These signs often show up when a horse is unsure, anticipating, fixating, or doesn’t fully understand what’s being asked. The earlier you can recognize the subtle behaviors, the sooner you can address them, which helps to diffuse or prevent unwanted future dramatic responses. As I try to gently remind folks, the horse is always communicating, it is a matter of if the human is listening.
1.)
Tight or Braced Body Language
What it may look like:
- Stiff
neck
- Tight
jaw
- Rigid
back
- Braced
knees and hocks
- Inconsistent
breathing
- Little
or infrequent blinking or “shut down” expression
- Little
to no ear movement
What it means:
The horse’s physical behavior reflects his mental and emotional state. When
there is tense or braced posturing, the horse’s mind in not “with” his body. So,
if you are trying to “ask” something of him, he will give you little to no
response- usually followed by an explosive reaction if the human keeps adding
pressure as the horse is “ignoring” (he isn’t) them.
Now what:
Take one step back- literally. Practice visually scanning the whole horse. What
do you see? What IS he doing (one section of the body at a time,) and what can
you communicate that creates a, “Not that, but how about this?” specific,
redirecting of his thoughts and addressing the ROOT of the brace… Example: Many
horses are “heavy” in their jaw, neck, and shoulders, without people realizing
the resistance starts in the horse’s locked hocks- the outcome is the heaviness
in his front end.
2.)
Avoiding Your Request
What it may look like:
- Leaning
on the lead rope or rein
- Surging
forward, short/chaotic steps
- Pushing
against hand, leg, or seat aids
- Rocking
back before stepping forward
- Starting
forward steps by drifting the hindquarters
- Looking
opposite from where the horse is moving
What it means:
Their defensive responses reflect holes in the communication and unaddressed
concerns in the equine. It isn’t about “obedience”- but instead, one needs to
break down how they communicate something (i.e. look, step, change energy,
halt, etc.) and then assess in real time how the horse responds to the cue.
Nine out of 10 horses I meet are defensive toward spatial and physical pressure
used to communicate on a daily basis. Just because a horse is “trained,” or is
older, or has done something “many times” does not mean he is okay with it.
Instructional tip:
Break your request into smaller steps. Learn to recognize the horse’s default
patterns when mentally fleeing and physically resistant. Practice improving the
small segments before putting them together in a larger request. If you have
“options” in how you can influence the horse’s mind and movement- you can use
similar communication in a variety of scenarios – which is why I say leading,
going through a gate, lining up for the mounting block, and trailer loading are
all the SAME – they use the same “ingredients” to create different outcomes.
3.)
Reactive When the Routine Changes
What it looks like:
- Tension
when you change a pattern of interaction (catching, grooming, groundwork,
where you mount/dismount, etc.)
- Increased
energy
- Fixation
- Calling
out to nearby horses
- Emotional
“spillover” when asked something new
What it means:
Humans have justified creating patterns in horse interactions for as a manner
of convenience to the person. It can allow for things to be “fine” because of
the repetitiveness. The reality is, the more patterned the horse becomes- the
less adaptable for any change, whether it be someone different handling/riding,
unfamiliar scenarios, unexpected things moving (i.e. the blanket suddenly
hanging on the arena wall,) and many “small” changes can trigger the totally
compliant horse to become highly defensive and dramatic. When the pattern
changes, defensiveness appears because they have not learned the skills to
adapt which triggers fearful behavior.
Observational tip:
How, what, why, where, when do you do ANTHING with the horse… starting even
when you halter- do you ever change things up? What happens if you do something
minor, such as head out to the stall/pasture with the halter, and don’t catch
the horse?
Perspective:
The horse is doing the best he can with the information
you’ve given him. If the equine is easily triggered by any sort of change-
there are holes in his education- despite him complying in the routines you’ve
created. The kindest thing you can do is educate the horse to be adaptable-
this is literally a life saving skill for whatever he encounters in the future-
people, scenarios, different owners, etc.
4.)
Defensive Around Other Horses
What it can like:
- Ear
pinning
- Biting
at the Air
- Head
shaking
- Stomping
- Kicking
at the air
- Teeth
Grinding
- Charging
- Tail
Swishing
- Pushing
at/walking into the handler
- Fixating
on another horse’s movement
- Being
hyperalert
What it means:
This is often rooted in individual and herd insecurity. Aggressive behavior is
a sign of defensiveness. The most socially dysfunctional horses tend to be
aggressive. Keep in mind many humans created herds are NOT balanced nor are
they calm. Despite perhaps acres of space, it does not mean a horse will
automatically thrive in a herd. A variety of factors influence how the horse
functions in the herd, which affects his behavior when handled or ridden near
other horses.
Awareness tip:
Feed routines/locations, diet imbalances, sleep deprivation, human
interactions, pain/physio issues, previous training, all influence how a horse
functions in a herd, as well as the degree of “functionality” of the other herd
members.
Observe:
Every aspect of the aforementioned influences another, there
isn’t just “one” solution. In all the socially dysfunctional horses that have
arrived over the years, I consistently see changes in the herd dynamics as
their re-education or rehabilitation evolves. Most horses are on a diet of
convenience vs one that is appropriate for the individual equine. Why are you
feeding what you are? Do you ever see the horse sleeping or indications on his
coat that he has slept? What behaviors do you see at feeding times- is the
horse in a reactive state, how does he chew, is there chaos in the herd?
Experiment:
As you start to make small changes, it will take a little
time for adapting- don’t expect sudden improvements immediately.
