New Horse Success

My grandson's unthreatening posture has made this very nervous mare feel safe enough to come visit.

This article is drawn from the "Problem Solving Strategies" chapter of my book What Horses Really Want
A new horse doesn’t always work out as expected. The horse you test-ride is calm, sensible, and well-behaved. The one who arrives at your barn is jumpy, pushy, drags you around, and ignores your instructions. The thought of actually riding him may fill you with anxiety, if not dread. Before we wonder if the horse was drugged, sick, or worked half to death before you test-rode him, let’s consider the horse’s point of view. One day you are loaded into a trailer and driven away from your home and friends, both horse and human. You might think it’s going to be a round trip, but it isn’t. Instead, you are unloaded and left in a strange place with new horses, new people, new routines, and different expectations. How could you not be anxious? So here you are, alone and scared. Physically, you’re on high alert, head up, feet in gear, ready for action. You don’t mean to be pushy or intimidating; it’s your anxiety talking. You’re looking for someone, anyone, 2 legs, 4 legs, it doesn’t matter, anyone who can help you feel safer. So you crowd closer to the person holding your lead, hoping she will become your leader and protect you. Instead, she yells, yanks your lead, and shoves you away. Life just got scarier. This is a sad catch-22. The horse isn’t looking for control; he’s looking for security. But his anxious energy can make him look like a bully. Besides, no one wants 1200 pounds of panic attack dancing around in her personal space. It can be a downward spiral with no malice intended on either side. Anxious horse makes new owner anxious, so she gets stricter and sharper which makes him more anxious, so his behavior gets more out of control… Whether anxiety shows overtly or not, a horse in a strange place is desperate for security and a friend he can trust. A study of horses presented with novel situations showed that the shorter the time they had been with their current owner, or the more people handled them, the more anxious they were likely to be. Those with long-term owners were calmest. Long-term relationship with owner reduces horses' stress reactions in new situations This is your opportunity to show him you are a Protector Leader, someone he can trust to keep him safe. You start by making yourself a calming influence instead of a source of anxiety. The reality is that you can’t control an anxious horse who’s too distressed to control himself. But you can help him calm himself, by being quiet and still yourself. After all, if you’re moving around and yelling, how is a horse supposed to know you want him to stand still? So relax, head down, slumped shoulders, fake it if necessary, and breathe deep. If he crowds, then stand safely on the other side of a fence or stall door. Or make your personal space uninviting. Flap your elbows like chicken wings, or swipe your arms like windshield wipers; just do it quietly inside your personal space bubble without looking at the horse. He’ll quickly decide to stay out of range. The more calmly you handle him, the more quickly his anxiety abates, and unwanted behavior along with it. Everything that means good behavior in any horse is extra important in helping a new horse settle in. A healthy lifestyle is the foundation of calm behavior:
Maximize turnout. More outside time with room to move means less pent up energy.
Maximize forage, whether it’s hay or pasture. Chewing is a natural tranquilizer. Beware of rich grass; it can cause laminitis and excitability.
Minimize grain. Any more than needed to maintain body condition just contributes to excitable behavior.

For success in your relationship, be a Protector Leader :
Respect his Personal Space. This is the first step in helping him feel safe with you. Personal Space: Why the Double Standard?
Set clear consistent expectations. When you ask him to do something, give him time to think; everything’s different, and he has to figure out your way of doing things. When showing him what you want, be patiently persistent, not punitive.
Reward behaviors you want, and ignore the rest.
Watch carefully for signs of anxiety and back off as needed. We never know what might have been done in the past to justify his anxiety.
Evaluate tack carefully. A poorly fitting saddle can turn a well-behaved horse into a problem real fast, and who can blame him if he’s in pain? Choose a bit in which he is relaxed as well as responsive.
Get information from previous owners. This can offer insights into the horse’s behavior and the reasons behind it.
If you consider sending him to a trainer, remember that training teaches skills; it does not relieve anxiety. Good leadership does, and only you can provide that. We can expect a horse to be anxious in a new place. We might know he’s safe, perhaps even better off, but he has no way of knowing that until we show him that we are leaders he can trust. If we thoughtfully assess his behavior when he first arrives, we might see that even a horse with good training needs time and patience to restore his confidence. Investing the time he needs is an investment in future success. With a healthy lifestyle, and calm, reliable leadership, he can settle into being a horse we can really enjoy. More suggestions in my book What Horses Really Want in Chapter 18: Problem Solving Strategies.

Reference:
Long-term relationship with owner reduces horses' stress reactions in new situations

A safe person accepted

Having determined that my grandson was safe, Ester ignored his outstretched hand (ready for the "horse handshake" nose touch), and gently touched his forehead instead.

horsenewanxietysuccessprotector leadership What Horses Really Want training friendly body language