Kicks are serious business. They can be disfiguring, disabling and even fatal. The intent of this feature is not to make you terrified horses, but make you aware that nearly all kicks are preventable. and to offer some advice on how to handle your horse safely!
Kicks can generally be classified in two ways, the rear kick and the "cow kick." The rear kick is self evident. The cow kick is a strike forward with the hind leg. If you are behind the horse you could receive a rear kick. If you were standing alongside him at the rib cage, you could receive a cow kick.
There are six primary reasons a horse will kick. Understanding what they are will help you assess your situation and take appropriate precautions.
Playful Kicks
Horses will often play "Tag, you're it" with a nip or the flash of a hoof while running past a playmate. Since horses have good side vision, they usually dodge the kick and chase the mock aggressor or wheel their quarters around in response. Humans, who do not enjoy lateral vision and inattentive horses tend to get kicked.
Part of the problem stems from the fact that the flick of the foot is an attention getting gesture, "Wake up! Let's play!" Thus if you are daydreaming while your horse is playing, you could actually invite such an approach. If you are in an area with playful horses you must stay alert and wave them off if they approach to "buzz" you!
Exuberance Kicks
The exuberant horse may kick out in excitement when first released into a play area (e.g. being turned out for exercise) and accidentally catch the person who has just released him. A horse which has never displayed this behavior might do so when turned out with other horses or when something is present which excites him. It's a good idea to back an excited horse down the lead rope a couple of times, and have him facing you when you undo the head collar, then hold the horse in place with the lead rope around the neck until you take a couple of steps back.
Fearful Kicks
A fearful kicker is like a fear-biting dog. He feels threatened and trapped and is acting in self defence. Freshly captured feral horses and previously abused horses can offer a fear kick if they are not handled correctly.
Any frightened horse will appear tense, its tails clamped against its buttocks, head high, eyes wide open and sometimes nostrils flared. In such circumstances you should be careful not to pressure the horse into a flight or fight decision, especially if it is cornered or secured and cannot flee. It is better to yield some space, go
back one or two steps, adopt an exaggeratedly relaxed posture and speak gently until the horse relaxes a little before approaching again. An effective alternative to triggering a showdown is to work the horse on a lunge rein to reduce his stress and establish some control - in that way you can get yourself out of a tough spot but still remain the leader.
Disrespectful Kicks
The disrespectful kicker will turn his quarters toward you and flash you the bottom of his hoof.This behaviour seldom involves actual contact, however you can be accidentally struck and unchecked disrespect often leads to more aggressive behavior as the horse starts to believe he is the more dominant of the two of you.
You need to deal with the situation with an immediate aggressive response. This horse typically kicks and runs. So pursue him from a safe distance making it clear in no uncertain terms that you are angry with his display and then make him work. If on a lunge rein or in a schooling area, quickly send him out and make him yield several times (as an offended dominant horse would), but at the same time anticipate his asking forgiveness by his looking in towards you with a more submissive posture and expression. At that point you should become immediately relaxed, let him come in and positively reinforce his decision to behave himself just as you "negatively reinforced" his infraction.
Aggressive Kicks
An aggressive kicker can be particularly dangerous, although more predictable than a playful kicker. The aggressive horse is likely to confront you rather than make a sneak attack. He'll wheel his quarters around and come straight at you. If you suspect a horse is aggressive you need protective equipment and you have to know what you are doing. If you have any doubts at all about your ability to deal with an aggressive horse you should get help from someone experienced.
Only confront an aggressive kicker in a controlled environment where there is space to send the horse away from you. Make sure you are wearing a hard hat or helmet and have a long rope. As soon as you see the horse prepare to kick, go after him aggressively twirling the rope at his hindquarters. The aim is to make him uncertain about his aggression and decide to leave. Do not pursue him.
Horses who have got away with aggressive behaviour will often try a couple of times to see if they can intimidate you. You not only have to hold your ground, but take some of their territory each time they try you out. Don't try to prolong the tension and always give the horse a clear escape route.
The instant he shows that he is willing to be submissive, back off and let him rest. Unlike the disrespectful horse who is encouraged to come in right away and be friends when he shows good behavior, you need to keep the aggressive horse at a respectful distance for a few sessions until he can demonstrate that he can keep his aggressive tendencies in check. Only then is it time to extend some trust and attempt to make friends.
Nuisance Kicker
Incidental accidents occur with nuisance kickers. These horses cow kick when they are irritated, typically by flies, but they can also cow kick when they are irritated by someone's touch. Cow kicks don't sound dangerous, but they can take the form of sharp blows although many are little more than very uncomfortable "brush-offs."
Horses which are poorly groomed, fly infested or have dirty udders or sheaths may be uncomfortable and kick at their underbelly. When a horse is displaying this type of behaviour, try to identify and resolve the nuisance which is causing the cow kicks, bearing in mind that the horse is likely to bring a leg forward as you work on him.
Horses, similarly, can kick backwards at nuisances which could be nothing more than irritating sweat running down their legs. Again, observing the horse for a short while before handling him may reveal what ithe problem is.
To be safe, before handling a nuisance kicker try to keep the horse standing square and if he is overly fidgety, get someone to hold his near side front leg up so that the horse can't cow kick on that same side. (Please note that some horses can cow kick on the opposite diagonal, so you need to be on the same side as the lifted foreleg.) If the horse insists on putting his front leg down, you should stay clear of the "kicking arc" when working near his belly or rib cage.
General Hints:
Don't surprise the horse. Let him know where you are at all times. Stay alert to unusual movements or weight shifts. Don't let yourself get placed between the hind end of any unproven horse and a solid object such as a wall or fence. Children have been seriously hurt by horses who have never kicked before when they have been playing in or have run up into the horse's blind spot, startling him.
When grooming around the hind quarters, stay close to the horse on either side. It's safer to be shoved than kicked. If you sense the horse is going to kick, you can push away and at the same time move him away from you. Don't linger directly behind a horse. When picking up feet, notice the "arc path" of the foot and make sure you don't put your leg or feet in line for a kick or stomp if the horse takes his foot back.
With unproven horses, pay attention not only to the horse but to things going on around you. Don't get uptight about it as that may serve to unnerve the horse, but be aware and if external things start to happen that you can't control and that appear to upset the horse, back off until things subside and you can make a safe approach.
