ANXIETY IN BOERPERD

MY DAUGHTER HAS A 5-6 YEAR OLD MARE BOERPERD WHO SUFFERS FROM ANXIETY. EVERY TIME SHE IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE RIDING SCHOOL ( ENDURANCE RIDING OR TAKEN TO SHOWS) SHE PLAYS UP. MY DAUGHTER HAS SUFFERED TWO CONCUSSIONS FROM THIS HORSE. WHERE DOES ONE START TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM.



When a horse becomes this dangerous to cause physical injury to people there are two subjects to look closer into. The first is eliminating any physical imbalance that the horse may be suffering from. It could be nutrition, ill fitting tack, or it could be the horse's lifestyle conditions that are causing upset. The list here is larger than most people consider. Possibly a veterinarian visit is necessary. Take a long look at how the horse behaves when not being handled by people. In other words is she content in her surroundings. A horse's physical condition is directly related to any emotional condition just as it is with people. Add uncomfortable or bad experiences to the mix and you have an animal that will react with fear, and in this case it is more like "terror".

If you are convinced she is healthy then we need to look closer into the emotional side. Which in this horse's case I would confidently say the training to date has been too quick and likely too harsh for her understanding. Her lack of confidence to leave her home is completely natural. Horses are not loners, they rely on the protection of the herd for survival. It is our responsibility to help them feel safe when leaving herd members. This takes a strong bond between the horse and human and starts with trust from the ground not from in the saddle.


If this were my child I would insist she not ride this horse until you get a kind trainer (someone fluent in positive reinforcement training) to evaluate your horse's level of training and fill in the missing pieces. You haven't mentioned the age of your daughter or her level of knowledge which makes a difference as to what I would recommend also. If removing this horse from the riding school triggers this anxiety then stop removing her and work with her in the comfort of her space. Horses cannot learn while in a state of stress (neither can people). Then take steps to slowly remove her but return quickly before the upset strikes that will build confidence for the horse.

As stated throughout this website we do not endorse competitive sports or shows because of the unnatural stress and human ego that gets put in the forefront of these events and the horses wellbeing and perspective is not considered causing the emotional upset on the horse just as you have described. And then what's worse is we tend to blame the horse for the "acting up" rather than taking the responsibility to learn what we need to know or the mistake we have made.

Have your daughter consume herself with the information available throughout this site and she will also gain a new level of understanding horses.

Stay safe,
Elaine