[drivingpairs] Biting Partners
- From: kathy robertson <goodhors@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2003 14:32:52 -0700 (PDT)
Our biter was also the lower horse, though this was
a pair of mares. The biter would NEVER have tried
this in the field. Should also say this pair of mares
had no biting issue as a pair, just when they were
leading on the team of four. Lower horse appeared to
be frustrated, but WE couldn't figure out why. Other
horse was up, doing everything right, working.
We tried the string trick, and a stretchy rubber
siderein, not one with the O's. Problem comes when
you try to bend. Doesn't work, because heads can't
come around enough, fighting with the "attachments."
We got REALLY tired of waiting for the day lower horse
took a BIG bite, not pinches. We could not correct
her in a consitant or timely manner, to improve her
behaviour. Watching, using reins, whip, did not work.
She was VERY fast, unpredictable. Giving up, we went
to a muzzle. George Bowman had one on his stallion in
the Horse In Sport-Driving. We figured if it worked
for him at FEI, we would go the same route. It did
work very well. I made it out of parachute cord,
soft, plenty of room, black, washable. Pretty
inconspicuous. Just prevented her from getting a grip
on the other horse's neck. Didn't bother us how much
she spit on the other horse, just no pinching grip.
Her head was only out of position a half a second when
she went for the neck.
Same bitey mare, new partner, is now the victim.
Her gelding buddy, now does the spitty, lippy thing.
He also never really bites hard, just little pinches.
She doesn't seem to care, ignores it like the other
mare did to her. He is erratic though. Not
persistant in this, just occasionally. Not enough to
bother using the muzzle. He is a joker, so maybe just
a play game to him. He is the lower horse too. Also
seems to only happen when leading the four, not as a
pair.
Kathy Robertson
> I have consistently seen that when biting occurs in
> a pair, that the biter
> is the lower status, less dominant, horse. I have
> heard of exceptions to
> this, but in my own experience, it has always been
> the same. I am curious
> to hear what others on this list have seen. It
> always has seemed like,
> "Wow, this is my chance to bite, because we are in
> harness, and he/she can't
> get me!" Who knows what really goes on in their
> minds?
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