Behavioural changes are very rarely because your horse just fancies to be difficult.
However, it is easy for our gut reaction to be that they're doing it on purpose, just being annoying or playing up! The reality is that when a horses behaviour changes its actually one of the ways they are trying to communicate with us that something isn't right.
It's important for us to take the time to understand and to observe any slight changes in their behaviour and fully consider the horses perception..
What are the reasons for behavioural changes?
Pain and discomfort are the main reasons for any changes in their behaviour. This can also come form many different sources, such as:
Sore Back/arthritis
Unbalanced Feet
Sharp Teeth
Uncomfortable or Unbalanced Saddle
Gastric Ulcers
To name a few of the biggest causes of behavioural changes in your horse.
Why your horses’ behaviour may have changed?
Ulcers
Gastric ulcers is a very common cause of any change in behaviour. Your horse may become difficult when ridden, both unwilling to perform and also not wanting to go forward. However, this isn’t them being 'naughty' or 'acting up'. It is instead due to the acid splashing around their stomach this is extremely painful for them. They may also demonstrate signs of discomfort or even aggression when you groom, tack up or change their rugs, especially if you go near their belly.
Ill Fitting Tack
The fit of your saddle another hugely important part and many people don’t realise how quickly/often their horses change shape. If your horse has been on a strict muscle building plan and now shows a change in behaviour under saddle, this saddle may longer fit and by continuing to ride in it we can cause long term damage.
Saddle fit should be your first port of call when you start to notice a change in their behaviour when ridden. Even something as so small as no longer standing still for mounted can be a sign of ill fitting tack, also looking out for signs of tension while tacking up.
Other reasons your horse is having behavioural changes?
Hormones- If you have a mare her hormones can lead to huge changes in behaviour, and if the behavioural changes seem relatively consistent and occur as the weather goes warmer, this is the most likely cause. In early spring, you may find your mare to be more moody, anxious or even sharper under saddle. By the summer, her cycles should be more regular, every 3 weeks which will allow you to estimate when the tricky behaviour is on its way. If you are struggling to manage your mare during her seasons, get in touch with your vet.
Change in Routine- Moving your horse to a new yard, changing their management in terms of turnout or even adjusting their feeding times can make a horse become anxious which can lead to behavioural changes. It can take a sensitive horse up to 6 months to fully settle into a new routine, so try not to worry if they seem a little on edge after a big adjustment.
Change in Feed- If you have just recently upped the amount of hard feed your horse gets, or made any other changes to their diet such as added more oil/sugar, you may find the increase in energy causes behavioural changes. If your horse is getting more calories and seems to now have a huge increase in energy, it is best up their amount of turnout if possible. If you’ve recently cut down your horse’s hard feed and they’ve gotten lazier, this could be due to the decrease in calories they are now getting.
When should I get professional help?
Whether the changes are sudden or gradual to your horse’s behaviour, the best option is to get them fully checked over. This means having their feet, teeth checked, as well as getting them checked over by a Equine Therapist to make sure there’s no underlying pain.
Regular Equine Therapy will identify and help towards reducing any muscle tension they are carrying, many of us only add Therapy to our horses routine as a means to solve a problem which is already there. Having a therapist work on your horse should never be the last resort, it should however be a part of their routine. This all helps a long way to improving the horses way of going and well-being.
Conclusion
Wondering why your horse seems to be going through this difficult phase? It’s very unlikely that they are just being naughty, and recognising why your horse’s behaviour has changed is the first step towards getting them back to their usual happy self.
Whether your horse has just started misbehaving under saddle, became aggressive on the ground or simply doesn’t seem like their usual self, a change in behaviour shouldn’t be ignored.
Check and eliminate one thing at a time, with help from the appropriate professionals. This will help you clarify which things are or aren’t a problem.
Regular Maintenance Equine Therapy, it’s easier to stop an injury from happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it the injury has happened.
Hannah
Thanks!