Advice On Agressive Horses

Angela Dee Cochran · Post by **Angela Dee Cochran** » 17 years ago

Can you do anything to make a horse less aggresive twards other horses other than seperate them? Maybe not really aggresive but maybe bossy?

The owners (of the barn Im at) horse has been keeping mine out of the run in stall. Hes aggressive at meals(though thats normal) but the not allowing her in the barn in new. He keeps her out by chasing, throwing his head around and Ive even seen him nip at her. It really bugs me, hes not aggressive to me. He trys to be pushy but I stop that right away.

My Mare use to be a very dominate mare but as she is 18 now and has had alot of health problems the last year, shes letting herself get pushed around alot now. I seperate them to feed as he eats his and hers too. But because hes keeping her out of the run in Ive been putting them in for the night even when its not bad weather to be sure she gets to stay in for the night(because usually they do in the winter) and to be sure shes getting enough hay to keep her warm.

I dont think there is anything you can do to make a horse less bossy to other horses, but I thought Id throw this out in case anyone else might have an idea.

LaDonna King · Post by **LaDonna King** » 17 years ago

the only thing i've found that does work is to find another horse that is alpha mare(my gelding is alpha mare, lol) and put in with him...

Taylor Clark · Post by **Taylor Clark** » 17 years ago

yea... we keep alpha horses together and calmer horses togethre

Angela Dee Cochran · Post by **Angela Dee Cochran** » 17 years ago

There is only my horse and the owners horse. Noone else is boarding there right now. And the funny thing is, if their seperated, they get upset. Usually they are the best of friends and you cant seperate them and they get along fine exsept when it comes to food and hes downright mean. I guess Theres not really much I can do except leave them in at night to make sure she gets some shelter and enough food.

Angela Dee Cochran · Post by **Angela Dee Cochran** » 17 years ago

Tonite he was VERY aggressive. He even reached out and bit my mare on the hind quarters when she wouldnt leave the run in. I took him into the indoor arena and lunged him for awhile, mostly working on getting him to listen and respond to me as he was trying to be VERY pushy. Maybe he needs the extra energy burned off.

If anyone has any ideas I can work on please let me know. I dont have a round pen so I have to work on a lunge line. I can use the arena like a round pen for my mare because she is well trained but not him. His owner dosent do anything with him, I do more with him now than shes done in years.

Ali Weasley · Post by **Ali Weasley** » 17 years ago

Hmmm... Maybe you could try giving him a chance, and if he's a turd, chase HIM our aggressively and lock him out until your mare has had her grain. It'll take a few minutes out of your day having to wait for her to finish, but it's worth it for her to get fed.

We have babies sharing stalls right now where I work and in each stall there's a fat one and a skinny one because of similar issues. Now, when we feed them we just lock one in the stall and the other out in the run. The one locked out is usually the aggressive one, and they've learned that when we come in with the grain they go outside and their buddy stays in. My manager and I aren't nice when one baby is mean to another.

Emily Mitchell · Post by **Emily Mitchell** » 17 years ago

Heh, you can always try a shock collar. I know they make them for horses... but I've never used them before myself, except on a dog once. Anyway, I know Clinton Anderson suggests shock collars can help with this. Like when he acts threatening or tries to bite give him a shock. Might learn really fast.

Of course, the other owner would have to agree to that.

Other than that... I mean, I know you're supposed to give them space apart when feeding... maybe put one feed bucket outside and one inside or something? Just anything to make the agressive horse feel unthreatened by your mare would help.

Not sure if that helps.

Angela Dee Cochran · Post by **Angela Dee Cochran** » 17 years ago

I ALWAYS feed my mare in her stall to make sure she gets her grain. In the past she had some problems with keeping her weight so I add extra oats to her feed, gives more feed without adding all that suger from the sweet feed. I use to just leave him in the run in and feed him there, and I do have to be aggressive to him when I take her out cause he will try to push past us or keep her from going out first- I always have to put a stop to that. Right Now since I leave them at night I put her in her stall first and give her grain to her -Then I put him in his stall and I dont feed him till Ive got everything all done inside the stalls. Then I make him back away from his feed bin and if he tries to get agressive I wont give it to him. I make him step back and wait.

Yesterday I was lunging him and he was going wakko. Part of me thinks he need to be worked with. SO I think Im going to try to lunge him as often as I can- mostly to give him a chance to work off extra energy and work on respect. One thig though that I was happy with, What I saw that I let be the end cause I thought it was good- was when I called him to stop, he faced me with his ears forward watching, when I relaxed my stance and let him stand there for a sec he relaxed his head and mouth and did a little bit of licking chewing. I wish I had a round pen. It would work so much better than a lunge line. I also worked on the " back and forth" I cant remember what the game is called and he did pretty well for not haveing done it before. They really cant run around to get their energy out so maybe doing this kind of stuff is what he needs.

Im Absolutly sure his owner would not let me put a shock collar on him. I wish though!

I sure would like to understand whats going on with him. Hes always been aggresive when it comes to food, we deal with that as we can because that isnt going to change. But ususally they dont have too much problem with the run in. Id like to talk about putting a second door in so he coulnt keep her from comming in by just standing in the door. I dont think she will do it though. It would prob be pretty hard the way its set up now.

Thanks for the advice, if you think of anything else please post!

Jolene Danner · Post by **Jolene Danner** » 17 years ago

I have the same problem. One of my boarders horse is a terrible leader. He's a very good 2nd, but he's over the top when he's in charge. Unfortunatly my fave boss mare and gelding were both sold. But the girl who does work for me just got a new horse and turns out he's dominant. So in with him he went this morning, and he backed down right away. I think that a lot of his issue is that he was cut late and the mares were all going through heat last week. Well my mom's gelding and my gelding that were in there were getting the brint of his frustration. Shadow even jumped the paddock fence to escape him one day. Luckily they are still fenced in if they get out because of perimeter fencing.

I'm hoping that he's learn a lesson and will be able to go back in with the others. But he's on punishment row right now. LOL

I wish that my old mare could eat hay cause she's a take charge type as well. But her heaves won't allow her anything but hay cubes.

Angela Dee Cochran · Post by **Angela Dee Cochran** » 17 years ago

The owner says she thinks her horse is acting out because he been cooped up in a stall too much. I kept him in with my horse while she was recovering from the nail and abcess. So he stays out all the time like he was before all this happened.Hes fine staying inside, just not for this long of a period. I am still bringing her in at nights without him. Shell live. Hopefully he will calm down after this. I took my mare into the arena tonite and he got so upset didnt stop called for her till I her back after we were done. Silly horse.