If a horse could go shopping, what would they buy?
I have asked the question ‘What do horses need?’ many times in many different situations in many different countries. The answers are never the same and always provide new insights into the complicated nature of the relationship between horses and humans. At first, people answer with the obvious response – food and water – but […]
Exploring welfare: More than just a shiny coat
Imagine that you run a rescue centre and one day, you found a little creature in a box that had been dumped by your gates (see picture). There is a note that says “We can no longer care for this creature, there is only one person in the world who can tell you how to […]
Step by Step
Can you remember learning something new? Perhaps learning how to ride a horse, drive a car, touch type or scuba dive… Take a minute to reflect on a skill you have learnt. Were you instantly confident? If not, how did you gain confidence as you improved your skill? How long did it take you? Did […]
Horses in Social Media
With the explosive increase in people using social media, such as Facebook, I find myself continually being brought into discussions about various horse training methods or ‘funny’ clips. Usually these are accompanied by a message that says “Suz, isn’t this amazing?”, “Isn’t this funny?” or sometimes “Isn’t this terribly cruel?”. However, often the accompanying message […]
Is it Bad if my Horse…?
By Suzanne Rogers, Certified Equine Behaviour Consultant (IAABC) In my work as an equine behaviourist I am often asked if it is ‘bad’ when a horse does certain behaviours such as licking and chewing, yawning or pawing the ground. Owners know that such behaviours can be a sign of stress, anxiety, frustration or fear and […]
Exploring Separation Anxiety
As an equine behaviourist one of the common reasons people contact me for help is separation anxiety – their horse isn’t coping when taken away from other horses or when left alone. Sometimes horses form such a strong bond or attachment to another equine that even if other horses are present they can’t cope being […]
Equine behaviour: tackling the cause not the symptom.
There are many roads to Rome … but some will get you lost. When people encounter problems with their horses they tend to go through a range of responses – some immediately call the vet as they suspect, or want to rule out, pain as a reason for the behaviour. Others might change the […]
When is an aggressive horse not aggressive? When he is playing!
Sometimes in my work as an equine behaviourist it is enough to change people’s perception of their horse or pony without working on solving the ‘problem’ through behaviour modification. A good example is a case I saw nearly ten years ago now. One day the phone went and a distraught mother explained that she had […]
Environmental enrichment, and why it’s a good thing. Part 3: management systems
Last month’s article focused on the enriched horse at pasture. This month we look at two increasingly popular management systems for field-kept horses that can be used to help improve both horse welfare and behaviour and soil health. The Paddock Paradise system This is a form of management popularised by the natural hoofcare advocate Jaime […]
Environmental enrichment, and why it's a good thing. Part 2: the enriched horse at pasture
Last month we looked at the benefits of environmental enrichment for the stabled horse, or one on box rest. This month’s article focuses on the horse at pasture. When we turn out a horse in a field we, quite rightly, think that we are improving his welfare by providing the opportunity for him to move […]