My Horse And Stress

My Horse, Her Stress, And My Responsibility

A while back I was in conversation with an equine bodyworker; we were discussing my very sensitive horse. His opinion was that I was not responsible for her stress or her reactions to stressors, meaning that I should not carry that burden.

My head understood what he was telling me, and that he meant it for my benefit, but I have never really embraced what he told me that day.

Its Important To Be A Good Herd Leader

In the same conversation he also told me that the bond between my horse and I was obviously very tight. Well, if you and your horse are close, doesn’t it follow that your horse will look to you for some security and that you, in that position of herd leader, will do everything that you can to provide safety and peace of mind for him or for her?

And even worry about him when you fall short of providing it, for whatever reason?

The bodyworker may have been talking in philosophical terms, meaning that as beings on this planet - horses and humans alike - we all must play the cards that we are dealt.

Sage herself However, if my horse is living somewhere not of her choosing, in a herd of stablemates she has no choice about, eating and drinking only what is put in front of her – how can I possibly not feel responsible?

Most horses have little to no choice in horse buddies or when those horses will vanish, little to no ability to graze, no choice in who trims their feet or how often that is done, and no choice in how much turnout or exercise they get or even in which discipline they are ridden.

They also must work extremely hard to override the powerful survival instincts inside of them that were built upon by millions of years of evolution. Some are more successful at this than others but there is no denying that life as a prey animal is just stressful, plain and simple.

If I am truly the partner to my horse that I can, should, and need to be, then I will be attentive to his or her needs, on guard for stressors, and provide any support that my human hands and heart have the ability to offer.

My efforts will often fall short, though, and sometimes things may just happen beyond my control.

Sometimes Our Best Efforts Are Not Good Enough

Example #1: Last autumn three cows in an adjacent pasture to my horse's pasture were slaughtered by gunshot in full view and close proximity to my horse. I was not there and had no advance warning that it would happen. I only heard about it later that day when I happened to show up. The caretaker of the boarding facility said that my horse Sage had been extremely distressed, running back and forth, and that she had liquid diarrhea almost immediately. Several other horses also were upset by this, but Sage was the closest to the cows and the gunfire.

Sage's shelter after crash Example #2: Sometimes stress comes at the hand of Nature. Sage’s shelter collapsed in the snow this past winter, crashing down loudly under the weight of an unusually heavy snowfall. I was not there to reassure her when it happened.

In both above examples, it is my responsibility to deal with the aftermath to the best of my ability. I might do this by adding probiotics for diarrhea or herbs that are known for their calming properties; I might also provide her with a blanket to help shelter her from the elements in lieu of any natural shelter.

Things can very often be more complicated when you do not keep your horse at your own home, as is the case with me and my horse, but don't let that discourage you and keep you from doing what is right for your horse.

Have The Will To Find A Way

If the cause of stress is not as obvious as a gunshot or a crashed- in roof, I need to keep searching until I do find the cause and what best alleviates it.

When there is a will to help, there will be a way.

I also need to consider and look at stress from my horse's point of view, not just my own; that blowing bag, flapping tarp, or old woodpile means nothing to me, but to him or her it may be very scary.

Unmitigated, prolonged stress has negative effects on any animal – be they mouse, horse, or human. The studies are multiple, varied, and plastered all over the Web and in scientific journals and books. I owe it to my horse to mitigate her stress, keep her healthy, and try to repay the many benefits he or she gives me to the best of my abilities.

Strive For Mutualism, Not Parasitism

I think it all comes down to striving for a relationship based on mutualism and not parasitism, a relationship that benefits both partners instead of one that exploits the other for its own aggrandizement.

If I am using my horse as a crutch to serve some of my own needs, then I am also responsible for taking care of her own needs and ensuring her happiness; not doing so would be exploiting the relationship and ultimately not beneficial to either her or myself.

And if I find myself in an exploitative relationship with my horse, I would probably be better off having a pet goldfish instead.

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