HORSE ABUSE - REAL OR IMAGINED? Things to Consider Before You Assume the Worst

Over the years, many people have told me they suspect their horses had been abused based on the behavior of the horses soon after purchase. Perhaps a horse came unglued if someone picked up a whip, had the habit of jerking its head back to avoid touch, or presented some other dramatic behavior a rider had not seen before.  

     

I cannot state emphatically enough that these behaviors are NOT proof of abuse. They are actually very common challenges horses present on a normal basis... especially when they are first getting to know someone, haven't been handled much in the past, or have been handled primarily by people who just don't have good leadership skills when it comes to horses. Seeing a behavior for the first time is less an indication that it is abnormal and more an indication that it is time for you to learn to deal with that particular challenge. 

A rider who assumes a horse has been abused will be tempted to treat the horse differently than other horses. She will be tempted to baby the horse and walk on eggshells around it... causing the horse to feel insecure, thereby forcing it to become more protective of itself around humans.  Ironically enough, treating a horse as if it had been abused is an easy way to cause a horse to act as if it had been abused.  

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A rider who suspects a horse has been abused will ask less and expect less of the horse, stunting the horse's emotional and physical growth. Even if the horse really was mistreated and you have solid evidence to prove it, it will do the horse no good if you let that knowledge change the way you go about dealing with the horse.  Get on with your training and let the horse get on with its future and live up to its potential. Horses live in the moment. Allow the horse to grow up to be a calm, confident horse by providing the same fair, firm leadership all horses need.

I wanted to weigh in on this subject because stating a horse had been abused is not a light-hearted comment. It is a serious accusation of a previous owner... serious enough to be based on proof, not false assumptions. If you truly suspect animal cruelty or neglect, report it to the authorities so they can conduct an investigation. But please understand that the horse world could do with more understanding and fewer rumors. When a horse presents challenging behavior, the only assumption you should make is that it is acting like a normal horse.