You can generally tell if your horse is stressed if their ears are pinned back toward their butt. [4] X Expert Source Alana SilvermanCertified EAGALA Equine Specialist Expert Interview. 17 March 2020.
Horses can spook at pretty much anything, be it something in the environment, an unfamiliar object, or really anything. If the horse tenses up, flares its nostrils, widens its eyes, or points its ears back, it’s frightened or stressed by something nearby. [5] X Expert Source Jessica RudeEquine Expert Expert Interview. 18 September 2020.
Lift the reins to feel the horse’s mouth through them using one hand, then move your other hand down the rein. Reach until the arm is straight and touching the horse’s mane. Place the opposite hand on the horse’s neck firmly to keep yourself stable, and begin to close your fingers slowly from the pointer to the pinky, locking the pinky when you finish. The horse should now start to bend to the pressure of the rein, at which point you can begin to move your arm down to your thigh near your knee. The horse should bend at this point until there is slack in the rein and stop. If the horse doesn’t stop at this point, push firmly with your stabilizing hand and wait. Release pressure when the feet have stopped.
Tasks include training for jumping courses, dressage tests, and more.
It is not recommended to always get off your horse when it is spooked because it can be dangerous to abandon the animal. It can also train the horse that you will get off if it acts in a particular way, which is not what you want, so only get off under these circumstances if absolutely necessary. [7] X Research source You might also try to pet the horse on the withers as above to help calm it.
