Don’t recognize your horse?

No one knows your horse quite like you do. Being open to new knowledge and advice is important, but blindly following every piece of guidance isn’t always wise. If you hear good advice from a trusted source but feel that your horse is telling you something different… take a moment to stop and assess what might be going on. Horse owners who spend a lot of time with their animals often learn to read their horse’s mood and comfort level intuitively.

If you’ve built a stable, trust-based relationship with your horse and he starts behaving differently, it’s worth paying attention. This applies to both his physical and mental well-being.

Sometimes what may seem like minor changes in behavior are signals that something in your horse’s life has shifted.

Your horse may suddenly:

• Become apathetic
• Withdraw or seem “absent”
• Seem insecure
• Hold his head high and tense
• Start spooking
• Resist being caught in the pasture
• Call out to the herd
• Refuse to return to the pasture after training
• Become unfocused or hard to engage
• Show issues with saddling or grooming

These and other subtle signals can give us important clues about our horse’s well-being. It’s wise to first ensure that no physical ailment or injury is at play by consulting a veterinarian or equine therapist if needed. If the cause doesn’t seem to be physical, examine your horse’s daily routine and surroundings.

Horses thrive on a predictable schedule, routines, familiar paths, and rituals.

If an element of their daily structure changes, a horse may become nervous or even disoriented. This could be a shift in pasture time, the way he’s led to the field, or even feeding routines.

Observe the Environment: Pasture, Stable, Feeding

Stable changes: Has the arrangement of horses in the stalls changed? This isn’t just about direct neighbors; even horses a few stalls away can affect the overall energy in the stable.
Stable staff: Has there been a change in stable personnel? Perhaps a new handler with a different routine or energy is caring for the horses, and this could be unsettling.
Pasture arrangement: Are horses turned out in a different field? Have the groups or territories within the pasture changed?
Feed availability: Has there been any reduction in access to forage, especially hay? If the pasture has only one hay feeder or bale, observe the dynamics around it—are too many horses competing for limited hay, or are some horses being kept away by others? The same applies to water: is there enough available? Is it accessible to horses of all heights and sizes?

Sometimes, the arrival of a new horse—be it a mare, gelding, stallion, or foal—can disrupt the herd’s dynamics. A new horse might have a different temperament or energy, and this can cause some upheaval in the group.

If your horse’s best friend has gone away for a few days for a competition, training, or has permanently moved to a new stable, your horse may feel a bit lost or sad—understandably so! 😊

Maybe there was even a more intense “exchange of opinions” between your horse and another in the pasture recently. These experiences can shake a horse’s confidence, which might then show up in training sessions. But with thoughtful, confidence-building training, you can help your horse regain his emotional balance.

Remember, Horses Are Social Animals

Horses are herd animals that want to feel safe and accepted within their group. They have friends for play and support, neutral horses they coexist with peacefully, and others they may not get along with as well.

So, trust your instincts. When your horse shows unusual behavior during recent training, first look for any physical health issues. If you don’t find anything concerning, take a closer look at his daily routines outside of training time. 😊

Ola Najman

fot. Light Equitation