The Scared Horse - Fight
Ever had your horse described as ‘Dominant’ or ‘Aggressive’?
There are 3 typical fear responses horses display, Flight, Freeze and Fight (see earlier posts about Flight & Freeze). Of these 3, fight or aggression is the least common in horses. If you have a horse in ‘fight mode’ it is really important to understand that this is a last resort for the horse.
Aggression usually comes up when the horse feels that he is trapped or has no choice. Feeling trapped doesn’t have to mean he’s physically confirmed for example in a stable. I have met horses that will display aggressive behaviour because they feel trapped by the lunge line and can’t get away.
What’s important here is to understand that the reason for the aggression is fear. A horse may be fearful because of the situation he finds himself in or it could be pain/discomfort related and whilst aggressive behaviour needs to be interrupted for safety reasons the cause must also be addressed for things to be truly resolved.
Signs that you are dealing with fear aggression are:-
😬 Ears back and tight eyes
😬 Bites/kicks (or tries to) then runs away
😬 Aggressive in the stable, calm and easy in an open space
😬 Bucking/rearing
In the case of fear related aggression, being able to correct the behaviour in one moment and then build confidence the next takes excellent timing. I wouldn’t recommend trying to handle this unless you have a very good understanding of what’s happening and how to address it.
In the case of pain related aggression, a good team consisting of vet, farrier, saddler, physical therapist, dentist is invaluable to find the cause and get your horse comfortable again.
However, once the problem is resolved and trust is re-built they can be equally as trainable as any other horse🦄💞
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Before trying any training technique it is important to rule out pain or discomfort. Saddle fit, teeth, back, hoof balance and lameness issues should all be checked by a qualified professional before applying any training.
If you have questions or need idea's to help with a specific problem feel free to get in touch with me on lylacansfield@hotmail.com
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Lyla has been helping riders and their horses in the UK, USA and Europe for over 15 years. She has prepared horses for crowds of over 6,000 people with no calmers or ear plugs for venues including Birmingham NEC, Aintree, Bury Farm EC and Hartpury.
Lyla specialises in horse psychology and behaviour problems with a specific interest in dressage and has worked with horses from grass roots to Grand Prix across the UK and Europe including international competitors and Olympians from Spain, the US, Canada and the UK.
Email lylacansfield@hotmail.com for more details.
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All training techniques discussed are from experience only, it is impossible for to accurately advise on horse/rider combinations without seeing them live. Lyla Cansfield & Equine Mind & Body Training strongly advise anyone considering using any of the techniques discussed to get live help and can take no responsibility for the outcome of applying any of the techniques discussed with or without supervision. Riding is a high risk sport.
