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Re: [RC] Racetrack handling, biting horses - desertrydr1I think your reply is probably right on. I hung out with a trainer of Arab race horses for a while, whose horses had turnout in large paddocks except when they were at the track. They were also handled daily from birth. They had several stallions who were most of the time, just horses. All of their horses were well-behaved and sweet tempered. I went to visit another race barn, still Arabs, where the horses were kept in stalls most of the time. One particular line of horses, by one sire, always laid their ears back when I walked by. It was easy to pick out the babies from this sire by that one behavior. I have no doubt that they would bite if you didn't heed their warning.As far as John Henry, it seems obvious to me (only from reading about him--not the best source of info, obviously) that he was a very alpha horse, which is part of the whole drive to be first also. It seems that he may have not ever been introduced to the concept that all humans are alpha to all horses at an age when it would have done some good. Therefore, he treated humans as subservient, with all that entails, including disciplining them if they stepped out of line. Another thing that was briefly mentioned was territoriality. Put a horse in a stall 23/7 with a hig grain diet and not enough exercise, and he can become quite territorial. If someone invades his space, he may choose to deal with it by biting or kicking ie., the fight or flight response in this case leaves no alternative but fight. Same principal as a dog constantly kept on a chain, which any dog trainer will tell you is a good way to get a vicious dog. Once the horse is given the chance to inhabit a larger space, he may no longer feel the need to be territorial, because if someone comes too close he can leave rather than fight.
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