Table of contents:
Video: How To Handle A Horse That Has A Kicking Habit?
2024 Author: Molly Page | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:30
This habit is not good and should not be encouraged, as sooner or later it can lead to serious trouble. This behavior can result in an injured rider.
Why does the horse kick?
The answer is obvious - she doesn't want anyone to sit on her back. You've probably seen the unbridled mustang at the rodeo, but this is just a show. But if your own horse turns into such a mustang, that's a completely different story.
Horses usually kick for one reason - they don't want to be galloped and try to throw the rider off their back. They also don't like being saddled: a badly fitted saddle presses on the horse's spine, rubs the back. Is your horse kicking due to the discomfort of a leather saddle resting on an unheated back? Perhaps the horse had never been saddled before, or the riders were inexperienced or cruel. If once in the past a horse has experienced negative feelings, it will never want to endure a rider on itself. And it happens that the horse just has too much energy. If your horse has been in the stall for 3 weeks, the chances are high that he will start kicking with excess feeling.
Whatever the reason, kicking is a habit that should be stopped. Here are a few steps you should take to do this.
Related article How to deal with horse aggression?
Warm the saddle before placing it on the horse's back. If your back is not warmed up, place a lambswool sweatshirt under the saddle. You can also place the saddle on the horse's back 15-20 minutes before boarding to keep it warm.
Make sure the saddle fits well. It should not chafe the withers or press on the spine.
Don't let the horse lower its head. As long as its head is up, the horse cannot kick at full strength. She may suddenly jump forward or to the side, but she will not be able to kick with the force that would knock a confident rider out of the saddle. If the horse is trying to lower his head and kick, pull firmly on the reins with a sharp upward motion to raise his head.
Correct the horse's behavior in hot pursuit. Don't punish her after she has stopped kicking. She may think she was being punished for exactly what she stopped doing.
In general, you should not apply physical punishment to horses. Use positive reinforcement to correct her behavior. It will take a lot of patience from you, but it will be rewarding. Physical punishment ultimately only reinforces the horse's misbehavior.
Related article And the horse is biting
How to fix a horse's behavior without hurting it?
- The movement that you are trying to teach the horse should be as painless as possible, - Obedience should be rewarded, - Some instances of resistance should not force you to deviate from the intended plan, - Working with a kicking horse will require a lot of patience from you. You may need to seek professional help.
At first, kicking may look like an innocent sin, but then it will develop into a serious vice. If you are unable to deal with this problem on your own, seek the help of a professional trainer or horse behavior specialist. Don't let your horse turn into a wild mustang.
Recommended:
What Color Is The Horse?
Before the widespread introduction of various machines into the life of people, the horse played a huge role in the history of the peoples inhabiting Russia. Until the middle of the XIX century. horse breeding was one of the most important industries in the Russian economy
How To Handle A Dominant Dog?
Many people, including experienced trainers, misunderstand the problem of dominance in dogs . They believe that dominance can only be suppressed by force. Just put the dog down and be done with it! here is the generally accepted approach to the problem
How To Properly Handle An Amphibian?
The first question you should ask yourself before picking up an amphibian is: "Is it necessary?" The fact is that amphibians are much more sensitive to touch than scaly-leathery reptiles.The skin does not protect the amphibian very well from drying out and overheating, because it is very thin
Teach Your Kids To Handle Cats Properly
Cats are very popular as pets, and this is not surprising, since for very busy owners they have real advantages over dogs. You don't need to walk with them and do a lot, you don't need to spend so much time on training, and cats can be perfectly alone for a long time
Horse. She Has No Equal On Earth
Three and a half thousand years ago, the king of Cyprus sent a letter to the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep, which he began with the traditional wish: " I wish you health, your family and your horses." Such an introduction in an official document is not at all surprising: after all, the horse has played an important role in human life since ancient times