Horses are not maliciously aggressive, although some medical problems can result in severe aggressive behaviour. It is important to differentiate aggression from potentially similar looking behaviours which can cause injury such as play fighting, nipping and overzealous grooming behaviour. Are Read more…
Many horses react to loud music or loud noises. Does loud music bother horses? Horses rarely become used to sounds above 100 dB. In a study among wild animals in the United States (including wild horses), the animals could not Read more…
Pawing with the front legs usually indicates boredom or stress, but some horses will do this when angry. His hind leg may be cocked or raised to indicate irritation or that he may be preparing to become aggressive and kick. Read more…
Horses sometimes bite themselves when they’re in pain. For example, a horse with colic may nip at his flanks. Silver may also keep looking at himself, as if trying to see what’s going on. Why would a horse try to Read more…
Head pressing is usually a sign of a neurological disorder, especially of the forebrain (e.g., prosencephalon disease) or of toxicity due to liver damage, such as portosystemic shunt and hepatic encephalopathy. What does head pressing mean? According to the PetMD Read more…
In horses of any age, bit chewing can signify anxiety. Different horses mature at different rates. Even if your horse seems physically prepared to perform at his current level, he may not be ready mentally. Try reducing the pressure: shorten Read more…
Begin by gently scratching his chest, shoulder, or withers. Watch your horse’s body language as you touch him. An abused horse may be especially skittish and prone to making sudden movements. Talk to your horse. Do not ever raise your Read more…
Horses are very apt at learning verbal commands: “whoa”, “walk”, “trot”, “canter” or similar words are quickly understood. The actual words usually do not matter, as long as they are consistent, though the tone of voice and the accenting of Read more…
shy2 verb (shied, shying, shies) [intransitive] if a horse shies, it makes a sudden movement away from something because it is frightened The horse shied, throwing Darrel from his saddle. How do I teach my horse not to be shy? Read more…
If you ride long enough you will fall off a horse – period. It’s just one of those risks we take when riding a horse, but with the right equipment, knowing how to fall, and knowledge of what goes on Read more…