Why are horses fearful? Do they have nightmares or do they fear spooks?
They're fearful because of their evolution survival instincts.
Let me do a bit deeper. Nature has made horses to be a part of the fodder in the food cycle. They've been preyed on by predators from time immemorial. That is where the evolution part comes in? Horses are skittish because they have survived by being alert and streetwise. These features, have gotten to be part of their inherent nature, and tend to rule even when they're in relative safe settings; it is these that will make them fight or flight occasionally.
You cannot wholly remove these instincts, but you can certainly curb their influence over the behavior of a tame horse.
You begin by checking yourself out. What sort of impression do you portray when dealing with your horses? Do you portray confident fearlessness or nervous tension? When your pony abruptly shows skittishness, how do you deal with the root of this behavior? Say some machine that your pony hasn't seen before is spooking him. Is it your basic instinct to shut down that machine?
You are not doing your horses a favour if that is how you react. You are adding to the difficulty rather than solving it.
Your pony looks up to you as a protector. He comes from a species with a herd mindset, where a strong herd leader cares for the rest of the herd. If you have just a horse or 2, you are their direct herd leader. If you've got a herd, they will have their own equine herd leader, but you will still be a notch above that herd leader. Either way, you are the final authority.
That implies that your response to situations is mirrored in your horses attitudes. If you are twitchy, they are going to be. If you are cool and brave, they will steadily learn to be also.
To go back to the piece of machinery that spooked your horse, what you should not be doing is turning it off or taking it away. Go to your pony with total poise. He may back off, but stay firm. Stay by him until he quietens down, then rub him gently at the withers. This way, you are telling him that there is no threat from the machine. You are informing him that you're feeling no fear of the machine, and neither should he. Once you have calmed down your horse satisfactorily you advance towards the machine instead of away. If at any stage your pony shows uneasiness again, you take the same steps and keep soothing him. Soon enough, your pony will get so used to the machine that he will not notice its existence anymore!
You can follow this procedure or adaptations of it to help your horses out of their fear of just about anything that is not really a real challenge to them.
They're fearful because of their evolution survival instincts.
Let me do a bit deeper. Nature has made horses to be a part of the fodder in the food cycle. They've been preyed on by predators from time immemorial. That is where the evolution part comes in? Horses are skittish because they have survived by being alert and streetwise. These features, have gotten to be part of their inherent nature, and tend to rule even when they're in relative safe settings; it is these that will make them fight or flight occasionally.
You cannot wholly remove these instincts, but you can certainly curb their influence over the behavior of a tame horse.
You begin by checking yourself out. What sort of impression do you portray when dealing with your horses? Do you portray confident fearlessness or nervous tension? When your pony abruptly shows skittishness, how do you deal with the root of this behavior? Say some machine that your pony hasn't seen before is spooking him. Is it your basic instinct to shut down that machine?
You are not doing your horses a favour if that is how you react. You are adding to the difficulty rather than solving it.
Your pony looks up to you as a protector. He comes from a species with a herd mindset, where a strong herd leader cares for the rest of the herd. If you have just a horse or 2, you are their direct herd leader. If you've got a herd, they will have their own equine herd leader, but you will still be a notch above that herd leader. Either way, you are the final authority.
That implies that your response to situations is mirrored in your horses attitudes. If you are twitchy, they are going to be. If you are cool and brave, they will steadily learn to be also.
To go back to the piece of machinery that spooked your horse, what you should not be doing is turning it off or taking it away. Go to your pony with total poise. He may back off, but stay firm. Stay by him until he quietens down, then rub him gently at the withers. This way, you are telling him that there is no threat from the machine. You are informing him that you're feeling no fear of the machine, and neither should he. Once you have calmed down your horse satisfactorily you advance towards the machine instead of away. If at any stage your pony shows uneasiness again, you take the same steps and keep soothing him. Soon enough, your pony will get so used to the machine that he will not notice its existence anymore!
You can follow this procedure or adaptations of it to help your horses out of their fear of just about anything that is not really a real challenge to them.
About the Author:
Horses are Heather Toms
passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of
articles with other horse lovers visit HorseHorses
passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of
articles with other horse lovers visit HorseHorses
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