How Do I Stop My Horse From Biting People?

Horses are large animals with strong jaws containing 40 adult teeth. A horse may bite in a malicious manner, but more often it's done as a result of play or curiosity or just to get the handler's attention. A horse's teeth can inflict serious pain and injury regardless of its intention, so it's important to teach your horse that biting is unacceptable.

Things You'll Need

  • Bucket
  • Horse treats
  • Nails
  • Crop
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Instructions

    • 1

      Teach the horse that it's not allowed to use its mouth on you in any manner or for any reason. Put the horse's treats in a bucket or on the ground rather than offering them from your hand. Don't allow the horse to sniff your pockets or grab at your coat. Some horses won't learn to bite when fed by hand, but if the horse is already biting, this will go a long way toward discouraging the behavior.

    • 2

      Place a short nail between your fingers so that the sharp end is pointing toward the top of your hand. Allow the horse to run into the nail with its nose when it starts to grab at, nuzzle or bite your hand. This will teach the horse that it hurts when it uses its mouth on you and discourage it from biting.

    • 3

      Reprimand the horse immediately after it bites you. Don't hit the horse in the nose or face; it can turn the horse head-shy. Jump up and down, wave your arms and make loud noises such as growling or yelping to sufficiently scare the horse and make it reconsider the next time it thinks of biting.

    • 4

      Carry a crop or short, solid whip when working with a horse with an aggressive or vicious biting habit. Give the animal a smack on the shoulder with it when it attempts to bite. Combine this with the loud noises and arm-waving to further deter the horse if it doesn't appear to be learning the lesson.