Why Does a Horse Bite?

Researchers have developed a list of reasons a horse might bite. Learn the causes and how to train a horse not to nip.
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Why Do Horses Bite?
Probably the most sustained horse-on-horse aggressions that include a lot of biting are the inter-male interactions. | Photo: iStock
Q: What causes a horse to bite?

A: Like most aggressions between horses, there are more bite threats than actual bites, because horses deftly learn to respond to each other’s subtle warnings. Generally horses at will, given enough space, will flee or avoid aggressions more serious than threats.

What we call bites can range from nips where the teeth are only slightly parted to grasp the victim to bites in which the teeth are widely parted and can result in both skin and crushing injuries when inflicted on a human. Reported injuries to people due to horse bites are less common than from dog bites and less common than other injuries from horses, such as kicks and falls.

Here’s a list by Dr. Bonnie Beaver (MS, DVM, PhD, DPNAP, Dipl

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Prior to attending veterinary school, Dr. Nancy Diehl completed a master’s degree in animal science while studying stallion sexual behavior. Later, she completed a residency in large animal internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center and worked in equine practices in Missouri and Pennsylvania. Diehl also spent six years on faculty at Penn State, where she taught equine science and behavior courses and advised graduate students completing equine behavior research. Additionally, Diehl has co-authored scientific papers on stallion behavior, early intensive handling of foals, and feral horse contraception. Currently she is a practicing veterinarian in central Pennsylvania.

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