#horsebehavior

Horses can read a lot of body language but can we read theirs?

 Many horse owners can’t see the specific signals of a horse in pain. Are you a horse ‘whisperer’? I'm definitely not because horses can't speak. Do not give commands all the time and do not think what a horse should do. You have to look and observe a horse to know what’s on his mind.

Horses are beautiful animals whose survival depends on their ability to flee from predators. When a horse is weak, injured or not able to run, the predator will notice. That’s why horses hide their pain signals. On one hand, some signals are vague and hard to notice but, on the other hand, there are many behavioural signs such as lameness, lethargy or aggression that you cannot ignore. Some horse owners even think that aggression is always a form of bad behaviour and not a sign of pain. I believe it's important to know your horse. Instead of spending hours on which colour of blanket he should wear, sit back, relax and watch your horse! You have to know its normal behaviour so normal actions can be distinguished from abnormal actions.

Horses vary in their tolerance of pain. There are also racial differences, for example with the Friesian breed. These horses are unique and show almost no pain signals. Horses’ heart rate can change as a result of stress and pain. As a vet, it is important to keep in mind that sedation affects the heart rate. So, you have to check the pain signals before further examinations with sedation.

If you've spent even five minutes with me, talking horses, you have heard me talk about the "Black and White, NEVER Gray" way of being with horses.

I know it seems almost cruel to not have a "sometimes" clause in your horse/human partnership, but believe me, horses (animals in general) do NOT understand "sometimes"!!! If you won't think having them shove you with their head, to push you around, is cute ALL of the time, then it should NEVER be ok, or excused.

Here is an example of how easy it is to create a gray and I believe you'll see the obvious progression of what that can turn into.

When Teddy first arrived, he thought his food bucket was the most important thing in the world. If you were taking off his halter or just not clear of his path, Teddy was going for his bucket even if it meant pushing you out of his way or seeming to try to just go up and over you.

Well, that is completely unacceptable!!! Not only is it disrespectful, IT IS DANGEROUS!

So how do you fix this with an already 16 hand yearling?

So, I send Teddy into his stall and wait for him to turn and face me. (I have a rule that my horses' stalls are their personal space. I do not go into their stalls to halter or unhalter them. I expect to be greeted at the door and said goodbye to, at the door.) Once Teddy has turned around and faced me, I immediately place my left hand on the nose, basically on the nose piece of his halter. I then ask him to back up two steps, then I will remove his halter, immediately placing my hand back on his nose. This indicates to him that we are not done with this process. I then wait on him... if he is leaning into my hand, with impatience and anticipation of getting to his food, I hold steady. When he gives to my pressure, accepts that he is just not going there yet... that's when I release. This teaches him that he is expected to listen to me, right up until I release him and say it's ok to go to his bucket.

Now, if I were to miss any step in that training process, I would create gray. The gray, in this case, could potentially encourage him to just push harder, if he is not asked to back up "two" steps, he might try to push past at one. If you give in, then next time he might not even step back at all and is already on top of you, in a control position. If I release before he gives, in acceptance, then the next time he might feel encouraged to push harder, be stronger or bigger than me. Dominance is not just aggression, in fact, most dominance games are played just like this. It looks like ridiculous strict obedience training, but trust me, without the gray, taught consistently, your horse will walk into the stall, turn face, back and wait!

I am wondering if people really know how to read horses at all. Can you tell the difference between a horse reacting in fear verses a horse acting out in disobedience?

The other day I watched a young lady riding a horse who, obvious to me, had issues with change. There were some real changes made recently to the area where the horse was being ridden. This horse was clearly feeling some fear about this change. Even my horses wanted to look, digest and be allowed to get over the change.

This horse's fear and anxiety built with each pass of this area, to the point of an explosion. The horse bucked... Now, horses buck for two reasons, well three, if you count just feeling good in turnout. One reason is fear, it's a knee-jerk reaction to fear and feeling trapped or without escape. The second reason horses buck is from pain. OK, this horse was not likely in pain, it was his fear of the change that cause this animal to buck.

Riders don't see....or feel the signs and just walk right into trouble. The first time this horse shied, cocked an ear, tilted his head, bowed his body out from the area, the rider should have brought attention to the situation, not just push him to "deal" with it. Horses don't just deal with things and when gone unaddressed their anxiety builds, especially when they don't know or trust the rider.

What do you think the reaction was? The horse bucked and the rider started hitting the horses with a crop. She "got after" him. So, am I the only one that sees this as a bad thing? The horse is scared so we get mad at him. I'm glad my horses live in a much more understanding and tolerant world than that.

The next thing that was done, was some of the objects were moved, assuming, now, the fear was recognized. Instead of dealing with it, they just moved stuff.... avoidaholic behavior.

Now, this horse was afraid, was beat for being afraid and still never digested that there is NO danger. The rider, supposed leader, has made the horse WRONG for being afraid, proceeding to damage any trust the horse might have had in the human. Then wanted to jump the horse right where the issue was. Does anyone else see a potential accident waiting to happen?

