Bad Habits

Horses acquire bad habits from mishandling, from boredom, spoiling, and fear. Some of the most common faults are cribbing, kicking, shying, balking, rearing, bolting, crowding, starting forward before the rider is settled in the saddle, and being barn soured.

To find the cure it is wise to try to find the cause. An experienced horseman can usually tell what causes a horse to react as he does. Most horses can be retrained unless the animal has been mistreated cruelly or ridden incorrectly over a long period of time. It is seldom that a really vicious horse can be retrained. He has already been disillusioned, he cannot bring himself to trust a man, and the habit of hate is too well established. The odds of even the expert horseman ever making the animal usable are few.

Let's take the faults in the order mentioned and give their cure. A horse that is cribbing will bite on the manger or door or possibly a post. It is said to be caused by indigestion or by the teeth pressing too closely against one another. However, it is certain that an animal stabled next to a cribber will pick up the habit, and once the habit is well established there is a chance he will never get over it. Whatever the cause, it is a disagreeable habit. Horses seldom crib on anything lower than their knees. Remove the manger and feed from the ground for a time. If the habit is new, this may cure it. A habitual cribber may never be cured. However, a horse that chews on wood is not necessarily a cribber. Horses chew on rails and posts when they have nothing to do. When an animal is confined in too small an area he will chew wood. See that the horse gets plenty of exercise and nail metal nosing on all wood rails and on the corners of the posts.

Horses kick out if they're startled. Habitual kicking can be caused by putting another horse into the next stall—the kicker will lash out while eating. Some horses kick just to hear the clatter of their hoofs and some to feel their strength. A spoiled horse will kick whenever he is interrupted. A bully will kick other horses to assert himself. Kicking is a dangerous habit, and should be stopped as soon as noticed. If the animal kicks when you approach, then he should be punished with a sharp cut of the whip administered every time he tries to kick and at the precise moment he is in the act.

If this is not effective, then a foot length of heavy chain attached to a collar and placed just above the hock of the kicking leg will stop this habit in a few days. Horses kick right- or left-handed, so be sure you have the leg the animal habitually kicks with. In this manner he will punish himself and will eventually be afraid to kick, remembering the pain of the chain. After the chain treatment the habit rarely occurs again, but if it does, replace the chain for another treatment. Striking goes in line with kicking. It first starts as a playful gesture in a colt and then graduates to an ex- pression of anger. A sound whipping across the front legs is necessary. Don't put it off, as it will get worse.

Most horses, being farsighted and not able to focus on close objects, will shy at some movement they cannot understand. When a horse shies at something, bring him to it and let him smell and examine it with his muzzle. Talk to him in a soothing voice. Learn to recognize the things that frighten your horse and be prepared to guide him gently by them. Always be ready for a sudden jump. Very young or highly strung animals must be watched for shying. Gentleness must always be used. If possible, when riding, turn their heads away from the object that frightens them. If riding with a companion, allow him to go ahead; your horse will probably follow without fear. A horse that has confidence in his rider can be quieted by a reassuring word. Because shying is caused by fear, we should mention frightened horses.

A frightened horse is an uncontrolled animal. He is like anything else beset by fear. There is no reasoning power, nothing but sheer panic. The rider is faced with a quick decision—whether it is safer on the animal's back or whether to leave the saddle. If it is open country, possibly the sooner you can leave the saddle the better. However, if in tight quarters it is difficult to say. There is danger of being trampled, kicked, or struck. A horse blinded by fear may run into a wall, a tree, or rear up and over backward. In a case of this kind there is little advice to give.

Balking is an aggravating and frustrating habit to come up against, and the beginning rider is at a great loss to know what to do. It is sometimes caused by starting the animal too quickly and then pulling back violently, whipping the horse until he is so confused and excited that the habit of balking is begun. It is also a result of bad schooling. There is a cure, however. Turn the horse in a short circle, about five turns. The animal will be so concerned with dizziness he will forget what it was that made him balk.

