Stall Kicking - Why Does a Horse Kick?

Kicking is Communication

• It’s accepted “horse language” in the herd that a kick communicates territory, food protection, hierarchy, etc. by kicking.

• The primary problem with a kicking horse is the risk of injury. A horse kick directed at you, another horse, or an object or wall can lead to serious injuries.

• A well-placed horse kick to your chest can trigger cardiac arrest and, in any location, can break bones and leave extensive soft tissue damage if you are on the receiving end. Horses can injure themselves, often resulting in broken bones, with a strike to a stall wall or stable doors. Your barn’s construction will also suffer. In a pasture situation, horse kick injuries can range from a minor scratch to broken bones, deep wounds, and traumatic soft tissue injuries.

• Whatever takes the brunt of the blow is at risk, but so is your horse.

How strong is a kick from a horse?

• Depending on how much oomph a horse can gather, a kick can wallop a punch of 2,000 lbs per square inch. That’s one ton! And this force can go behind or to the side. If you can’t be far enough away, the safest place to be is close to them. A shorter distance means a less powerful punch.

That’s a whole lotta damage.

Reasons Your Horse Kicks

Many horses kick for a variety of reasons in many different situations. A horse may kick because:

They are playing.

• It’s not uncommon for horses to frolic around and kick out while playing. Like kids and puppies, exuberant horses move for the sake of moving, and kicking is part of that expression.

• It’s unfair to modify this behavior unless your exuberant horse kicks while being turned out. Then, it becomes a safety issue, and you need to use positive reinforcement to teach them to wait.

There’s a threat.

• Horses and ponies have an instinct to flee danger, but sometimes that option isn’t available, so they must fight. Kicks and strikes are the best way for a horse to combat danger when running away fails.

• Unfortunately, as careful as we are, we sometimes scare our horses into kicking, and it’s usually when they are trapped in a stall, cross-ties, or other area without an escape route.

They have discomfort.

• It’s important to clarify that kicking as a response to pain doesn’t exclude minor inconveniences or the possibility of pain.

• A horse that dislikes a stiff grooming brush will likely object in many ways and may kick out as a defensive act or a warning to stop using that brush.

• When ulcers or kissing spines affect a horse, they often experience discomfort with the saddle and girth. As horses learn that tack equals pain, they may lash out in anticipation of the pain, even if fully healed and recovered.

Horses are not being jerks; they are telling you something is wrong.  And that you may be that wrong thing. 

Colic.

• Belly kicking is a classic sign of equine colic, though not all horses with colic will belly kick. Horses with severely itchy bellies may also kick for relief.

• If you notice your horse kicking their belly, use a stethoscope to check for gut sounds to report to your vet. There’s no need to voluntarily enter the kick zone to check gut gurgles.

They are frustrated.

• Horses can get frustrated and kick or strike to vent their irks. Frustration kicks may also look like pawing, telling us we are too slow at feeding or turnout. You may see this body language when some horses are separated from their herd or loaded on a trailer.

Something is invading their boundaries.

• Some horses want to crawl under the horse’s tail in front of them during trail rides or stand too close to another horse while eating. Some recipients of this personal space invasion kick as a warning to their tormentors.

• You may see this behavior as horses interact or when riding and other horses in the area come too close. An obvious red ribbon on the tail will alert fellow riders of the kicking behavior.

They are exerting dominance.

• Horses naturally follow a social structure in a herd setting that may also seep into their interactions when stabled next to other horses.

• Dominance is displayed at the most basic level when a horse can move and cause another to move. Body language and posturing, as well as nipping and kicking, communicate herd hierarchy.

There are annoying insects about.

• Biting flies are often annoying and painful, and some horses need kicking, running, stomping, and biting to escape them.

• Horses may also kick at a barn cat, dog, or other annoying creature.

This is the wood wall of a riding ring where a hoof made quite the impression. 

More on Herd dynamics – Mares, Foals, Stallions, Geldings

• A herd in the wild usually has one or two stallions, a larger group of mares, and young offspring. The stallions are there to procreate and will fight for the right to do so. Challenging stallions from other herds may try and steal the mares and youngsters.

• There is also an alpha mare, the matriarch of the group. They lead the herd. As the youngsters grow up, younger stallions will break off and form bachelor herds until they can join a group of mares.

• In a barn setting, there are endless possibilities of herd groupings. Usually, it’s mares together and geldings together, but plenty of mares and geldings do well together.

Why would a horse kick a horse?

• If you notice a horse kicking another, it’s likely out of frustration, intimidation, or defense. It may also be playful kicking!

• Like being a detective to find a horse’s discomfort, you must detective your way through your horse’s body language. Why is your horse kicking others? What type of kicking are you seeing?

Questions to ask when a horse kicks

Notice the fine details about behaviors you see. Do you see:

• Territory disputes in the barn. Does your horse object to their neighbor? Is the kicking only in response to protecting food?
• Are estrus cycles influencing behaviors? Sometimes, mares are sensitive to their environments due to their naturally occurring cycles and may enjoy a good kick.
• Does it sound comforting? Adding pads to the stall often stops a stall kicker who thrives on the sound of hooves meeting a building.
• The motion/action is comforting. Has kicking turned into a self-soothing act?
• Are you providing enough exercise and turnout?
• Is hunger an issue?
• Have we trained them to kick? Rewarding a kicker with a flake of hay as a distraction strengthens this behavior.

How to Address Stall Kicking

• Start with analyzing diet and exercise/turnout. Most folks agree that even though turnout is essential for stalled horses, the exercise portion must be adjusted to influence the kicking behavior.

• If kicking is an issue at feeding time, you must retrain the proper feeding behavior. Work towards having your horse stand with their head into a corner before they get food. This training takes time, and everyone at the barn needs to be involved. The best way to teach this is with positive reinforcement.

• Consider changing your horse’s neighbor, stall location, herd, or turnout paddock. It’s a good idea to manage their environment, diet, and exercise to alleviate the kicking.

• You can read more about destructive horses here. Many ideas may apply to your horse.

• First and foremost, we must try and protect your horse and the stall. You can read another article here on how to protect your stall.

The QuitKick can help you solve the kicking horse problem.

Protect Your Barn from a Kicker

• A lack of consistency is part of the problem with correcting inappropriate kicking in horses. Using a device like the QuitKick can quickly curtail a stall kicker. This device delivers a spray of water when a horse kicks, and you don’t have to be there to do anything. Most horses learn quickly that the box means “no kicking,” even if it’s not hooked up.

• You can also use floor mats hung from the walls to soften blows. These mats won’t do anything to curb the striking, but they will protect your barn.

• Kick chains are another option. These are a cuff attached to a short chain your horse wears around the pastern. When they kick, the chain stings them. These could cause more kicking or an injury, and most horses know it’s safe to kick when not wearing them.

Work on solving this problem with a trainer, your veterinarian, and different environmental management techniques. Horses that kick can break legs, tweak shoes, destroy barns, shred ligaments and tendons, cap their hocks, and have permanent joint damage from hoof to hip. Get your team of professionals involved, keep your eyes open, and work towards a solution.