> then she noticed him more and more aggressive when she would be > between him and the mare, he would lunge to keep her away from the > mare. So today I got a call... Vicki is out of the hospital and had > to have emergency reconstructive surgery because he bit the front of > her face almost off! She was going to kiss him on the muzzle as > always she said,...................... its something you have to > always protect yourself from, like take a whip out there and if he > even comes in your space holler and slap the whip on the ground. I do > that with mine when they start into crowding me!
That's what I do Janice. They have to respect my space and know the difference between being invited and crowding. Like the difference between being given a treat and mugging. If they can't learn that then they don't get the priviledge. I'm the one responsible for safety. It is so easy to get lax about this and then pay the price. Parrot owners do it a lot. Parrots tend to bite their owners if there is a rival present and they are jealous. It's not about being aggressive. It's about being assertive. Maybe you can explain the difference. An aggressive horse doesn't get kissed on the lips. There are safer ways of showing affection. Ofeig is a cute young think but the way she bites Corries ass there's no way I would kiss her on the lips. These are the rules I work by. Rule number one: eliminate the possibility of being bitten. Try not to allow vulnerable parts near the sharp end of any animal if you suspect it isn't safe. Use the whip to protect your space if necessary. Rule number 2: If the horse is jealous don't pet/treat them unless they are separated. You can get killed if a kick hit you by mistake. They don't stay in left brain learning mode if they are trying to fight each other. Guess who is going to get it because we are not fast like flight animals. I got badly bitten by my parrot in a similar situation. He bit right though a big vein on my arm which poured blood. Luckily I didn't get it on the face and lose an eye. It isn't about being a coward. neither is it about bravado. It's about being safe. If you feel scared you have overstepped the mark. All animals have their limits as individuals. It is also a really bad experience for the animal. It took 2 years to figure how to calm the parrot and me. Clicker training did it for us. I still don't trust him with my partner present. He is just too jealous to control himself.(the parrot) I sure hope your friend gets a good recovery physically and psychologically. I can't imagine how hard that must be. The severity of the injuries sound horrific. It's a horrible way to learn. By the way the Tellington whip is particularly good. I thinkit may be because it is white like electric fencing. I would hope not to hit the horse with it unless absolutely necessary. Then I probably wouldn't be quick enough. Best wishes and speedy recovery to your friend. Sue Coombes
