06/01/2023
Horse Anxiety
In this post I will be talking about my personal experience and advice on how to manage a horse with anxiety. I have a horse that I have struggled with, with her anxiety and it made me doubt my own abilities. I simply worried for her well-being if I were to give up on her so I persevered and this has made me want to help people who are struggling with a nervous horse. I wanted to share my struggles and how I dealt with them, what worked and what didn’t, so that maybe I can help others.
Signs of anxiety:
o Pawing, rearing, bucking
o Sweating excessively
o Pacing
o Spooking easily
o Grinding teeth
o Bolting
Causes:
o New environments
o Learning new things
o Separation from other horses
o Rider/handler anxiety
o Past trauma
Remember:
o Remain calm, gentle, and treat it with kindness
o Keep your mind open, break things down for them
o Take steps slowly
o Don’t make it a big deal
o Be aware of this anxiety when tackling something new or potentially stressful
Helping the Rider:
When the horse is experiencing anxiety, it can easily make the rider just as stressed whether it’s because you don’t know how to handle the situation or because you are now worried something may happen. This is perfectly normal and here are a few things that may help keep the rider relaxed:
o Have music playing while you ride (headphones, phone or even a speaker)
o Riding with a friend, whether they are riding too or if they are just watching
o Deep breathes
o Taking a break, stop working for a minute, take a moment to relax and reset
o Talking to yourself or your horse
Aids:
o Lavender oil
o Mint leaves
o Betacalm/magnesium
o Lycra race hood
o Roller bit
Lavender oil rubbed on the horse’s coat and hooves can release the tension in their muscles and cause them to relax. The scent of lavender, much like for humans, is calming and induces a calming effect on the horse. Mint leaves in the horse’s feed is not only nutritious but is also soothing for the horse. Only a few peppermint or spearmint leaves should be added to avoid upset. They can be fed dried or fresh but should be chopped if adding to their regular feed. Betacalm/magnesium, if a horse is acting anxious they may have a magnesium deficiency. Follow the dose instructions on the container for best results and to avoid overdosing. The lycra race hood can give a comforting effect for anxious horses. The neoprene ears on this hood will block out noise and the elastane material of the hood compresses around their face, and this can give the horse comfort, the feeling that they are safe. Although these are generally used in horse racing, it has shown a big difference for nervous horses. A roller bit is good for nervous horses as it gives them something to fiddle with in their mouth. It can also make the horse more accepting of the bit. A roller bit with sweet iron is even better as it encourages salivation. This is an especially good one for horses who grind their teeth or chew when they are nervous.
Feeds:
Feed can play a big part in containing their anxiety/hotness. Picking feeds which have zero sugar or extremely low sugar levels are important. Every horse may be different but from personal experience with my hot and anxiety filled horse, these are the ones that I recommend using; Pryde's Easi Sport, Pryde's Easi Going and Hygain Zero. These are all low in sugar and starch levels but will still give your horse all the nutrients they need. Additives may be needed, again something with no sugar in them.
New Experiences:
New experiences can be stressful for horses and especially when they already have anxiety. It’s our job to make new experiences as stress free as possible for the horse, make them see it can be fun and that they can relax. Plenty of treats and pets for the horse, taking every step one at a time slowly. Letting them decide when they are comfortable. If you are taking them to a clinic or show, plan the day hours ahead. Stressing over being late brings our stress onto them which escalates the anxiety. Plan 1 hour for getting on the float. 1 hour for getting off and walking around, let them stand in the stall for 30 minutes. Get them tacked up and warming up for 1 hour. Give them as much time as they need to see that it doesn’t have to be stressful or scary. Some people have a companion horse or a second horse with them to make that horse happier and more relaxed. I look at this as a band aid solution. While I agree that it does make them feel safer, I also think that you want them focusing on what is happening around them and on you. Taking a companion horse for the first few outings may be beneficial and then slowly weaning them off of having that other horse there. Hanging a hay net in their stall at all times, having a roam of the grounds at several points in the day, are things that you can do for them to feel more relaxed. If the speakers are freaking them out, ear plugs or a race hood can help with that. Rubbing lavender oil on their coat, smelling this will help release their tension. When entering the warm up ring at a show, spend as much time in there as you are allowed. Spend time focusing on the basics and doing several patterns. Practice walk/trot/canter transitions, keep their focus on you. Don’t forget to keep yourself calm and to coax them along the way.
Exercises:
Introducing poles into your riding routine is a good way to keep their mind focused on the work at hand. Starting with simple trot poles and slowly making the set ups more difficult.
(If you get stuck on how you can make the exercises more interesting, equi sense and groups on facebook always share different set ups you can try.)
