You can’t control what a horse has learned in his lifetime, especially if you didn’t raise him. What can be controlled, however, is the situation the horse is in and how handlers react to the horse. Most horses don’t really want to be to be bad or good, they just want to be safe and comfortable, writes Heather Smith-Thomas.
In this edition of EQUUS Extra, authors explain how to redirect an anxious horse’s focus before he’s “triggered,” why punishment for spooking is counter-productive, and the best way to introduce new experiences.
Disciplining a horse for nervous, spooky behavior is about the worst thing you can do. It tells him that he had good reason to be afraid.”
Source: EQUUS Extra, Volume 87. Link. Topics include:
- Keeping it positive
- Calming through chemistry
- Body language counts
INSIGHTS: EQUUS Extra editions are highly read. Animal health pros working with horse owners and handlers will benefit from reviewing what their clients are reading.