Read About Stopping Your Horse from Biting

Biting is a normal part of natural horse behavior. As young colts, horses play a game similar to tag with their mouths. They continue to go back and forth biting at each other. While this is an acceptable activity within the herd, it is a dangerous and bad habit for your horse to exercise with humans. This habit is more common in young horses, but older horses have been known to bite also. No matter what the cause or what the age, it is a habit that must be broken.

Horses may bite for a number of different reasons. It may begin as an apparently sweet nuzzle, it may be out of playfulness, curiosity, or resentment. Many horses that are hand fed treats develop a biting habit. That is why you should NOT hand feed your horse under any circumstances. No matter what the cause, you will need to be firm and in control to break this habit.

If you are working with a young horse that is nuzzling and lipping you, just sort of testing the water, you should be able to break the habit relatively quickly. The key here is to handle the horse’s lips, muzzle and nostrils regularly and with purpose. When the horse nips you, immediately stop what you are doing and firmly massage the front of his nose and his upper and lower lip. Continue to do this until he seems to be getting sick of the attention. Every time the horse nips stop and give him too much attention. Eventually, your horse will learn not to give you his nose.

Now, if your horse is biting in a more aggressive manor, you will have to be more aggressive in return. Due to the highly likelihood of serious injury, most experts do condone and recommend hitting a horse to train and discipline them to break this specific habit. Never hit a horse in the face, but anywhere else is appropriate. If you choose to use this avenue of discipline, it is imperative that you hit the horse within two seconds of the biting incident. Any longer and the horse will not understand why he is being punished. Remember, the horse can really hurt you; do not do this half way. If you back down or only give this a half effort, your horse will think you are playing and the habit will worsen.

If your horse is charges and bites, you will need to make yourself BIG. Anytime your horse comes at you, make a loud SHHHHH sound and raise your hands in the air; do not back down. Your horse needs to know you are boss. Slap him under the chin. This may take several repetitions for your horse to get the picture.

No matter what the reason, you must make the horse understand who is in control and get the behavior to stop before someone is seriously injured. Be consistent, patient and firm.