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My horse stomps when Im messing with him Brushing/grooming2007-11-24 21:18:36

He never has offered to kick or anything and we have a mini donkey that always wants attention at the same time. I'm wondering if it is a jealousy issue or a dominance issue. Suggestions?

Answers:

My mare used to stomp - for her it was a dominance. Whenever she did that, I'd slap her shoulder (not hard - in the wild, the alpha will nip the shoulder or bum) and stomp right back at her.

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sometimes they stomp when they are bored..they want to know why they are just standing around..

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I wonder. Are you brushing so gently that the horse thinks

its a fly? You may be tickling or causing an itch.

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if he looks like he is digging in the dirt, it may just be a common vice of horses that are bored on the tie rail

you might also be brushing over a cut or scratch that irritates him.

or, he might just be being defiant and trying to tell you that he is the "boss"

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If he wants attention he is probably bored. Get him a haynet to have a munch or a toy that hang from the celing. Yopu could always put an apple on a string above his tie up lace. Apples are hard to bite into as they are round. But careful he doesn't eat the rope! It could just be tickly. Groom with a bit more pressure and see if he stops. Don't worry about hurting him, horses are tough. Also, the reason he might feel tickly is flies. Spray his legs and belly with fly spray and see if it makes a difference. Good luck, have fun.

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I'm going to have to guess that it is most certainly not a dominance issue. Most horses with dominanace issues will kick, pin you up against the wall and even bare their teeth at you. He wants attention. Do you give him attention when he does this? Ignore him completely and walk away, or give him a little slap on the neck and firmly say no. Then when he stops stomping give him a treat-- pretty soon he will realize that no stomping='s treats!-- either that or he could be bored... its a common vice in horses. If it's not either, then is this a new habit? It could be because flies are biting and itchy his legs, they stomp to get them off! Try some more fly spray and make sure you get it especially on the legs =)

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hmmm fly's maybe

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talk to him rub on him and show him that you are in control

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normally horses only stomp to get rid of flies. horses also stomp to show their dominance. my suggestion would be to spray your horse with fly spray or use some other fly treatment and if that isn't it, walk him around in a circle whenever he stomps to tell him that you are the boss unless he's in a trailer. then you just ignore it until he stomps when there's room to move around in.

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Most likely, there are some flies around. When he does it next time, try looking around him to see if there are any flies. If there are, you might try flyspraying him.