At one point or another, every horse gets nervous. And it’s your job to be a source of calm, security, and comfort to them. But, what if you don’t know how to do that? Don’t worry, we’re here to help.
The first thing to understand is that much like humans, horses can become nervous. When dealing with a nervous horse, you need to know how to calm them down in a way that prevents an even bigger blowup. As a rider or a horse owner, building the skill for calming nervous behavior in horses is valuable and will help to build confidence.
5 Ways to Reduce Stress in Horses
Anxiety in your horse can happen when you’re riding or when you’re back at the stable. It’s your job to read the signs and sense when your horse is feeling anxious. The most common signs to look out for include weaving and stall walking, shaking, eye-rolling or bolting.
Immediately when you start to pick up on any of the signs that your horse may be nervous or stressed, you should implement the following strategies to help calm them back down:
1. Talk to Your Horse and Move Slowly
If you’re on the ground and you notice your horse is getting anxious, take a deep breath and focus on moving and acting normal. Talk to your horse in a calm and soothing way that provides reassurance.
2. Ask Your Horse to Lower its Head
The goal is to change your horse’s focus back to you. You want to teach your horse overtime to immediately lower its head when feeling stressed so you can quickly respond.
3. Let the Horse Explore
Use the anxious situation as a teaching moment. Allow your horse to explore what spooked it and help it realize the object or situation is not in any way harmful or dangerous. Then do your best to get back to what you were previously doing before the issue.
4. Act as Normal as Possible
If you don’t make a big deal out of the situation, odds are your horse won’t either. Let the anxiety roll off your shoulder with little acknowledgment. This will help your horse understand there was nothing to gear.
5. Be a Source of Comfort
While the goal is not to draw too much attention to the situation, you do want to remain a source of comfort for your horse. The best way to do this is to be reliable, consistent and calm even in stressful situations.
There are a lot of things that can cause anxiety in your horse including separation, performance anxiety or even boredom. The best thing you can do is learn to recognize the signs and do everything within your power to reduce stress and stay calm.
