My guy is starting to kick me

Question
We're first time horse (of any size) owners. We have a mini guy who is 10 months old. We've had him about 3 months. He lets me put his halter on him and usually leads fairly well. Lately, he has started trying to kick - not so much me as my husband.
Is there a book you can recommend for us to buy that will tell us in depth about raising him to be a nice guy who will handle easily? Particularly aimed towards curbing bad behavior before it becomes a problem.
Thanks!

Answer
Hi Debby-
Thanks for your question. That is a problem which you need to correct as soon as possible. I haven't had a mini that did that but I have had a larger horse that did. Usually, particularly with a juvenile, it is due to a lack of respect. When your little guy does that you should immediately correct him with a "NO!" in a loud voice at the same time you smack him smartly with something like a crop. It must be done immediately or he won't understand the correction and it should be done by whoever is handling him at the time he does it. Consistency is the key- he will figure out quickly that when he kicks he can expect a negative and unpleasant reaction. It is not cruel- mares in a herd frequently "reprimand" misbehaving babies. One book I read recently that may help you is "Handling and Understanding the Horse" written by Marcy and Tony Pavord. Hope this helps. Best, Toni