Always grouchy?

[Jackandmo]

It's known that like people, horses have different personalities.

Moe is a grouch. He is a healthy, loved, and well taken care of horse.

He started nipping and biting about a year ago (give or take) and has bitten me hard three times.

The first time he got me on the left arm in the elbow crease and left a really nasty fist sized bruise.
The second he bit me on the right forearm and months later, I still have issues with tenderness.
Yesterday, he got me on the back and I have a small bruise.

Looking back, I acknowledge that in his younger years, I babied him. I take full responsibility for his actions. Question is, how do I fix it?

When tacking him up, quite bluntly he's an asshole. Pins his ears (doesn't move around though) and will try to get me when I walk by him. He's fine in cross ties or chained to a wall.

The last two times I've bridled him he worked very hard to prevent that from happening - that boy sure does have a neck!!!
Teeth are fine.

Once under saddle, he's a DREAM. Easy to mount, responsive, near perfect manners. Has never offered to rear or buck, and is child safe. Excellent trail horse. WANTS to learn and eager to please.

He does get a little ill with other horses in the arena (pins his ears) but we're working on that and he's very easily corrected so it's not a real concern right now. A quick flinch of the wrist and/or stern voice brings him back to reality.

Moe has been primarily pasture boarded his entire life with a variety of horses and is also fine in a stall.

I just don't get it.

The ONLY thing I can think of that would make him upset during saddling is the fact that I have a heavy cutting saddle that I literally have to thrust on his back. I just don't have the strength to ease it up gently, and he's pretty tall. When cinching him up if I go slow, he gets angry but if I just do it fast he doesn't put up too much of a fight.

Input, advice, suggestions? I've never proclaimed to have vast horse behavior knowledge, but I'm hoping someone has experienced a similiar sort of horse/behavior.

[wstrngrl]

My first thought is to check him for ulcers. To be sure that riding isn't causing him pain. It's very possible that he acts out when you're getting ready; but is good natured enough to not do so while working.

Next thought, have you been punishing him, quickly and harshly for biting you? I hope so, otherwise you're basically teaching him that it's OK to do; which it's not.

Any horse that bites me gets a swift and hard whack to the mouth (or several if it's hard enough to leave a mark). Then go back to what you were doing like nothing happened.

Heck Sam pinned his ears at me the other day while I was cleaning his stall and I smacked him upside the head and told him in a very anger voice 'don't you even!'. He stepped back and gave a look like 'oh, shit, wasn't supposed to do that!'

[Jackandmo]

Yes, I immediately correct the behavior, and out of pure frustration yesterday probably went overboard
I smacked him hard a few times and then went on a verbal tirade for a few minutes about how naughty he was. He got the picture!!

I don't know much about ulcers, but in my research he really only has one of the signs (attitude change) but I can't really say that his attitude has changed. At this point, I don't suspect ulcers.

Moe was "just a horse" up until Aug/Sep when he began consistent training. I'm sure part of him is just voicing his displeasure as going from pet to partner.

When I mention that he tries to "get me" when walking by, I am refering only to biting. He has never offered to kick or strike out.

I love this horse with every fiber of my being. He is FABULOUS 98.5% of the time!!!

[Silly Filly]

I've always found the girls to be more bitchy than the boys. Knocking the crap out of him is good, or you could carry a nail and let him stick himself with it when he goes to bite. I did that with a spoiled pony once, when knocking the crap out of him didn't work. It worked great! If you, or anyone else, is hand feeding him treats, please stop. Give him his treats in his food bucket.

[Thunderstruck]

Some are just that way...Dylan is a super grouch by the end of the show season. A little turnout (if it will EVER dry out enough) always improves him some, but he's still a spoiled rotten nipper and NOT a "lovey dovey" horse. He's much worse when his back or hocks are bothering him so check into some of those things to make sure he isn't hurty somewhere.

[rubberduck]

It probably wouldn't hurt to get some blood drawn on him. That's the first thing we do when a horse seems off, cranky, and exhibits some kind odd behavioral change.

I had a horse that had been abused by grooms early on in his life and would ATTACK us if given the chance. He threw me across the stall less than six hours after bringing him home! We bought a wire muzzle to put on him when we worked on him, as he was just too dangerous. That and a buggy whip!
After a year or so of "tough love" we didn't have to use it anymore and officially retired "The Crabby" as we called it... I loved that horse, my dear Apollo. Teeth and all, he was my best friend.