Member Since: December 30, 2016
Answers: 4
Last Update: December 30, 2016
Visitors: 524
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sorry this might be a little long!
Ok so ive got a horse that will NOT take a bit, and i need suggestions on how i can make him take it without inflicting any pain, stress, etc. on him.
here's a little info bout him and my attempts:
he is an 8 year old sorrel paso fino quarter horse mix (he is a gelding)
i ride western and i use a egg butt bit, and i have a one ear piece headstall.
he has always had a kinda short temper.
he has never had a bit that put pain on his mouth.
he is used to me riding him at times. i don't ride him as often as i like because he has bucked me off, and school and stuff like that :\
I don't always lunge him before i ride him. i have also go so frustrated i just put the reins on his halter and rode him around.
we normally have to tie him close to a tree or post and i have to grab his nose and put my hand under his chin and squeeze his mouth on the spot where there are no teeth,which makes him open his mouth. (it takes me AND my dad to do it and it takes AT LEAST 15 minutes to get it in his mouth) and IF & WHEN we get it in his mouth he is always very nervous afterwards. sometimes i get so frustrated i pop him, which doesn't always help. (i don't hit him hard i just give him a little pop to get his attention)
when we attempt to put the bit in, he always moves around, jerks his head up and down & side to side. he tries to rear sometimes, he paws the ground, and tries to paw us. we got his teeth filed down a couple of months to take away the excuse.
we have tried putting molasses on the bit like the vet suggested, but he STILL wont take it, and its very messy afterwards.
just on the side, i cant change head stalls or bits, plus when he is in the mood he will try me, and act up, and like i said before he has always had a kinda short temper.
like on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the shortest temperment, and 10 being the longest temperment, my horse would probably be a 4.
i hope this was enough information, and any answer will be appreciated!!! thanks!!! :)
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From what I can tell your horse feels threatened by you trying to get the bit in his mouth and using it. You're going to need to spend a lot of time if you want this to be completely fixed. I'd start out with just holding the bridle and sitting down where he can see you and the bridle. Get him used to seeing it and being around it. Try shaking it and making some noise so he isn't scared of that either. After he doesn't react whatsoever to having the bridle near him, you start the next step. Slowly and carefully you want to get closer to him and rub the bridle all over his body so he knows it won't hurt him. start at his shoulder and move your way backwards from there. I know this sounds stupid and pointless, but I can guarantee that it will work if you do it correctly. Make sure you are gentle and very patient, otherwise it won't help. Once he is used to that, you ca start putting JUST this bit around his face. Detach the bit from the bridle and hold it near his mouth, let him sniff it and get used to it on his own time. Once he has passed all of these steps, you can get him used to opening his mouth for the bit. Put the bit back on the bridle and Hold the bit in his mouth for a couple seconds at a time, and increase the time it's in his mouth each time you do it. Also, don't tighten any straps or put on the bridle completely, ONLY hold the bit in his mouth. one you've gotten to the point where he doesn't react once the bit is in his mouth, you can put on the bridle all the way and make sure nothing is too tight or uncomfortable. If he seems ok with this, you can lead him around at the walk. If you think he's ready you can try to trot as well (on the ground). If this helps and you feel like it would be safe, try to get on his very slowly and have someone lead him at first, then you can try directing him yourself. Make sure you give him a long rein so he doesn't feel trapped or in danger. This won't happen overnight, but if you do it right it will work.
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Hi everyone!
I've had a new cat (n00b) for about 50 days now. She was pregnant before I rescued her, so I'm expecting kittens soon. (Just to put it out there, I'm planning to adopt them out after 8 weeks, and will have a no-kill shelter as a LAST resort)
My other cat (8 years old; call her 8) is extremely skittish, and not a fan of n00b. She's staked out her territory as the bedroom, and will not leave it. But n00b keeps crossing the line and they hiss and growl at each other (no real fighting). 8 keeps to herself mostly, which makes me sad - she used to be very cuddly. I try to give her attention, which she loves, but I don't spend a lot of time in the bedroom.
I've tried to integrate them - they kind of integrate themselves sometimes. Like last night, 8 slept with me (as usual), I woke up to hissing, calmed things down and went back to sleep, then woke up in the morning to n00b sleeping next to me on the bed and 8 on the floor on my other side.
I'm afraid 8 will get mean and more reclusive, especially when the kittens come, and I'm worried that n00b will have labor complications because of the stress of having 8 around.
And then - what if n00b goes into labor when I'm not home?? I live alone. What do you do in these situations?
Thank you for any advice you can offer!! (link)
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Pregnant cats will always be more territorial and hormonal. I would try to keep them at a bit of a distance until the babies are weaned. I know that's a long time but once the babies are born the mom will be even more protective and it will only get worse. After the babies are born give it some time and then reintroduce the other cat slowly
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Hi all, 29/crazy cat lady. Kitties are all female, 8y.o.(Luna)is spayed, ~2y.o. (Siren) is not spayed, and almost-4-months-old (Addie) is not spayed.
So, I adopted Luna when she was 10 weeks old and have raised her as an only cat, and effectively my child. She now walks around growling and hissing at anything that comes near her, me included. That's not to say I don't still love on her and give her kisses and face-cuddles and pets... she just complains more.
I rescued Siren in June, and admittedly didn't get to do much of a slow intro with her and Luna. Luna found out about her very suddenly, and sequestered herself to the bedroom closet for a couple weeks...
Fast forward 10 days or so and I discovered Siren was pregnant. Kept the kittens until they were about 9-10 weeks old, and gave away everyone except Addie.
So, conditions under which Siren and Luna met weren't great. Siren is getting spayed tomorrow, which I'm hoping will help with her territorial-ness... Last time I tried to clip Luna's claws, though, Siren heard Luna getting mean and ran into the room and chased Luna away from me, and then seemed to be checking me for damage...
Luna HAS made progress - while she walks around hissing and growling at anything and anyone around her, she's no longer living in the bedroom. She even shares a bowl of dry food with the other cats, and is back to chilling on the couch pillows.
I guess - to those with catty (ha) horror stories - is there hope that these guys might at least get along?
I will not declaw anyone, so that isn't an option, and I really don't want to have to think about rehoming anyone... I picked Luna off the internet, but Siren picked me off the streets in Detroit, and Addie attached herself to me... it's not right.
Thoughts? Recommendations? Words of encouragement? Anything. Thank you all. (link)
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It's always best to have only one female. They can develop aggression and possession issues. However, I'm sure their behavior will improve once they're all spayed.
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What animals are the smartest, easiest to train and are loyal? I'm talking about pets, but no animals that would be to dangerous to keep. (link)
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Though this is kind of contradictive, pigs are actually one of the easiest animals to train. They're definitely easier to train than dogs, they naturally go to the bathroom in one area because (surprisingly), they actually like to stay clean. All you have to do is tell them where to go, and they catch on really quickly. Pigs can come in small, medium, and large sizes. They are super flexible and are not high maintenance. Hope this helps!
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