Tri-Tronics^®, Inc.

P. O. Box 17660

Tucson, AZ  85731

support@tthorse.com

1-800-808-8423

ARTICLES & EDUCATION

Aggression Towards Other Horses

Horses can be aggressive towards each other in many ways including; biting, striking, kicking, chasing, stalking or guarding a food or water source. When horses are aggressive towards other horses, the human is usually unable to intervene. Most cases of aggression occur in a paddock or pasture where the animals will quickly outmaneuver and outdistance a human on foot. Humans can throw rocks, yell and try to get close enough to help, but all too often, all they can do is watch and hope that neither horse is injured too seriously.

Luckily horses are not aggressive by nature since they are social herbivores. Horses will normally establish a pecking order and once established they get along fairly well. Unfortunately this process can be extremely brutal. These are large, powerful animals and one well placed or lucky kick is all that it takes to end their career or life. Often the timid horse will be desperate to escape and may choose to run through a fence to accomplish it. Typically a dominant horse will cease an attack once they realize a new horse accepts their authority and is not challenging them. In some cases, however, no matter how "passive" the timid horse acts, the aggressor is not satisfied and continues to attack. Previously the only solution was to keep the aggressive or the timid horse completely separated. This is a very time and space consuming solution and for many is not an option. In some cases even separation is not enough. Horses that are kept next to each other in runs, pastures or paddocks may injure themselves by kicking, striking or lunging to bite at the horse on the other side of the fence.

Horses that are normally not aggressive may have a complete personality change when new horses are introduced or at feeding time. In other cases, two horses may be equally dominant and when introduced they will continually challenge each other until one is seriously injured. Another potential cause of aggressive horse behavior can be induced by isolation. Horses that are housed in isolation and not allowed contact with other horses often lack normal socialization skills.

Regardless of the reason, when a horse is aggressive towards another horse, the results can be catastrophic. Injuries associated with aggressive horse behavior include:

1. Lacerations
2. Punctures
3. Temporary or permanent muscle and nerve damage
4. Joint and tendon problems
5. Concussions
6. Abortions in pregnant mares
7. Fractures
    

These may be caused directly from the bite or kick or may be the result of impacting a fence. Occasionally it may be the aggressive horse that is injured by a defensive kick from a fleeing victim. Any of these injuries can be career or life ending. If you are lucky both animals will heal and you will only have a substantial vet bill. The obvious worse case is that one or both would be crippled or have to be put to sleep.

Other serious problems you may see with aggressive horse behavior include:

1. Excessive weight loss in a timid horse that is continuously run off of feed
2. Injury to a person who may be trampled when the horse they are leading becomes frightened by an aggressive horse and bolts.

The risk of injury or death, combined with expensive veterinary bills and property repairs, make this a problem that must be dealt with immediately. The ViceBreaker^® is EXTREMELY effective at stopping these behaviors as our many Testimonials verify. Case after case after case have been reported by customers of nasty broodmares, squalling stallions and mean alpha geldings being corrected quickly and safely in a short period of time.