The link between trauma and behaviour problems
If you are experiencing bad behaviour from your horse don't just assume your horse is being naughty. Behaviour is the only way a horse can express that he has a problem. Your horse could be experiencing pain somewhere in their body, this should always be checked first. Have you horse checked by a bodyworker, vet, dentist, saddle fitter etc to make sure there is nothing pain or medical related going on. Once you have ruled this out and your horse is still being reactive it may be time to start looking at the emotional causes behind behaviour.
Horses like humans, also experience trauma, and this can manifest in unexpected and unwanted behaviour. In this blog, we'll dive into how trauma can cause such behaviour in our equine friends.
Horses are more than just their physical bodies, they are emotional and energetic beings, just like us. We have all seen horses experience fear or spooking, anger with ears pinned, happiness having a good run around and grief from losing a friend. Many scientific studies have now been done to show that all mammals experience many of the same emotions and it is not anthropomorphism to say that a horse is a sentient being.
Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp the author of "Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions" found in his research that all mammals experienced similar emotions such as play, panic, grief, fear, rage, seeking, lust and care, proving that our horses feel these emotions as we do.
Negative emotions such as anger, grief and fear that we experienced many years ago can still
be affecting us today in subtle and not so subtle ways. If we do not fully process the negative emotion at the time of the event and we suppress it, it can become trapped in our body and nervous system causing emotional and physical stress. The smallest of situations can sometimes trigger these old emotions and cause us to react out of proportion to the current event, or may be deep down causing pain and disease in our bodies. The same is true for our horses as they can be unknowingly placed in many situations were they are unable to escape the stimulus that is for example causing fear, so the fear is suppressed and becomes trapped in the nervous system causing a heightened fear responses in the future, anxiety related behaviours and health concerns. The more we can understand about how our horses feel and have a better understanding of their behaviours we can create better lives for them and better relationships with them.
For a horse that has experienced trauma, unwanted behaviour can be a coping mechanism. In their attempt to manage overwhelming emotions and fears, they may exhibit behaviours such as spooking, bolting, kicking, biting, or even becoming excessively shy and withdrawn. These behaviours can be perceived as disobedience or unpredictability, but they often stem from a deep-seated fear or anxiety.
Trauma in horses can result from a variety of experiences, such as accidents, abuse, or sudden and distressing events. Just like in humans, these traumatic experiences can leave lasting imprints on a horse's psyche. Horses have powerful survival instincts, and when they encounter a traumatic situation, their bodies and minds go into a state of heightened alertness.
How to recognise if your horse may be experiencing emotional trauma: Here is a list of possible ways it can show up in your horses life.
Very fearful behaviour.
Explosive behaviour
Separation anxiety
Biting
Not wanting to be touched - very guarded of their bodies.
Nervousness
Weaving
These are some common situations I have found to have caused trauma in horses.
Weaning that was too sudden
Training that was too intensive and overwhelming
Loss of paddock mates that they have formed a bond with
Accidents
Rehoming
Firstly you must eliminate that the behaviour is not coming from current stresses in your horses life. Make sure you horse is happy in his environment, he needs freedom to move around, friends and forage to graze on throughout the day. Make sure the training you are doing together is also suitable for his personality and ability.
If these elements are in place then the behaviour may well be coming from past trauma.
When a horse perceives a threat or experiences trauma, their bodies release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones can result in chronic stress for the horse. This chronic stress not only affects their overall well-being but can also result in unwanted physical and emotional symptoms. These may include weight loss, digestive issues, and a perpetual state of unease or aggression.
Horses are not inherently "bad" or "difficult"; they are simply communicating their distress in the only way they know. By acknowledging the root causes of their behaviour, we can tailor our training and care to address their specific emotional needs. Trauma can have a profound impact on a horse's behaviour, stemming from both psychological and neurological changes. Understanding the emotions behind these behaviours allows us to approach them with empathy and healing in mind, ultimately fostering a deeper bond with our equine companions.
As emotions are energy, energy healing is needed to help the trauma to release from the body. There a number of different modalities that help such as acupuncture, acupressure, reiki and kinesiology to name a few.
I have had the most success helping horses using the Emotion Code. The Emotion Code is an energy healing modality that uses kinesiology muscle testing. If you would like to learn more about this method please visit my website www.annacollis.com.au or contact me directly.
Anna Collis
In Harmony with Horses
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