The Fear Response and How to Intervene

Let a horse look and allow them to put space between some thing they perceive to be threatening. Horses have a miraculous ability to recover from fear, and become curious about the same thing that worries them. Our job is to facilitate this need rather than to get in the way of it. Their innate sense to problem solve is much quicker and more meaningful when the work is done by the horse.

Photo: Rally saw several deer running at him alongside the outdoor arena. He proceeded to tense up and spook placing his body to perceive his environment. I was then having a discussion with his owner about how they run through his paddock constantly and he never reacts. This is much more of an indication about how he feels with a humans ability to help him on the end of the line. When he’s on his own, he is able to choose his response, but when a person gets in the way his stress levels increase.

I allowed him to spook and observe the deer, while staying out on the end of the line. Within a few seconds he was back to feeling better. Over time, he would learn to trust that humans won’t get him in a tough spot. I frequently see people put horses between a rock and a hard place in the name of training. It is really crucial to view the process and the outcome from the horses perspective.