A kick from a horse is one of the most dangerous situations a handler can face. It’s a powerful, lightning-fast reaction that can cause serious injury. If you’re dealing with a horse that kicks, it’s easy to feel frustrated, fearful, and at a loss. However, understanding How To Train A Horse Not To Kick is less about punishment and more about communication, trust, and safety. This behavior is almost always a symptom of a deeper issue, and by addressing the root cause, you can build a safer, more respectful partnership with your equine partner.
Before you can solve the problem, you must first understand its origins. A horse rarely kicks without a reason. As prey animals, their instincts are wired for fight or flight, and a kick is a primary form of defense. By identifying the trigger, you can tailor your training approach to build confidence rather than instill fear, creating a foundation for a lasting change in behavior.
Understanding Why Horses Kick: The Root of the Problem
Kicking is communication. Your horse is trying to tell you something important, and it’s your job to listen. The reasons behind a kick generally fall into one of four categories: fear, pain, dominance, or a learned response.
Fear and Self-Defense
This is the most common reason for kicking. A horse that feels trapped, startled, or threatened will kick to create space and neutralize a perceived danger. This can happen when you approach their hindquarters too quickly, when they are in a new or stressful environment, or when they encounter an object they find frightening. A fearful horse is a reactive one, and the kick is a desperate attempt to protect itself.
Pain or Discomfort
Pain is a powerful motivator for defensive behavior. If a horse kicks when you’re grooming its flanks, tightening the girth, or touching a specific spot, it could be a direct response to physical discomfort. Common culprits include:
- Poor Saddle Fit: A pinching or uneven saddle can create sore spots on the back.
- Girthiness: Discomfort in the sensitive area behind the elbows.
- Back Problems: Kissing spine, muscle soreness, or other spinal issues.
- Arthritis or Joint Pain: Particularly in the hocks or stifles, which can make lifting a leg painful.
Before beginning any behavioral training, it’s crucial to have a veterinarian rule out any underlying physical issues.
Dominance or Disrespect
In a herd, horses establish a pecking order through body language, which can include kicking. A horse might kick at a handler to test boundaries, challenge leadership, or express displeasure with a request. This is often labeled as “mare-ish” behavior but can occur in any horse. This type of kicking is a clear sign that the horse does not see you as a confident leader and is trying to assert its own dominance in the relationship. Effective horse breaking and training is rooted in establishing this leadership respectfully.
Learned Behavior
Horses are intelligent and learn quickly from cause and effect. If a horse kicks out while being asked to work and the handler immediately backs off, the horse learns a simple lesson: “kicking makes the pressure go away.” Over time, this reinforces the behavior, and the horse will use it as a reliable tool to evade work or any other activity it finds unpleasant.
Safety First: Protecting Yourself During Training
When you’re working with a horse that kicks, your safety is the absolute top priority. Never underestimate the speed or power of a horse’s kick. Always approach training with a calm, confident mindset and a solid safety plan.
Reading Your Horse’s Body Language
A horse will almost always give warning signs before it kicks. Learning to read these subtle cues can give you time to react and prevent an accident.
- Pinned Ears: Ears flattened tightly against the neck are a clear sign of anger or irritation.
- Tense Body: A rigid posture, tight mouth, and wrinkled nose indicate anxiety or displeasure.
- Swishing Tail: A rapidly swishing or wringing tail signals agitation.
- Glancing Back: The horse may repeatedly turn its head to look back at you, keeping you in its sights.
- Lifting a Hind Leg: A slight lift or cocking of a hind hoof is a direct warning that a kick may be imminent.
Staying in the Safe Zone
The most dangerous place to be is directly behind a horse or within leg’s reach of its hindquarters. When working around your horse, stay either very close, with a hand on its body, or completely out of range. The close position makes it harder for the horse to deliver a powerful, well-aimed kick. Always speak to your horse as you approach so you don’t startle it.
Groundwork Essentials to Stop Kicking
Groundwork is the foundation for solving almost any behavioral problem, including kicking. It establishes your role as the leader and teaches the horse to respect your space and commands. The goal is to gain control of your horse’s feet. The person or horse who moves the other’s feet is the leader of the herd.
Establishing Respect by Moving the Feet
The core principle is to make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult. If the horse offers to kick, immediately put its feet to work.
Expert Tip: Dr. Sarah Miller, an equine behaviorist, states, “When a horse kicks, it’s a momentary loss of respect for the handler’s leadership. The most effective, non-violent response is to immediately move the horse’s feet, either by lunging or yielding the hindquarters. This re-establishes your position as the leader and turns a negative behavior into a productive training moment.”
