How to Train Your Horse Not to Bite

A horse who bites you or even threatens to bite you needs to be trained properly. You need to be firm while still preserving a relationship with your horse that is conducive to future horse training.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Horse who bites
• Lead rope
• Rope halter

1. Horses who are still in training need to have a rope halter on them. The rope halter offers much more leverage for the horse trainer. Think about it this way, tugging on that nylon or leather halter with it's thick straps isn't so hard for a large animal but what about one with thin rope? That may smart a bit if your horse tug's too hard on it.

2. With your horse on a lead rope, begin to work with them. You can do this without the lead rope should your horse attempt biting you at times other than during horse training but it's best to have this extra foot-hold on them to make this as effective as possible. I avoid putting myself into situations where a horse may be inclined to bite if I don't have a firm hold of them with a lead rope. Just holding the halter is NOT enough. Your horse will bulk and thrust their head up and you will likely lose the hold and ... they win. Horse training must always end with you in control.

3. When your horse bites you or even pins back his/her ears, opens mouth, and offers the DEFINITE intent to bite you (do not use your fear of being bitten as a reason but rather the FACT you are about to be bitten), open up both your hands, palms out and fingers together.

4. Using both hands start to slap the horse broadside on the horse's neck. Smack it like you are beating a drum, one hand, then the other. At the same time YELL LOUD. Say what you want. It's the impression on the horse's brain your attempting to make. I tend to yell "Do not bite!" twice or simply "no, no, no, no, no!"

5. STOP in 3 seconds. This is vital! Monty Roberts, the famous horse trainer, refers to this as 'killing your horse with your bare hands for 3 seconds'. Or at least, your horse believes this is what is happening.
   
   When you stop... stop PERIOD. Like out of the blue, all is right with the world all over again. Neither apologize nor remember you just did it. Just like horses who reprimand one another, you can now forgive and forget and become friends again. 'Go back to grazing' so to speak. Pretend it never happened.

6. You may need to repeat this as much as three times before they learn not to bite when training your horse. Once makes them say "what the heck?!" Twice makes them say "Whoa! Did I make her do that by biting?" Third makes them say "Let's just check and see if this is why.... YUP!" Most horses won't push it past this. If they do, perhaps you need to be more assertive with your horse training. Get louder and mean it when you slap the neck. You're not to be mean EVER when training your horse. You are simply speaking horse language they can digest. There is no room for anger when training a horse.

Tips & Warnings

• Either don't move your feet at all or move with the horse as they back away, like a predator.
• Consider Monty Roberts or Pat & Linda Parelli's training DVDs and books when training your horse. You will be glad you did! Clinton Anderson is another wonderful trainer. The later two can also be viewed on RFDTV station on television.
• Be safe! Be mindful. Your horse will not be impressed and may jump.
• Never stand in front of your horse when doing this.

Resources

• Pat Parelli DVDs and Books - Natural Horsemanship step by step. How to turn horse training into games!
• Monty Roberts Books, DVDs & VHS Tapes (some as little as $2 on Amazon!!)
• Clinton Anderson - Learn to Train Trouble Horses or Young Colts From the Ground Up. Learn to Gain Control in Ground Training.

[sullysee]

on 7/27/2009 Rip was such a gentle quarterhorse that I owned while living in NC. Good tips for horse biting. Holy smokes! Where's my FL tips on getting Morel mushrooms?... I guess I'll have to buy the spores and grow my own.

[smile-up]

on 7/20/2009 If a horse is biting, make absolutely sure that no one is feeding it treats by hand. Sometimes giving a horse small treats by hand can cause a big biting problem.

[showpup]

on 7/15/2009 dsarokin - very funny! LOL It may work pretty well, actually, but I don't recommend it. The good thing about horses is that they aren't the ones responsible for choosing your 'retirement' home later in life. haha

[AmyRose]

on 7/15/2009 Excellent article on training horses not to bite, 5*

[dsarokin]

on 7/15/2009 Perhaps you know...does this work for kids as well?

(just kidding...very informative article)