Understanding Fear in Horses
A good rule of thumb: The faster and farther a horse is allowed to flee an object, the more deeply ingrain the fear is to that object.
Stop the spook before it becomes a bolt!
Fear and the Horse
Fear is quickly learned by horses and is strongly connected to how their legs move. Identifying and reducing fear responses in horses is crucial for effective and safe training.
What is Fear?
Fear triggers a horse’s natural flight response—the instinct to run from danger. This response is controlled by the brain and adrenal glands, particularly a part of the brain called the amygdala. Once a horse learns fear, it doesn’t forget it. While new behaviors can be layered on top, the fear remains and requires consistent training to manage.
When a horse is afraid, its heart rate increases, and it ignores everything except the source of fear. This explains why a panicked horse may run into fences or obstacles. Fear also disrupts the horse's movement, making its legs jerky and its actions less smooth.
Signs of Fear in Horses
Horses show fear in many ways, such as:
- Bolting (running uncontrollably)
- Bucking
- Rearing (standing up on hind legs)
- Shying / spooking (suddenly swerving)
- Tension, tight muscles, grinding teeth, or swishing tails
These behaviors often disrupt rhythm and smooth movement. For example, bolting is the most extreme flight response, while bucking helps remove predators.
Do All Horses React the Same Way?
Not all horses respond to fear by running. Some breeds, like
Thoroughbreds and
Arabians, are more likely to run due to their ancestry. Other horses, descended from cold climates and used to fighting predators like
wolves, may defend themselves by striking with their hooves instead of fleeing.
Fear Is Learned Quickly
Unlike other behaviors that take repeated training, fear responses can be learned in just one or two experiences. This is because fear helps horses remember how to escape predators. In training, it’s important to
avoid situations that trigger fear and to correct fear responses immediately.
What Reinforces Fear?
Fear is reinforced whenever a horse escapes the source of its fear,
even by a small distance. For example, if a horse steps away from a
farrier or flinches from a whip, it learns that avoidance works. Training should focus on preventing this reinforcement by using calm and consistent methods to reduce fear.
Recognizing Fear in Training
Many trainers misinterpret fear responses. For instance, a horse speeding toward a jump is often labeled “keen,” but this is usually fear-based acceleration. Proper training involves teaching the horse to maintain a steady rhythm without speeding up or panicking.
Preventing Fear Responses
To manage fear,
avoid fast or random leg movements by the horse during training. For example:
- Ride slower near objects that scare the horse and correct shying immediately.
- Address bucking or bolting by slowing the horse’s legs, rather than letting it continue the behavior.
- For example, if the horse bucks when asked to transition into the canter, come back down to the walk or trot, then ask for the transition again. You don't want to reward the horse by deciding not to canter at all, and you don't want to allow the horse to act like a bronco either. Note that some horses buck when going into the canter because they are weak, and it's difficult for them to pick up the gait without the extra momentum of a buck. Fitness should improve this.
Horses trained to move calmly and predictably are less likely to develop fear-based behaviors.
The Role of Flight Response in Performance
A certain amount of the flight response is necessary for speed in activities like racing. However, too much can make a horse unsafe and unmanageable, such as in bolting. Well-trained horses can maintain speed without losing control, while panicked horses cannot.
Spontaneous Recovery of Fear
Fearful behaviors can reappear unexpectedly, especially during stressful situations. Training methods like chasing a horse in a
round pen can worsen fear by reinforcing flight responses. Instead, groundwork and lunging should be done in a calm, controlled manner. The goal is for the horse to learn how to manage stress and fear, and then
calm back down, rather than grow more panicked. This is also known as the horse learning to manage it's emotions.
Controlling the Horse’s Legs
Controlling a horse’s leg movements is key to managing fear.
Groundwork that teaches a horse to move
only when signaled, and to stop and stay still when asked, builds trust and prevents fear-based behaviors.
