Correcting Horses That Bite and Kick Other Horses

The Sign of a Problem

For the past 20 years, Clinton Anderson from Downunder Horsemanship has devoted his life to creating the best horse training tools and videos available to help bring his method to you. Join him on his weekly endeavors of tackling some of the most challenging situations with problem horses and problem owners. This week, we watch as Clinton shows us how to correct horses that bite and kick other horses.

If your horse ever goes to bite another horse or kick another horse, it can be a sign of a problem. Clinton tells us that if or when it happens, you need to take immediate action if you want to correct the behavior and avoid dangerous scenarios down the line. To correct the behavior, you need to immediately put the horse’s feet to work.

Clinton provides us with an example to further explain what he means. Imagine that you’re walking on the trail with your horse and come across another horse and rider. Then imagine that as you go to pass them, your horse turns and tries to bite the other horse. Immediately after he tries to do this, you need to bend him around in a circle and hustle his feet aggressively. You need to reprimand him in a way that says, “Hey, come here, what are you doing?”

When you reprimand him immediately, he’ll begin to understand that the behavior is unacceptable. To further drive the point home, Clinton tells us that you need to get your horse’s attention NOW and get him to tune in to you. It’s important to make sure that the punishment fits the crime because a horse biting or kicking on the trail can be a very dangerous situation.

Even though the horse is biting or kicking out at another horse, and not the rider, it’s a very dangerous situation. A misplaced kick can easily break a rider’s leg, put them in the hospital or worse. Even the surprise or pain that the other horse feels could lead to a dangerous situation for the humans involved. We’re the ones who suffer the consequences. This is why it’s so important to make sure that you teach your horse the Fundamentals and make sure that you have earned their respect and can control their feet before you take them on a crowded trail. Because at the end of the day, if the horse kicks at the other horse and they end up kicking someone in the kneecap, it’s going to shatter it. Similarly, if a horse goes to bite another horse and they end up biting a human, it’s not going to end well. Horses are big creatures and they’re powerful, so never underestimate the damage that can be done.

Usually in cases of horses that are biting and kicking on the trail, it’s them telling you that you’re not keeping their attention. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, you’re not keeping my attention. I don’t even know you’re riding me. You just come along with me because I’m going to do whatever I want.” If that’s the flag they’re flying, you’re not being a strong enough leader. Give your horse a reason to listen to you, not worry about the other horses.

To help strengthen your leadership as a horseman and control your horse on the trail, join Clinton Anderson’s No Worries club today. For $19.99 a month, you get up to a 50% discount on any of your purchases. Plus, you get eight digital videos and four digital journals a year, and access to the No Worries Club website, the largest collection of Method material and resources in the world. If you want the ultimate experience, the premium membership is for you. You get all the benefits of the No Worries Club, a printed copy of our No Worries Club quarterly journal, and access to all of the Method and the professional series kit training videos. Altogether, that’s thousands of dollars of horse training, and 20 years of horsemanship delivered right to your fingertips. With the No Worries Club, you can be assured you’re going to get exactly what you need at a price that’s right for you. It’s a free download. So, what are you waiting for, mate? Get started today.

To learn more about the Clinton Anderson training method, become a member of the No Worries Club, or to get information on any of the products seen on our show, head over to our homepage and download the Downunder Horsemanship app today! If you’re interested in getting accelerated results, let a Clinton Anderson Certified Clinician bring the Method to you!