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Why Does My Horse Kick?

If you have a horse that kicks, either occasionally, periodically, or habitually, it is wise to find out the reasons behind this behavior. Sometimes there are practical reasons a horse will lash out. He may be protecting himself or trying to relieve pain. In other situations kicking is a bad habit that must be addressed before some one gets hurt.

To figure out what your horse is trying to tell you with this potentially dangerous behavior you need to observe his body language and what are the circumstances leading up to a kick. Horses are usually trying to communicate one of six messages when they deliver a kick.

A horse may kick because they feel threatened. Kicking is a weapon horses will use to defend themselves. Being an instinctive response this may be seen in the most pleasant and easygoing horses. This type of kick can be recognized by what precedes it. A horse that is scared will try to move away from the perceived danger. If that does not work he will try pinning his ears or raising his hind leg as a warning. If these fail then he will deliver the kick.

Sometimes a horse will kick in response to pain. A horse with a sore back might "cow kick" when a saddle is placed on his back. If a horse kicks at his belly he may be telling you he has gut pain. Usually a horse that kicks in pain does not threaten or posture before kicking. He just kicks when it hurts. When the pain is relieved the kicking typically stops instantly.

Horses will sometimes kick out because they feel good. They are being playful. This kicking is not intended to be harmful but accidents can happen. If you happen to be turning out a rambunctious horse do so cautiously for your safety and the safety of other horses. This is not something that necessarily needs or can be corrected. Just use common sense.

When a horse kicks when you are riding he is probably reacting to another horse or even another animal that is too close to his hind quarters. Horses can be strict when it comes to their personal space. They can find it offensive if another horse comes too close to their hind end. Mild warning kicks normally precede the "tailgating kick". This type of kick under saddle should not go uncorrected even if it seems justified. Kicks can be

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powerful enough to break the bones of who ever might receive the impact of the kick. Instantly correct your horse to let him know this is not acceptable behavior.

Kicks delivered due to frustration of the horse can be pretty easy to discern. If you are found to be slow, in his opinion, at delivering your horse's grain ration you may recognize this type of kick. These kicks are usually accompanied by body language that you cannot miss. The horse will not seem frightened just impatient. Pinned ears, flipping the head, rearing slightly, and lunging forward are the preceding body language normally associated with this type of kick.

Feeding this horse first may be a workable solution. You may choose to simply ignore this type of kicking providing the horse is not hurting himself or others. Some people have tried hobbles to help eliminate this behavior. Hobbles only work if they are on. A horse may stop when the hobbles are on and start up again when they are removed.

The kick to take most seriously is the horse that kicks to say "I'm in charge". This horse, somewhere in his life, has learned bullying is an acceptable way to deal with people. There are bigger training issues with the horse that tries to achieve dominance over his human handler. Before they kick they will threaten and posture with pinned ears and show a "mean face". Usually they turn their rump toward you and raise their hoof before the kick.

These bossy kickers do not try to escape the situation. Often other aggressive behaviors will be displayed by these horses such as showing no respect for the space of others. These horses have gotten away with this behavior in the past. A bossy kicker will act this way because it works for them. Reforming this type of a kicker can be very difficult. It very well could require a professional trainer to reestablish ground rules and the chain of command when it comes to personal space.

When a horse kicks it is a call for an investigation to find out why. A kick can be an effective form of communication. It can be a powerful weapon against predators. Kicking does serve the horse very well. However, kicks can inflict injury. It can be one of the most dangerous behaviors a horse can display.

 






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