Miniature Horse Naughtiness!UPDATE: Ed left today to get gelded.

[bossynbella]

Hello, So many of you may remember me and my Miniature horse Edward. For those who don't and to refresh the memory, Edward was an impulse buy at a exotic animal auction, he is a yearling Miniature stallion, who hasn't dropped yet. We paid $35 for him and though we love him he is not going to win any awards on looks. One thing he has always had going for him was his personality. He would let us sit my 1 year old neice on his back and lead him around, he loved going for walks and was awsome on the lead rope, he never really complained much when fellow BYC member Skittlez came over and trimmed his hooves for me and showed me how to clean them out and trim them. Since then I have been cleaning them out once a week, without even needing anyone to hold him. The last couple weeks this has changed. We have been putting him in to the garage/chicken coop at night and during snow storms or really bad weather, which Skittlez can attest is very large for him and the few chickens, guineas that stay in there, During the day he either goes out to his paddock area or out on a tie out, he seems to love the snow and will stick his whole head in and then throw the snow up and over him before taking off at a dead sprint, when hes out in his pen. Lately trying to catch him in the garage every morning is a chore, he runs away turns and trys to kick at us. Once caught he tries to bite our legs as we lead him out, He does the same thing on the way back in at night. The other day I decided to take him out on his lead and really work with him again. ( I have been working 10 day work weeks, and admit have been slacking off in this area) It was a disastor, he kept rearing up and trying to kick me with his front legs, neighing at me as well as trying to bite. My DH put him in his pen yesterday and we just left him there instead of putting him away last night. The worst part is we are both getting to the point where he actually scares us the way he is acting, Im sure he can sense that and it doesn't help, but when you have a mini horse with sharp teeth and hooves flying its hard to be confident. I had DH hold him the other day to clean his hooves and it was still a royal fight. His testicals have still not dropped ( I checked thiking perhaps this was simply what stallions act like) He has been wormed regularly, has as much grass hay as he wants and gets a fourth cup of Corn about once a week. I bought some carrots last night thinking maybe if I reward good behavior it might help? We have been doing the pinch lip thing when he tries to bite, but otherwise are about at our wits end. The only way to move him anymore is by holding his halter so he can't move his head around and can't rear up.
Help!! I want my good pony back again

 

[texasgal]

LOL .. sounds like your "good pony" is gone and "Testosterone" has moved in.

Cold weather, young stallions and inexperienced owners spells disaster. The one thing you have going for you is that he is small .. can you imagine a full size stallion??

I will let some of the more experienced (and wordy) horse people take if from here .. you have GOT to get some control back ...

 

[WIChookchick]

WOW...
IS there a way for you or DH to go and get some pallets some where, You need to make a stall in your garage for him. He needs to know where he stands IN your herd..
Yes there is a herd at work here, and you and DH are low on the totem pole.
Do you leave a halter on him?? I would for now.
two things I would do.. 1- create a temporary stall, and make sure he can't get out.
2- get a small, light stick, that won't break, or use the lead rope- IF he tries to rear or bite, smack him with the stick, ON his leg, shoulder, or neck (NOT THE HEAD).
Don't let him (DON"T ALLOW) him to put his hind end towards you.
MAKE him run around until he is facing you AND not trying to rear or bite.
Its easier to do this in a stall OR in his paddock. You want to see a soft eye, and you want to see him licking his lips and sort of making a chewing motion with his mouth (NOT ON YOUR HAND or CLOTHING!!)
You need to establish YOU are in charge.. because right now, your not.
Can you get your fellow BYC'r to come over?? I am sure they can help.

I hope you get more good advice.

Carol

 

[bossynbella]

