# how to deal with a grumpy horse



## diggerman27 (3 December 2010)

I've owned my horse (my first) since the start of the year. He is easy to catch and a wee star in the school & on a hack, however he constantly has a grumpy face.
He doesn't like being approached when he's eating, and now he's in at night anyone approaching his stable gets the 'ears back' treatment. He doesn't do anything malicious, just puts on the face and raises his head up.....
Most of my yard know what he's like but I'm just concerned his behaviour will get worse!!!
Any ideas on how I can deal with him? 
Thinking of getting a horse whisperer in!!!

Thanks
A very anxious first time mum


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## PoppyAnderson (3 December 2010)

You're bound to get mixed responses to this question, from sort him out to let him be. My personal stance is, let him be with his food, if that's the only thing he does but it does depend on how bad he is and whether it's escalating. Have a watch of this and see what you think:

http://www.horseproblems.com.au/Feeding your horse.htm


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## indiat (3 December 2010)

We've got a very grumpy pony. She always reminds me of the father in Steptoe and Son when she pulls her faces! With our old girl its just the way she is. She's not really the cuddly type but we know there is a bond there - its simply her personality. You sound as if you have had your boy a few months now and if his behaviour has not detoriated, then its probably just his personality. Why are you worried it will get worse?


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## baymareb (3 December 2010)

I don't worry about the faces as long as they're not actually doing anything.  I don't tend to bug my horse much when she's eating but she does know that she needs to behave if I do and if I need to, I can wrap legs or groom while she's having her feed.


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## diggerman27 (3 December 2010)

thanks for your prompt replies....
He was only stabled for a few weeks when I first got him..... and his behaviour hasn't got any worse.... I think it's just him & his way...... keep telling myself he just likes his own space!!
In the field he'll share hay piles with other horses, and is a wee sweetie.....
I assume he's just a horse who likes his own space,  and I have to give him that. 
Thanks for letting me know he's not the only one who grumps!!


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## stencilface (3 December 2010)

I think ears back when they are eating is a submissive gesture more than anything else.  Mine always does this when you give him his food and doesn't really enjoy being fussed when he's eating, although he is too well mannered to bite kick, I just leave him alone.

If you watch the horses in the field, if they approach a more dominant horse and their hay pile, they will put their ears back to submit to the other horse.  The will also do that to more submissive horses, but that is usually followed up with them pushing the other horse off the hay.

We feed ours hay in the field, and there is always more piles of hay than horses, but they still like to play musical hay, just to check which is best, the grass is always greener


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## HollyB66 (3 December 2010)

My girl pulls the most wicked grumpy faces, but when you get to know her you realise it's just what she does. I've had her a year now, also my first horse.

When she hears the clip clop of a horse passing her stable she will stop what she is doing to go to the door and pull a face - bless her  that is all she does, she never follows through!

I can stand and loll all over her when she is eating, I think she is just warning other horses that her stable is 'her space'.

Even out hacking with her mates, she will still pull faces - for no apparent reason. Obviously she is telling them something, but she never does anything nasty.

I just put it down to personality, I wouldn't change her for the world


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## Echo Bravo (3 December 2010)

1) A grumpy face isn't a grumpy with my young mare,she's put her ears back from the day she was born andd it means nothing.
2)with one of my old horses a grumpy face was at feeding time,so you learnt to leave him alone while he ate.
3) How would you like someone messing around you while you were trying to eat.
4) I wait until my horses have finished their short feed as they seem to relish it and started on their hay nets before I do anything with them.


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## HollyB66 (3 December 2010)

Echo Bravo said:



			1) 3) How would you like someone messing around you while you were trying to eat.
		
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I always cuddle my horse when she is eating 

It just seems like too good an opportunity to miss. She doesn't give me the 'ears back' treatment during this.


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## howengold (3 December 2010)

Sov was dead grumpy when we first got her but as she got used to us moving around her whilst eating she began to only pull faces at my other ponies and accepted me being in there and and around her.  I would use dinnertime to groom her and although she was worried at first she soon settled down.  She even got to the stage of standing back in her stable and waiting with the door wide open until I took her feeds in.  It took ages to get to that point but she got there xx


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## Tannis (3 December 2010)

If he's not following it up with nasty behaviour beyond face pulling, I'd leave him alone and not worry too much.

We have a mare who pulls the most terrible faces and waggles her head at you but if you just ignore the faces and talk nicely to her and tickle her behind her ears, she asks for more as soon as you stop and she follows you and comes for cuddles.  

When she had a foal, it was the most affectionate little thing ever and as it became a yearling, we watched as the filly became aware of mum's behaviour.  She watched and copied her mum without having the slightest inclination of why she was pulling faces.  She still gets confused and will go completely slobbery having kisses and cuddles and then puts her ears flat back but licks your face and nudges.  Seriously confused little lady!!

We have a competition gelding who gives out serious warning signals - in fact, we know he's scared a couple of people to death.  We've found out that he's just a very proud person and he hates to be crowded.  When he has his food, we leave him completely alone.  He wouldn't hesitate to follow through with a well aimed kick once he's issued a warning.  So, we've learned to watch out for the warning, and listen to him.  We've all settled in to a good routine now and he's much more relaxed since he's realised that we won't crowd him and we want him to be happy.  He tolerates all three of us in his stable at once (when we got him, if we'd tried 3 in at once, one of us would have been injured) but he really loves, one on one.  Mind you, that's only with us now he's accepted us - he still isn't keen on strangers.

Our approach is to try and understand what's causing it and work with it or around it.  In your boy's case, if he's not actually being nasty, then just take it as one aspect of his personality, same as our mare.


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## andraste (3 December 2010)

diggerman27 said:



			He is easy to catch and a wee star in the school & on a hack
		
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..and surely this is what's important?  If all else is going well then grumpy faces aren't all that important.  Enjoy your horse, leave him to his food and don't stress the rest.


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## diggerman27 (3 December 2010)

thank you all so so much you have completely put my mind at ease...... I will now leave him to his food in peace..... and not get stressed.... and enjoy the bond we have when grooming & riding.....


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## stencilface (3 December 2010)

FWIW I love the scowly ones, add character


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## Bryndu (3 December 2010)

I just let mine eat his tea alone and then when he is REALLY grumpy I kiss his nose which he HATES and tell him when they were giving out the ears forward muscles, he must have been eating at the time and missed out, as his don't work..a pity really as when they do go forward once in a blue moon, he is VERY handsome....so I call him camel features....works for me!
Bryndu


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## diggerman27 (4 December 2010)

just wanted to say a HUGE thank you again for calming me down last night with your replies.
When I took him in tonight I changed his rug and did his feet in the barn so there was lots of room..... not 1 grumpy face..... then into his stable he went to his haynet & supper..... I went and had a wee coffee in the tack room, went back for his bucket, kissed him & left...... he seemed happy to be left in peace & mummy is happy at no grumps tonite!!!!!!
Thanks again......
Digger's mum
xx


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## HollyB66 (4 December 2010)

I'm pleased you had a good evening - well done 

I love my grumpy girl  although tonight I got lots of cuddles.


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## kiritiger (4 December 2010)

BTW Digger is a really cool name!


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## Walrus (4 December 2010)

I have a grumpy pony too - he loves food more than anything (that's what comes of being a chubber and being on a constant diet!). When I bought him I'd just handed over the cash and his old owners nudged each other and said "grumpy face, tell her about grumpy face" - they then warned me that he would pull faces when given his dinner but would never act on it! He always pulls "grumpy face" when I give him his dinner but that's just him.


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