A spooked horse
Understanding how a horse perceives its environment helps a rider to know why a horse might spook and will equip the rider to anticipate when a horse will spook, as well as how to handle the situation.
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As prey animals, horses by nature are very alert (vigilant). Nearly everyone has had the experience of being on a trail ride and having one person's horse spook, only to have all the other horses spook—even though the other horses don't even know what they're spooking at!
Spooking is an irritating behavior, perhaps, but one that helped save horses lives in the wild. Understanding how a horse perceives its environment will help a rider know why a horse might spook. With this knowledge, the rider will be more equipped to anticipate when a horse will spook, as well as know how to handle the situation.
Horses will instinctively respond to a new sight, sound, smell or unexpected touch by fleeing. We typically refer to this as the fight or flight response, understanding that horses are here today due to their ability to flee dangerous situations in the wild.
When we put horses in an unknown environment with unknown events popping up (a backpacker turning the corner, a deer crossing a path) we should expect the inexperienced horse to spook. All good horsemen know that patience, consistency and appropriate use of the rider's aids are needed to build confidence in a horse.
As a horse becomes more experienced and learns to trust the rider, a horse will develop its own sense of confidence and boldness in new situations. Read on
Trail Riding 101 is an online course based on knowledge from equine experts at Michigan State University and nationally-recognized equine professionals. Topics include:
- Trail riding benefits
- Horse/Equipment selection
- Nutrition and conditioning
- First aid on the trail
- Trailering to the ride
- Competitive and non-competitive trail rides
- Trail safety and etiquette
- Preserving trails