Thanks for the help so far. They BYC'R who helped trim his hooves lives 2-3 hours away. The thing is he is sneaky about it. Like when he wants something (for example: to go out, to go in, hay, corn etc) he comes up all nice and sweet and lets you hook the lead rope to the halter (which he wears all the time, since this has started happening, I use to take it off him when in the garage but it got to be to much work to get it back on him and his behavior worsens when it is off) then once you think he is going to be good he isn't! I have an area at the back that I can stall him in, I just need to use a saw to cut the lower board off so I can get him in, used it as a brooder for chicks last year and the 30" tall board kept them from running out when u opened the door. I will try the stick thing. Tomorrow. I just am not messing with him today, my first day off after 10 days working. I already gave him his hay outside this morning, and DH will carry out his second Bucket of water for the day. He is just to smart, he is sweet and kind as long as he knows he doesn't have a choice like if hes in the fence, but if he thinks he can get loose ( I almost think that's what he wants, turned loose to roam the yard, which I would consider if 1. I thought I could catch him again later and 2. I thought he wouldn't make a beeline for the road where there is less snow and take off. Last summer and the beginning of the winter we where able to turn him loose and he would just run around the yard a few times and then settle to grazing you could easily approach him to put his lead rope back on and lead him back. The last time I turned him loose (three weeks ago) it was a half hour fight to catch him again, He just kept running in circles around the house, and would kick at me when I got to close, I finally lured him in with corn and caught him that way. His pen has room to run in it, but not the grass he wants to eat ( he will dig through the snow and munch grass) That's why we started tying him out on the dog chain, he was happier where the good grass was. I honestly wish his testes would drop so we could afford to have him gelded. The price difference between the two surgeries is astronomical!
Anyway keep the ideas coming. I may get brave and go work with him later. I just think it makes it worse when either of us tries it when we arn't in the mood.
Thanks again
Melissa

 

[patandchickens]

Unfortunately this is what happens with novices and green horses. Of any size.

The best I can suggest is that you find a good trainer in your area to come out a couple times to show you what you need to be doing, and then do it several times a day every day for at least the next two years.

And either hope he drops *real soon now* or fork out the money to have him surgically castrated. The hormone/stallion thing is only just beginnning...

Best of luck,

Pat

 

[Bunnylady]

Unfortunately, testicles produce testosterone, wherever they may be (as long as they are still attached to the horse, anyway!) Also unfortunately, testicles that never descend are all too common in minis (a condition known as cryptorchism). On the bright side, there have been some folks who thought they had a crypto, that when they had the horse prepped for surgery, found that the little beggers were right where they should be (as you said, a lot cheaper to do!)

I have a now 4-year-old oversized mini mare that was born with an attitude. We have had several discussions over the years about just who is the boss out there. We haven't had to go there for quite some time now, but she went through a phase about the time she turned two when she was a real pill. I described our relationship at the time this way: "When she's good, we're very, very good; when she's bad, I'm badder!" It's tough love time, and you really need someone to show you how to deal with him. I hope you can get this situation straightened out soon!

ETA: Do you know about this forum?

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/

 

[bossynbella]

So I tried the stick thing, after dodging a few back kicks, and rearings, I got a hold of him and after a few "NO"'s to trying to bites he calmed down enough I was able to brush half of him. Then I could feel him tense up and so I let him go before he started being naughty again. He took off at a dead run, then came back and reared up on the fence as I was hooking the gate, I gave him a good poke with the stick when "NO" didn't work. and am back inside now, feeling cold and discouraged.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

1. Call a vet and get him castrated.

2. Find someone in your area to help you - you need confidence because right now he is in charge of the herd. (I do not mean to sound harsh - but you need help - he can and will seriously hurt you in time)

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Whoa there, that is an exceptionally bad idea, you are TEACHING him to threaten you by giving him what he wants every time he does it.

Either work with him frequently and well enough that you can reward him (by turning him back out) BEFORE he "starts to tense up", or get professional help real quick, or find another auction, sorry. Just b/c he is a mini does not mean he cannot be dangerous; and the longer he goes on like this and the more you inadvertantly encourage it the harder it will be to fix.

Pat

 

[SpringChickens]

You HAVE to get him castrated! If he hasn't dropped already, he probably is not going to on his own. Cryptorchids (which he is) produce JUST as much testosterone as normal stallions, if not more, so their behavior will be just as dangerous and unpredictable as any other stallion.

If you'd like to try a cheaper alternative first, talk to your vet about giving him hCG. The hCG will sometimes cause the retained testes to drop, especially if they're located just on the other side of the inguinal ring (stats say between 5-30% chance). I think your chances might be on the lower end because he's a bilateral cryptorchid (neither testis has dropped).

Also, call around to find the cheapest price - prices vary WIDELY for cryptorchid castrations. (I called once in my area and found a variation from $200 - $1500).

Good luck!