TRD.. You are not the first person since we got him to tell us we should let him go "duke" it out with the other horses. I don't have the heart to do that to him, I'm too afraid he would get hurt badly or hurt another horse. I remember when years ago he ripped his nose open fighting another gelding over a fence. Since being here a month ago he's had a few leg scratches from trying to kick thru the fence at the horses in the next pasture. Just last week he and another gelding were fighting over the fence and broke the top boards off two sections.

Susan.. What you said does make a lot of sense. Just a side note when he was acting this way he was no longer tied we were done grooming him. When we have him either under saddle or in hand (or tied, cross tied etc) he's a doll baby, and is great with other horses in that setting.

AnyJackie... What you mentioned about being protective or possesive over my duaghter is most likely a big factor in it. Yesterday he was in his stall and saw her grooming a schoolie so she could still take her lesson and he started to whiney, bobbing his head all around out his window then when she was out of site he calmed right back down.

Okay.. also there are no new horses any where in the barn. He is food protective, he'll try to crowd who ever is feeding but just throwing a hand up and yelling back has him give you space. Both the BO/trainer and her husband have mentioned his a total spaz at feeding time, from talking to our friends that owned him before they too said he's always been a spaz at feeding time.

I will be taking a trip out to the barn tomorrow even though I hadn't planned on it, as my daughter wants to check his foot so I'll talk to BO/trainer at that time. I really hope this is just because he's not feeling well so being overly defensive. If this is going to be a habit that continues he's gonna have to get it corrected. My daughter was really scared of the way he was acting.