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Haven't posted here in forever!
I want to ask some opinions/thoughts of people...there's a short version at the bottom and some more details of my training with Ginger directly underneath this paragraph. Thanks to any who chime in!
So since Ginger has been off due to a foot injury + some bad angling on her hoof that we've been correcting, I've been really one of the only ones doing stuff with her. I've taken this time to look into working on her biting issue. I never did much with it before because I didn't really know as much, plus since then I've seen some methods of working with horses online that I like to help their problems.
As a note--Ginger has been treated for ulcers and there are no signs (at least I can see) that she's in pain. She's just a grouchy red mare as you might say.
Basically what I've been trying to do, and this is my second week doing it, is work with Ginger in the ring and kind of try to listen to her and get her to relax. I've done this by trying to approach her side and touch it/her belly (which makes her snap at you because she doesn't like being touched there) without getting up after her for it or just ignoring it. Instead if she tried to bite I'd step back and give her space.
At first I tried using a saddle pad to put on her and also a brush, but I've dropped using anything but my hand now because I realized there was no point in using any stuff if the 'root' of the problem is her not liking to simply be touched there. (which then applies to girth pressure/saddle weight and the feeling of brushes)
I got to the point with her where this week, all she has wanted to do is walk away from me when I approach either side. And so I let her walk away, or I step away away first and let her have her space. Today I think I had the first 'break through' if this will even have any effect on her. I'm still a little doubtful it'll do anything but I really wish it would (and want to believe)
Today, she did lots of licking and chewing, gave a couple good snorts and had one or two nice exhales all throughout the session. I worked really slowly on approaching her side, to the point where she'd let me stay right next to her for a little bit.
And then she did this weird thing, I think after me being able to touch her once or twice on the side, where she completely shifted around so that her side was pointed right at me. Maybe it was just coincidence lol, but it almost felt as if she was saying, 'okay, you can touch me now'. And she did let me approach and touch her in that moment, without moving away.
She was still taking a step back here and there, and still seemed unsure about letting me stay near her and touch her for very long, but she was letting me do all those things even if she eventually showed signs of I guess you could say discomfort or uncertainty. If she started to show signs of moving off I'd step back and let her settle down first.
Most times when I touched her she would start taking a step away, but would stop and settle once I moved away from her. Only once she turned her head around when I managed to touch more her girth/belly area, and at first she started to kinda snap at me but stopped, put her ears forward, and instead smelled my hand. We ended pretty soon after that.
Short version:
So basically, I've been working with Ginger on her biting issue, by working in a ring and going very slowly and giving her space when she wants it to try to help her relax and stop biting. I think we're making some headway in this but I'm still doubtful if it will do anything for her.
End short version.
One of the trainers at my barn has worked a lot with Thoroughbreds and says she thinks it's just part of Ginger's personality and that'll it'll never go away. I do think I will never stop her from being grouchy, especially around food lol, but my main focus is to help her stop nipping when being groomed and saddled (so basically responding to touch/pressure).
To any who might look at this: do you all think that I'm kinda doing this in vain? Or do you think that it might be possible I can help Ginger stop reacting to being touched/handled?
I'm trying but I can't say I will be successful, and I still don't have a ton of experience with different horses yet, so I can't say for sure myself. I'd sure love to try and see, though I thought it'd be interesting to ask around and get some thoughts from others.
(Plus a bonus photo of her looking grumpy that I bought her a brand new pair of bell boots instead of letting her have hand-me-downs from another horse
)
I want to ask some opinions/thoughts of people...there's a short version at the bottom and some more details of my training with Ginger directly underneath this paragraph. Thanks to any who chime in!
So since Ginger has been off due to a foot injury + some bad angling on her hoof that we've been correcting, I've been really one of the only ones doing stuff with her. I've taken this time to look into working on her biting issue. I never did much with it before because I didn't really know as much, plus since then I've seen some methods of working with horses online that I like to help their problems.
As a note--Ginger has been treated for ulcers and there are no signs (at least I can see) that she's in pain. She's just a grouchy red mare as you might say.
Basically what I've been trying to do, and this is my second week doing it, is work with Ginger in the ring and kind of try to listen to her and get her to relax. I've done this by trying to approach her side and touch it/her belly (which makes her snap at you because she doesn't like being touched there) without getting up after her for it or just ignoring it. Instead if she tried to bite I'd step back and give her space.
At first I tried using a saddle pad to put on her and also a brush, but I've dropped using anything but my hand now because I realized there was no point in using any stuff if the 'root' of the problem is her not liking to simply be touched there. (which then applies to girth pressure/saddle weight and the feeling of brushes)
I got to the point with her where this week, all she has wanted to do is walk away from me when I approach either side. And so I let her walk away, or I step away away first and let her have her space. Today I think I had the first 'break through' if this will even have any effect on her. I'm still a little doubtful it'll do anything but I really wish it would (and want to believe)
Today, she did lots of licking and chewing, gave a couple good snorts and had one or two nice exhales all throughout the session. I worked really slowly on approaching her side, to the point where she'd let me stay right next to her for a little bit.
And then she did this weird thing, I think after me being able to touch her once or twice on the side, where she completely shifted around so that her side was pointed right at me. Maybe it was just coincidence lol, but it almost felt as if she was saying, 'okay, you can touch me now'. And she did let me approach and touch her in that moment, without moving away.
She was still taking a step back here and there, and still seemed unsure about letting me stay near her and touch her for very long, but she was letting me do all those things even if she eventually showed signs of I guess you could say discomfort or uncertainty. If she started to show signs of moving off I'd step back and let her settle down first.
Most times when I touched her she would start taking a step away, but would stop and settle once I moved away from her. Only once she turned her head around when I managed to touch more her girth/belly area, and at first she started to kinda snap at me but stopped, put her ears forward, and instead smelled my hand. We ended pretty soon after that.
Short version:
So basically, I've been working with Ginger on her biting issue, by working in a ring and going very slowly and giving her space when she wants it to try to help her relax and stop biting. I think we're making some headway in this but I'm still doubtful if it will do anything for her.
End short version.
One of the trainers at my barn has worked a lot with Thoroughbreds and says she thinks it's just part of Ginger's personality and that'll it'll never go away. I do think I will never stop her from being grouchy, especially around food lol, but my main focus is to help her stop nipping when being groomed and saddled (so basically responding to touch/pressure).
To any who might look at this: do you all think that I'm kinda doing this in vain? Or do you think that it might be possible I can help Ginger stop reacting to being touched/handled?
I'm trying but I can't say I will be successful, and I still don't have a ton of experience with different horses yet, so I can't say for sure myself. I'd sure love to try and see, though I thought it'd be interesting to ask around and get some thoughts from others.
(Plus a bonus photo of her looking grumpy that I bought her a brand new pair of bell boots instead of letting her have hand-me-downs from another horse
)
