At one point in your horse owning journey, you may ask Why Does My Horse Kick? There are several possible reasons to explore before simply labelling a horse as difficult or naughty.
Horses kick for many reasons. They may not have been properly treated or socialised, or it may be as a result of a physical ailment. There’s a difference between horses kicking out at another in the field, and a horse that kicks out at a human. It’s important to understand the underlying reason as the method of retraining will be different in each case.
Knowing the reason behind your horse kicking is the first step to understanding the behaviour. Read on to learn how to determine the underlying cause.
Why Are Horses Kicking
There are many reasons that horses can and will kick out. Remember that there is a difference between a horse that kicks with intent to hurt, and one that kicks for another reason. 10 reasons are below:
- Herd Dominance – When living in groups, horses will often need to determine the hierarchy i.e. which horse will eat/drink/lead the group. This can often lead to fighting and kicking when a new member is introduced to the herd. This kicking will often resolve itself within a short period when the hierarchy is established.
- Resource Guarding – If a horse has had too little access to food at some part of it’s life, they may demonstrate the unwanted behaviour of resource guarding. Kicking out at other horses or in some cases, people, if they come too close to the horse’s hay or feed. Sometimes, no trigger for this behaviour is needed, some horses are simply protective of ‘their’ food and will kick or chase other horses away.
- Dominance Over Humans – Consistent training and handling normally results in horses being receptive and obedient to humans. However, on some occasions, especially young horses, will try to push the boundaries and will kick to show dominance hoping that the owner/carer will back off. Unfortunately, this behaviour can quickly get worse as the horse realises that it doesn’t need to behave in a respectful way. If your horse shows signs of becoming unruly, the help of a good trainer as soon as possible is advised before the behaviour becomes dangerous.
- Gut Pain – If you horse kicks out, bites, or shows other unwanted behaviour when you are touching the stomach area, check for skin problems or matted hair that may be causing discomfort. If the kicking and evasion happens when tightening the girth then ensure the girth is clean and that you’re not pulling it too tight too quickly. This behaviour can be learned; the horse will take a while to realise that the girth does not mean pain any more. This can mean that ‘recovery’ could take some time. If you have checked the above, then changing the girth to an anatomical or humane girth may help. If you have further concerns then contacting your vet is the next step. Ulcers are quite common and horses often show negative behaviour owing to the pain that they create. Gastrivet worked wonders for Fatty, but there are many supplements on the market you can try after discussions with your vet.
- Back Pain – If a horse is in pain it can’t easily tell you and may resort to kicking to tell you there’s a problem. Regular chiro/osteo treatment is suggested as these professionals will be able to discern the smallest changes in your horse that may be causing pain. Asking your vet can be the next stage if kicking persists. Kissing spine is a painful condition that is especially prevalent in horses that have been started before their skeleton has fused correctly.
- Mites – If your horse is not kicking out to cause damage, but kicking for another reason, check for mites. Mites can cause your horse distress and discomfort and is often the reason behind kicking and stamping. Straw bedding is a haven for mites, so changing your bedding and disinfecting every single item your horse can have had contact with it the first stage. Although not scientifically proven, many horse owners use a spot-on flea product to combat mite infections. If your horse is in a field with others, then remember to treat the whole herd or yard as mites spread quickly and can be difficult to eradicate.
- Stiffness In Legs – Your horse may be kicking to relieve stiffness in their legs. Asking a vet to check is often the safest thing to do under these circumstances.
- Impatience – Many horses kick doors to show their impatience at their dawdling owners. You may be too slow or late providing breakfast, or you horse may kick when waiting to go out for a hack. Whilst this isn’t inherently dangerous to you as an owner it can be annoying and damaging to property. Lining the stable door with carpet or rubber to muffle the sound may reduce the horse kicking (and save their hooves) as the satisfactory sound is reduced.
- Personal Space – What should I do I my horse kicks in company? Especially in large groups there are some horses who will kick out at those too close behind them. It can be through dominance or fear, but the result can be damaging to a following horse regardless of the reason. If you’re going out where other horses are likely to be then a red ribbon or red tail bag should be worn to warn others. Staying nearer the back of a large group is also advisable.
