How do i stop my 6month old foal from kicking?

Question

Hi i hope someone can help me here, each time i attempt to brush the spot between my foals backs legs and stomach he trys and almost attempts to kick me!!

there is no sores or anything and i need him to be ok with that being done. Any suggestions??

Answer 1

his response is natural. That area is apparently sensitive. Try working with your hands first and slowly move further and further into that space as he becomes comfortable with each movement. Don't try to rush it! It is an area that needs to be desensitized to touch. Once he is comfortable with you rubbing your hands on him then introduce the brush in the same way.

We have a mare that will bite when you touch her ears. (I have a scar on my arm from the first time it happened!!) We began working with her at feed time slowly moving up her forehead and little by little (I mean literally over a period of two weeks twice a day) we finally broke her of that once she realized we were not going to hurt her when we messed with her ears.

Answer 2

He was just not habituated to it as new foal - keep that in mind for your next one:  start day one doing everything you want them to stand for.  Since he is past that already, try a different sacking out procedures.  You can use a broom to brush him from a safe distance.  The key is to NOT stop when he kicks, because that is the response you are trying to eliminate.  You have to desensitize him to the touch, and if you stop when he kicks you are actually teaching him that kicking stops the uncomfortable stimulus.  You can also use a plastic sack like a Wal-Mart bag and tie it to the end of a lunge whip and just rub it all over his back legs and eventually he will accept it and quit kicking.  I also attach the bag to the end of a snap on a rope, and toss it between his legs and reel it in, toss and reel in, etc.  You can toss it up over his back and let the weight of the snap lower it to the ground and reel it in...you get the idea.  I stress the key is to never stop till he stands with complete acceptance, and this will be a key to remember throughout his training.  Always train both sides of the horse, as their brains are not designed to take what they learn on the left and apply it to the right.  This training will best be done in an open area so that he does not hurt himself. I don't tie them up because they will usually pull back to escape what they fear, and then you have a whole new problem.  Thanks for working through this...so many people assume he "doesn't like it, so I just won't do it."  Wrong answer - he won't get better as he grows up unless you deal with him when he is little.  You were right to get help!

EDIT: I went back and read the other posts about discipline...Yes a mother disciplines a foal with teeth and feet, but that is the natural design.  I don't think this little guy is kicking to be mean (or even ornery) -you'd know the difference.  If he is a little snot, then you might need to take a firmer hand, but not to the extent demonstrated in these posts.  The question posed sounds like a sensitivity issue, not an attitude one.  We train 8-10 foals each year, and don't have trouble selling them or starting them under saddle when older after using this method.  They are friendly, responsive and quiet, and they mind their manners.

Answer 3

If your child slapped you across the face when you washed his hands....what would you do???? Its called discipline.......If there are no consequences for bad behavior, there is no reason for him to stop. Now im  saying there is a proper procedure, first say quit!!! If he continues. take a hold of his leadrope and give him a good yank on his halter and say QUIT! and if he goes to kick you again, then you back him up the isle of your barn and then back down and the final resort if he still tries to kick you   you take a crop and you smack him! Kicking is a very bad and dangerous habit, you need to nip it in the bud right now!! It may sound mean, but would you rather smack your horse once and get him to know thats not tolerated or have him kick you or some child in the head and end up in the hospital or worse.......

Answer 4

This is normal behavior.  Remember, horses don't just randomly kick for no reason.  He is uncomfortable with what you are doing, it makes him feel threathened.  Just because horses are around us, it doesn't mean they innately know we do not intend to harm them.  The areas you describe are the ones that a predator would attack if trying to kill the horse, and he naturally will try to protect these areas.  You need to train and desensitize him gently, carefully, and slowly.  Begin with your hands.  You should be able to touch him all over without him objecting.  If you touch an area he doesn't like, stop and go back to an acceptable area - then approach his "oh no" spot again until he is able to tolerate the touch.  If he begins to be accepting in a touchy spot, don't stay there too long - go back to more agreeable spots and then approach the "oh no" area again -and repeat many many times (and days).  When he can handle your hands, you can try the brush.  When he accepts brushing, there are so many other things you can do to help him become a "broke" horse.  And you have to do things on both sides as horses learn on both sides.  Just because he has "got it" on the left doesn't mean he will accept it on the right.  You have to train each side of the brain with a horse.  Eventually, you can "sack him out" with a plastic bag or feed bag.  You can drape a lead rope over his withers and back and hind end and back legs.  There are so many things you can do to help this little guy be calm and relaxed with handling.  NEVER hit, or slap or kick your horse.  It accomplishes nothing good and it is just cruel and WRONG.  Be safe and good luck with your boy.

Answer 5

if that is in the flank it is just natural all horses will do it. (my horse riding teacher broke his leg by getting on and the horse moved and he sat kind of on his rump and the horse felt his feet on its flank and bucked him right off!)

but if this dose get serious u should check with professional

(but usually horses will let u brush ton there flank!?)

it seems bad i would get it checked out

Answer 6

At that age, before their kick becomes dangerous I kick them back.  That's right!  They kick me I turn around and kick them back as hard as I can.  Simply put that is horse language for I am dominant and you WILL NOT do that!  Usually only takes once.

After the kick becomes dangerous due to the size of the animal I switch to a whip.

No excuses must EVER be made for kicking at a person.  If a horse kicks at a person it gets disciplined.  Of course if you round the corner and frighten a horse the discipline must be less (much less) than if a horse intentionally kicks you,  BUT  regardless,  EVERY TIME a horse kicks it must be disciplined.  If not then the human loses social status.  In plain terms the horse no longer respects that human as the leader, because they backed down when kicked at.  That is the FIRST rule in Horsemanship.  Anyone who does not understand that really should find another hobby.

BTW a foal shares its mothers dominance in the herd.  Therefore what you told the foal was that its mother was dominant over you.  A well trained horse will treat every human as dominant over every horse.

What part of "you make no excuses for kicking" do people not understand.  The foal is 6 months old and even though the kick is not what I consider dangerous now it soon will be.  This behavior has to be stopped now.  It is better to stop it the first time it happens before it becomes habit or the foal learns that discipline for such behavior is minor.  Foals that learn that lesson may grow up gentle when not pushed but will often explode with little or no warning.  Not acceptable!  At this age, simply kicking the horse back solves the problem (usually once and for all).  Again it does not matter whether the kick was done to be mean or not.  It was a deliberate act.  It was not one of startlement.  It was deliberate.  Therefore kick the darn thing back and it will end it.  The horse must learn that 'fight' in the flight or fight response is not an option.

Kick from the side where he can not get to you.  But if you do not want to do that then use your fist to punch him, or a switch to pop his rump (with you standing well to the side).  If his kick is already dangerous you must get him to realize that kicking leads to discipline.  Some of the suggestions here will help with the problem of him kicking where the brush is concerned but will not address the underlying problem of him thinking he can kick.