Yielding the Hindquarters: This is arguably the most important exercise for a kicking horse. It teaches the horse to move its powerful back end away from you on command, reinforcing your leadership and creating a safe space.
- Stand near your horse’s shoulder, facing its side.
- Use a long training stick or the end of a lead rope to apply rhythmic pressure to the horse’s flank, in the area behind where your leg would be.
- The moment the horse takes a step with its inside hind leg and moves its hindquarters away from you, immediately release the pressure and praise it.
- Repeat on both sides until the horse moves away from just a look or a slight gesture toward its flank.
Desensitization Techniques
If the kicking is fear-based, you need to desensitize the horse to your presence and touch around its hindquarters. This must be done gradually and safely.
- Start by using a training stick with a rope or flag on the end to gently rub the horse on its shoulder and back, areas where it is comfortable.
- Slowly and calmly, work your way back toward the hind legs, always watching the horse’s body language.
- If the horse becomes tense, retreat to a comfortable spot until it relaxes, then try again.
- The goal is to be able to rub the stick and rope all over the horse’s hind legs, belly, and tail without a fearful reaction.
- Reward calm, standing behavior with a soft voice and a wither scratch.
Addressing Specific Kicking Scenarios
Different situations may require a slightly different approach. Whether it’s during grooming or farrier work, the principles of safety and control remain the same.
Kicking While Grooming or Tacking Up
First, ensure your horse is tied safely and you are not in a vulnerable position. If the horse kicks when you brush its side or tighten the girth, rule out pain. If it’s behavioral, use the desensitization exercises. Get the horse used to the saddle pad, then the saddle, then a loosely fitted girth, rewarding calm behavior at each step. This process is similar to the patience required in specialized fields like training horse skills bdo, where incremental progress is key.
Kicking When Picking Hooves
This is a common and dangerous problem. Start by handling the horse’s legs without lifting them.
- Run your hand down the leg from top to bottom. If the horse is calm, praise it.
- Use the lead rope to loop around the pastern. Ask the horse to lift its foot by gently pulling on the rope from a safe distance.
- Hold for just a second, then release and reward.
- Gradually increase the duration until you can hold the hoof up and handle it without the horse trying to pull away or kick.
What Not to Do: Common Training Mistakes
How you react to a kick is just as important as the training you do. Avoid these common mistakes that can make the problem worse.
- Never Punish After the Fact: Hitting a horse for kicking, especially after the moment has passed, is ineffective. The horse will not connect the punishment to the kick; it will only learn to fear you, which can increase defensive kicking.
- Don’t Get Emotional: Your horse will feed off your anger and fear. Always approach training with a calm, assertive energy. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, end the session on a positive note and try again later.
- Don’t Ignore Potential Pain: Never assume kicking is purely a behavioral issue without first consulting a veterinarian to rule out pain.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can any horse be trained not to kick?
In most cases, yes. With consistent, correct training that addresses the root cause, most horses can learn to stop kicking. However, horses with deeply ingrained aggression or fear may require the help of a professional trainer.
2. How long does it take to stop a horse from kicking?
This varies greatly depending on the horse and the reason for the behavior. It could take a few sessions for a simple respect issue or months of patient work for a horse with a history of fear or abuse. Consistency is more important than speed.
3. Is kicking always a sign of aggression?
No, it is more often a sign of fear or pain. True aggression is less common and is typically accompanied by other behaviors like biting or charging. Understanding the context is key to addressing the behavior correctly.
4. What is the most important safety rule?
Always be aware of your position relative to the horse’s hind legs. Stay out of the “kick zone” unless you are actively and safely engaging the horse in a training exercise.
5. Can a horse that kicks ever be considered safe?
A well-trained horse can become a reliable and safe partner. However, it’s important to remember that any horse has the potential to kick if it is suddenly frightened or in pain. Continuous good handling and awareness are essential for long-term safety.
Conclusion: Building a Partnership of Trust
Learning how to train a horse not to kick is a journey that transforms your relationship from one of conflict to one of leadership and trust. By looking beyond the kick itself and addressing its cause—whether it’s fear, pain, or a lack of respect—you can create a safer environment for both of you. Through consistent groundwork, patient desensitization, and a commitment to understanding your horse’s perspective, you can eliminate this dangerous behavior and build a stronger, more rewarding partnership for years to come.
