Fear or disobedience? How to tell the difference?

Here is a question from one of our readers:

Hello Dear Equestrianist! I very much need your advice... I have a 1.5 years filly and she has always being a very sweet girl. Lately she became very nervous, shy and anxious. When she was younger, she was a happy filly and never fussed but now it looks like she is constantly tense and just waiting for something to be frightened of. Now she began to be afraid to stay alone, without horses. When you take her away from her friends, or vice versa, the horse taken away from her, she cries, runs around and acts very worried. The arena is a puddle of mud now due to the weather, so I cannot really work with her there. So we started to go out to the open fields for walks. Her fears stared to develop gradually. First she did not want to leave the stables area, then she started to be afraid of going out to the fields, and she became fearful even at the stables.

At first she would refuse to move forward and I tried to calm her down, slowly moving forward but then she would refuse to go even for a carrot. Then I tried to use a whip and encourage her to make few steps forward and rewarded her with a treat, but each time the situation was just getting worse! At one point I guess she just got fed up with all of this, reared up and took of back to the stables. After that she would constantly take off and run away. Every time I would ask her to trot or canter she would pull with all her strength and take off, even with a lead rope still attached to her halter.

I had to put a snaffle bridle, walked her in hands so her escapes would not be that easy. It seemed to work but when I tried to ask for a trot an a line and attached it to the halter, she ran off again. I felt like I had to get back the snaffle bridle. She came down a little, we did some exercises, trotted, and change directions but then once again, when I connected the line to the halter she sorely took off. What’s fascinating is that just few months back during the summer she was perfectly fine leaving the stables and going to the fields and beyond, even with the constructions noises from nearby. The only issue I had to get her off the grass, but now it is getting harder and harder each day.

So I don’t know how to continue working with her now. Forcing her to go to the fields feels terrible. Working in a snaffle works against my ultimate goal to eventually work with her and ride her without a bit. I really want to help her to overcome her fears, but taking her to the places where she feels scared looks more and more like an impossible task. Maybe I can restart working with her where she is not afraid, but I wonder would there ever be a place like that? The matter is that in arena she listens well, follows the instructions, leaves personal space, plays yo-yo game, etc. She tries to “challenge” me at times, but it looks like we get through this much easier in the arena. Maybe that’s her temperament changes as he is getting older? She acts similar in the heard as well. Please help! Thank you in advance!

The Equestrianist Response:

Regarding fears: Try to always analyze what exactly happened at the moment when the horse got fearful for the first time and then began to show such behavior.

The possible options are:

1. The Horse is bored and this is her way of getting entertained. That typically happens when even the owner does not have a clear plan in their head and sort of “half-present” by trying to work with the horse and thinking about solving other problems in their minds. Try to engage your horse in more activities right from the start before you get to your destination, whether it is a field, arena or any other place: try unexpected changes of directions, requests to stop, back off, move to the sides etc. This way horses brain gets occupied and stays focused on you rather than on the “scary” things that surround her and her mind is working which makes her instincts to step away.

2. The Horse is really scared because of unpleasant experience in the past. Once, one young horse was brought to the barn right when there were kids playing and screaming outside. The next day there was a loud lawn mower working right next to the stables. For a young and timid horse it was enough “scary” things to turn her off from the stables. She would rear off; pulled and refused to come anywhere near the stables. It took some time, reassurance and patience to teach her that stables is actually a nice place to be in, where there is food and fresh water all the time and comfortable bed to lay on. The good thing to try is the approach- and-retreat technic. So, a lot of back and force… for every step forward, take two steps back. Ultimately, horses like kids and they are interested about places where you “tell” them not to go. So by playing that game that for every step she makes forwards the “scary” place, you walk her away from it. Eventually - curiosity kicks in and she would make more and more steps. This requires a lot of repetition but it pays back at the end.

3. The Horse does not want to leave a safe "home enclosure" in the spacious and full of dangers of the open fields. If you want to expand the space of the other way around, and the horse is opposed to this, be patient and discover the areas around the stables in small steps. The task can be divided into two separate tasks: Task #1 – is you need to show the horse that the stables is now an uncomfortable place to be in, by applying and releasing the pressure. You can start doing it inside the stables or the paddock where the horse is in. Clearly give a release when the horse looks in the directions where you are planning to go or stops at the gates, trying to walk out. Task #2 - is you need to patiently and gradually show your horse that being outside is safe, interesting and even fun! If you have been working on Join-Up with your horse, this would be much easier to do. The horse would follow you easier and trust you more, see you as a leader she can trust and be comfortable around.

4.The horse may express the fear simply because they want to dominate – how oddly and absurd this may sound, but judge for yourself - if the horse sharply frightened, jumps aside, it is very likely that you will lose control over it, release the rope from hand or a horse will pull it out of "fear." The end result is one - this behavior is positively reinforced by the horse the freedom that the horse gets. And the next time the horse becomes more "timid". So pay attention! Your action in this case is to be ready to keep your ground and don’t let the horse to get her way out. By holding the rope correctly and even wear gloves could help you to stay and hold even the friskiest horse. Staying as calm as possible when the “fear attach” happens is a key and give horse the time to realize that the calm place is where you are and there is no way out by putting

all this fuss.

5. Stage of the Horse “fear” could be positively reinforced by the handler himself. That is when the horse is excited, stretches the giraffe's neck, nervous and if at this point we say, "Okay, okay, calm down" - pet and give a treat, we simply explain that the horse to fear is good and we welcome such behavior. Be careful! Always analyze the situation! What to do? First of all, figure out and deal with your own energy. If the horse’s fear caused by the dog barking, kids play or a thunder – you should stay as calm as possible so the horse could “feed of” your calmness and relax. Secondly, try to offset her actions by our requests. If the horse rushes forward, send her in a circle and encourage her to move. This way she would release her energy and at the same time would feel like you are in control of the situation and would calm down, or ask her to lower her heard or bent to the shoulder. This is a position of relaxation. Once the horse came down, this is when you can reward or give a treat.

6. The horse is afraid, because it does not see the noise source or object. Many people make a common mistake by leading the horse by the reins, or even while riding facing away from the danger of or the source of noise, making it impossible for the horse to ensure herself in its own safety. In this case, it is easy for the horse just to turn on the “flight” instinct to escape from the danger. If that’s the case, you should do the opposite. Let the horse to face, sniff or even touch the object, give it time to calm down and ensure that everything is all right.

It is critical to establish the trust and communication first before moving into any other stages of training. If the horse constantly challenges you – that means that you are not there yet and you are allowing the horse to get her way by or misbehave. It is important to do some exercises on formation of a leadership position. If you focus on the horse and achieve consistent and clear responses at all times, the horse will stop challenge you. If you are still working on your trust and communication, work in confined spaces until you feel that you have achieved the connection, trust and respect.