Horse people-----i need help

Chewbecca, I think we have our answer, its not as we thought.
 
Thanks Danehaven and Mollywoo, the sites were interesting reading.  Thanks Hunterwayit, your way seems to be the most kindest way. 

One thing to remember is to get after him IMMEADIEATLY.  If you wait it is pointless.  Just the same as with any animal.  If you are going to use the crop (which in a way is a good idea...be the alpha mare in the herd)  work on him slowly.  It may take lots of time to break him of these vices.  Or he could catch on right away. 
 
My recommendation would be to let someone more expieranced handle him until he is a little better behaved.  And if I were in your shoes I would only work with him with said expieranced person with me.  Like animals we to have behavious that need to be corrected.  What are you doing when he kicks, rears, etc?
 
When he does it think about it.  If you're brushing him are your brushes too hard?  Try a softer brush next time.
When approaching him, did you startle him? 
Picking up his feet?  Is he off on another foot thus uncomfortable standing on it?
Or harnessing, could something be pinching or 'biting' him? Ill fitting?  Make sure everything is okay, and not rubbing/chafing etc.
 
Just some thoughts []  Sometimes their actions are not always just a 'bad' thing.  Sometimes it's a reaction to something we have done to them []
 
But good luck.  Maybe try some Parelli or other Natual Horsemanship with him.  I've seen it work wonders! []

Another thing to rememeber is that he may not be acting "evil" toward you.
A hind end response is usually out of fear (possibly intimidation as well)
If he come at you with the front end then you really have to worry.
Hind end means "kick and run so I don't die."
Front end *teeth feet etc* means "bite kick stomp whatever so YOU DIE"  []
 
Now I could be exaggerating a tad, but yes a horse that attacks you with the front usually means it.

So, it's totally acceptable and most likely needed, to whip the snot out of a horse when they act up?

 
Well..."whip the snot" would not be a term I would use. More like a good whack. They are big animals...and cannot be messed around with. And no...we always use the method, "praise over punishment"...but when a horse goes to the extreme's of trying to kick you...immediate action needs to be taken.

I must say that I am appauled with some of the responses on here.  I have had horses my entire life and yes, they can be very dangerous.  That is why it is important to have MUTUAL respect.  Hitting does not help any kind of relationship...it only instills fear in the horse.  Horses can and will fight back if they choose and I have seen it happen.  I personally recommend looking into Monty Roberts or Pat Parelli(spelling?) type training.  I have seen many more success stories with that.  I am not saying to never correct the horse, but not to hit it.  Kicking is unacceptable, and you need to show who is in charge, but hitting with not accomplish that.  Please look more into building a relationship with this animal rather than having it obey out of fear.  Put it this way.  If this were a huge Mastiff, would you hit it each time it growled at you?  No, because if it wanted to, it could kill you. Its the same with the horse.  There needs to be respect FOR the horse as well as from the horse.

I knew they could kick and that it could do SERIOUS damage, but wow, they bite, too???

Yes, indeedy.

It's so weird that we would (well, MOST of us, anyway) never dream of smacking our dogs with anything, but people use that method to train a horse. I didn't know that.

So, it's totally acceptable and most likely needed, to whip the snot out of a horse when they act up?
I never would have thought about it before.

I'm going to either get a migraine or have a stroke over the thought that folks think it's perfectly okay - morally & logically - to beat a horse.  It is NOT okay to beat animals, including large powerful animals such as horses.
 
There are many resources available to help with all areas of horse training...even with behaviors erceived by us to be negative, unsafe, rude, mean or aggressive...that surprise, surprise do not inlcude beating.
 
It is my firm belief that it is better (& much more rewarding) to build a cooperative relationship with animals versus one built on brute-forcing our human will upon.

Do not walk away from him when he goes to kick. Smack him with a whip or a lead rope. The alpha horse in the herd would kick the other horses if they tried it with them. You are letting him win when he tried to kick you by walking away from him.  I have wored with horses for 3 years, at a boarding barn with 40+ horses at any given time. I havent been seriously hurt. becuase I do not hesiate to smack one. Also if anything get a nose shank to put around his halter if he is ad for walking, you will have amazing control. You have to gain his respect.
Do you know how old he was when he was gelded?

