Dealing with behaviour problems

Start by changing the question

Most riders have had a horse that bucks, naps to the gate or won't move, or one that bites or kicks when the saddle goes on and the girth is done up. World Horse Welfare's advice is that horses are never intentionally naughty: any behaviour they show is a reflection of how they feel, physically and emotionally.

So the first question isn't "how do I stop this?" but "why is my horse doing this?". Horses are prey animals and have evolved to be experts at hiding pain, the BHS points out, so a behaviour may be the only sign that something hurts.

Rule out pain first

Dr Sue Dyson's research, presented in World Horse Welfare's Welfare Wednesday webinars, looked at behaviours during tacking up, mounting and riding that may indicate pain, stress or anxiety. She found lameness, poor saddle fit, and a rider of the wrong size, position or balance were common, and that lameness, back pain and poor saddle fit were associated with abnormal behaviour when tacking up and mounting.

Her Ridden Horse Pain Checklist lists 24 behaviours that are much more common in horses in pain. Some are ones many of us wouldn't link with pain, such as spooking, swishing the tail and tilting the head. World Horse Welfare also publishes her illustrated Myth busters guide, which tackles 33 common myths about ridden behaviour, and a behaviour checklist to help owners notice subtle signs of stress, pain or discomfort.

The BHS's list of behaviours that can point to lameness includes:

Look for behaviours that happen repeatedly over a sustained period, rather than once. If you see them, contact your vet for a pain and lameness assessment.

Check the basics

The BHS suggests checking the everyday things that can change a horse's behaviour:

• Tack fit: an ill-fitting saddle, bridle or bit. See Tack and equipment.
• Teeth: is the dental check up to date? See Teeth.
• Workload: is the horse coping with what you're asking?
• Environment: restricted turnout or unsuitable surroundings can affect behaviour.
• Feeding: an unsuitable diet may play a role, such as too much sugar.
• Stress: watch for subtle signs your horse isn't coping (see below).

The rider

Be honest about your part, too. The BHS explains that a horse carrying a rider who is too heavy for it may show tension in the neck and back, reluctance to go forward, stumbling, tiring quickly or a change in behaviour. An unbalanced or tired rider is harder to carry, because the horse has to keep rebalancing. If a problem started after a fall, a near miss or a bad ride, both you and your horse may have lost confidence. The BHS suggests getting the saddler, dental technician, physiotherapist and farrier to check your horse, booking some lessons, and taking the pressure off for a while.

Common problems

Working through the problem

When your vet has ruled out pain, or treated it, the next step is training. Some principles from World Horse Welfare:

• Small steps. Break the problem into stages your horse can manage while staying calm. A stressed horse can't learn, and pushing on risks building a negative association.
• Go back a step if the horse gets worried, and build up again from a point where it's comfortable.
• Don't force it. For a horse that's anxious about leaving its friends, World Horse Welfare's advice is to return it to its safe space if it shows signs of tension: trying to force it on alone won't help and will set back your training. Riding a familiar route with another horse a few times, then gradually increasing the distance, can help.
• Reward the right response, for example with food, to keep the horse's focus on you.
• Stay safe. Wear a hat and gloves in case the horse rears or tries to bolt for home. If you or the horse gets tense and it isn't easing, end the session.
• Avoid punishment. Positive punishment is ethically questionable and unlikely to get the results you want, and biting, for example, can be a sign of pain.

How horses learn explains the learning theory behind these principles and World Horse Welfare's step-by-step method for teaching a horse to be left alone.

Signs of stress to watch for

Stress and pain often go together. The BHS lists signs of stress including:

• a change in personality, such as becoming grumpy
• unexplained weight loss
• stereotypies such as box walking, wind sucking or crib biting
• repeated yawning in a stressful situation, tooth grinding, or facial tension around the muzzle
• poor or changed ridden behaviour, including bucking or stopping at a fence
• a high pulse and breathing rate with no obvious explanation (call a vet)
• apathy, or loose droppings more often than usual.

Some horses are passive copers: they may look calm when they're actually withdrawn and shut down. See Stress and stereotypies.

Getting the right help

1. Your vet, for a pain and lameness assessment. This always comes first if you suspect pain.
2. A coach, such as a BHS Accredited Professional Coach, if the problem is in your riding or your horse's training.
3. An equine behaviour professional. World Horse Welfare advises choosing someone whose practice is based on equine learning theory, with experience in the area you need help with, and at least public liability insurance. Registers include the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC). Check what qualifications a register requires, and its complaints procedure. If a proposed method would compromise your horse's welfare or its ability to learn, find a different behaviourist.

Sometimes a horse and rider just aren't suited. The BHS's advice is to be honest about your experience and your horse's, and to recognise when a different partnership, a sharer or a different job for the horse would be fairer to you both.