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I periodically get “whoopsie” bites. It’s when I have already fed the horse a piece of carrot and they are gently checking my hand for more and the find my thumb instead. The body language is not malicious. But how do I get the horse to release faster? Right now I just stand there and pull on my thumb as they bite down harder and harder. It’s not a consistent thing but it can’t continue.

Alanna Tredbond
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2 Answers2

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The best strategy is to avoid any “whoopsie” bites before they happen. When horses eat from your hand they cannot see what it is they bite into, they can only feel the food with their lips. Unfortunately fingers and carrots have a very similar shape and probably feel similar enough to bite into them.

I was taught to hold my hand as flat as possible when feeding a horse and holding all fingers (including thumb) tightly together. That way my hand forms a flat "plate" on which the food lays and the horse can clearly feel whether the hand is empty or not. I only remember getting some nips, but no horse ever bit into any of my fingers.

Elmy
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With your free hand's thumb, move up inside the horse's gums until you get in behind the molars. Move your thumb into the gap and they will open their mouth. This also works if you're trying to get a bit into a horse's mouth and it refuses to open.

amergin
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