The Fight Or Flight Response

Unlike us, horses are prey animals. For their survival, they have a fight or flight response. Riders and trainers must understand these natural instincts when working with horses. One of the most important things to your horse is their survival. They will flee or fight in order to protect themselves from perceived dangers.

Fight or Flight

Although horses have been domesticated for a long time, they still have natural survival instincts. In the wild, a horse will run or flee from danger. When frightened, their first instinct is to escape the situation and get as far away as possible. When trapped or confided, a frightened horse may use their teeth, hooves, and body to defend themselves.

A fearful horse is unpredictable!

Trainers should not rely on fear when working with horses. You can help develop confidence in your horse by being an assertive leader. Your horse must respect you and your aids. In a herd, the members turn to the leader of the group. They look to this horse for direction. You must become the leader in your herd of two.

In addition to earning your horse's respect, you should work on desensitization. Repeated exposure and consistency will help your horse overcome their fears. Make sure your aids are clear and correct. It's also important you don't mistakingly reenforce the flight or fight response.