Is ear-pinning a sign of worse things to come?

I bought and adorable 6 year old small show pony this week at the auction at USEF Pony Finals in Kentucky. He is great when you ride him but very green. The problem is that he pins his ears at you when you approach him. He then licks you if you don't show fear. I am confused by this behavior and worry that it is a sign of bad things to come. The previous owner says that he was gelded just two years ago and broke to ride a year ago. She also said that he needs to get to know you and has been ridden by many children. He is also very hand shy and it looks like he might have been abused by his reaction.


Congrats on the new pony! You've brought up a few different issues here, and I want to address each one.

1. The pony pins his ears when you approach him. You say he then licks if you don't show fear, but you don't mention what he does if someone acts fearful or how you approach him. Horses like humans are individuals, and some of them are just grumpy. I have a one here that I call Mr. Grumpy Pants (a non-scientific term!). He walks around with his ears back and puts them further back when you first approach him, especially if he's in his stall or its dinner time. He has good ground manners, though, and I ignore his pinned ears. He's just a grumpy horse.

You don't mention where your pony is nor how you approach him. If he pins his ears when he's in his stall and eating, then leave him alone during dinner time. When I feed my horses, I figure that's their time to eat and hang out. I don't ask them to do anything else and if they put their ears back at me, I ignore it (I will not ignore bad behavior like kicking, biting, etc.).

If the pony's ground manners are otherwise good, then I would ignore his grumpy attitude. By good ground manners, I mean that he doesn't kick or bite, he leads and stands tied, etc. You can't really discipline a horse for having his ears back - all you are likely to do is make him more grouchy.

2. He was gelded two years ago. Unless he's displaying stallion-like behavior (calling to mares, chasing and attempting to mount mares in the field, etc.), I wouldn't worry about this. Four isn't a late gelding age, and many stallions are gelded at four years (or even later) and adjust just fine to being geldings.

3. He is hand shy and you believe he was abused. You've touched on a big pet peeve of mine: horses being labeled abused because they act a bit headshy. Truly abused horses are few and far between - there are many who are not taught properly, but there are very few who are truly abused.

You don't describe what he does when you move your hands around his head, but I would wager that he's not headshy/abused. He may have learned that if he moves away from contact with his head, he'll be left alone and not have to work. Or he may never have been taught to stand nicely while his head is handled. Another possibility is that he just wants to be left alone or doesn't like being petted on his head. If that's the issue, pet him on his shoulder instead of his head and see how he reacts.

If your horse is violently headshy meaning he throws his head into you, strikes out with his front feet, tries to spin around and kick or displays other behavior that could get you hurt, then seek a professional trainer who can help him overcome these issues.

If he just moves his head away, puts his ears back or walks off, then you can work with him and start desensitizing him to having his head handled. It is best to have him in a halter and leadrope and leave him untied. Hold the end of the leadrope with one hand. Move the other hand around his head. Let him toss his head, move around (keep enough pressure on the leadrope, though, that he moves in a circle around you with his hindquarters away from you). Keep moving your hand until he stops moving, drops his head and licks and chews. This is a sign he's relaxed. Stop immediately, pet him, let him rest a minute, and then start again. If he's ok with your hands moving around, move closer to him and repeat. Keep this up until he's letting you touch his head and standing quietly. This is not necessarily something you can accomplish in just one training session.

During the handling sessions, if he gets worse or starts to react aggressively, then back up and repeat the last successful step. If you are unable to complete even one step successfully, then seek professional help.

Good luck with your new pony - I hope he turns out to be just what you were wanting!

What do I do if my horse bucks again?

I was recently trail riding my 10 year old gelding that I purchased about 5 months ago. As we were riding down a ravine, my horse appeared to slip. When he slipped forward, I fell forward onto his neck. Then, as he was trying to get out of the ravine, he began to buck and bucked me right off. He has never bucked before with me, but now I'm concerned he will buck again. What do I do if he starts to buck (besides hold on for dear life)? Do I pull one rein to my hip, as if to stop? Any suggestions?

Congrats on the new horse! It is always exciting to add a new horse, but it can also be frustrating to adjust to a new horse. Of course, riding different horses in different situations is what makes us good horsemen and horsewomen.

