Bond with your horse
In winter we tend to ride less due to inclement weather, but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend time developing a bond with our horse. Behaviourist Justine Harrison explains how to go about it
Simple ways to build a better relationship
HAVING A GOOD relationship with your horse provides incredible benefits. A horse who likes and trusts you will be safer and easier to handle, quicker to learn, may perform better and is just a joy to be around.
So what makes a good relationship? Spending time with your horse, doing fun things together, rewarding him when he does the right thing and being consistent in handling and training will go a long way to creating a strong bond. Winter can be a difficult time for horse owners with plenty of extra work to do. No one relishes the prospect of shorter daylight hours, dark evenings, the seemingly endless slog of mucking out, soggy fields and muddy horses. But however difficult this season is for us, it can be a more miserable time for horses. Turnout may be restricted, grazing sparse, and horses are often expected to be confined to stables for longer than we would like. The winter months can mean that they spend hours a day with little to do, no freedom of choice and often without direct access to equine company. It’s no wonder that some can become aggressive, or try to barge out of the stable or through the field gate, and these behaviours can test even the strongest horse-human relationships. There are, however, plenty of ways in which you can improve your horse’s environment and enrich his day…
1 Hang out together!
Being stabled for long hours means that your horse will likely be very bored, so take the opportunity to spend some quiet time with him and get to know him better. Catch up on your chores — sort out your grooming kit, clean your tack and so on — outside his stable so that he isn’t alone. You could even read a book or study with him. He will really appreciate the company and it could improve your relationship.
2 Find his itchy spots
Scratching around the withers and base of the neck can lower a horse’s heart rate and help him to relax. When horses mutually groom each other, it increases herd cohesion and strengthens bonds between individuals. It can strengthen our bond too!
Most horses have several special itchy spots where they love to be scratched, so see if you can find your horse’s favourite. It may be somewhere that he can’t reach, such as his chest, under his bottom jaw, the underside of his neck or inside a hindleg.
You will know you’ve hit the spot when his nose starts twitching or he tries to return the favour by scratching you back.
3 Go for walks
With less turnout time, you could combine allowing your horse to eat and exercise at the same time by taking him for walks in-hand, allowing him to graze or browse the hedgerows. It’s great exercise for you both — a change of scene for him; he gets to eat a greater variety of shrubs and bushes than those in his field; you get to spend some quality time together and he will start to associate you with positive experiences.
If he’s worried about going out alone, enlist a human friend and their calm equine as company. This will enable your horse to build up confidence in new environments too.
4 Make a toy box
Make a toy box to entertain your horse, either for use in the stable or for when he’s tied up. Half fill a strong bucket or crate with horse-safe toys — large dog toys, rubber balls and rings are ideal. Scatter grass nuts, vegetable strips or high-fibre treats in the bottom and pour a little diluted apple or carrot juice on top. Watch to make sure that he doesn’t become frustrated or swallow anything he shouldn’t, and give him only 10-15 minutes at a time with it to maintain his interest. Toy boxes become a real treat and are a useful way to occupy your horse during vet and farrier visits, or to settle him into a new environment. They also help to improve your relationship as your horse will associate you with something he enjoys.
5 Entertain your horse
For many years zoos have been enriching their environments and seeing positive changes in their animals’ behaviour, learning and health.
Horses love to play, so toys and games that make them think can help to kill time and alleviate boredom in the stable and field. Get creative and make your own. Towels and staple-free cardboard boxes with treats hidden inside can make great toys.
Also, why not teach your horse tricks or introduce him to new things he might encounter out hacking, such as road cones, umbrellas, or even wheelie bins. Introducing new stimuli in a safe environment and rewarding him for any movement towards them means he can expand his comfort zone gradually. On a loose lead-rope, let him approach them one at a time from a distance, then reward him for each step he takes towards the object with a treat, or a big, lip-curling wither scratch. This will generally help to build his confidence and he will learn to trust you in novel situations.
6 Preference tests
Another way to keep your horse entertained and to learn more about him is to find out what he likes. Behavioural scientists use ‘preference tests’ as a means of finding out what horses like in different situations. For example, to test a horse’s preferred bedding, two identical stables are set up next to each other with the doors left open so that the horse can go in and out of both at will. Each stable will contain different bedding and the horse’s behaviour is then recorded to see which he prefers. You can set up your own preference tests for your horse using food items: Different forages and feeds: Chopped hay, grasses, chaffs, herbs and even a balancer can be placed in different buckets so that your horse can choose which he prefers. You may find that he really dislikes one ingredient. If so, you can alter his diet to something he likes better. This is especially relevant for supplements, which some horses take a dislike to. Flavours: Steam or soak hay with different flavoured teas and give your horse a choice to see which he prefers. Mint, camomile, rosehip and fruit teas are often favourites.
7 Use positive reinforcement in your training
Positive reinforcement — rewarding your horse when he does the right thing — is a highly effective training tool and can really improve your relationship. If you tell your horse he’s done well, either with praise, a treat or a wither scratch, he will be more likely to repeat the behaviour. Traditional horse training relies heavily on pressure and release, and some owners even punish their horses, which can quickly damage their relationship. However, creating training situations that result in rewarding success achieve effective results without undue pressure. Reward-based training really pays off in the long term. If your horse isn’t frightened of being pressured, he will enjoy training sessions and is more likely to trust you and your judgement when he encounters a new situation. Remember, though, when you are with your horse, always stay calm, be relaxed and be positive. Above all, though, have fun!