Handling young stock

[melly91]

Hi just wondered if anyone else had the same problems with their young stock:

1.My yearling colt is a swine for nipping, i don't want to keep giving him a smack on his nose as I don't want to make him head shy, Have been advised to use a small water gun, What are thoughts on this??

2.Personal space- Whats the best way to teach them to respect your personal space and not trample you??

I just want to cut these naughty habits out before he gets any older.

Thanks

[Deleted]

I pinch very hard and push him away.

[gillwales]

whatever you do, do it very quickly and mean it, shout "no" loudly, the first time one of my young stallions bit me with a look on his face of "I wonder what she will do if I do this", well he soon found out and never bit me again

[sarahp]

Regarding personal space - I growl and push then away, but if they run a shoulder into you when leading I hold something like a key that isn't sharp enough to damage but just unpleasant, at an angle towards them so that if they do run the shoulder towards you they meet the key first. Do nothing yourself, you want them to think they have done it, not you. They will soon learn to give you some space!

I don't remember having one that nipped so can't help on that one.

[Kaseyleigh]

My advice is for nippers if he goes to nip you nip him back like another of would like said above pinch him it wil give him a sharp shock and with the personal space walk him in hand then stop if he walks past you give him a tug on the rope and make him back up keep doing that and you will see he will twig on and if he like to wald out of the stable without being told to come out stand in the stable with his halter and rope on then somene stoodd at the doorask them to open the door and if he goes to walk out drag him round and say no he will soon learn.

[carrie17491]

echo the above - the key thing does work because I did it with mine!!!

With foals that nip, nip them back! this is how they learn in the wild. I do a massive "EY!!" when mine does it and now even when he comes up behind me - he's a bugger - I say this and he backs off. They learn very quickly

[sarahp]

Come to think of it, I have a friend who gives them a "nip" back with her hand using it like a bird's beak. She also uses her hand like a predator's clawed foot to make them back off if necessary. It's amazing how that one works!

[melly91]

Great fab advice thanks! After not have a colt for nearly 10 years i just needed a technique refresh. Will try them and hopefullu get this colty attitidecalmed down a bit!

[kirsten91]

"biting" them back deffinately works! My two year old colt was terrible for nipping when I got him! Good luck xx

[klouisem]

You wouldn't be able to bite my colts back as they'd swing their head and end up knocking you out! My get a quick Sharp smack on their nose and when they're good and don't they get pats and cuddles seems to have worked, personal space they get push back when they get close and smacked with the rope on their should if they push with it, don't like the water gun idea as it could make them scared of sprays, baths etc x