My Horse Has A Kicking Problem!?!?

Question

My was never this was before...

recently my horse started kicking at other horses in the arena, and at people working aroung him!?! Please Help!!!

Answer 1

It means he/she needs to get out more and take a break

Answer 2

First off since you say he just started this I'd have his vision checked thoroughly. Does he kick at you while your grooming or tacking him up? When you pick up his rear feet? Any threat before hand such as tenseing up or pinning ears or is just a fast kick with no warning? Many times vision problems will be falsly interpreted as aggression because more things startle the horse and they react without thinking by kicking out.

After the vision has been checked out and his sight is in good order begin a full desensitizeing schedule. Don't tip-toe around it, try to get him to kick. For instance if you rub something on his rear leg ( I personaly use plastic on a thalter whip) and he kicks out hold it there until he stops kicking. Use advance and retreat but don't stop until he does. Choke up on the lead and tilt his head towards you this will send him in a small circle with his rear moving away from you. Don't back off until he stops then relieve the pressure. Horses actually learn by the release of pressure not the pressure itself.

Once he is totally desensitized, i.e. calm and relaxed no matter what you do and you can't get him to kick out start on the next phase.

Take him to an arena or other place open. Get another handler to lead a very calm steadfast horse behind him, well out of kicking distance but close enough to get a reaction. As soon as he makes a move to kick out, start snapping the lead down (this works best with a slightly heavy rope and stiff rope halter that is well fitted) and walking towards him going "sshhhh!!!" make his feet move backwards. Always use the same command (sshhhh!) when you want him to stop whatever he's doing. He'll come to learn this means stop it now and his attention will immediatly shift back to focus on you as the leader.  

In a herd environment who ever moves the others feet is the alpha. A horse would never dream of kicking or biting at another it considers to be it's alpha so you have you make sure that, in his mind, that position belongs to you and other humans.

Keep this up until he stops even focusing on the other horse and keeps his attention only on you. Set the punishment to the crime, if he blows with a full fledged kick, make him move a good ways backwards and make him go fast, horses dislike going backwards and really dislike doing it fast. If he just threatens to kick, make the punishment less distance and slower. Before long he'll come to think of kicking as just a way to get punished and stop.

You'll probably have to keep the lessons up for a while to remind him and generally on trail rides ect I'd still keep a red ribbon tied in his tail so others will know he's kicked before. Start out riding with just one horse and keep up the lessons under saddle.

When you start back riding him, you can do the lessons from his back the same way. Use the SSSHHHH!!! command and make him back up if he tenses or threatens to kick. Undersaddle you might even have to utalize a crop, although I've never had to personaly. If you do, be sure to give the command and only if it's ignored tap (don't hit) him with it to get his attention back on you and the job at hand. It's there as a last resort only.

I would not recommend doing these lessons one day then riding him in a full arena with random horses everywhere. Work with him slowly and build up gradually to more horses. And like I said before, It would take a good deal of time to totally trust that he'd not kick again as usually the tendancy to kick is a personality trait and will be hard to change. But with time and consistancy you can break him from the habit.

Answer 3

Check out kicking rings.  They are just an ankle bracelet for horses.  They don't hurt the horse, but when it goes to kick, they move on the horses leg and typically they will put it down.  They have the secondary benefit of inducing hoof growth by stimulating the coronet band.

Answer 4

Give him a time out

Answer 5

Maybe he just has an aggression problem or dominance problem. Instead of working in an arena full of people you should try to ride alone or with only few people in there. And keep his hindquarters away from other horses. If you feel him trying to kick out quickly discipline him. If all else fails turn him towards the horse, after all a bite isn't as damaging as a kick!

Answer 6

Hows his health? might sound stupid, but maybe he fells like ....p**p... and is just really cranky.  If he is fine health wise and isn't hurting, than it sounds like a lack of respect.  are there any trainers at your arena?  Without seeing whats happening or knowing his previous training..like has he been pushy in the past and he has just takin it a step further? before he started kicking did he ever rub on you or step on your toes or crowd into your space? some of these things might seem like he's being affectionate  or friendly to some people but to a horse this means, hey Im boss your here for my entertainment. It could have been that there was a problem there all along and it has just progressevly gotten worse and it took him kicking to be taken seriously.  for now I would defintly tie a red ribbon in his tail so that others will know to watch out.

if you add too your question I might be able to help more

P.S to answer your question, when your riding him and he kicks at another horse get after him, not just a little slap and you bad horse, I mean when a horse is coming up by you he will probably pin his ears or tense up before he kicks, and when he starts acting aggressive or is thinking about kicking take your rein and spank his ***, if he still acts like he wants to kick spank him again. It might sound mean but if your horse kicks some one he could seriously hurt or possibly kill someone, or injur another horse. I would find a trainer to help you with him.  It sure helps to have a proffesional there to watch whats happening and guide you through the problem in case you run into speed bumps. It might be expensive, but whats your horse worth to you? or how much are you gonna save in doctor/vet bills or lawyer bills?