At 10:51:38 on 23.06.11, Lana Jooste wrote:
Hi guys! I have this fear, set into me, that I will kicked by a horse if I walked behind it or happen to be anywhere it's hind legs. Most people I know, are not bothered by this and always tell me, "if you fear, and they sense it, it will happen". I know this, kind of like the law of attraction, but what will really make a horse kick or want to hurt you? I'm very gentle with horses but this has been a HUGE fear of mine since I was a child. I have just gotten my first horse (Friesan mare, kind of frisky, but then again it could be because she's not being ridden so often) and I'm already dreading brushing the tail or moving to close to her rear end. How do I test whether my new horse would kick me (no, I'm not going to go and stand behind her:p) or doesn't like being touched at the back? I hope someone can help me on this as it feels like a big obstacle to me. xoxo Lana

At 14:45:34 on 23.06.11, ToriSilverson wrote:
you shouldnt test if the horse will kick you, it sounds like you would try to provoke a kick which isnt good. when we got charlie a family friend was with us and he grabbed charlies sheath to "test his character" he didnt kick but was freaked by people going near his sheath for months after that. picking out her hooves will probably give you the best indication as to wether she is likely to kick. Spend as much time as possible with her grooming her, only go as close as you are comfortable with to her back end, as you bond with her you will trust each other more and a kick is less likely to happen. once you have a strong bond established she won't hurt you if she can help it, there have been several cases with charlie where he has fallen or iv fallen off and he could have kicked or stood on me by accident but he avoided me. also if you arent comfortable standing behind her to brush her tail, stand to the side with her tail. good luck and enjoy yourself :) remember owning horses is fun :P

At 00:02:32 on 25.06.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
I sit behind my horses hind legs brushing him on the floor lol i never used to go near a horses back end because of adults dragging me away from their back ends when i was small but honestly as long as the horse isn't scared or annoyed by you (if you are tesing it etc) then it won't kick, then again some horses who don't like people or are nervous can be prone to kicking, it is all a case of trust and the bond between you and your horse, my horse has kicked me once when i was behind him and he had a fly on his leg so he flicked it off and caught my leg and honestly it didn't hurt, he trampled me once too when i fell off but i trust him so much i will lay down in his stable either with him laid down with me or while he is standing up but don't put yourself in a position where you become nervous cos' it will make your horse nervous too

At 12:40:05 on 29.06.11, Flicka wrote:
It's not bad to have a healthy respect for a horses back end as getting kicked by a horse isn't good news. I always find that phrase about a horse sensing your fear most unhelpful when someone is nervous, "ok so now I'm really nervous because if this horse senses my nerves then he's really going to hurt me"??!!Does anyone else agree with me on that? Remember if a horse does kick then you are actually better off being closer than further away as then you don't get the full force or the click. So stay in close. I have to work with a lot of horses that I don't know and I always start off at the front end, let a horse get to know me, and then run my hands smoothly down from the poll to the back end. Always let a horse know where you are; so you don't surprise it. Get the horses attention first. If you're going to brush the tail or pick up the hind legs then again, run your hands along the horses back with a steady, confident feel, not too much pressure but not too light either, so your touch is reassuring. Then like ToriSilverson says you can reach round for the tail rather than stand right behind. But always maintain one hand on top of the horse and keep a good balance, feet apart and don't lean;keep yourself in a strong grounded position. If you have hold of the tail and a horse is threatening to kick then you can actually pull smoothly on the tail to weight that leg which will make it more difficult for a horse to kick out with it. Hope that makes sense and no need to hurry things-it takes time to build trust. Good luck :)

At 13:19:27 on 29.06.11, Angwh19 wrote:
Horses are natural flight animals and will kick out if they sense, but not see, what they suspect to be a predator. I understand your fear as I've been kicked by small foals (he got spooked by his own mum and kicked me in the thigh) to larger horses in my 36 years of riding!! My own horse has cataracts but knows me so well (I've owned him 5 years but have know him for nearly 20) he just stands there when I stand right behind him and bang his rump!! I am confident he will not kick me whether I'm brushing his tail or picking out his feet- I wouldn't expect this with a new horse.... :) You need to get to know your new horse inside and out- spend time grooming and try to have a helper with you if possible- their words of encouragement could help you overcome your fear!! Massage is a good way of learning about your horse and her sensitive spots- my veteran DWB loves massage all over except his face!! :) Do you pick out her hooves and how do you deal with the back feet if you're scared to approach the back end?? I would try the massage first (shown to me by a qualified massage therapist)- start at the top of the neck and use the heel of one hand in a circular motion and put your free hand on her wither follow this down to the wither- when you get to the back put your free hand on her rump and continue down to the bottom of her haunches- talk to her whilst you're doing this as it will boost your confidence and help her too!! Remember to do both sides and when you feel confident touch her tail and bring it towards you- all this will take time but hopefully you will have a calm relaxed horse and a calm relaxed you!! Bach Rescue Remedy is a good addition to your First Aid Kit- you can buy it at most chemists or health food shops- a few drops on the tongue before you approach your horse will help you feel much calmer and because it's all natural you can use it as often as you need to!! Photo is of me and Fred aka Flying Dutchman- March 2009 :)

At 14:18:56 on 29.06.11, Angwh19 wrote:
It won't let me post the photo :( So here is a link....
http://https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=481908095640

At 14:36:12 on 29.06.11, Dazzle wrote:
Fear is something that all riders go through and to acknowledge it and want to overcome it is very brave. Like Flicka I have a very healthy respect for the back end of horses. I know it sounds so easy to suggest working from the neck backwards but when its you standing there and your palms go all sweaty suddenly its not so easy. You obviously have a picture in your mind of being kicked and this is being played over and over again. Its this picture thats the trouble. Play this image in your mind, then place a huge red X through it and make stupid noise. Every time this fear comes, again big red X stupid noise. I do this all the time and it always make me laugh. Next time you brush your horse and it starts try it. OK you are not going to beat this in a day, week or a month but I bet very soon it stops being so big. Take your time there is no time scale to this and keep telling us how you are coping.

At 00:47:08 on 30.06.11, Oliver wrote:
I always teach my students to talk to and stroke their horses then stand as close as possible so that if the horse tries to kick then they will be only pushed away not hurt. On horses that they are unsure of, then I suggest that they stand beside their horse and feel the dock as they move behind it. If the horse is thinking of kicking it will clutch its tail into its backside You can feel the tension

At 08:04:14 on 30.06.11, HorseMadGirl wrote:
I'm a beginner rider and I ride a different horse at my school every week, I'm quite worried of being kicked because even though I groom them afterwards I don't spend quality time with them, I only spend a quarter of an hour grooming and half an hour riding with my teacher, there's one pony which I love called Sophie and I have quite a good bond with her but with the other ponies like Ria and Tiny, I'm scared of being kicked all the time

At 14:39:45 on 30.06.11, horselover4321 wrote:
Ive been kicked , twice , but my mom scared the horse the first time , and the second i had fallen and he kicked me simply by galloping away. But walking behind it shouldnt be a problem as long as they know your there, and most likey a horse wont kick just because someones by it.