You don't mention how experienced a rider you are, and that can make a difference in my answer. For example, if you aren't an experienced rider, you might not be able to tell whether or not your horse was bucking. Sometimes when a horse comes up out of a ravine or up a very steep hill, they take bounding or leaping steps that can feel like bucking. And if you aren't prepare for those leaps, then it is easy to be unbalanced and come off.

However if you are an experienced rider, then you probably know the difference between a leap and a buck. Your horse may have been bucking because you were unbalanced - you said you had slipped forward onto his neck. Sometimes an unbalanced rider can make a horse uncomfortable enough to buck. Or you may have startled him when you slipped onto his neck, and that may have made him buck. You can prevent those two things in the future. More riding time and lessons with a good instructor can help you develop better balance. Desensitizing your horse to you moving around in the saddle - leaning backwards and leaning forwards onto his neck can help him be better prepared in the future. You also should get your horse used to having you touch him on his neck, back, sides, etc. when you are on his back.

These bucks may have been an isolated experience: a reaction to stumbling, you slipping forward and then being unbalanced when coming out of the ravine. However if he bucks again, here are a few tips:

• Try pulling his head up and sending him forward. It is more difficult for a horse to buck when their head is up and they're moving.
  
• Teach him the one rein stop ahead of time and use if he bucks.
  
• Teach him an absolute "whoa". That means teaching him that no matter what he's doing, when you say whoa he stops moving. This is what works best with my mare who occasionally bucks. If she starts, I say "whoa" loud and firm and she stops. However, she's been taught in training sessions that when I say "whoa" I mean to stop right now!
  

Good luck with your horse. I hope this helps and that you have many more enjoyable rides together.

How do I deal with separation anxiety in my show horse?

I have a 13 year old, Quarter Horse that is shown in western pleasure. He has been in training since his 2 year old year, and I purchased him as a 6 year old. When I bought him, he had no problems. However, over the years he has developed severe separation anxiety. Last week he and another horse went to a huge show. He was shown the first day, and then not shown again because his mental state deteriorated. He climbed the walls whenever the other horse was taken away to show or lunge. As long as someone or another horse was with him he was ok. I am at my wits end on what to do.

Separation anxiety can be such a frustrating problem for owners that I've published an article in EQUUS Magazine called Happy Together which discusses separation anxiety, and my first Behavior Q&A Column was about separation anxiety. Click here to read that column.

When dealing with separation anxiety, look at the horse in question. Is he normally a high-strung horse? They seem to be a little more likely to form such close ties to other horses. You said your horse had no problems when you first got him, so I'm guessing he wasn't overly prone to stress and creating such strong bonds. So something may have changed in his life to cause him to be easily stressed out at shows. You said he's been in training since he was two - so that's eleven years of training and showing. That in and of itself can be quite stressful. Maybe it is time for him to have some downtime, hang out, and just be a horse.

I would also have a vet check him out for physical problems. If he's in pain or uncomfortable, he's going to be stressed out at shows. And that stress may cause him to bond to another horse for comfort and companionship. Since he's been showing for so long, I would ask the vet to check him for ulcers as well since they can cause discomfort, leading to more stress.

You didn't mention if he was ok at home and only a problem at shows. If showing is the problem then once you've eliminated your gelding's sources of stress and given him some time off, it is time to go back to showing. Unfortunately, showing itself might be the source of his stress. So I would take it slowly: take him to some small, schooling shows. At first, just ride him around the grounds and don't enter him in the competition. If he deals with that ok and is willing to leave his buddy at the trailer or in the stall, then you can start showing him again. Make sure the experience is low-key and not stressful. You aren't showing to win ribbons, you are showing him so he can learn that the show ring is not so stressful and scary that he needs to cling to someone else for comfort.

