6 mo filly / kicking

Question
We purchased a 6 month old (non-registered) TN walker last week.  First off, we don't plan to register her as we only want her for pleasure riding.  She had been handled very little if any upon being stalled 2 weeks prior to our arrival. We won her trust prior to purchasing her. She loaded and rode in the trailer great.  She unloaded and halter led around the yard and into the stall great and has been a doll until yesterday.  She appears to be "protective" of her food.  Now she has NEVER had to fight for one bite at her previous home or here. Yesterday she started to kick at us when eating. She will literally turn her back to us and back up to get into range to kick. What, do you think, has caused this behavior.  Let me add she has been in a very large stall since we received her this past Sunday,(no other horses around) because we are finishing up the fence.  PLUS it has been raining non-stop for the entire time.  Any advise would be most appreciated.  I want to solve this problem fast before it becomes a larger issue.

Answer
Michelle,

She's going through the first of many phases that horses experience while growing up.  Same as human kids do.  She's a spoiled brat and is being extremely disrespectful.  You have to put your foot down, now, and let her know in no uncertain terms that her behavior is unacceptable!  Me, I turn into their worst nightmare and go after them.  I have given more than a few a quick kick in the butt and some hard slaps as well as a lot of yelling.  I get mad!!  She doesn't have a momma around to teach her manners so you have to be the one to do it now.  Scare her a little bit.  You'll have to read her to know to what extreme you need to go to so that you have gotten your point across.  She is probably bored with being cooped up all this time and in total isolation - no other horses.  After all, horses are herd animals and she's a little kid, all alone with no adults for moral support around.  People don't fill that gap.  I would hope that you are planning on bringing in an adult horse.  She needs the equine socialization as she grows up.  Almost every baby I've ever worked with, including my own little girl born the end of June last year, goes through this.  They have to test the waters.  Sometimes it takes more than one lesson to make it sink in, but I've never had more than 1 repeat on anything.  I'm the lead mare around here and all of them know it.  I went through this kicking phase with mine at about 3 mos.  Before that she thought it funny to rear up and try to put her feet on my shoulders the way she did on mom's butt.  I let her know immediately that I wouldn't allow or accept that behavior.  At 16 mos. she's the model of good behavior when being handled.  

Girls are generally easier to get to quit this sort of thing than colts, even gelded ones.  The boys are also very oral, hence mouthy, and bit and chew on everything.  That can be a very tough thing to stop.  In any event this is just the first of this sort of thing you'll have to go through.  She absolutely must respect you and right now she's being very disrespectful.  

It may not take more than a case of moving quickly up to her when she starts, smacking her good and hard on the butt and yelling at her.  I usually start yelling when I start moving.  Startles them and they don't finish lining up to fire on you.  I wish you all the luck with her but remember, just like human kids, horse kids need solid boundries and constant repetition to get the desired results.  

She sounds like a lovely little girl and I don't know why you thought registering her made a difference.  I ride the horse, not the papers.

Lyn