by Anne Gage of Confident Horsemanship
Question: “I recently adopted a horse from a rescue. She is kind, but nervous and gets really anxious when taken out of her paddock. She has had some down time at the new farm and has settled in with the herd she is turned out with. I’m not sure what to do and now I am getting nervous about handling her. I am not very confident, but I do want to win the trust of this mare.”
Answer: Every horse needs time to adapt to his or her new environment after a move or change of ownership. But, it is especially important for horses who have been rescued from neglectful or abusive situations; adopted from a rescue facility; or purchased off the track or at auction.
Horses that have come from these types of situations may have had multiple owners or trainers, suffered from neglect or abuse, or perhaps has never lived in a herd before. When a horse has had a difficult life, it usually takes longer to earn her trust and respect, and for her to feel confident away from her herd mates.
To resolve your horse’s separation anxiety, she needs to feel as safe with you as she does with her herd mates. And, you also need to feel safe with her. So, how do you create a bond with a horse who panics so much that it scares you as soon as you take her out of the paddock?
Follow these 5 tips to establish mutual trust and respect and build your confidence in each other.
- Hang out in the paddock with her. As long as it is safe to be in the paddock with the other horses, just hang out, stroke and talk quietly to her, groom her. Keep you interactions simple and non-threatening. You can get to know each other and feel calm together.
- Expand your comfort zones – gradually. Bring her just outside of the paddock on a long lead rope. Allow her to graze, walk her around a bit, groom her. Gradually walk her further away from the fence as you pay close attention to her body language so you notice the first signs of stress. Come back to where she feels comfortable and allow her to settle down before moving away again.
- Encourage your horse to come into a calm shape. You can change your horse’s mental state by changing her physical state. A calm horse has her poll level with or lower than her withers. A stressed horse has a high head. Practice encouraging your horse to lower her head without using force. With contact on your lead rope and gentle downward pressure, but without pulling or jerking, gently rock her head from side to side. [tweetthis]A stressed mind cannot exist in a calm body. AnneGage #horsemanship[/tweetthis]
- Respect your horse’s need to move when she is anxious. Remember that horses are flight animals so asking her to stand still when she feels anxious only causes her to become more stressed. Instead, direct her movement by calmly moving her around you in a circle or going for a walk. Having a long lead rope or even a lunge line allows you to keep her a safe distance away from you if she gets too rambunctious.
- Set clear boundaries to protect your personal space. You and your horse each have a personal space bubble. Respect her bubble by not pulling, pushing or hitting her head. Ask her to respect yours by only allowing her to be close to you when she is calm. When she is excited, high headed or pushy, send her away from you.
Click on this link to watch a short video (1.36 min) showing how this technique was used to help a mare with separation anxiety in the barn.
When you understand your horse’s feeling of vulnerability when she is taken away from her herd mates, respect how she handles stress (through movement) and can help her change how she feels by changing her posture, you will earn her trust and respect, and build her confidence. The process takes as long as it takes. That might be several sessions or several weeks. But is well worth the time and effort in the long run – for both of you.
With consistency and calmness, your horse’s behaviour will improve as she develops a bond with you.
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There are lots more practical and in depth tips on improving your Confidence and your Partnership with your horse in my book “Confident Rider, Confident Horse: Build Your Confidence While Improving Your Partnership with Your Horse from the Ground to the Saddle”. Click here to order your copy today!
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You’re welcome to use this article in your blog or newsletter as long as you notify me and give my credit information. ~ Written by Anne Gage of Confident Horsemanship (www.ConfidentHorsemanship.com)[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator color=”grey” style=”” el_width=””][/vc_column][/vc_row]Anne Gage started Confident Horsemanship in 2002 after suffering the loss of her confidence for riding. As she worked on regaining her confidence she discovered that many horse women were suffering in silence – thinking they were alone. Anne works with horse women to regain their CONFIDENCE and PASSION for riding while building a PARTNERSHIP with their horses that they deserve.
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