Nuzzling, grooming, and licking are ways that horses show affection to their owners through body language. You may notice that horses that you are not very familiar with will eventually drop their guard and begin trying to communicate with you more often. You might even find some of your adult horses resting their head on you.
By nature, horses are interactive and friendly animals. But, these animals are equally capable of demonstrating bad behavior too. They can fight each other, nip, and even bite people.
However, if your horse bit you recently, do not ignore it. There are several reasons for such body language and it may become a habit if neglected for long.
Why Do Horses Bite?
Well, like a lot of other animals, horses have a set of large and thick teeth. They mainly use their teeth to chew food, but they can nip and bite other things too.
Biting in horses is a way of communication. They use it to convey a lot of information to each other. For example, an alpha horse may bite a dominant horse to clarify his authority.
In other cases, adult horses may bite others to protect the baby horses. They even bite to protect themselves and their territory. At times, if others approach an aggressive horse while feeding, it may try to defend its food by biting.
However, all these examples do not only mean that biting is a sign of aggression in horses. As mentioned before, it is a way that animals communicate that can be positive as well as negative.
Horses also bite each other as a sign of affection. They nip or bite the necks of their partners to express their feelings. Juvenile horses also bite when playing with each other.
On rare occasions, a horse will bite itself or others to suppress pain. It usually does so when colicking. Colic refers to abdominal pain in your horse caused by problems in the gastrointestinal tract.
Why Does My Horse Bite Me?
Horse owners are likely to get bitten by their horses who already have a habit of biting. Why? Well, it’s because your pet considers you a part of its herd and a friend. This particular connection with you can blur the line between the two of you for him. And, the horse will treat you like another fellow horse!
Because of this, your horse will use biting as a communication form for you too. Here are some fundamental reasons why a horse bites its owner.
Sign of Aggression
Biting is a common sign of aggression amongst horses, and it does not stay limited to wild horses. Domesticated horses can also be aggressive animals at times.
It may get angry if it feels threatened in a tense situation, when it is trying to escape, or avoid doing something that you want it to do. Sometimes, this type of behavior is a result of previous experience as well.
Your horse may also bite out of aggression when it is unable to direct its energy somewhere. If you’re not providing your horse with the required physical activity, it will act out by biting you.
However, never take biting alone as a sign of aggression. Your horse will demonstrate one or multiple other signs along with it too. These include:
- Retracted lips
- Flattened ears
- Snaking or pawing
- Rapid tail movements
- Head bowing
- Snoring or squealing
- Threatening to kick
Sign of Affection
When a horse bites you out of affection, it will be more of a playful nipping than a bite. Your four-legged friend will give you a quick bite to express how much he appreciates and values you.
However, this type of behavior should be immediately discouraged. This is because once your horse learns biting as a sign of affection amongst people, it will do so with everyone. Children, elderly, and sick which can lead to someone getting severely hurt by this action.
Allogrooming
Also called mutual grooming, allogrooming is when two horses groom each other and is a common activity practiced by horses. They will lick or bite each other’s shoulders and back areas.
Allogrooming helps horses socialize, make friends, and express their feelings. A horse may bite its owner because of its allogrooming habits, but you must teach your horse that it is inappropriate to do so with a human.
Discomfort
Your horse may also bite you when it feels discomfort or agitation. An easy thing to look out for that might cause your horse discomfort is how the equipment fits your horse. The saddle might be ill-fitting, or the girth might be too tight.
All these things can become a source of extreme pain while your horse is trying to move. If you do not check the equipment properly and urge the horse to move, it will bite you to get your attention.
Mouthy Horses
Sometimes, a horse is simply mouthy. This is a behavior where a horse constantly chews and nips on the lead rope. The chewing progresses to actual biting if it is not corrected. So, if your horse is mouthy, it will bite for no reason at all.
Attempt to Overthrow Your Authority
At some point, it is likely that your horse will want to overcome your authority. But, it doesn’t mean that you now have a horse to handle.
Being a herd animal, it’s part of the horse’s nature to desire a herd-style hierarchy. Both wild horses and domesticated ones strive for a system with a leader.
Some signs of a horse challenging your authority include:
- Biting and aggressiveness
- Avoiding your commands
- Being pushy
Remember, if a horse becomes successful in establishing its dominance, other bad behaviors will follow. It is important to maintain your position as a leader in the relationship.
Can You Get Sick From the Horse Bite?
There is no denying that most of the horse bites will be friendly and playful towards the owner. Once a horse trusts a human handler, it is very unlikely of him to cause harm in any case.
