horse biting

Question
Hi, I own a four yr old miniature stallion who just started biting recently. He is turned out daily in his own pasture but can see our other horse who is a draft pony mare. He is not fed grain and has been teething. I had a vet check to see if his teeth were the problem. He has had his nose pinched as punishment. I have tried carrying a bar of soap so he will bite that instead of my hand, and I have even bitten him back on the nose to get the point across it hurts. All of this to no avail.My question is how do I get him to stop biting while I'm leading him without making him headshy?

Answer
Hi Shellie!

Tricky, tricky, tricky.  You are dealing with a stallion and his most basic of natural things to do.

You want him to respect you first...above everything else.  Then, the biting will dissipate if not stop altogether.  You think the biting is the real problem but, most likely it's not.

This little stallion sees you as below him in dominance and so he treats you like that...he thinks "I am in charge and so I can bite you with no consequence!"  This is what you must fix.  You did not say if this is your first Mini or if you have experience with them.

They cannot be treated any different than a full grown horse.  They are not lapdogs or plush toys....they are real horses through and through.  My guess is you are far too lenient disciplining him and he has gotten out of hand through your lax responses.

Now, I am not saying you must beat him with a 2x4.  I am saying you must dominate him, mind and body.  He will not change the way he thinks, you must change your attitude and think like a horse.

Google Monty Roberts "Join-Up" Method.  This is an excellent round pen technique to open a basic line of communication to him and then achieve your dominance over him.

Yes, he is small...but, only on the outside.  Inside, he is ten feet tall and bulletproof  :-)

If you would like further help, contact your local Mini Horse club and ask for a trainer recommendation. Hands-on help is always the best thing for dominance issues.

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange