My mare is very high strung. When I first brought her home 3 years ago she would paw, swish her tail, call out, throw her head, jig, and bolt. She’s an older mare, 19 now, and had a very rough past. Over time I’ve been able to change her negative associations with human handlers by being patient and never losing my temper with her, setting her up to succeed and consistently showing her I mean her no harm. Almost all of her stress behaviors are gone now, and when she does get edgy she comes back to me and calms down really quickly. Love your videos, tons of practical information and food for thought.
I've just gone through the same process although my horse had far more dangerous stress behaviors. We are still working on a few details but nothing serious most of the time.
Lee Alexander that’s great how far you’ve come with your horse :) Time and patience are the best medicine for the stressed pony. My mare was on the side of aggressive and pushy. Pinned me against a wash station rail with her chest, threw me a few feet with her head while bridling, struck at me, attempted to bowl me over several times, and was just generally terrified and defensive all the time. You couldn’t touch her ears, even haltering her was a trigger and she would zoom around me in tight circles throwing her head, she’d drop a shoulder to cut in trying to make me yield to her. She bolted with me on her at top speed when she spooked and didn’t stop until I turned her into the face of a very steep hillside. My point is, and I mean no disrespect, that all those little stress behaviors can manifest in huge and dangerous ways if they aren’t dealt with properly. My mare was never purposely dangerous, or even tiniest bit mean, she was just doing what she knew how to do in order to survive in her world before me. In my case I had very little information to go on except that she’s had some amazing training in her past, but had been sold into unkind hands and then sold again and then finally to me, where she will remain the rest of her life. It’s amazing to me how adaptive and forgiving horses are. I’ve learned a lot from my girl and wouldn’t trade my life with her for anything. Anyway, thanks for listening to me rant. Keep up the good work.
I got my horse just today, she was very nervous and scared, she wouldn’t let anyone touch her and she kept calling out. I tried to calm her down but it didn’t work at all, do you maybe have any tips?
This is great, thank you for sharing! I hypothesize in some scenarios the leg itching could be also learned avoidance behavior since they're allowed to scratch the leg without interference. I see tail swishing in pain/agitation so often. It's so important to listen and not suppress expression. Love your channel!
It really IS important, we had a horse at my barn who started to get very agitated when you tried clean his right front hoof, people just manhandled him to get it done, and very soon after he developed a crack in that hoof, so he was most likely in pain and trying to tell us. It is so important to check things like that out, and not just automatically assume it is bad behaviour...
My horse is (luckily) very clear in communicating he is stressed. He still associates being taken from the paddock with anxiety. My guess is he felt too much pressure or expectation when he got taken out by his prior owner and had some unpleasant exeriences. He always gets very busy with his face and mouth when he's tense. Biting in halters and ropes, making weird faces, etc. All it takes is some focus and relaxation work and he's as sweet and calm as can be. I've only had him for a few months but he has taught me so much about working with the horse you have at that moment and to not have any expectations.
I had a horse who cribbed habitually- he was a great little horse (my first) and super reliable... but, he cribbed. Looking back, I now believe that his cribbing possibly had a couple of origins- he was a retired pony jumper who was a school horse before I got him as my personal horse. *maybe the stresses of his brief stint as a lesson horse - being kept in a narrow standing stall in between lessons (ugh how awful) in a very busy stable caused him to find an outlet in cribbing. *perhaps he was also easing ulcer pain due to bacterial infection and stress? We didn’t often think about equine ulcers back then... he DID colic a few times, after he would catch the munchies in the middle of the night and then jump (from a standstill) his 3’3” stall door and help himself to the feed bins (we eventually had a net installed on the top of his stall door and the feed bins got secure latches) that pony was an incredible jumper It probably didn’t help that I wasn’t very emotionally stable during that period of time either- I tried my best but there were factors which kept me from being my best self...I believe that horses can be big antennas, and the rider/ handler is the broadcaster. Maybe he was also reacting to my stress by self soothing as a cribber... I can only guess. But I do think about it often and wish I could go back and be more helpful than. Hindsight glaringly obvious here. Thanks for these videos- good info, spoken simply.
Love your videos, they’ve helped me so much. The school horse I ride shakes his head and bares his teeth when he’s getting his girth tightened, or before going into the ring.
I've been riding a horse in lessons who was a high-level sport animal in the field, fox-hunting, over fences, cross=country etc. In the indoor ring, during lessons - he's fine for aobut 20 minutes and then he starts pulling the reins out of my hands and stretching his head down to rub his foreleg, exactly as you described as the first example of stress in a horse. Because It's a lesson, I can't stop and 'soothe' him by changing the routine, or taking him somewhere else. He alwasy seems calm when we leave the indoor ring and walk back up to the stable. Then he's peaceful. So I'm guessing the rigour of lessons, which he's not really used to, is, in some ways, too much for him. Thanks for the tips. Now to find the cure.
My pony used to bite when she got frustrated and anxious as a way to deal with it. Now she will begin aggressively eating grass, which work much better for her to calm down and me to not need to worry. Very happy with it, but i still try to keep the anxiety to a minimum, as i don't want her feeling the need to take that grazing break in the first place. It took well over a year before i found the best way to train her, but now she's doing great. She can aggressively chase a plastic bag, but when i click or she get into my personal space she will instantly go relaxed and happy. Our neighbourgh can even feed her grass when they walk past without having her act up. The only way she beg is by smiling. That's so very different to the food aggressive (mostly just anxious. Aggression was her way to handle that) pony who would do the opposite of what you say, just because you can't decide what she should do. Yesterday my super food motivated, ressource guarding pony with severe food anxiety even went through hip high grass without trying to eat it (And she was allowed to) and also went for a trot with a half dead human hanging on to save energy (She had so much energy. I can't run that much. So i grabbed some mane, leaned over and just moved my legs to keep my balance while using her for speed)
My 4 yr old gelding gives the flehmen response many times a day.. when he gets a treat which is typical.. but also displays it if you are too quick to pet him. Or putting his blanket on , taking it off. Bridling .,or any level of pressure that he feels is done too quickly.. He’s not displaying tension or fearful . He’s standing still an letting one do theses things . But it’s like he could be mildly over stimulated an that expresssion seems to give him relief. So for example ill have the bridle on my arm take his halter off. He does the flehmen an then puts his head down so I can bridle him. Or I start to undo the clips on his blanket an he will flehmen. So I retreat for a a few seconds then proceed.. I’m pretty amazed he developed a way to cope that let’s him communicate maybe provides relief an is also completely harmless.
Hi Callie ... I am brand new to horse ownership. While my husband is more seasoned (his horse is 17hh grandson of Seattle Slew), my horse is a 15.1hh Teri colored Paint. My horse was previously owned by a woman whose daughter competed him in dressage, cross country and jumping events. He’s 12 and very responsive to me already. My trainer says that he sees a strong connection between the two of us already (I’ve had him just six weeks) ... now .. the behavior you are asking to note. When I feed both horses (twice a day) .. when I put the grain bowl down, when Gus starts to eat he retracts his right front leg (to the position of what looks somewhat like someone was going to pick his Hoof). He does this at every single feeding but just for about the first 20-30 seconds. The only other time I have seen this hoof stance is when I have him tied to the trailer and Vic our other horse is not tied on the same side of the trailer. What do you think it could be? I thought it was excitement for his meal .. but the trailer tying isn’t food related so I am stumped. ???
I had a show a while back and the horse I was put on had a lot of trauma. I did request that horse but I’m a beginner rider and I have ridden him before many times during my lessons so I was very used to him. He has a support horse because his old owners didn’t know how to take care of him. He was left alone, he was under weight, and was never trained properly. When I got him out he was pawing at the ground aggressively, He was nudging, he was biting his ankles and was throwing his head up every time I tried to put his head piece on. Once he got put into the arena and was worked a little bit they put me on and I could tell he didn’t want me on there. As soon as I tried to stop he started backing up really fast and got me caught off guard. The whole time I was on him he was staying next to his support horse and the person riding that horse was so confused and stressed out so we all were stressed out and no one knew what to do. Every time I tried to get him to turn he was walking the other way, and throwing his head up, turning around and just not having it. They thought he was just “amped up” I was so stressed before and everyone was so busy that I couldn’t try to ask to switch my horse. After, they let me leave and I got 5th or 3rd place for everything. I was so frustrated. I don’t think it’s the horses fault but I think everything could’ve been prevented. If anyone was on that horse they would’ve fallen off. I don’t want to seem like I’m praising myself but that horse was so stressed and difficult. And they thought I was the one that was doing stuff wrong. I feel like I did a better job than anyone would of on that horse. That horse just isn’t meant to be a show horse or to be ridden out of the arena.
Thanks for the knowledge! We work at a horse farm where they abuse all 28 of their horses. All horses show everyone of these signs. This will be a perfect example to show animal control when we save these babies. Thank you!
I see this at fairs with horses. They are in an unfamiliar enviroment and you can feel how they are feeling sometimes. Many of them want and need attention.
I relatively freaquently drive my horse and my friends horses to chiropractor. The horse is typically locked up somewhere in the skeleton (from small accidents ect.)and when the locked part loosens, the horse smacks his lips and sometimes yawns. Afterwards, they are often really relaxed, and want a little cuddle contact.
After taking my horse for a ride like 20 minutes when I return my horse scratches his front legs with his lips. He also yawns a lot when I'm near him. And lately when I'm riding him and I stopped to talk to somebody he starts pawing at the ground. My horse is a 3 year old paint gilding.
I have worries about a lesson horse at my stable, He used to be so amazing at jumping amazing at cantering and listening, Now I guess he refuses everything stubborn and seems to hate jumping, I don't ride him a lot anymore as a girl in my group brought him, I am riding him tomorrow but thinking about it when I rode him over 6 months ago he seemed flawless now he previous owner left he seems to not we able to do anything (jumping wise), Looking back he seems a lot different now, tense he looks really stressed and I'm really worried as when I was on him I was fearless... I hope this can help Thank you so much for making it!!!
I work with a Fjord/Draft cross that puts everything he can in his mouth. He doesn't bite down, will literally suck fingers, cross ties etc. He was a Premarin baby so most likely was taken from his mother too early. How do we soothe him? He is the sweetest horse on the planet, I would love to make him happy.
Hi callie, I just found your channel, LOVE how you explain things. My horse dexter wobbles his bottom lip only he doesnt chew or anything else just a really big wobble when hes feeling stressed.
My horse is itching his leg when I walk him while he is saddled and we are warming up. He also does it at stand stills both with me in the saddle and on the ground. Furthermore he has this habit of "yawning" and stretshing his head down towards the floor when I take his halter of before I put on the bridle. And when I am grooming him he constantly bites his shoulder if I'm brushing around the area. The horse is not my own, and I have tried to tell the owners about this behaviour and tell them maybe they should get him checked to see if he is locked any where or has pain, but unfortunately that is not gonna happen. So I might find another horse after having watched this video that has convinced me that he is under constant stress and possibly pain
My horse is normally very calm. But one day he became very anxious when I rode him into the field where he lives when the other horses, all geldings, were in the barn. He doesn't mind going to other fields alone with me but not his field.
I don't have a horse or a horse i can ride yet, i was curious what horses talk about and this video was the suggestion. Everytime i go into a barn or the fair where horses are they always neigh or snort and huff so i was wondering what they were sharing with thier fellow equines (I dunno if that is the right word) xD
Yesterday I was braiding my horses mane (just casually, he has a long mane) and he was repeatedly yawning the whole time. Was he bored? Or stressed? He is a rescue so I don't know his past and he has some things that make him nervous
I have heard that yawning also can be a sign of relaxation, but I'm not sure. I just thought if there were no other signs of stressing, then maybe he just enjoyed it?
I really only see horses yawn when they're able to relax and let go of tension they had been holding in their body. I see it as something positive. But it depends on the situation ofcourse
My 2 yr old QH gelding stall walks. I provide him with all the hay he could eat and salt and mineral blocks and he can see his buddy horses through the stall bars. I'm not sure why he is doing this and if I tie him up he is content to stay there and not paw or fuss. He gets plenty of turn out each day in paddocks big enough to run and play and roll and can see his buddies. I am not sure why he is stressed?
So if ur horse bites its tongue only when it has a bridle on does it mean they are uncomfortable and like my horse Ariel bites her tongue normally and even when she has a bit on so does it mean they are fine? I don't understand
Wow that's an interesting video ! My mare is yawning as soon as I pick up the bridle, maybe stress "it's getting serious, here comes the thing that will be on my head and in my mouth" or maybe she just anticipates the fact that she will not be able to open her mouth as wide as this and relaxes all her face muscles before ? After the ride I take the bridle off and do a facial massage, she also yawns and relaxes. I also ride a friends horse and at least once in a training session he rubbs his head against a front leg, I always thought "oh dear, it itches again", but you teached me that it might be a sign of stress ... maybe avoiding what might be asked, time for a micro-break ? I am so cool and soft and not too demanding, so why might he be stressed ?
Here are some random behaviours that might indicate stress (but are probably normal) I won't explain them at all. I won't tell you how to get rid of them or if you need to. As far as you know they are probably perfectly fine. BuT WhAT iF TheY'Re NOt?
I know this might be a little late but my horse will crib just after he had finished his supplements and I'm getting the hay ready. If i catch him and tell him to stop it, he generally will.
A little of topic! What do you recommend for a horse that is always stressed? I am working with a pony named pepper who came from being abused in every way shape or form! He is petrified to take grain if a human placed it there! He is so nervous I just want to help him live his best possible life :) I should also mention that I have tried him in a round pen and instead of running he charged me down. He has confused me on what to do! Thank you:)
Did you ever get help with this? I personally would ask around to any horse experts I could find or possibly look up what to do with troubled horses. I have a watched a few RUclipsrs on here who deal with all kinds of horses and get them to a place where they are, less aggressive maybe? Anyway I am sure if you haven't found help already that someone out there can help.
My horse keep biting door and pooling I don’t know how can I help him , he’s X raising horse any advice ! Put mask doesn’t work keep take it off , he’s we excersize him and ride him we live in farm so many bourse free
My horse does the head rubbing on front leg when we first start doing our indoor arena ride. Do I let him continue or correct and not let him rub . It’s always in beginning of ride but as we ride he doesn’t continue behavior. Any suggest?🐴❤️
I have an Arabian who lives most of the time in pasture with other geldings, when I want to ride out alone he stops still as a statue and won’t move. I can’t move him right or left or back. Just won’t move, if I want to go alone. I lunge him, walk him, and some times I can’t get him to walk forward. He does this when we want to load him in a trailer. What can I do?
I'm not sure about my lesson horse, she will rub her head on her leg sometimes when we are waiting to do equine therapy lessons, (I volunteer AND take lessons, I work with the same horse I ride most of the time) although knowing her she is more impatient than anxious... I, however, have done the same thing since I was a VERY young child- when I get nervous or upset or sometimes just bored and I am not paying attention, I rub the back of my hand against my mouth, I honestly don't even realize I am doing it 80% of the time... (I have Asperger's as well, and it may be a quirk of that. My grandma would put Tabasco on my hands, and she taped gloves to my hands once, but it obviously didn't break me of the habit- I am 36 and I was literally doing it just now. I am such a weirdo...😳)
After every ride my gelding reaches down to scratch his front leg. He also occasionally reaches back to bite/lick himself once he’s back in his stall. He’s a good boy but gets very nervous at shows. Advice?
My new mare (have owned her for 3 months but known her for last 5 years) smacks her lips. I have been told this is a sign of stress. She only does it under saddle at the walk
If by rooting you mean trying to drop their head and pull the reins out of your hands, then yes, it could be. She is either not accepting of the bit and contact because it's inhibiting her "hotness" and she's disagreeing with you or because you actually do have the reins too tight, which can actually make a horse hotter, sometimes. Try letting the reins out just a tiny bit and only pull on them to slow her down if she gets TOO quick/fast/hot. Then stop pulling the instant she slows down. For the first few times, she might root even more, and it will be a lot of give and take- pull, slow, release, speed up, pull, slow, release speed up, etc.... but the more you do this, the looser you can have your reins and she won't try to root as much. Also, keep her active while you're riding- give her things to do like circles, leg yields, change in speed, change in direction, flex to one side, etc so she doesn't have time to think about it.
Cali. Thank you for this video. I have a mare who is 9 years old and I've had her most of her life. She and I are bonded and behaves well most of the time with me, now (She has tendencies of being pushy and aggressive but we worked through a lot of it). However, she still pins her ears. I used to think it was always her aggressive, pushy streak but, there seems to be a difference. When she is being pushy and aggressive (which no longer happens often), I notice her eyes are hard. But, then there are times when her ears are pinned but her eyes are soft. My question is, do you know of any other reason why a horses ears would pin even if they were not being aggressive? I hope I've made sense.
October Jubilee i'm not as experienced, but i've noticed this with some mares im around. from what i've seen, its just a part of how they communicate. she might be trying to say 'back off' in a nicer way, some horses don't like when people get too close- especially when, say, eating. usually, it can be linked to hers dynamics- she might be trying to 'move your feet' and see if she's higher in the herd than you. if she's not being aggressive though, it will probably be best just to stand your ground and stay relaxed, and show her you're no threat but also enforce that she shouldn't disrespect you- if she moves in on you, move back towards her. hopefully this helped 😅
It could mean several things- that the horse is being "rude" and trying to take more than you're willing to give him, that the horse feels it's being held back "too tight" by the reins and isn't accepting of the bit, or that you actually ARE pulling too tight in the reins and need to loosen them a little so he can drop his head better. There is a difference between a horse dropping its head and yanking the reins out of your hands. Try some core strengthening exercises to strengthen your core, because whenever the horse succeeds in pulling the reins out of your hands, he's actually "self-releasing" meaning that whenever you are holding the reins and then you let go, that tells him "good boy". So when he pulls the reins and they get slack, you're accidentally telling him "good boy" for yanking on the reins. Try to close your fingers and stiffen your core when you feel that the reins are about to be pulled. Also, try to maintain as much constant contact as you can by following his head with your hands/arms (without letting your arms get pulled out of their sockets). Give your horse something else to do to distract him- a sidepass, a flex of the head, a more strenuous gait (if he's stopped, make him walk on- if he's walking, trot.... etc), or even do a medium sized circle or change direction. If you actively ride your horse and constantly give him something to do, he will learn that head tossing and pulling the reins is NOT acceptable. Unless, of course, you do have the reins actually too tight- then try letting them out and seeing how he goes with that. If you feel like you need more contact and the reins are "too loose" for your liking, try some more core strengthening exercises. You should be able to ride your horse without even holding on to the reins too tight, or even at all! Have someone lunge you on the horse and practice riding with your hands on your hips, if that's the case. This will strengthen your core and your balance and teach you how to have an independent seat.
@@ievazuriukas3959 Yes, most likely that is the case- asking for (or actually, more like, demanding) longer reins, but keep in mind, sometimes that is not an appropriate thing to allow the horse to do because of the task or discipline you are working at with them. Use your judgement about whether or not it's appropriate to give in.
She does THIS she stretches her neck out as far as possible & and yawns/opens her mouth as far open as possible (while my back is turned as I'm grabbing the bridle) right before I put it on her (I tried to put a pic up but couldn't get it to copy & paste..its hilarious! But she's not in pain, she's been checked, and we always have a great ride. It's just a strange thing I've NEVER seen any other horse do🤣
My 4yr old gelding Fresian/Qh, will rub his head on his leg. Now, the flies love him... However, this behaviour started to show up in the roundpen during training, and to me, it looked like the same thing a cat does when it is confused or stressed - when they suddenly stop and quickly wash a paw or their sides. We decided it was a tactic he was employing to distract from the lesson, to give himself a few moments. However, we cannot have him doing this, so we are discouraging the behaviour by pushing him on. We are cognizant that he may also be showing stress, so we usually give him a few strides away from the topic (he is doing trotting poles right now, as physio to build his rear end from a very old injury he had before I got him) then circle him back to the question at hand. The instance of head rubbing is much reduced, and as it only appears at the end of the lesson when the rider has dismounted, we are allowing it. As he becomes more accostomed to the training we hope this habit will just stop.
The horse that I ride keeps shaking his head when I try to steer him to a direction that he doesn’t want to go. I keep pulling hard because he’s so strong but he keeps dominating me.
I had a similar problem until last month with a horse at the barn I don't know if this is the best way to solve this problem, but I've tried to become more precise and confident when I asked him to change his direction or things like that, and I also put lots of changes of direction in my training And if he wasn't going to listen, I kept asking for it until he did (even just a part of) what I wanted And of course after that I've always gave him a good and big reinforcement Now wherever we are (at the barn or out in the countryside) he competly listens, and he also trust me a lot more I think Hope this will help you a little bit
@@geraldinesantos1247 (Forgive me, I don't want to be the little annoying teacher ahah, but I realized I didn't tell you an important thing: just don't push him harder.. he is stronger than you anyway. Try to get it by keeping the usual pressure on until he changes, and than release In a way that makes you ask for something, not commanding it And that's all :) hope the best for you and your horse)
Yes ..its a bad habit though. She is resting ..they like to lean on things ..its mostly older horses. If she is scratching its fine. The only thing is if whatever they are leaning on breaks or tips over suddenly under their weight and they have a fall or are startled. It might never happen though. I don't know how you stop it except move the trough so she can't. It might not be worth it though if you think it won't break or fall over then it could be fine.
My horse will bite his chest when I m riding and I give a strong half halt..he will curve his neck in and break over at c3-c4 and nip himself...Also at the start of every lesson he will shake his head and swish his tail. He is a very hot nervous horse to begin with.
Lisa Burroughs is your girth too tight? My horse used to do this also until I began tying the girth more lightly at the start and then tightening slighty more once in the arena.
My mare is smacking her lips when she is in stress while being ridden. It is a little funny, because it seems like she is trying to talk. Happens dir example on trail rides. She is a former racing horse and a leading mare, so it is hat's dir her to be the last horse of the group. She will turn to me and move the lips like telling me..woman, you are not serious. I am the fastest horse here..I can not walk last!😂I always give importance to this and we move to the leading position , so she immediately cools down .Lips dont move any more.I am really happy about this sign . She could come crazy and try to run, but she does complain this way
I have seen horses being ridden who swish their tail HEAPS..I had a feeling it was a sign of stress but everyone says it's just flies....HA! I was right ^.^
@@jeanhornby5310 Licking and chewing means the horse is coming off a stressful event Pawing has recently been linked to the horse being sore and not boredom
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My mare is very high strung. When I first brought her home 3 years ago she would paw, swish her tail, call out, throw her head, jig, and bolt. She’s an older mare, 19 now, and had a very rough past. Over time I’ve been able to change her negative associations with human handlers by being patient and never losing my temper with her, setting her up to succeed and consistently showing her I mean her no harm. Almost all of her stress behaviors are gone now, and when she does get edgy she comes back to me and calms down really quickly.
Love your videos, tons of practical information and food for thought.
I've just gone through the same process although my horse had far more dangerous stress behaviors. We are still working on a few details but nothing serious most of the time.
Lee Alexander that’s great how far you’ve come with your horse :) Time and patience are the best medicine for the stressed pony.
My mare was on the side of aggressive and pushy. Pinned me against a wash station rail with her chest, threw me a few feet with her head while bridling, struck at me, attempted to bowl me over several times, and was just generally terrified and defensive all the time. You couldn’t touch her ears, even haltering her was a trigger and she would zoom around me in tight circles throwing her head, she’d drop a shoulder to cut in trying to make me yield to her. She bolted with me on her at top speed when she spooked and didn’t stop until I turned her into the face of a very steep hillside.
My point is, and I mean no disrespect, that all those little stress behaviors can manifest in huge and dangerous ways if they aren’t dealt with properly. My mare was never purposely dangerous, or even tiniest bit mean, she was just doing what she knew how to do in order to survive in her world before me.
In my case I had very little information to go on except that she’s had some amazing training in her past, but had been sold into unkind hands and then sold again and then finally to me, where she will remain the rest of her life. It’s amazing to me how adaptive and forgiving horses are. I’ve learned a lot from my girl and wouldn’t trade my life with her for anything.
Anyway, thanks for listening to me rant. Keep up the good work.
I got my horse just today, she was very nervous and scared, she wouldn’t let anyone touch her and she kept calling out. I tried to calm her down but it didn’t work at all, do you maybe have any tips?
This is great, thank you for sharing! I hypothesize in some scenarios the leg itching could be also learned avoidance behavior since they're allowed to scratch the leg without interference. I see tail swishing in pain/agitation so often. It's so important to listen and not suppress expression. Love your channel!
It really IS important, we had a horse at my barn who started to get very agitated when you tried clean his right front hoof, people just manhandled him to get it done, and very soon after he developed a crack in that hoof, so he was most likely in pain and trying to tell us. It is so important to check things like that out, and not just automatically assume it is bad behaviour...
A school horse I ride on sometimes did head shaking, sometimes chewing, sometimes biting. Helpful as always!
You’re so good, Callie. Extremely intelligent video.
Thanks for the tips this will really help me
My horse is (luckily) very clear in communicating he is stressed. He still associates being taken from the paddock with anxiety. My guess is he felt too much pressure or expectation when he got taken out by his prior owner and had some unpleasant exeriences.
He always gets very busy with his face and mouth when he's tense. Biting in halters and ropes, making weird faces, etc.
All it takes is some focus and relaxation work and he's as sweet and calm as can be.
I've only had him for a few months but he has taught me so much about working with the horse you have at that moment and to not have any expectations.
Excellent videos; I have learned so much from your videos. Thank you.
I had a horse who cribbed habitually- he was a great little horse (my first) and super reliable... but, he cribbed. Looking back, I now believe that his cribbing possibly had a couple of origins-
he was a retired pony jumper who was a school horse before I got him as my personal horse.
*maybe the stresses of his brief stint as a lesson horse - being kept in a narrow standing stall in between lessons (ugh how awful) in a very busy stable caused him to find an outlet in cribbing.
*perhaps he was also easing ulcer pain due to bacterial infection and stress? We didn’t often think about equine ulcers back then... he DID colic a few times, after he would catch the munchies in the middle of the night and then jump (from a standstill) his 3’3” stall door and help himself to the feed bins (we eventually had a net installed on the top of his stall door and the feed bins got secure latches) that pony was an incredible jumper
It probably didn’t help that I wasn’t very emotionally stable during that period of time either- I tried my best but there were factors which kept me from being my best self...I believe that horses can be big antennas, and the rider/ handler is the broadcaster. Maybe he was also reacting to my stress by self soothing as a cribber...
I can only guess. But I do think about it often and wish I could go back and be more helpful than. Hindsight glaringly obvious here.
Thanks for these videos- good info, spoken simply.
GREAT video :Di have noticed that my horses lick, chew and yawns, and also rub their heads on there front legs , to selfsooth
Love your videos, they’ve helped me so much. The school horse I ride shakes his head and bares his teeth when he’s getting his girth tightened, or before going into the ring.
I've been riding a horse in lessons who was a high-level sport animal in the field, fox-hunting, over fences, cross=country etc. In the indoor ring, during lessons - he's fine for aobut 20 minutes and then he starts pulling the reins out of my hands and stretching his head down to rub his foreleg, exactly as you described as the first example of stress in a horse. Because It's a lesson, I can't stop and 'soothe' him by changing the routine, or taking him somewhere else. He alwasy seems calm when we leave the indoor ring and walk back up to the stable. Then he's peaceful. So I'm guessing the rigour of lessons, which he's not really used to, is, in some ways, too much for him. Thanks for the tips. Now to find the cure.
My pony used to bite when she got frustrated and anxious as a way to deal with it. Now she will begin aggressively eating grass, which work much better for her to calm down and me to not need to worry. Very happy with it, but i still try to keep the anxiety to a minimum, as i don't want her feeling the need to take that grazing break in the first place. It took well over a year before i found the best way to train her, but now she's doing great. She can aggressively chase a plastic bag, but when i click or she get into my personal space she will instantly go relaxed and happy. Our neighbourgh can even feed her grass when they walk past without having her act up. The only way she beg is by smiling. That's so very different to the food aggressive (mostly just anxious. Aggression was her way to handle that) pony who would do the opposite of what you say, just because you can't decide what she should do. Yesterday my super food motivated, ressource guarding pony with severe food anxiety even went through hip high grass without trying to eat it (And she was allowed to) and also went for a trot with a half dead human hanging on to save energy (She had so much energy. I can't run that much. So i grabbed some mane, leaned over and just moved my legs to keep my balance while using her for speed)
My 4 yr old gelding gives the flehmen response many times a day.. when he gets a treat which is typical.. but also displays it if you are too quick to pet him. Or putting his blanket on , taking it off. Bridling .,or any level of pressure that he feels is done too quickly.. He’s not displaying tension or fearful . He’s standing still an letting one do theses things . But it’s like he could be mildly over stimulated an that expresssion seems to give him relief. So for example ill have the bridle on my arm take his halter off. He does the flehmen an then puts his head down so I can bridle him. Or I start to undo the clips on his blanket an he will flehmen. So I retreat for a a few seconds then proceed.. I’m pretty amazed he developed a way to cope that let’s him communicate maybe provides relief an is also completely harmless.
Hi Callie ... I am brand new to horse ownership. While my husband is more seasoned (his horse is 17hh grandson of Seattle Slew), my horse is a 15.1hh Teri colored Paint. My horse was previously owned by a woman whose daughter competed him in dressage, cross country and jumping events. He’s 12 and very responsive to me already. My trainer says that he sees a strong connection between the two of us already (I’ve had him just six weeks) ... now .. the behavior you are asking to note. When I feed both horses (twice a day) .. when I put the grain bowl down, when Gus starts to eat he retracts his right front leg (to the position of what looks somewhat like someone was going to pick his Hoof). He does this at every single feeding but just for about the first 20-30 seconds. The only other time I have seen this hoof stance is when I have him tied to the trailer and Vic our other horse is not tied on the same side of the trailer. What do you think it could be? I thought it was excitement for his meal .. but the trailer tying isn’t food related so I am stumped. ???
I'm just wondering how I deal with that stress if it gets more extreme and help my horse calm down, any tips?
I had a show a while back and the horse I was put on had a lot of trauma. I did request that horse but I’m a beginner rider and I have ridden him before many times during my lessons so I was very used to him.
He has a support horse because his old owners didn’t know how to take care of him. He was left alone, he was under weight, and was never trained properly.
When I got him out he was pawing at the ground aggressively, He was nudging, he was biting his ankles and was throwing his head up every time I tried to put his head piece on.
Once he got put into the arena and was worked a little bit they put me on and I could tell he didn’t want me on there. As soon as I tried to stop he started backing up really fast and got me caught off guard.
The whole time I was on him he was staying next to his support horse and the person riding that horse was so confused and stressed out so we all were stressed out and no one knew what to do. Every time I tried to get him to turn he was walking the other way, and throwing his head up, turning around and just not having it. They thought he was just “amped up” I was so stressed before and everyone was so busy that I couldn’t try to ask to switch my horse. After, they let me leave and I got 5th or 3rd place for everything. I was so frustrated. I don’t think it’s the horses fault but I think everything could’ve been prevented. If anyone was on that horse they would’ve fallen off. I don’t want to seem like I’m praising myself but that horse was so stressed and difficult. And they thought I was the one that was doing stuff wrong. I feel like I did a better job than anyone would of on that horse. That horse just isn’t meant to be a show horse or to be ridden out of the arena.
Thank you so much. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏
Thanks for the knowledge! We work at a horse farm where they abuse all 28 of their horses. All horses show everyone of these signs. This will be a perfect example to show animal control when we save these babies. Thank you!
I see this at fairs with horses. They are in an unfamiliar enviroment and you can feel how they are feeling sometimes. Many of them want and need attention.
I relatively freaquently drive my horse and my friends horses to chiropractor. The horse is typically locked up somewhere in the skeleton (from small accidents ect.)and when the locked part loosens, the horse smacks his lips and sometimes yawns. Afterwards, they are often really relaxed, and want a little cuddle contact.
After taking my horse for a ride like 20 minutes when I return my horse scratches his front legs with his lips. He also yawns a lot when I'm near him. And lately when I'm riding him and I stopped to talk to somebody he starts pawing at the ground. My horse is a 3 year old paint gilding.
I have worries about a lesson horse at my stable,
He used to be so amazing at jumping amazing at cantering and listening,
Now I guess he refuses everything stubborn and seems to hate jumping,
I don't ride him a lot anymore as a girl in my group brought him,
I am riding him tomorrow but thinking about it when I rode him over 6 months ago he seemed flawless now he previous owner left he seems to not we able to do anything (jumping wise),
Looking back he seems a lot different now, tense he looks really stressed and I'm really worried as when I was on him I was fearless...
I hope this can help Thank you so much for making it!!!
I work with a Fjord/Draft cross that puts everything he can in his mouth. He doesn't bite down, will literally suck fingers, cross ties etc. He was a Premarin baby so most likely was taken from his mother too early. How do we soothe him? He is the sweetest horse on the planet, I would love to make him happy.
Hi callie, I just found your channel, LOVE how you explain things. My horse dexter wobbles his bottom lip only he doesnt chew or anything else just a really big wobble when hes feeling stressed.
My horse is itching his leg when I walk him while he is saddled and we are warming up. He also does it at stand stills both with me in the saddle and on the ground. Furthermore he has this habit of "yawning" and stretshing his head down towards the floor when I take his halter of before I put on the bridle. And when I am grooming him he constantly bites his shoulder if I'm brushing around the area. The horse is not my own, and I have tried to tell the owners about this behaviour and tell them maybe they should get him checked to see if he is locked any where or has pain, but unfortunately that is not gonna happen. So I might find another horse after having watched this video that has convinced me that he is under constant stress and possibly pain
My horse is normally very calm. But one day he became very anxious when I rode him into the field where he lives when the other horses, all geldings, were in the barn. He doesn't mind going to other fields alone with me but not his field.
I don't have a horse or a horse i can ride yet, i was curious what horses talk about and this video was the suggestion. Everytime i go into a barn or the fair where horses are they always neigh or snort and huff so i was wondering what they were sharing with thier fellow equines (I dunno if that is the right word) xD
Yesterday I was braiding my horses mane (just casually, he has a long mane) and he was repeatedly yawning the whole time. Was he bored? Or stressed? He is a rescue so I don't know his past and he has some things that make him nervous
I have heard that yawning also can be a sign of relaxation, but I'm not sure. I just thought if there were no other signs of stressing, then maybe he just enjoyed it?
I really only see horses yawn when they're able to relax and let go of tension they had been holding in their body. I see it as something positive. But it depends on the situation ofcourse
Depends on the rest of the body language. If tail, ears, neck, back is relaxed, then he's most likely enjoying it, it might feel like a nice massage.
Video examples would have been helpful.
Thanks for the info.
My horse yawns repeatedly after rolling..
That’s a really good sign after horses training sessions!!
That shows that they are relaxing if it’s a long calm yawn
My 2 yr old QH gelding stall walks. I provide him with all the hay he could eat and salt and mineral blocks and he can see his buddy horses through the stall bars. I'm not sure why he is doing this and if I tie him up he is content to stay there and not paw or fuss. He gets plenty of turn out each day in paddocks big enough to run and play and roll and can see his buddies. I am not sure why he is stressed?
So if ur horse bites its tongue only when it has a bridle on does it mean they are uncomfortable and like my horse Ariel bites her tongue normally and even when she has a bit on so does it mean they are fine? I don't understand
Wow that's an interesting video ! My mare is yawning as soon as I pick up the bridle, maybe stress "it's getting serious, here comes the thing that will be on my head and in my mouth" or maybe she just anticipates the fact that she will not be able to open her mouth as wide as this and relaxes all her face muscles before ? After the ride I take the bridle off and do a facial massage, she also yawns and relaxes.
I also ride a friends horse and at least once in a training session he rubbs his head against a front leg, I always thought "oh dear, it itches again", but you teached me that it might be a sign of stress ... maybe avoiding what might be asked, time for a micro-break ? I am so cool and soft and not too demanding, so why might he be stressed ?
Here are some random behaviours that might indicate stress (but are probably normal)
I won't explain them at all.
I won't tell you how to get rid of them or if you need to.
As far as you know they are probably perfectly fine.
BuT WhAT iF TheY'Re NOt?
A day before yesterday I was on a horse of my school but it was shaking his head so much. Now I know why. And there were no flies. 🐝🐝🐝
Hhshgdj
I know this might be a little late but my horse will crib just after he had finished his supplements and I'm getting the hay ready. If i catch him and tell him to stop it, he generally will.
A little of topic! What do you recommend for a horse that is always stressed? I am working with a pony named pepper who came from being abused in every way shape or form! He is petrified to take grain if a human placed it there! He is so nervous I just want to help him live his best possible life :) I should also mention that I have tried him in a round pen and instead of running he charged me down. He has confused me on what to do! Thank you:)
Did you ever get help with this? I personally would ask around to any horse experts I could find or possibly look up what to do with troubled horses. I have a watched a few RUclipsrs on here who deal with all kinds of horses and get them to a place where they are, less aggressive maybe? Anyway I am sure if you haven't found help already that someone out there can help.
Reaching down and itching front legs under saddle. Reaching around and
My horse keep biting door and pooling I don’t know how can I help him , he’s X raising horse any advice ! Put mask doesn’t work keep take it off , he’s we excersize him and ride him we live in farm so many bourse free
Very educational, I like the explanations as always, thank you! I wonder though, what is the bridle kind of leather around the Neck at 5:24 ?
Does not stand tied up swings rump and mouths anything and everything. He was sold to me as a four year old ,vet says he is only just turning three.
My horse does the head rubbing on front leg when we first start doing our indoor arena ride. Do I let him continue or correct and not let him rub . It’s always in beginning of ride but as we ride he doesn’t continue behavior. Any suggest?🐴❤️
I have an Arabian who lives most of the time in pasture with other geldings, when I want to ride out alone he stops still as a statue and won’t move. I can’t move him right or left or back. Just won’t move, if I want to go alone. I lunge him, walk him, and some times I can’t get him to walk forward. He does this when we want to load him in a trailer. What can I do?
Look up polyvagal theory.
I'm not sure about my lesson horse, she will rub her head on her leg sometimes when we are waiting to do equine therapy lessons, (I volunteer AND take lessons, I work with the same horse I ride most of the time) although knowing her she is more impatient than anxious...
I, however, have done the same thing since I was a VERY young child- when I get nervous or upset or sometimes just bored and I am not paying attention, I rub the back of my hand against my mouth, I honestly don't even realize I am doing it 80% of the time... (I have Asperger's as well, and it may be a quirk of that. My grandma would put Tabasco on my hands, and she taped gloves to my hands once, but it obviously didn't break me of the habit- I am 36 and I was literally doing it just now. I am such a weirdo...😳)
Question: Would a nervous horse benefit from more exercise... to calm the mind?
Read Paddock Paradise by Jaime Jackson and The Natural Horse...
My horse tries to bite, nip at me what is that?
when i ride my horse he stops and scratches he leg and swishers his tail all the time
After every ride my gelding reaches down to scratch his front leg. He also occasionally reaches back to bite/lick himself once he’s back in his stall. He’s a good boy but gets very nervous at shows. Advice?
My gelding looks like he bites his knee! It is a quick movement where his mouth goes to his knee...
My new mare (have owned her for 3 months but known her for last 5 years) smacks her lips. I have been told this is a sign of stress. She only does it under saddle at the walk
its the opposite its a sign she is relaxed usually ..unless you think otherwise for another reason
Is rooting a sign of stress? I have a hot mare that is constantly trying to root when being ridden
If by rooting you mean trying to drop their head and pull the reins out of your hands, then yes, it could be. She is either not accepting of the bit and contact because it's inhibiting her "hotness" and she's disagreeing with you or because you actually do have the reins too tight, which can actually make a horse hotter, sometimes. Try letting the reins out just a tiny bit and only pull on them to slow her down if she gets TOO quick/fast/hot. Then stop pulling the instant she slows down. For the first few times, she might root even more, and it will be a lot of give and take- pull, slow, release, speed up, pull, slow, release speed up, etc.... but the more you do this, the looser you can have your reins and she won't try to root as much. Also, keep her active while you're riding- give her things to do like circles, leg yields, change in speed, change in direction, flex to one side, etc so she doesn't have time to think about it.
My mare does this too.
My horse shakes his head to the left and right as he runs in round pen. Is this aggressive behaviour?
Cali. Thank you for this video. I have a mare who is 9 years old and I've had her most of her life. She and I are bonded and behaves well most of the time with me, now (She has tendencies of being pushy and aggressive but we worked through a lot of it). However, she still pins her ears. I used to think it was always her aggressive, pushy streak but, there seems to be a difference. When she is being pushy and aggressive (which no longer happens often), I notice her eyes are hard. But, then there are times when her ears are pinned but her eyes are soft. My question is, do you know of any other reason why a horses ears would pin even if they were not being aggressive? I hope I've made sense.
October Jubilee i'm not as experienced, but i've noticed this with some mares im around. from what i've seen, its just a part of how they communicate. she might be trying to say 'back off' in a nicer way, some horses don't like when people get too close- especially when, say, eating. usually, it can be linked to hers dynamics- she might be trying to 'move your feet' and see if she's higher in the herd than you. if she's not being aggressive though, it will probably be best just to stand your ground and stay relaxed, and show her you're no threat but also enforce that she shouldn't disrespect you- if she moves in on you, move back towards her. hopefully this helped 😅
what about horse keeps putting his head down, pulling my reins.
doesnt always do, just one time
It could mean several things- that the horse is being "rude" and trying to take more than you're willing to give him, that the horse feels it's being held back "too tight" by the reins and isn't accepting of the bit, or that you actually ARE pulling too tight in the reins and need to loosen them a little so he can drop his head better. There is a difference between a horse dropping its head and yanking the reins out of your hands.
