Why do horses kick?

In the past, I might have said – WHO CARES why they kick?! Just stay out of the way of the flying hoof!  (Easier said than done, by the way!)

But now that I spend as much time around horses as I do, it’s absolutely essential to be aware of the reasons horses kick, and try to limit those reasons when they are within reach of a human :)

Ask my friend Becky, she is well-aquainted with one of the reasons… an annoyed horse due to improper past training and while Becky was attempting to retrain a behavior… you fill in the blank…

Boo!!!  :( :( :( :( :(

Check out another fantastic article from equisearch.com outlining these 6 reasons horses kick:

1.  They feel threatened.
2.  They feel great and are playing!
3.  They are in pain.
4.  They are frustrated and annoyed.
5.  They are clearly saying to “back off.”
6.  They are establishing their dominance. (ok in a herd setting, NOT OK if it’s directed at a human!)

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

Be more aware, especially around a known “kicker!”  But remember, even the most experienced horse-people can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Sometimes, it just happens.