Rubbing Himself in the Trees After a Bath :/

[Canaan's Mom]

Hello all,

Quick question (I know that you'll be able to help). My guy has now taken to rubbing his rump on nearby trees (after his bath) because I won't let him roll while leading. I figure he can roll all he wants when we get back to the paddock (maybe a 300 yard walk from the bath area to his field). It hasn't turned into a big wreck (yet) - but I am concerned that as he backs into the trees, he's going to scare himself and then I won't be able to get him away from the trees before he backs into the nearby fence.

I am looking for suggestions re: how to stop him when he backs away from me. I don't want to just avoid trees altogether.... Any suggestions??? Thanks....

[finski]

Why is he rubbing his rump? Could it be an allergic reaction? One of my guys seems to be allergic to gnat bites and will rub his mane and tail. I have ruled everything else out and keeping the gnats off with really good insect repellent seems to be doing the trick. I'll bet money that if you can find the cause of the rubbing and take care of it it he won't rub!! Let us know how it goes! I am real interested to find out if it's a reaction to something.

[KarinUS]

Is this something he does when you are leading him back to the paddock then?
Do you scrape the water off after you give him a bath?

[Canaan's Mom]

Thanks for the quick replies. Yes - I do scrape the water off and this is a "new" habit - so I don't know why he is doing it.

Because he does not rub his rump at any other times (when he is turned out and NOT wet) I am thinking that he is not doing it because he is suffering from some sort of allergy.

My guess is that HE has decided that he wants a roll and because I say "no" - he does the next best thing (in his mind). I just don't feel that I am being effective at stopping his behavior when he starts to back :(

[finski]

Oh... Okay. Do you have room so that when he tries to back with you you make him back up faster? My older horse tried that with me and he is very clever. He figured out pretty fast that he did NOT like me forcing him to back at a faster pace ans so he stopped that trick pretty quick. I figure that it was much more work for him to be forced to back that way that to just behave and walk quietly forward, and there is one thing that Finski hates, is work. LOL!

[Just.Jump]

Can't it just be that he's itchy after being washed? Washing horses removes the oils from their hair and skin, and I myself find dry skin very itchy. At our barn we never wash horses for that reason, because dry skin can lead to other problems. If he doesn't rub when he's dry, then something about the washing is leaving him itchy.

[KarinUS]

Are you just hosing him down with water or are you using shampoo?

[Tootsie4U]

Stand by his left shoulder, raise your left hand and point it where you want him to go. Take the other hand and the opposite end of the lead rope and twirl it at his hind end.

Or, if you need more explanation, have a look-see around on google for 'driving game' or 'go forward cue'. Either will get him to stop backing.

What I said up there is kinda like a version of lunging. He'll go forward, maybe sideways, but any reponse but backwards should be rewarded. Try it a few times BEFORE the bath to make sure you both know what to expect.

He's probably just itchy from his bath. Nothing to worry about.

[Canaan's Mom]

Just water (and afterwards I spray him with the same fly spray that I normally use when he is dry). I phoned the vet (because she is coming out to our barn today anyway) and inquired about it. She said that if there was no visable sign of trauma (e.g. skin irritation, hair loss...) and he doesn't do it unless/until he has been hosed off with watre, then it is probably just a behavioral issue...

I want to address what to do when he "acts out" this way. I have been responding by redirecting his head and telling him to stop (usually takes about 2-5 minutes). But I want to be more effective at STOPPING this behavior. Any ideas??? I would appreciate anything you guys could tell me because today is a scorcher and he really needs to be hosed off this eveing (which I am dreading if I don't have another trick up my sleeve...) Thanks.

[KarinUS]

two ways:

avoid the treed area

stick a lunge whip in your boot so you can lightly tap him without having to dance around. Lead with the right hand, tap with your left- almost invisible to the unsuspecting horse... ;)

[Canaan's Mom]

Thanks Karin...I'll give it a try (stay cool :)

[Mehitabel]

i know several horses who rub after a bath - once the grease builds up again in the coat, they stop. does he need to be washed? would agree with just.jump - unless you are bathing for a competition and he really needs to be clean, leave him.
if you're hosing him after sweating, just do the sweaty bits, and perhaps dry with a towel, keep him in or tied up until he is properly dry?

[KarinUS]

I am not sure where Canaan's Mom is located but I think the thing that's easy to forget for people from colder parts of the world (Great Britain, Canada, etc.) is that in hotter parts hosing a horse down has functions other than just cleaning.