- Spooked/Anxiety/Fright – If a horse is spooked or scared it may kick out to ward off an attack from whatever it considers to be a threat. Time and patience with scared/unhandled horses is the best way to combat this in the long term.
Understanding the motive behind your horse’s actions will place you in a far better position to correctly tackle this behaviour and lead to a happier horse in the long term.
How To Stop Horses Kicking
Horses that kick can be intimidating and dangerous. Learning to understand the horse’s body language will help you to predict when your horse is about to kick. This will allow you to take action; both to avoid the kick, and to take preventative action.
Take a look at the list below to see if you recognise your horse’s signs:
- Ears back
- Whites of eyes showing
- Quarters swinging away
- Slight tail lift
- Tail swishing
- Stamping
- Biting
If your horse kicks when mounting (and you don’t believe it’s excitement) then dismount and have your saddle and your horse’s back checked. The same advise holds true for if you’re wondering why is my horse kicking out in canter.
Top tips:
- Have a friend with you
- Securely tie up your horse
- Practise touching your horse all over – give treats in a bowl as required
- Always leave the session on a good note
- Bring your horse in for a groom or just a hay net – they may associate being groomed with working and be trying to evade working
- Remonstrate with your horse when unwanted behaviour surfaces – you can’t always be fluffy and nice – a 500kg animal is potentially dangerous
- Reinforce good behaviour
- Make sure your horse has enough turnout
- Put stable toys in to avoid boredom
Horse Kicks When Picking Up Back Feet
If your horse kicks in certain circumstances then ask yourself the following:
- Am I dropping is feet too quickly once picked out? This could cause you horse to kick in anticipation of discomfort
- What is his hoof health like? If your horse’s hooves or feet/frogs etc. are not in the best of health then they may be kicking from pain. Ask your farrier for advice on treating any problem
- Is your horse a youngster? If your horse hasn’t been taught correctly it may be that they simply don’t understand what you are asking
- Does your horse have arthritis? It’s not only old horses that suffer from stiffness and arthritis. If you’re asking your horse to hold it’s legs up too long they may kick out to relieve and pain and put the foot back on the floor. A vet check could be called for.
Horses kicking isn’t only limited to those kicks that are due to pain or fear. Some kicking is just simply annoying to a horse owner. The most common non-aggressive kicking concerns are below:
How Do You Stop Your Horse From Kicking Over His Feed Bucket
If you want to stop your horse from kicking over his feed bucket there are several useful ideas below:
- Tyre: Put the feed bowl inside a tyre. It’ll be harder for your horse to tip over.
- Amount: Feed smaller portions more times a day. This will mean your horse pays more attention to his feed rather than being happy to leave most of it trampled into the stable/field.
- Treat ball: If your horse has suitable feed, you could try putting it in a treat ball. Yes, it’ll come out, but it’ll be more of a challenge and he’ll spend more time searching for it and the feed will act as a bonus so he’ll be more likely to eat the whole meal.
- Baling Twine: Hang up your feed bucket through the handles with twine. A dee bucket works best for this. Your horse won’t be able to knock it over, but won’t be able to knock over the bucket.
How Do You Stop Your Horse Kicking Over His Water Bowl
Horses need continuous access to clean water. Leaving your horse stabled overnight only to find a soaking stable and a thirsty horse is not only bad for the horse but will increase your bedding bill. Placing the water in a corner will mean less chance of the horse pulling the bucket over. The same is true if you use a better quality (heavier) bowl.
Putting the water bucket in a tyre, or fixing panels around the water bowl can all help. If your horse is a chronic water waster, then installing an automatic drinker may be your only option.
Conclusion
Kicking horses, regardless of the reason, can be dangerous. Ensuring that they are healthy by calling a vet, farrier, chiropractor, etc. is the first consideration. If your horse has not been regularly and sympathetically handled, and the kicking is through fear, then time, patience, and consistency are your best options going forward. All horses can be helped, you just have to be observant, patient, and willing to ask for help so that they are relaxed and able to communicate with you without resorting to unwanted and dangerous behaviour.
Related Posts
