You are not logged in: Login | Join Now!

How to Train a Horse Not to Kick

Current Rating:
Views: 1,298
Favorite: 3
Category: General

URL:
Embed:
Share

About This Video

Training a horse not to kick is done by spending time near the horse, grooming the horse, handling his legs and making him comfortable with human contact. Set the parameters for acceptable behavior from a horse with helpful advice in this video on training horses.

Member Comments
Add A Comment Now
No Image Uploaded Yet
Posted By Rebecca Riel
on April 14, 2009, 11:42 pm
Could you go into more detail as to what sort of "negative reinforcement" you DO do if they try to kick or jerk their foot away? (Such as, you get a horse that already has that habit -- how do you break it?)


Comment By Rick Gore
on April 15, 2009, 11:34 am

Per your question on kicking -- if a horse respects you and knows you are a higher horse he will not kick at you. Any threatening or aggressive behavior must be met with threatening and aggressive behavior from you. You have make sure the horse knows that any threats or aggression will create him work and you will make him move his feet, get a pop with a lead rope or a whack with a something else you are holding, a swat with a hat and even a kick, elbow or knee. You don't want to kick too much or the horse will start kicking back, but if in a situation where you have nothing else, you cannot allow a threat without a hard response from you or the horse will see you as weak and as a lower horse and then he will know he can kick at you since he thinks you are lower. Higher horses can kick lower horses, but lower horses cannot kick a higher horse.

I have some good kick videos on my training video page of my web site: www.thinklikeahorse.org

Hope this helps,

Rick

You Must Log In In Order To Participate in the Discussion.

Video Transcript

Hi, I'm Rick Gore out here at the Travis Equestrian Center. Today we're going to talk about how not to get your horse to kick you. I guess there's a lot of searches out there about how to train your horse not to kick you. Horses don't kick unless they're taught that it's OK or that there's no repercussion for kicking. You can't really train a horse not to kick. What you can do is set the horse up to learn that kicking is unacceptable. And you can do that by handling. You do it by brushing and grooming, getting underneath your horse, walking around your horse, letting him know that it's safe to be around him, touching him underneath, in between his legs, rubbing him, being able to walk underneath him, do some good sacking out, rub his legs. The more you handle and touch and around your horse, the less likely he's going to kick you. If you pick his feet everyday, he's going to know when you reach down to pick up his feet, that that's what you want him to do so he'll lift up his foot nice and easy, when you ask him for the foot, he's going to pick it up and give it to you. Same way with the back feet. If I move back here and I do this all the time, he knows to pick that foot up and give it to me, so he's not going to kick me because I spend time around his back legs, his hips, his tail, I'm brushing him, I'm grooming him, I'm spending time teaching him that it's OK for me to touch and be with him and do whatever I want with him. So spending time with your horse is probably the best thing that's going to get you in a safe position to where you don't get kicked by your horse so he doesn't want to kick you and he's not going to try and kick you. And then when he does kick you or he does try, of course you have to give him some good quick discipline, move his feet, make him know that's unacceptable, you're the higher horse and he can't do that. So training your horse not to kick, it's a lot easier to teach your horse that you can be anywhere and kicking is unacceptable and then you won't have to worry about correcting that learned trait.



About The Author
Expert: Rick Gore

Specialty: Horsemanship


It is never the horse's fault. Good natural horsemanship and a true understanding of horses will always get the best results with a horse.

More Videos By Rick
How to Teach a Horse to Back Up Under a Saddle
To teach a horse to back up under a saddle, first teach the horse the term "back" while on...
Direct Reining Vs. Indirect Reining
Direct reining and indirect reining differ as direct reining applies direct pressure to the...
How to Use Your Legs While Riding
Using legs while riding is a method of steering the horse by apply pressure with the thighs...
How to Train a Horse Not to Kick
Training a horse not to kick is done by spending time near the horse, grooming the horse,…
How to Wash a Stallion's Sheath
A stallion's sheath should be washed twice a year using water and mild soap to remove...
How to Teach a Horse to Bow
Teaching a horse to bow down can be done using a carrot as a lure and positive reinforcement...
Training a Young Horse to Accept a Rider
A young horse can be trained to accept a rider through a process of leaning on the horse...
How to Train a Horse to Neck Rein
Neck reining is a method of indirect reining that trains the horse to respond to very...
How to Stop a Horse From Walking Off When You Mount
Horses might walk off while being mounted to regain their balance, so training them from an...
How to Western Saddle a Horse
Mounting a western saddle on a horse requires first brushing down the horse's back, laying down...

See All 25 Videos

Related Videos
How to Walk Under and Behind a Horse
Walking under and behind a horse is a great way to get the horse comfortable with human contact...
What Is the Proper Way to Cinch a Saddle
Cinching a saddle properly takes practice, as it should be tight enough to keep the saddle...
Show Horse Bridles
When choosing show horse bridles, consider the discipline in which the horse is being shown.
Is Rearing Dangerous?
Rearing is very dangerous for the rider, but it is a behavior that can typically...
How to Teach a Horse to Back Up Under a Saddle
To teach a horse to back up under a saddle, first teach the horse the term "back" while on...
Training a Young Horse to Accept a Rider
A young horse can be trained to accept a rider through a process of leaning on the horse...
How to Western Saddle a Horse
Mounting a western saddle on a horse requires first brushing down the horse's back, laying down...
How to Break a Horse
Breaking a horse, also known as starting the horse, involves plenty of handling...
Terrain Difficulty Level (Overview)
Training a horse on various terrain difficulty levels is important so the horse is not spooked...
Why a Rope Halter is Better Than Webs & Buckles
Rope halters are better than webs and buckles because it creates a stronger hold and even...

See All 244 Related Videos

Invite a Friend! Email a Friend about This Video

RunTime: 0.31693196296692 Seconds
DEBUG:
View Session
View Request
View Cookie
Pop PHP Info