Horse emotions are complex and subtle

long distance travel in horses

competition stress

A Well Bred Dressage Pony Mare

  • Distracted anxious behaviour
  • Calmer at competition and when field companions leave

After having not seen this mare for a couple of months it was a nice surprise to see how much she had changed. As a general rule she is notoriously 'externally referenced' with always something else going on to distract her, giving her a reason not to be 'with' the owner, handler, rider. A lovely bright mare for all intents and purpose but who had nevertheless had a strenuous trip over to England from abroad. It seemed that due to her long distance travel she continued to carry a level of anxiety which she had never been able to settle from. The mare was basically healthy and well in all other respects. At shows and competitions however she would be doing anything BUT listen to her rider.

It took a reasonable amount of effort to 'find a way in' to this mare and the first two or three sessions she managed to ignore me completely. However, on the fourth session she did the honour of 'going inside' completely, as if in a trance and into a 'stillness of being'; unheard of, for her. For the next couple of sessions we managed to achieve a similar result, and this work has clearly paid off. She appears much more 'at peace' with herself, her owner has more access to her even on excursions out into the world at competitions, she has ceased to be so domineering in the field and frets less when her companions are taken away to the field before her.

Subtle but progressive work; which confirms that a level of held emotional tension will affect the day-to-day demeanour of the horse. It is so easy to blame our horses for being inattentive when actually they are struggling with their own levels of anxiety and insecurity.