Nipping and biting can develop into a more serious behavioral problem if left alone.Biting can be a sign of irritation, lack of proper respect, or a more aggressive animal.In any of these cases, biting can be a sign of a more serious problem, one that will make your horse difficult to train for work or riding.You can train your horse to not bite by attacking many of the causes.
Step 1: Establish yourself as the leader.
Every herd of horses has an alpha stallion that the other horses don't bite.A sign of disrespect is when your horse bites you, a way of saying he is in charge.Keeping his head front and center is a good way to establish yourself.Use your hand to push it back where you need it to be if it starts drifting away from you or closer to you.If you put pressure on his cheek or neck, you'll get the point that his head is where you want it to be.You can make sure your horse respects you.If he is not standing where you want him to be, push him back and watch the rest of his body.Don't let him wander off in directions other than the one you want him to go if you are riding him.If he does that, you should lead him in your direction.If he is a young colt, you will need to do these things several times for him to get the message.He will learn if you keep your responses consistent.
Step 2: Aggressive body language can be seen.
If a horse pins his ears back, it's a sign of aggression.You can see that he is nervous or uncomfortable with the pinned ears.If your horse looks aggressive or in a bad mood, you should step away so he doesn't have the chance to bite you.There are a number of things that can cause aggression in horses.It's usually a sign of uneasiness, which comes from being in an unfamiliar location, meeting new people, or being bored.It is best to remove your horse from a situation where he is acting aggressively.Try to keep his day busy and varied to prevent boredom and encourage good social behavior with other horses.
Step 3: Don't let your horse groom you.
He will try to groom you with his mouth if you brush or groom your horse.He doesn't need to reciprocate with you if he turns his head to you.If he turns his head toward you, use your hand to push him back and stop brushing.
Step 4: Don't give your horse food.
Horses can't see in front of their mouth because of where their eyes are.They can use their teeth to get a feel for where they are.Your horse gets too comfortable with his mouth on or near your hands, making a bite too tempting.If someone doesn't give him the food he is expecting, he's more likely to become aggressive.Have people stop interacting with your horse if they have been hand-feeding him.You don't want the horse to associate hand-feeding with other people.He will be more likely to bite as he gets frustrated with people that don't feed him.They are being hand-fed by people who don't know what they're doing.As long as you are consistent with this new treatment, your horse will understand why he isn't being fed.
Step 5: Hay should be left in the stable.
This helps teething horses because they always have something to chew on.Without it, they will gnaw on the wood in their stables and be more willing to bite you.
Step 6: Look for signs of pain.
Horses bite as a way to express their irritation.You don't want a horse punished for expressing pain.Make sure your horse's equipment is put on correctly, and keep an eye out for injuries.Check your horse's equipment to make sure it fits.The saddle and bridle are examples of tack equipment that is subject to this.It will not feel right to the horse if it is tight or loose.It's important to make sure your gear is clean and sturdy.If you have an accident from a broken tack, this will prevent irritation to your horse.Your horse's shoes should be checked as well.Make sure they are clean and fit correctly.If there is an issue, contact your farrier to have the shoes adjusted.Eye injuries are a problem for horses.If your horse is squinting or tearing up, you should check with your vet to see if there is a problem.
Step 7: The horse needs to be hit on the muzzle.
If your horse nips you, hit him with an open palm.This should be a quick hit.A big windup will confuse your horse.Adding a loud "Stop!" or "Knock it off!" will increase the shock for your horse.Adding language can help train the horse to stop biting without physical contact.You can have a rope nearby.Give the colt a rope if he starts nipping.He would get a similar response from an older horse's tail.If you don't want to hit the horse, you can use your thumb and forefinger to move his neck or nose.Give him an unpleasant shock that he won't want to repeat.
Step 8: Good behavior should be rewarded.
You want your horse to know that doing the right thing will be rewarded.Give him a soft pat or rub on the shoulder if he follows your punishment by staying back or holding his head still.After punishing your horse, it is a good idea to give him a reward.Let him know that he is doing the right thing by standing still and not trying to bite.
Step 9: You should always respond quickly.
Make sure you respond immediately to a bite or attempted bite.The punishment for the horse's biting is tied to it.If you think he is going to bite you, act now.In your horse's life, this also means responding early.Young colts don't always know what they're doing.If your horse nibbles you, respond with a full bite.As your horse gets older, this can help prevent bad habits from getting worse.Your horse can understand the right way to act if you let him know what isn't appropriate.