horse that kicks

Question
We purchased a horse last Oct. She was relatively good to be around though she wasn't great to pick up her feet. Her weight was a little lean though not poor.She had been kept by the previous owner in a pen  and ridden and trained regularly.
At first she didn't kick in the trailer but she started kicking very severe now. We ride her everyday and she is in a stall with a paddock plus turn out to pasture. We did put weight on her but not with high energy feeds... instead using feeds with higher fat. Finally we put a scotch hobble on her to trailer and shoe. the very first time she showed no resistance which told us she has worn one before. She is very thin skinned, high energy horse. Ground work using "natural horsemanship" has helped.
Any suggestions on how to break a kicker? what about kick chains in the stall. We are very careful around this mare though not afraid of her. she is a mare that can get very mad at you.

Answer
Hi Susan, Horses don't get mad.  they get dominant, fearful, trapped or frustrated, which can appear mad.  A horse is just a horse.  He wants to be safe and either have a leader or be a leader.

A lower horse will never kick a higher horses, unless he thinks he can take over as leader.  Once I show a horse I am higher and I move a horse, the horse will not kick me as long as he sees me has his leader and higher than he is.

Chains and horses do not belong together.  This horse sounds lost, insecure and nervous without a leader.  Once she is shown she has a strong leader that will keep her safe, she should feel safer and should kick less.  However, if she is kept locked up and in small confined areas she will feel unsafe and a need to show her dominance to try and feel in control and safe.  You have to think like a horse, they need a herd, they need to feel safe and they need have a leader.  Without these they will be lost, insecure, nervous, scared, unable to relax and all of this will cause these unwanted behaviors.

If she kicks at you or any person, you need to go crazy and put the fear in her, make her move, get aggressive, and show her immediately that kicking at humans are unacceptable.


Read my site about sacking out, this will help take the horse to fear and then remove, which will help the horse trust you and look to you for help when scared.


Rick