Please do not smack him with a crop. Having been around horses my entire life (and being an equine science major in college), this will only make the horse more aggressive because he will feel that he needs to stand up for himself.  Crops aren't a bad thing to have, but don't use them aggressively. Consider learning to longe the little guy (longe line +longe whip). It takes a while to get used to, but it certainly hepls to create a bond with the horse. Have you considered calling a trainer or reading up on natural horsemanship (Pat Parelli comes to mind as one of the most popular natural horsemanship teachers, and Monty Roberts). Also, even though the horse might be used to it, tying up a horse 24/7 (if I understood the first post correctly) can also be potentially dangerous (tangling legs/ his neck in the rope). Letting him run free  in the turnout paddock might even calm him down a little after a week or so. Good luck.

Angel, *please* do not take this the wrong way, but if you are afraid of this horse, you should NOT be the one working with him IMHO--at least not until you get this kicking thing under control.  He is going to sense that you are intimidated, and it is likely going to end with you more frightened and him more convinced that you are there to be pushed around.

Doing research on training methods (just keep in mind--different horses different methods) is fine, but if you are afraid of the horse (which you have every right to be--kicking is extremely dangorous), you have no business attenpting to apply these methods.

My advice would be this: *puts on flame suit* if you cannot find someone to help you successfully deal with this kicking issue, you may well want to consider finding the horse a home where someone can either effectively deal with this problem, or does not care about him trying to kick.  Otherwise you are just putting your kids at risk for being kicked and the situation could possibly cause them to fear horses, and that would be sad.  I'm not saying you can't make it work, I'm just saying that surely no sensible person would fault you if you decided that this little guy may not be the *best* choice for your family's first horse.

I again will say that I really don't like the idea of beating on any animal.
 
and, I'd still really like to know how big he is?  I can see the picture, but that doesn't tell me how TALL he is....just that he's a little porker......

when I asked my question, I was being serious. Not that I meant that you have to CONSTANTLY smack the horse around, but I am that clueless that I didn't know if whipping the horse every now and then was the actual way to train horses.
And I did find it weird that people would just so openly say, "buy this and smack him everytime he does this or that", but I was willing to accept an answer of "you don't understand, this is HOW you train horses" because I honestly didn't know any better.

I was 12 when my parents finally gave in to 10 plus years of begging and got me my own horse.  He was a "used" horse, and a bit stubborn, but it never occured to me to hit him with anything.....I just won him over with my stunning personality![8|]  So this is all new to me as well....the whipping, hitting attitude.  Maybe it IS the way to train a horse, but it isn't a way that I personally would use.

I would like to just make myself clear.  When I said be the alpha mare I didn't mean when he kicks go and get a crop and beat the snot out of him with it.
In their normal life with other horses around if he kicked he would be 'yelled' at via squeael or whatnot and there is a good chance he would get the boot back.  Like I said I DON'T mean to go and get a crop and then beat him up.
I mean give him a quick smack with your hand more of a surprise/shock then a painful expierance...
And not inthe face.  You never want to make them head shy. 
 
Glanmar a mini is usually anywhere up to about 10 hh (40 in) at the withers.  Unlike a pony they look just like a miniature horse as opposed to a pony who can sometimes be unproportioned []
 
In all my years working with horses I think I have seen mini's misbehaving the most.   IMO the problem lies where the owners don't usually discapline mini's because they're so "cute" and far easier to handle even when they act like a terror.  If the 400 lb mini was a 700lb pony it would mean disaster let alone a 1000 lb horse

ORIGINAL: purple chaps

When I said be the alpha mare I didn't mean when he kicks go and get a crop and beat the snot out of him with it.

 
Sure you did.  Don't act like a horse, act like a human and use your wits and compassion to win over the little fellow.  No need to bruise.
 
Glenmar, Great Dane size.  Mine 35-37 inches.

Actually no, I didn't.  And please don't try to assume you know what I am thinking.
I will admit that yes I have hit a horse before.  Hard.  Was it deserved....yes.  When you have 1200lbs coming at you with the front end you are going to make sure they go the other way.  This horse had come to our place with no manners.  I didn't hit him with a crop.  I got him with a cotton lead.  It was enough to make him turn around and not plow me over, or stomp on me.  I was mearly bringing him hay. 
 
But like I had suggested in my first post.  She needs to try to understand WHY he is doing what he's doing. 
Evaluate the situation.  Was it something SHE was doing  that caused him to kick (or threaten to kick)
And the other suggestion I had in my first post was to turn to Natural horsemanship (ie. Parelli)
 
 
I will agree with you that there is no sense in beating any animal.  But a quick flick of a lead is hardly that.