Try some core strengthening exercises to strengthen your core, because whenever the horse succeeds in pulling the reins out of your hands, he's actually "self-releasing" meaning that whenever you are holding the reins and then you let go, that tells him "good boy". So when he pulls the reins and they get slack, you're accidentally telling him "good boy" for yanking on the reins. Try to close your fingers and stiffen your core when you feel that the reins are about to be pulled. Also, try to maintain as much constant contact as you can by following his head with your hands/arms (without letting your arms get pulled out of their sockets). Give your horse something else to do to distract him- a sidepass, a flex of the head, a more strenuous gait (if he's stopped, make him walk on- if he's walking, trot.... etc), or even do a medium sized circle or change direction. If you actively ride your horse and constantly give him something to do, he will learn that head tossing and pulling the reins is NOT acceptable.
Unless, of course, you do have the reins actually too tight- then try letting them out and seeing how he goes with that. If you feel like you need more contact and the reins are "too loose" for your liking, try some more core strengthening exercises. You should be able to ride your horse without even holding on to the reins too tight, or even at all! Have someone lunge you on the horse and practice riding with your hands on your hips, if that's the case. This will strengthen your core and your balance and teach you how to have an independent seat.
As I've been taught, the main reasion *out of a few possibilities* can be that the horse is asking for longer reins.
@@ievazuriukas3959 Yes, most likely that is the case- asking for (or actually, more like, demanding) longer reins, but keep in mind, sometimes that is not an appropriate thing to allow the horse to do because of the task or discipline you are working at with them. Use your judgement about whether or not it's appropriate to give in.
Nimeariel yeah, I’m aware, but it’s really important to remember that. Thank you! uwu
What is stall walking or weaving?
My horse is constantly doing what shes talking about
She comes to the point at 3:00 min
She does THIS she stretches her neck out as far as possible & and yawns/opens her mouth as far open as possible (while my back is turned as I'm grabbing the bridle) right before I put it on her (I tried to put a pic up but couldn't get it to copy & paste..its hilarious! But she's not in pain, she's been checked, and we always have a great ride. It's just a strange thing I've NEVER seen any other horse do🤣
My gelding does this too! So weird
My horse does both shakes her head and even switches her tail.
My 4yr old gelding Fresian/Qh, will rub his head on his leg.
Now, the flies love him...
However, this behaviour started to show up in the roundpen during training, and to me, it looked like the same thing a cat does when it is confused or stressed - when they suddenly stop and quickly wash a paw or their sides.
We decided it was a tactic he was employing to distract from the lesson, to give himself a few moments.
However, we cannot have him doing this, so we are discouraging the behaviour by pushing him on. We are cognizant that he may also be showing stress, so we usually give him a few strides away from the topic (he is doing trotting poles right now, as physio to build his rear end from a very old injury he had before I got him) then circle him back to the question at hand.
The instance of head rubbing is much reduced, and as it only appears at the end of the lesson when the rider has dismounted, we are allowing it.
As he becomes more accostomed to the training we hope this habit will just stop.
The horse that I ride keeps shaking his head when I try to steer him to a direction that he doesn’t want to go. I keep pulling hard because he’s so strong but he keeps dominating me.
I had a similar problem until last month with a horse at the barn
I don't know if this is the best way to solve this problem, but I've tried to become more precise and confident when I asked him to change his direction or things like that, and I also put lots of changes of direction in my training
And if he wasn't going to listen, I kept asking for it until he did (even just a part of) what I wanted
And of course after that I've always gave him a good and big reinforcement
Now wherever we are (at the barn or out in the countryside) he competly listens, and he also trust me a lot more I think
Hope this will help you a little bit
@@annasimoni9212 Thank you!
@@geraldinesantos1247 (Forgive me, I don't want to be the little annoying teacher ahah, but I realized I didn't tell you an important thing: just don't push him harder.. he is stronger than you anyway. Try to get it by keeping the usual pressure on until he changes, and than release
In a way that makes you ask for something, not commanding it
And that's all :) hope the best for you and your horse)
My horse constantly leans her back legs onto the trough...like she’s resting. So strange. Does anyone else’s horse do this?
Yes ..its a bad habit though. She is resting ..they like to lean on things ..its mostly older horses. If she is scratching its fine. The only thing is if whatever they are leaning on breaks or tips over suddenly under their weight and they have a fall or are startled. It might never happen though. I don't know how you stop it except move the trough so she can't. It might not be worth it though if you think it won't break or fall over then it could be fine.
My horse will bite his chest when I m riding and I give a strong half halt..he will curve his neck in and break over at c3-c4 and nip himself...Also at the start of every lesson he will shake his head and swish his tail. He is a very hot nervous horse to begin with.
Lisa Burroughs is your girth too tight? My horse used to do this also until I began tying the girth more lightly at the start and then tightening slighty more once in the arena.
@@_Lubo ..I'm not sure..my trainer always fixes it before I get on..
@@_Lubo THat's interesting ..i've never had a horse bite himself.
My mare is smacking her lips when she is in stress while being ridden. It is a little funny, because it seems like she is trying to talk. Happens dir example on trail rides. She is a former racing horse and a leading mare, so it is hat's dir her to be the last horse of the group. She will turn to me and move the lips like telling me..woman, you are not serious. I am the fastest horse here..I can not walk last!😂I always give importance to this and we move to the leading position , so she immediately cools down .Lips dont move any more.I am really happy about this sign . She could come crazy and try to run, but she does complain this way
Sorry for mistakes. My phone is usually adjusted to german so even if I type well it comes out weired😁
They dig- it’s poof dirt but they dig
I have seen horses being ridden who swish their tail HEAPS..I had a feeling it was a sign of stress but everyone says it's just flies....HA! I was right ^.^
Yawning = letting the tightness out.
My guy reaches down and starts biting his own leg!!
Better to show video examples. This is all rather vague.
Pawing is something my horse does habitually while tied up or standing when riding.
he's bored.
Frustrated, he doesn't know what else to do.
impatience in general, bored when tied up, maybe waiting for treats, when under saddle wants to move on and not stand still
Licking and chewing is not down to stress ! They are processing, they often do this when joining up to their human
@@jeanhornby5310
Licking and chewing means the horse is coming off a stressful event
Pawing has recently been linked to the horse being sore and not boredom
Lots of yawning and neighing - he’s recently moved homes
Mouthing at me all the time.