However, let’s not forget the fact that a horse bite is quite powerful. It can be up to 500-psi, which is two and a half times stronger than a human bite force, and so, horse bites can result in serious injuries.
Almost 3 to 4.5% of the annual horse-related emergency room visits are due to bites. Even if you survive the bite, there is a chance of getting an infection. The contact between the horse’s mouth/nose and your skin can transmit a hundred different germs.
Some bacteria types linked with horse bites include:
- Actinobacillus
- Pseudomonas
- Streptococcus
- Staphylococcus
You can also get viral infections from horse bites like rabies. Although it is rare in horses, rabies can occur from all animal bites (mammals specifically). The sign of infection isn’t always evident in rabies. It can mimic other diseases. And so, it is crucial to provide immediate medical attention to horse bites.
How to Stop Horse Biting?
Now that we have learned everything from horse bite causes to effects. Let’s have a look at the solution to this issue. Remember, your horse isn’t bad or spoiled if it starts biting. TIt just needs a bit of attention and care.
Here are a few effective ways to stop horse biting:
Discourage the Act
A horse looks up to his handler or owner for instructions and commands, so you shouldn’t let the act of biting go unnoticed. It doesn’t matter if your horse is being playful. Discourage the act every time.
But, discouragement doesn’t have to look like yelling, hitting, or punishing. Your horse will only learn to hate you that way. Instead, criticize and discourage him in a friendly manner.
You can simply say no in a raised voice and quickly step aside. Be persistent in discouraging, and your horse will learn to behave properly.
Create a Distraction
When your horse acts out suddenly, you can stop him by using this quick method. Simple, look straight ahead and give his leg shin a little tap using your foot, but do it very lightly.
Your goal is to surprise the animal and distract him. He shouldn’t feel any sort of pain or discomfort. Once you apply the same technique a couple of times, your horse will learn to associate the bite with the tap.
And so, the next time he tries biting, he will automatically remember the distraction on the tap. He will try to bite, but then look at the shin and stop!
However, make sure that you are quick throughout the process. A faster tap will form a better association in your horse’s brain, and you may not even have to repeat the solution the next time.
Reinforce your position as Leader
Dealing with a dominant horse or one trying to challenge your authority can be difficult. The horse is doing so because it doesn’t trust you to guide it, so you need to work to prove yourself as a better leader and gain his trust.
Once your horse understands your position, he will not become aggressive. As the leader, go one step further and teach your horse respect. Teach him to respect the space between you two and not initiate contact until you do so.
Although this might sound a little harsh, discipline and respect are important to raise a well-behaved domestic horse. Or else, it will continue to pick bad habits now and then.
Provide Stimulating Activities
As mentioned before, the inability to exert energy somewhere productively is a reason behind horse biting. If you identify your horse’s biting habit for the same reason, provide it with stimulating activities.
Make sure your horse is busy in a few activities each day. You can take him for quick rides outside. Or, if that’s not possible, practice some muscle strengthening exercises.
You can also offer mental stimulation tasks like chewing. Give it some hay or grass to nibble on when it is not physically active.
FAQS
What Does It Feel Like When a Horse Bites You?
The answer to this greatly depends on the impact. Generally, people feel a sharp, burning sensation when the horse’s teeth break into the skin. Washing the site with lots of water and soap does the trick of easing pain.
However, if the teeth go deeper, then the pain reaches an unbearable stage. It is important to see a professional in cases of significant trauma.
How Do You Tell If a Horse Hates You?
Horses possess strong emotions and interact with others based on their feelings. A horse can love as well as hate its owner. The type of connection depends on your behavior and training.
If a horse hates you, it will show signs of frustration and aggression nearby you. It will shake the head or tense the body. You may also notice furious stomping, swishing tail, and avoiding commands.
Do I Need a Tetanus Shot after a Horse Bite?
No, you do not necessarily need a tetanus injection after a horse bite. If the horse teeth did not break the skin, no medication and treatment is required. But, if it has, then you will need to get a tetanus shot within 72 hours.
Conclusion
All in all, when a horse bites you, there is some strong reason behind its actions. Your horse may be feeling aggressive, dominant, or simply affectionate towards you. It may also want to communicate something as simple as discomfort.
Never ignore your horse when he starts exhibiting such behavior. Instead, pay attention, observe, and find relevant solutions. You may want to contact a professional for guidance and assistance too.
We hope this article has helped settle all your concerns about why your horse may be biting you. If you have any experiences or thoughts to share, let us know below!