When we think of training our horses, we think of a carefully planned out session. We think of getting out equipment and tools of the trade, to have a formal “training session’. What we don't think of is how undesired daily behaviors are “taught”. For example: pushiness, running you over at the gate or stall entrance, ripping their own head out of the halter before you even get to freeing the first ear. How about the prancing or jigging horse? How about the starving, can’t walk another step without becoming a lawn dart? You know, that horse who dives for the golden blade of grass and no amount of tug-o-war strength can free his mouth from the ground?

Did you know that by just “dealing” with your horse, and not guiding him to be more respectful, you are indeed “teaching” him that those undesired, annoying and even dangerous behaviors are acceptable. By allowing your horse to drag you around while you hand graze him, you are teaching him that THAT is perfectly fine behavior. When you allow your horse to jig and prance beside you, as you escort him to and from places, you are “teaching” him that THAT is how he is supposed to dance between places. When you allow your horse to rip his head out of the halter, before you are even near done freeing his ears, you are “teaching” him that you NEED his help removing the halter. When you don't demand your horse stand politely at a gate or stall entrance to be haltered and then given the password, you “teach” him that it is perfectly acceptable to run you over like a freight train. When you accept that your horse cannot pass that perfect patch of grass without yanking your arm out of the socket, you “teach” him that he doesn't have to “ask” your permission to stop.

Now, if your horse lives in your backyard, and you never plan to go away or fall ill, where you would ever need the help from another person, then perhaps it is just fine that your horse has been taught to not have respect. However, if your horse lives in a boarding facility or you are the world traveler, planning to enlist the assistance of others to care for and “handle” your horse, you might want to consider this… First and foremost, your horse’s lack of education is not only disrespectful, it can most certainly be dangerous. YOU might know that your horse will yank his head from you when you try to remove his halter and already be in a dead run before it slips off his nose, but what about the young helper at the farm? YOU might know your horse charges through gates and stall doors, but what about the young horseman just looking to lend a hand at the farm? YOU might expect a little nibble if your horse thinks you have a treat, but what about the person just standing outside your stall door not aware that they need to “beware”?

After dealing with behavior issues in horses, I have discovered many can be resolved by a saddle alteration.

Many of us think a good saddle fits us, therefore should fit our horse. Ummm, that is so not the case. So many behavioral issues can be linked to an ill fitting saddle. AND because the behavior is displayed BEFORE the saddling, we don't make the connection.

Take a minute and see things from the horses point of view... they learn by patterns, what happens BEFORE what happens, happens. So.... if you always groom at the same cross-tie or brush ONLY to ride, your horse will start to object to your interaction at this point in the saddling process. Their anticipation of the PAIN associated with what happens next.... a bad saddle being strapped on and putting pressure on shoulder scapulas, points of the ribs, or even point of hip pressure, will usually result in biting, tail swishing, pinned ears and even cow kicking during grooming and tacking. We write this off as bad manners, "Oh he's just cranky" ....etc. Your horse is trying to tell you something!!!!

I strongly suggest everyone have a saddle fitter look at the FIT of your saddle and how it sits on your horse. If you have a horse undergoing physical changes, growth, weight gain or weight loss, you might find a once well fitting saddle is no longer good for him/her at all. There is good news, though, most saddles can be altered to FIT your horse, therefore you don't have to buy anything new. I think some people believe they should have their saddle fitted but fear being told they need to buy something else. They would rather NOT KNOW than be told they are hurting their horse which MIGHT mean a big investment to fix.

Ever wonder why your horse only comes part of the way to the gate? Ever believe they WANT to come, but their feet seem to just get stuck about 10 feet from the gate? Ever get clipped on and feel your horse try to rush out of the gate? Ever get bumped out of the way or even stepped on? Where is the herd when you try to take out your horse? Where does your horse rank in the pecking order latter?

Please get your horses out of the field or paddock with herd dynamics in mind. When horses want to come in and crowd the gate.... the dominant or "leader" owns that gate. Others can show bravery to stand strong there too, but truly ONE owns the gate. If that one is NOT your horse, you have to recognize the respect having to be shown by your horse to the leader. When the leader guards the gate, he/she can be quite aggressive to any lower members looking to encroach.

When we go out to get our horses, we have one thing in mind... to "get" our horse. We don't recognize that our horse is not making it all the way to the gate out respect for the leader not as disrespect to us. Then after we reluctantly lock the gate behind us, walk up to our horse to clip on, we don't recognize "fear" in their eyes.

See, you are now telling the low man, they have to walk through a tough gang of mean bullies and to "suck it up". Well, this is not only hard for the horse to do, they get VERY scared. So as soon as you open the gate, they bolt out, bumping into you, or even knocking you over. Your horse isn't doing this to disrespect you, but to get out of the way of being bit or kicked.

It is your job and the leader of "your" herd of two, to now protect your horse. Recognize who is the owner of the gate, the next in command and so on, so that you can be prepared to defend your herd member. If you show your horse that you take your job seriously to protect him/her from the bullies, he/she can and will start to feel safe enough to walk quietly through the gate. If, however, you just clip on, drag your horse through the angry mob, not noticing the nipping and aggression towards him/her, your horse will likely go into self preservation mode and do whatever it takes to get through that gate untouched. If that means bumping into you, stepping on your foot or even knocking you down, that is what they will do.