I posted a while ago about Tintin and leading and planting and biting.
This is now getting serious. He nearly took my little finger off this morning, grabbed it in his enthusiasm and wouldn't let go, in the end i bit him on the nose and he released it. Now this may sound funny but i thought he was going to take it off, the pressure was intense and he has broken the skin. His mouth was on the joint and it is going to be very very sore for a while. He has now bitten me three times, on the same arm, each time a huge bruise and broken the skin.
So what to do?
His problem is that he is very enthusiastic and full of fun, he was extremely scared when i bit him and belted him one and shouted at him this morning, sorry I lost it but he really really hurt me. He stood utterly terrified and refused to come near me and walk on, I left him there and got the others in the field and then picked him up, led him in, praised him for walking and took off his collar.
He only does it when led out to the field. He is so so happy and eager and pleased that he snakes his neck, and he treats you like he is playing with another donkey, i.e. rough. He will try to grab your shoulder or upper arm and it is just like he plays with the others. He doesn't understand at all this is not on.
OK i can put a muzzle on him, which i will do now anyway as i can't be bitten like this all the time, but it doesnt really solve it. Giving him a treat for good behaviour has made him walk beautifully in that he doesn't plant and will follow you all the way, but it has the down side that he anticipates a treat, and it is making him more mouthy.
He is like a colt, the lips are going all the time and he is just frisky. He hasn't a clue that he is misbehaving, he thinks he is being good. And he has such a sweet nature and loving nature and adores people that i don't want to be hard on him and make him fearful of me, given god knows what happened to him in France where he was going for slaughter.
He is utterly perfect to handle in all other ways. Feet, rugs, eye drops, wormers, anything else, totally no trouble. If you pick up a broom he is terrified. When being led in FROM the field, he walks perfectly and doesn't snake and snap, he is just concentrating on getting in for dinner and walks perfectly nicely. He just doesn't know any better.
I may try to find someone locally who can do some NH stuff with me as I would like someone else to see him and maybe give me some ideas - should i carry a short cane? He tends to walk behind me rather than alongside i.e. nose at my shoulder or slightly behind, and if i take him by the noseband and try to bring him slightly forward of me to see where the mouth is, he tends to play with my hand more.
There is utterly no malice in him, he is a total softy, he just hasn't been trained - he is now 6 years old - and knows no better. I don't want to be hard on him but this needs to stop now before it gets out of hand and maybe next time it is my face.
This is now getting serious. He nearly took my little finger off this morning, grabbed it in his enthusiasm and wouldn't let go, in the end i bit him on the nose and he released it. Now this may sound funny but i thought he was going to take it off, the pressure was intense and he has broken the skin. His mouth was on the joint and it is going to be very very sore for a while. He has now bitten me three times, on the same arm, each time a huge bruise and broken the skin.
So what to do?
His problem is that he is very enthusiastic and full of fun, he was extremely scared when i bit him and belted him one and shouted at him this morning, sorry I lost it but he really really hurt me. He stood utterly terrified and refused to come near me and walk on, I left him there and got the others in the field and then picked him up, led him in, praised him for walking and took off his collar.
He only does it when led out to the field. He is so so happy and eager and pleased that he snakes his neck, and he treats you like he is playing with another donkey, i.e. rough. He will try to grab your shoulder or upper arm and it is just like he plays with the others. He doesn't understand at all this is not on.
OK i can put a muzzle on him, which i will do now anyway as i can't be bitten like this all the time, but it doesnt really solve it. Giving him a treat for good behaviour has made him walk beautifully in that he doesn't plant and will follow you all the way, but it has the down side that he anticipates a treat, and it is making him more mouthy.
He is like a colt, the lips are going all the time and he is just frisky. He hasn't a clue that he is misbehaving, he thinks he is being good. And he has such a sweet nature and loving nature and adores people that i don't want to be hard on him and make him fearful of me, given god knows what happened to him in France where he was going for slaughter.
He is utterly perfect to handle in all other ways. Feet, rugs, eye drops, wormers, anything else, totally no trouble. If you pick up a broom he is terrified. When being led in FROM the field, he walks perfectly and doesn't snake and snap, he is just concentrating on getting in for dinner and walks perfectly nicely. He just doesn't know any better.
I may try to find someone locally who can do some NH stuff with me as I would like someone else to see him and maybe give me some ideas - should i carry a short cane? He tends to walk behind me rather than alongside i.e. nose at my shoulder or slightly behind, and if i take him by the noseband and try to bring him slightly forward of me to see where the mouth is, he tends to play with my hand more.
There is utterly no malice in him, he is a total softy, he just hasn't been trained - he is now 6 years old - and knows no better. I don't want to be hard on him but this needs to stop now before it gets out of hand and maybe next time it is my face.