If even riding him at the show grounds is difficult, then you have more work to do. I would start by taking him to shows and taking him on short walks around the grounds - start with five minutes. If he stays calm and doesn't get upset after five minutes, praise him and take him back to his stall or the trailer. If he gets upset, then you'll have to have even shorter training sessions. The goal is to have him listen to you and not panic for his friend. I would also haul him to the show with different horses - don't set him up to have one friend he relies on. Take longer and longer walks, always rewarding good behavior and heading back to the trailer/stall before he gets nervous and tense. Once he can handle walking around the grounds without his pal, then start riding him at the grounds, following the same procedure - short, low-key rides where you return before he gets upset, increasing the length of the ride over time. And eventually heading back into the ring.

This isn't a quick fix - but it is one that's more likely to get him back into the ring and winning again. If he's ok at shows now except when his pal is taken out of his/her stall, then you need to make sure to stable him at shows where he always has a companion.

Good luck!

Why has my quiet horse suddenly began rearing and striking and bolting?

We desperately need help. We own a 7 year old, 15.3hh, Heavy Cob. He's been my young sister's riding horse for the last two years. We got him from a woman who allowed him to do what ever he pleased. We knew this when we took him on but were sure we could fix his behavior. In the beginning, we put his odd moments down to babyish behaviour as his was only five. Now he is seven and his behaviour has changed dramatically. It started on the ground when he would bolt when we led him to the field. It then progressed to his ridden work: he started bolting and rearing. In the last week his behaviour has become more aggressive: he rears and strikes at his handler. We cannot catch him in the field as he will turn on you. Why has a nice placid cob become so nasty? We have always disciplined him when he has shown bad behaviour and praised for good. Now he will turn on you when you discipline him. He is going to be vetted but he is a very fit and healthy horse so I don't think it would be anything medical.

I'm glad you plan on having a vet see this horse, and that's something that needs to be done ASAP. Although he seems fit and healthy, he may have health problems you haven't noticed. Blindness, pain and dental problems can all cause bad behavior. Those conditions may be subtle and something you could miss. A thorough vet exam can help rule out and physical causes of bad behavior or recommend treatment if any are discovered.

After he has been vetted and either cleared of any health problems or treated for health problems that exist, you need to get him to a trainer. His behavior is escalating and someone is likely to get hurt if you continue as you have. He sounds like a spoiled young horse who has learned he can intimidate people, and however you are disciplining him, it is not working. Rearing and striking are two of the most dangerous behaviors a horse can display - they can get you badly hurt or killed.

I would talk to local trainers, explain his history and current behavior, talk about how you have disciplined him and how he reacts, and then send him to someone who has experience with problem horses and is willing to work with him. He sounds like he will need a trainer who is firm and consistent without being overly harsh. He's going to need a trainer who is attentive and able to keep up with him.

Once the trainer has worked with him and seen improvement in his behavior, you, your sister and anyone else who plans to handle this horse need to take lessons with the trainer to learn how to properly handle him and discipline him.

If this horse is a stallion, I also suggest getting him gelded. Unless you have experience handling stallions, the proper facilities to house a stallion and plans to promote him, you don't need to own a stallion. Stallions take time, attention and consistency and are best left to people who have experience with them.

Good luck with your horse. Please get professional help ASAP so no one gets hurt by this horse.

The Question: How do I get a degree in equine behavior?

I am in my last year of an undergraduate and have found animal behavior studies very interesting, and I would possible like to pursue this for my MA and PhD. But I am having a hard time finding information on animal behavior with horses. In one of my searches I came across your website and I am wondering if you could help. Do you know of any universities in Canada, specifically Alberta, that offer similar masters and Ph.D degrees like what you have?




I'm often asked how I got my degree and where others can go to get a degree in equine behavior.  I don't know of any schools that offer a Masters or Doctorate of Equine Behavior.  You'll actually be getting your degree through another department, likely Animal Science, Equine Science or Veterinary Medicine.  You'll want to pick a school that has an ethology section, an equine section with a professor/advisor who is interested in behavior or a behavior section.  My degree is in Animal Science, obtained through the ethology section.  I chose to focus my research on equines.  My Masters' thesis was on imprint training and my doctoral dissertation was on clicker training.  I took classes in ethology and immunology, in agriculture education and in learning (through the psychology department).  The combination of my research, class work and previous experience working with my own horses and for various trainers gave me the background to become an equine behaviorist.


