How to Stop Your Horse From Biting

Some horses are inclined to nip or bite. This bad habit can be very dangerous, resulting in serious human injury. Even though horses are grass eaters, they still have considerable strength in their jaws, and their incisors are surprisingly sharp. This behavior is quite different from windsucking, cribbing, or fence chewing.

Biting may also be a sign of an underlying health problem in your horse or an indication that it has been socialized to be a little too familiar with humans.1

Why Do Horses Bite?

In the pasture, horses bite in play, to defend themselves, their food or offspring, to discipline a young horse or one that's lower in the pecking order, or to show that they're annoyed or antsy. Reasons for biting may also include:

Aggression

A horse that's aggressive or has a lot of pent-up energy may act out by biting. Stallions, in particular, can become dangerous biters. This is one of the many reasons that beginning horse owners should not own stallions as they require tactful, knowledgeable handling.