds, and included multiple people to induce possible anger or aggression. It didn’t seem to trigger anything. So I could rule out human interaction and crowding as the cause of his behavior.
Saddle up!
The next step involved introducing the saddle. My client mentioned this might exacerbate the biting, for up until now I had not been able to trigger any of this behavior. The English saddle was brought to the center of the round pen where a number of us stayed to tack up Hermano. It was the first time he had experienced this many people around him, yet he remained focused and respectful. As we purposefully took our time, included slight intentional “mishaps”, and tacked him up multiple times, there was not one single bite. The saddle itself had been fitted perfectly and checked regularly to ensure its correct fitting. So tacking up and saddle fitting was not the cause of Hermano’s biting.
Close quarters
Finally, it was suggested that Hermano might be claustrophobic, and that this could be the underlying cause of all his problems. Maybe he just didn’t approve of people being so close to him in tight quarters, and the round pen was too open to allow this particular behavior to show itself.
I suggested we take Hermano to another part of the barn and not his “home”; an area he was not necessarily accustomed to and yet would provide us with similar insights. Hermano was taken to a stall used for tacking up. It was laid out identically to his barn aisle. Within this stall he was prepared, once again, for grooming and tacking up. Somewhat distracted, he was intrigued by the smells of the resident stallions and yet remained calm throughout. Accepting all we brought to the lesson, Hermano showed no signs of claustrophobia or distress.
Conclusion
With many possible causes tested and debunked, I suggested my client build the following procedures into her training program:
1. Discontinue hand feeding.
2. Turnout prior to my client’s arrival to eliminate any excess energy levels.
3. The use of the “Dually” pressure halter for schooling purposes.
4. Mutual respect and understanding of Hermano’s space.
Hermano had clearly learned to protect his stall and barn aisle and, in my opinion, it all stemmed from the hand feeding and associating this activity to his stall and surrounding area. Unchecked, it then escalated to the point where he had become dangerous in that particular scenario, leading him to protect his surrounding area.
Each scenario we tried was specifically created to explore different possible causes of Hermano’s behavior. Through these exercises, we broke through layer after layer to uncover the root cause of his biting. Gradually, in Hermano’s own language, he showed us how to place the pieces together to create the full picture. As it turned out, he was not, as many had feared, a dangerous horse who could not be trusted in any situation. Instead, we were dealing with a conditioned response – one that could be reconditioned with the help and cooperation of the same people who has unintentionally created the problem in the first place.
AUTHOR PROFILE
Anna Twinney is an International Equine Linguist, Clinician, Natural Horsewoman, Animal Communicator and Holy-Fire Reiki Master. She is recognized around the world for her unique and highly effective trust-based training methodologies. Through her unique perspectives and methodologies she teaches her students how to work exclusively in the horse's language and create a true partnership between horse and human. For more information visit reachouttohorses.com.