Before traveling down this road, I advise you to consider what you what to do with your degree and training. If you would like to work in academia, teaching classes and doing continued research on equine behavior, then you'll want to go to a university that has a strong research program and publishers papers in scientific journals (Applied Animal Behaviour Science,  Equine Veterinary Journal, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, etc.) and one that presents data to scientific conferences.  You might look at Pubmed (www.pubmed.com) for research that interests you and contact the person doing the research.  


If you would like to become a veterinary behaviorist, one who treats animals for physical as well as behavioral issues, you'll need to go to veterinary school and take behavior classes.  If you want to become a practicing behaviorist (one who takes on clients and works on behavioral issues), you need to know that it is a tough job to get started in and does not pay well.  

You might check out the Animal Behavior Society, International Society of Applied Ethologists, Equine Science Society, and Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society.  I don't know anyone in your area specifically to refer you to.

Good luck!

 

The Question: How do I teach my horse to let me handle her feet?

I have a foundered mare.  We need to have her feet trimmed and treated, but she will not let us handle them.  I have started a program where I am attempting to reward her for picking up her feet by giving her a bite of feed every time I get the slightest response.  But progress is minimal.  She is not touchy or afraid; she's strong and stubborn.  In all other ways, she's easy to deal with.  You will tell me she is in pain, and she is.  But she was this way before she foundered.  The founder has just compounded the problem. She is getting durmosedan to help her deal with the pain.  I need to know if my proposed plan will work. Currently you can get her foot off the ground with some coaxing, but she won't let you bend her leg and will yank it away after a few seconds.  Am I rewarding her for bad behavior or is any response acceptable at this point?  

Horses who don't pick up their feet when asked are one of my pet peeves.  It is something every horse needs to be taught when they're young as it is impossible to properly care for a horse whose feet you cannot handle.


Unfortunately, we now have to deal with a mare who is in pain and needs to learn a lesson that's going to cause her more pain.  Until you can get her retrained, you need to talk to your vet about sedating your mare in order to get her feet trimmed.  Also talk to your vet about your mare's pain level.  Depending on how badly foundered she is and how she tolerates pain, she simply may be in too much pain to lift her feet.  If that's the case, you may have to make some tough decisions.


If she's not in too much pain, then start working with her.  I think you need to take a few steps backward on your plan for now.  First, is food a good reward for this mare?  Some horses aren't interested enough in food to work hard for a food reward.  If food isn't a good reward, find out what is.  For some, it is praise (petting, soft/nice words).  For some it is being left alone.  Find what works for your mare.


Then look at how you approach this.  You said you can pick her foot up, but only wish a lot of work and coaxing.  For now, focus on picking her foot up - not on holding it up.  Run your hand down her leg, and if you have to lean into her shoulder, and as soon as she even acts like she's going to pick her foot up stop what you are doing and reward her.  You'll know when she's thinking about picking her foot up because she'll tense and shift her weight.  Reward her with whatever works for her, and then ask again.  If she happens to pick her foot up at this stage, don't hold it up - just let go of it (gently) and reward.  The goal here is to get to the point that you run your hand down her leg and she makes an attempt to pick her foot up right away.  When she's doing that on both sides, move on to the next step.

The next step is rewarding her when she actually picks her foot up.  Don't hold onto her foot or do anything with it at this point, just get her to the point where you run your hand down her leg and she picks up her foot.

These two steps may go quickly, or they may take many repetitions over several days.  You cannot rush this, though.  So if you get impatient, walk away and come back when you can be calm and patient.


Once she's picking up both feet reliably, then it is time to ask her to bend her leg.  You've mentioned that that is an issue, so at first ask only for the slightest bend.  If she's resistant, hold onto her foot.  If she gives, then set her foot down and reward her.  Over time, ask for more bend to her leg.   Once she'll pick up both front feet and bend her leg to where you need, you'll ask her to hold her foot up for a second or two.  And again, slowly increase the time you ask her to hold her foot up. 


Rewarding her is important as is slowly increasing what you are asking for.  However you have to get the basis down - picking her foot up at all - before you can move on to anything.  I bet if you can get her to where she picks up her foot as soon as you ask, everything else will flow more smoothly. 

