Re: RC: kicking out

[RDCARRIE@aol.com]

In a message dated 00-08-21 12:02:25 EDT, trinity_oaks@yahoo.com writes:

<< You all have been so good to help me with things in
 the past that I am asking for advise again.  I have a
 horse, 4 years old, that in group situations kicks out
 at other horses.  It is getting annoying and
 dangerous, in my opinion. She pins her ears back
 almost constantly at other horses and kicks at them. 
 We do a lot of riding with friends and this should not
 be happening. I don't want to just put a ribbon on her
 tail and not worry about it, I want to solve it.  She
 is the lowest on our horse pecking order, and
 sometimes I think she has as chip on her shoulder.
 That's what it looks like.  My husbands horse (the
 first in pecking order) got kicked a couple of times
 yesterday by her while stopped in a group. It's not
 just him, it seems to be all horses.  She barely makes
 contact, but I'm afraid for horses and riders in the
 future.  Suggestions?  Thanx - Terri  P.S. She has
 NEVER offered to kick at humans >>

My mare did this when I first started riding her in groups.  She, too, was 
young and "low horse on the pecking order", and I think she thought that any 
horse that approached her was a threat.  Her reasons weren't important...the 
kicking was.  I bought a riding crop, the kind with a wide flap that would 
make more noise than pain.  The next time I was in a group and she pinned her 
ears and I felt her tensing to kick, I did 3 things all at once - I yelled 
"QUIT!!", smacked her hard on the shoulder with the crop, and kicked her 
forward.  It startled the snot out of her, and no kick.  After she settled 
down (in just a moment), I asked another rider to approach her again...my 
mare pinned her ears again, and I did the same 3 things.  After that, I just 
had to use a sharp "quit" or the "buzzer sound" (EH-EH), and she'd put those 
ears right back up.  With a little work, she was soon passing horses with no 
tension, and allowing herself to be passed on narrow trails.  She's fine now, 
but when I was doing LD on her I still used a red ribbon, just in case.

Dawn in Texas
and DC Mackenzie (yes ma'am, my ears are UP!)