I get a lot of horse training questions about stopping a horse from kicking. The kicking habits of these horses range from the horse kicking at virtually anyone to kicking at only the husbands.
It's a daunting problem that lots of people have no idea how to cure. That being so, I want to share some insight to horses kicking.
First I want to relate some causes of horses starting in the habit of kicking. Because a horse kicks is no reason to think he is naturally bad or unmanageable. I don't think there is a horse alive that is "naturally" vicious. In fact, they're made that way due to bad management or ignorant handlers.
Admittedly, there are some horses that inherit the characteristics of their ancestors. But one should never start to break a horse without first taking into consideration the nature, disposition, and understanding of a horse.
For instance, there are some horses that are naturally predisposed to have a "not so good" disposition. There are certain physical characteristics you can spot on a horse that indicate what his disposition is like.
Jesse Beery, a famous horse trainer from the 1800's, was brilliant at deciphering a horse's disposition. He even wrote extensively about how to do it. You can read about it at http://www.horsetrainingandtips.com/jesse_beery_etips.htm.
Anyway, now we can handle the horse according to its disposition. We can get it very nearly equal with a good dispositioned horse. All the difference in the world is due to the management and training of the colt. A horse with a "not so good' disposition will require more patience and thorough work.
All animals in nature have a self defense of some sort. A horse's self defense is kicking. After all, if you work with a horse that gets badly excited by some cause (such as ropes or chains coming in contact with his legs and those parts of his body aren't broken) his first inclination is to kick it out of the way.
The trick is to break a horse in a way that the habit never occurs in the first place. Too many people think a lesson will be enough to educate the horse to be ready to go. But if you're driving your horse and he gets caught under the tail or the cross pieces of the shaft touch his quarters...and those parts are unbroken, it would likely frighten and excite him enough to cause him to kick.
And the worse part is this: Once started, there is an increased inclination to go on kicking until confirmed in the habit.
So the cure is prevention. You must make all parts of his body submissive to sensitivity of his extremities. One way to do this is using a technique called poling. Essentially, you take a light pole and start at a horse's nose, rub it over the mane, back, belly, quarters, and sensitive parts of the body, until all muscles become relaxed.
But what if you have a horse confirmed in the habit of kicking?
If that's the case, I can give you three possible answers.
One is to sell the horse. If you feel it's not fixable then it's not a good idea to keep the horse around. You're going to get severely injured if you're not extra careful.
Two, get a professional trainer to help you. A trainer will charge anywhere from $400.00 per month to $900 per month. Is that worth it to get your horse to stop kicking? Only you can decide.
Third, you can learn to do it yourself. There are solutions out there that are pretty good. Jesse Beery, which I mentioned earlier, has a permanent solution to stop it.
About The Author
Andy Curry is a nationally known horse trainer and author of several best selling horse training and horse care books. For information visit his website at http://www.horsetrainingandtips.com/jesse_beery_etips.htm.. He is also the leading expert on Jesse Beery's horse training methods which can be seen at http://www.horsetrainingandtips.com/jesse_beery_etips.htm..
executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport car"Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got... Read More
Just because we moved out to the country a couple... Read More
Having a dog is a little like having a baby.... Read More
We've recently moved into a new apartment complex that really... Read More
Buying a new dog is more than simply finding the... Read More
Just like when you bring home a new baby, you... Read More
Have you ever dreamed of living with a bobcat or... Read More
Tips to getting the right GoldfishGoldfish are a temperate breed... Read More
Now that you're dog has shown you so much love... Read More
When you take into account that there are over 68,000,000... Read More
Pregnant cats have to eat for two, three, four, five,... Read More
I know there are differing opinions on the subject of... Read More
Many different skin problems can arise in the aquarium. thankfully,... Read More
Dog clicker training is so much fun for both dogs... Read More
The proper selection of a training collar can have a... Read More
Now that my services have expanded into the "matchmaking" business,... Read More
Is your bird a seed only eater? Did you know... Read More
Understanding where horses come from has been a long road... Read More
Any person, whether a minor or adult, having been bitten... Read More
Every year, many cat owners decide to get their cat... Read More
"You've created your own monster, you know", my mother said... Read More
It happens all too often. A family or cat friend... Read More
When pondering whether my neurosis is learned or genetic, I... Read More
The 4th Of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long... Read More
Is there anything more cute and cuddly than tiny little... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..If you're like me, then you don't really have the... Read More
In the animal kingdom there is a pecking order. Richard... Read More
Puppy CarePuppy care can be a lot of work, but... Read More
Pets are many things in many ways but they are... Read More
My dog has fleas. That one statement is enough to... Read More
So you just loved that sweet little puppy that you... Read More
The answer is "no" if you are the type who... Read More
"You've created your own monster, you know", my mother said... Read More
So you're getting a Rottweiler puppy? Here are some general... Read More
Playing reinforces the bond between you and your cat.Playing with... Read More
If your life is so busy you literally only have... Read More
They may seem to be bold explorers - sniffing at... Read More
Dog's come in all shapes and sizes ? out of... Read More
Do you really get the fullest amount of enjoyment out... Read More
Dog DoorsWhen we think of dog doors, we think of... Read More
Whoever coined the phrase, "It's a Dog's Life" wasn't familiar... Read More
Natural preventative pet care isn't a new thing but it... Read More
Contributed with the help of Karen L Overall of the... Read More
Hi,I'm Janet CombsMy mother bred and raised Bichon Frises for... Read More
Although many horsemen and trainers extol the virtues of the... Read More
Pets provide an unconditional love that requires very little on... Read More
What is Canine Infectious Hepatitis?The word hepatitis refers to an... Read More
Just like when you bring home a new baby, you... Read More
It was November and I had spent 3 months searching... Read More
"Westies" or West Highland White Terriers are furry coated dogs,... Read More
Pet |