Since she's foundered and hurts, once you get her picking up her foot and holding it up, remember to only ask her to hold it up a very short amount of time.  Your farrier is going to have to be patient and be willing to give her a lot of breaks.  AND once she's picking her feet up and holding them up, make sure she always has a good farrier experience.  If the farrier is hasty, asks too much or is unkind with her, she may revert.


Good luck!

The Question: I've moved my horse home from the boarding barn, and now he's restless and nervous. What's going on?

I have owned horses my entire life but I recently purchased a 17 year old gelding.  He is in very good health aside from a little bit of arthritis which I am giving him Adequan monthly and he has remain very sound.  Do to all the changes in the economy, the gas prices are killing me, so I was forced to bring him home from the stable.  He now has a big 14 x 14 stall and his own two acre lot.  However, he is not quite as thrilled as I thought he would be.  I am now being told that he has always been at a show barn with lots of horses and lots of activity.  He is a nervous wreck.  It’s been two days and he is pacing back and forth in his stall nearly constantly.  If I tie him, he stands very quiet and relaxed, or if I ride him or lead him out to eat some grass he’s great.  As soon as I put him back in the stall he starts pacing from one corner to the next. 

It’s been my experience that if a horse is nervous, whether you tie them or not, they will fidget (pawing or moving back and forth).  I can’t understand why he relaxes when he is tied?  Also, as long as he is eating he’s fine.  I finally went to bed on Sunday night and figured if he’s going to pace there is nothing I can do about it.  When I got up this morning, I looked out the window and he was standing fine.  As soon as I opened the door to go feed him he started again.  At 17 yrs old, will he adjust?  I have no idea what to do.  I’m hoping once I get him on the grass free choice he will be outside and do better.  But he has not been on grass for nearly two years so I need to be careful and slowly increase his turnout time.  Lord knows all I need is for him to colic.  Please let me know what you think.  He is normally a very quiet and cooperative horse.  He’s an excellent show horse and so quiet that my 3 yr old niece can ride him, but not now.  I would appreciate any advice you can give me.

Congrats on your new horse!  Bringing home a new horse and getting to know him is always exciting, although sometimes it can be challenging.

Pacing or stall-walking it a stereptypy - a repetitive behavior that's done for no apparent reason.  Horses perform stereotypies in responses to stress.  It helps them cope with the stress, and even once the source of stress is removed, most horses continue performing stereotypies.

You didn't mention whether or not your horse paced in his stall in the boarding barn - that may be because he wasn't stalled, you didn't see him there, or because he didn't pace before. I would guess that he did pace before but perhaps you never saw it.  If so, this is part of your horse's character now, and you will have little chance of stopping it.  If he does better once out on pasture, then I would leave him there (or set things up where he can go to his stall or pasture on his own terms).  Some horses who stall-walk will be perfectly fine out in pasture.

If you know that he did not pace before you brought him home, then moving him may have caused enough stress to cause him to pace.  If he had lived at the previous farm for a long time, moving someplace completely new can be stressful.  He also may be reacting to being alone.  Horses are herd animals and do best when they have other horses living with them.  They need the comfort, social interactions and security that a herd provides.  When you are working with him, tie him up or are outside while he grazes, he may feel enough security from your presence to alleviate his stress.  Bringing in another horse, even a miniature horse, may give him the herdmate he needs and help him stop pacing.

Another possibility is that his pacing is related to feeding time.  You mention that he's fine in the morning until he sees you, and then he starts pacing.  if he's only pacing around dinner time or when he sees you come out, then he may be anxious about being fed.  Horses who have been on a irregular feeding schedule or were once neglected and horses who are lower in the herd hierarchy (and thus may have to fight for their food) feel stress and may pace to relieve that stress.  Keeping him on a regular feeding schedule, making sure he has a safe place to eat where no other horse can get his food, and leaving him alone while he eats may help him overcome his stress and stop pacing.

Pacing can be frustrating, and horses who pace can tear up their stall floor.  Try some of the management changes listed above and see if that helps your horse.