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If you've been riding for a while, you've likely experienced a horse becoming frightened or startled. Sometimes, it can be due to something entirely ordinary and almost ‘silly’ that scares them. It could be a chair that isn’t where it usually is, or a puddle that has suddenly appeared in the riding arena. Because of this, research has explored possible methods to help a horse that is easily scared become more relaxed.
Also read: Foal training tips – How to get a good start
By nature, horses are flight animals. This means that when they feel exposed or perceive a situation as dangerous, they typically react by fleeing from the perceived threat—like running away from a chair or a puddle. This can result in the horse bolting or jumping around, which may lead to a loss of control for the rider.
If you have a horse that gets nervous easily, it can create problems during riding and training. It can cause the horse to become agitated and lose focus, making training more difficult. This is especially true in windy weather when the horse constantly sees and hears unfamiliar things, leading to it getting startled.
This can also cause another problem for the person in the saddle. The rider may have unpleasant experiences when the horse jumps and dances around. There’s a risk of falling off and getting injured, or the rider may become frightened themselves when the horse tries to flee. Therefore, it can be beneficial to train your horse not to be so easily scared.
Fortunately, for those of you dealing with a fearful horse, research has been conducted in this area. The findings show that having a calm companion can help a nervous horse, especially in (what they perceive as) dangerous situations. The study was conducted by a team of researchers who wanted to explore ways to help horses that are easily frightened.
Also read: Visualize your way to becoming a better rider
Thirty-six young stallions participated in the study, and these horses were divided into groups based on how calm they were. The horses were familiar with each other and with the area where the tests were conducted. The horses were then paired up and subjected to tests that involved situations the horses would perceive as dangerous. Throughout the tests, the horses’ heart rates and general behavior were monitored.
When one of the easily frightened horses was paired with a calm horse during the tests, its heart rate and behavior were more normal. Without the calm companion, the reaction was significantly stronger, which was evident in both heart rate and behavior.
According to the research, having a calm horse alongside a scared one can help them manage the situation better together. If you have a horse that easily becomes anxious over normal things, and this poses a problem for you, it might be worth trying to have a calmer horse around. You can experiment with this by doing environmental training together, going for a ride, or simply spending time outdoors in windy weather.
Also read: Horses aren't testing us; they're trying to tell us something!
