Hi All, We got 2 horses this summer. Neither seemed mouthy before. One is 6 and the other 14. They are turned out together 24/7 and are frequently mouthy with each other. They also get all their hay from nibble nets or a box-type slow grazer. They haven’t been worked with much, just hand walked and grooming and a bit of longing. They have become very mouthy, constantly trying to nip as I walk them. Is this likely just protesting doing anything when they have had so much time off? It occurred to me that for the last several months they have been practicing being mouthy with each other and their feeder and are just extending that habit to me. Has anyone else had a horse become more mouthy after switching to a slow feeder? All comments and idea appreciated.
Mouthiness towards a person is a lack of manners. It doesn’t have anything to do with how they eat. You say in your post that your horses haven’t been worked much. I would look to that as your issue, and I would spend some time on basic good manners.
Thanks. I am planning to start with basic ground manners as soon as possible. (The reason they are sitting is that I was badly injured). I just thought it strange that the 6 yo didn’t do this despite being alone, under-worked and introduced to a slow feeder. It started after introducing the 14 yo.
I’d be interested to hear people’s most effective corrections–especially techniques that can be done one-handed as my right arm is still very limited.
Other than not hand-feeding anything, just keep them out of your space. Mouthy horses are always space-invaders. I usually just elbow them when they’re within range, keeps them out of my space.
Thanks. I will see if I do better walking them from the off side, with my good arm between us.
Are there any other reasons a horse would be mouthy? The mare tries to mouth everything–the manure fork, the bucket, the utility vehicle, the metal panels. She is not cribbing in the sense she doesn’t do this constantly when on her own. It’s more like she wants to investigate everything with her mouth.
