Working around horses that bite can not only be annoying but very dangerous. Horses are large animals with powerful jaws. If you are not careful a horse can easily leave a scar, take a chunk of skin, muscle, or even remove a finger. Not all is lost if your horse does bite. There are ways to convince your horse that maybe biting is not a good idea!
First you must consider the age of your horse. Is he a young horse that is trying to play?.. In which case a firm consistent reminder will teach him over time that you are the boss, not a play thing. Or if you have an older horse that has learned through experience that he can get away with this negative behavior - a more assertive approach is needed.
Most horses will put their ears back and give a little nip when someone is doing up their girth. This is nothing to worry about, just be aware and try to stay out of the way. If someone is holding the horse for you, give them a heads up so they can move to a safe position or grab hold of the nose band to deter the horse from turning his head.
Usually a strong slap or fist to the mouth will stop a horse from biting. It is what horses naturally do to each other to assert dominance. Do not consider this abuse to your horse (unless you hit too hard) because your horse is much bigger than you and in order for both of you to be safe YOU need to be in control. Remember not to make a big deal of the situation, if you are walking or grooming at the time when your horse bites, just react with a good whack and carry on as if nothing happened.
If the biting is persisting, you might want to look deeper into other areas. Perhaps your horse is in pain. Have him checked for any back, hip or shoulder problems. Have a vet check your horses mouth for sharp pointed teeth or ulcers. You cannot get mad at your horse for biting if he is uncomfortable physically, that is the most direct way for him to tell you there is a problem.
If even after you have forked out the money to have a vet look your horse over and (he gets a clean bill of health) if the biting continues, I would recommend talking to a local trainer who you trust to give you her advise. Every horse is unique and sometimes you need to get to know the animal before you can figure out why it is he is biting and how best to change the behaviour.
