How to tell him off..........

[Tashamarie]

Hi all....

I have recently bought a ten year old stallion, who has not been handled a great deal......because of this, when we have been looking at his feet etc and rugging him up, he has been given a treat........he is definaltely learning to be handled ok, and I think that his spritely temprement is now just down to him being a stallion............The only problem is, that he has started to nibble.........and thats fingers, coats, hoods - you name it.........does anyone have any tips as how best to discipline a horse so that we can stop this biting - (or jave I caused it, by him associating me with treats.....?)
Please help - this is my first horse!!!!!!!!!!

[galadriel]

You might find this helpful:
http://www.horsekeeping.com/Horse_Newsletter/October_2000.htm#biting

As a matter of fact, Cherry Hill's entire site is helpful (http://www.horsekeeping.com/horse-training-care-info.htm) as is Jessica Jahiel's (http://www.horse-sense.org/index/).

Stallions particularly can be very mouthy. It's important not to let him even nuzzle you (letting him nose you is inviting him to bite you). It's also importan to get him to ***-associate your fingers with treats; you can teach him instead that when he's good, he gets a treat in a bucket. My pushy mare eventually started to look at her feed bucket when she thought she deserved a treat, rather than pushing at my arms or fingers.

You might want to put questions like this in other forums--like "Training of the Horse" or "General." People mainly read this forum (Care & Health) to talk about issues involving illnesses, injuries, etc.

[Tashamarie]

Thanks for your help - il certainly try the bucket thing..................

Ive taken your advice and posted it on the other forum too, just incase anybody else has any words of wisdom!!