Rearing is sometimes a form of balking. It is a result of poor training, hard hands, or poor bitting. It can also be caused by fear. The animal who rears because he doesn't want to leave the stable is bluffing. He rarely rises more than a foot or so off the ground. When a horse rears, prick him good with a pair of spurs. This will usually bring him down. Try this on yourself. Raise your arms above your head and then have someone poke you in the ribs. Rearing can also be stopped by circling, holding the turning rein under the right boot, as this pulls the head downward. Above all, don't pull on the reins or you will pull your horse off balance and over backward. Sometimes a rolled newspaper is effective if used to strike the horse between the ears. Or a plastic bag of water has been suggested, used with the theory that the animal will think it is his own blood trickling down his face. It is certainly most humane, but may have no effect. However, a horse rarely rears when you expect him to, and you might carry a bag of water for a long time before being able to use it. Also, if the rider will throw his weight forward and keep it there, an animal must come to his feet. Sometimes a tie down will prevent the animal from rearing, or at least any great height. A more severe method is tripping. This, however, should not be attempted except by an expert horseman. If you have bought a rearing animal and minor treatment is not effective, take him to a good trainer.

Bolting is a frightening experience even for the expert rider. A horse bolts for many reasons. If may be from fear, or he may have excess energy and wants to go home. First of all, try not to allow the animal to get out of hand. When you put the horse into a canter, see that he maintains the speed you want. If you feel him wanting to run, then try turning him in a circle. Make the circle smaller and smaller until he can be controlled. You may also try bringing the left rein over the neck just in front of the withers. At the same time place the right hand as low down on the off side of the neck as possible and hold him hard in this position. Also, if you are near a hill, try to turn him up the grade. This will usually slow him down. If you are riding with companions, never pursue a runaway horse. If you hear the animal coming up behind you, block the road. However, be careful doing this if the animal should be running blindly. You can usually tell by the animal's eyes whether he is running from fear or orneriness.

If the rider is thrown, turn your own horse back a few steps. Many times a loose animal will turn and follow another horse. If two horses get away from their riders, there is not much to do but walk home. The horse that runs back to the barn is considered barn sour. It is also almost impossible to get him away from the barn. The animal may rear at the time or just refuse to budge. The rider must be ever alert. The animal will seldom try this with an experienced rider. However, circle him until he is dizzy and then head him in the direction in which you wish to go. A nick with the spurs will also convince him to change his mind.

Don't allow the horse to win this fight or you will never leave the barn. Out on the trail a horse does not like to leave a group. It is a good idea to make your horse do everything you wish of him when in a group so he will become accustomed to minding.

It is a common fault for a horse to start away before you're able to swing into the saddle. It is because of poor training but it is easy to cure. Put a few pieces of carrot in your pocket. Hold the reins firmly until you are in the saddle and then reward him with a carrot. Sometimes if you give him a piece before mounting he will wait until you are settled, hoping for more. In this case don't disappoint him. Hobbles placed above the pastern will make moving uncomfortable enough to force the horse to stand. Mount and dismount many times until the animal begins to stand. A few treatments before starting out on a ride will fix the habit. Once a horse is trained to stand for mounting, don't jump into the saddle and jab him with spurs to make him run.

Biting should be taken care of when the horse is a foal. If an animal is teased, he may resort to biting. Slap the muzzle sharply or pinch the lip every time he bites. A young boy bit his pony on the muzzle and the small animal never attempted to bite him again. In wintertime, when the coat is long, a horse will sometimes bite because the hair is pulled by the tightening of the cinch.

A horse that refuses to tie and pulls back on the halter will leave a trail of broken equipment. It is also a sign of poor training. Use the chest rope and leave the animal tied for fifteen minutes at a time. If the animal pulls back, the chest rope will press against the nerves under the front legs, causing such discomfort that the horse will move forward to remove the pressure. A few days of being tied with the chest rope will cure this habit.

Pawing is a noisy habit and will result in holes in the stall and paddock. A horse will paw if confined in a small area when he is hungry or impatient. Treat this habit much as you do kicking. A strap around the leg above the knee with a block of wood fastened on a short rope, hanging about six inches, will hit his shins. Give your horse a large pasture to run in and there will seldom be any pawing.

If a horse is well treated, kept in good health, and has plenty of exercise he will seldom have bad habits. Treat a bad habit as soon as it is noticed or take means to prevent it in the first place. Remove the cause if possible. Keep the animal occupied and satisfied and he will have no time to get into mischief.

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