Even after centuries of domestication and selective breeding, the horse remains a flight animal. While some behaviors may be undesirable to us humans, they are not behavioral disorders, as they are part of the horse’s natural nature. These include, for example, shying, bucking, or bolting. Kicking, on the other hand, is a typical behavioral disorder.
When natural behavioral patterns occur not just occasionally and in response to a recognizable trigger, but frequently and uncontrollably, this constitutes undesirable behavior. This can limit the horse’s usefulness to humans. The causes may include health problems or physical limitations.
Actual behavioral disorders include behavioral patterns that are not part of the horse’s natural behavior. These include, for example, cribbing, weaving, or other stereotypies (= recurring movement patterns).
In both cases, it is advisable to have a veterinary examination performed. This can help determine the nature, extent, possible cause, or underlying condition of the behavioral disorder.
Shyness is a natural startle response in horses, which are flight animals. However, it can become dangerous to humans in certain situations or if it occurs frequently. Shyness can be triggered by something the horse sees, by sounds, or even by smells. Tightening the girth or the intensive use of spurs and a whip can also trigger startle responses.
Rearing is particularly feared. In this case, the horse bolts headlong and cannot be brought back under control immediately by the rider.
Other undesirable behaviors include:
It is important to note that undesirable behaviors can also develop into behavioral disorders.
Stereotypies are constantly repetitive, virtually identical actions with no apparent function that exhibit a compulsive nature. Individual behaviors can be classified based on the normal behavior from which they originate. For example, head-bobbing (see below), crib-chewing, wood-gnawing, tongue-play, lip-smacking, or pawing have their origins in feeding behavior. The behavioral disorders weaving, box walking, and kopping stem from the normal behavior of locomotion. Automutilation (=self-mutilation), types of headshaking (see corresponding article), and tail rubbing are behavioral disorders that develop from the horse’s comfort behaviors.
A large proportion of the genuine behavioral disorders diagnosed in horses today originate from housing conditions that are not species-appropriate. Horses normally graze for about 16 hours a day while moving slowly. Most modern housing systems do not meet this natural need, or do so only inadequately. This triggers many of the known behavioral problems.
Certain traumatic experiences or stressful situations, such as sudden separation from the mother, a change of stable, excessive demands during training, or a long transport, can be the initial trigger for stereotypy. Once the behavior has become established, it can later be triggered by everyday factors. If stereotypy persists for a long time, it is usually no longer possible to identify the initial trigger.
Furthermore, there is a genetic predisposition to certain behavioral disorders, such as cribbing. This predisposition is more common in warm-blooded horses than in cold-blooded horses and ponies. It is not the cribbing itself that is inherited, but rather these horses’ heightened sensitivity to reacting with a behavioral disorder to certain stressful situations.
What happens in the horse’s body when it has developed a behavioral disorder and engages in it persistently? Some stereotypies help horses reduce states of arousal, thus having a positive, calming effect. Affected horses, for example, show a reduced heart rate and lower cortisol (=stress hormone) levels when head-bobbing. If these horses are prevented from head-bobbing, their cortisol levels rise. Affected horses also show no increased susceptibility to disease or loss of performance. Stereotypy can therefore serve as a coping strategy to adapt to housing conditions. Furthermore, prolonged behavioral disorders lead to changes in the concentration of neurotransmitters and the corresponding receptors in the nervous system. This explains why stereotypies continue to occur even after the underlying cause has been eliminated.
Health impairments occur in individual cases due to mechanical stress on the affected body parts. For example, head-bobbing horses often develop extreme tooth wear and more developed lower neck muscles. Scraping or weaving can lead to joint damage or hoof deformities. Self-mutilation can result in severe infections of the injured areas. For this reason, behavioral problems in horses also require veterinary evaluation and treatment.
The first important step in treating behavioral disorders is adapting the horse’s living conditions to its natural needs. Provide your horse with feeding times spread throughout the day, social interaction, and ample opportunity for free movement.
Only if these measures prove unsuccessful should accompanying medication therapy be initiated. Discuss with your veterinarian which medications can be used for your horse.
Coughing is one of the most well-known stereotypical behavioral disorders in horses. During coughing, the front neck muscles tense up, causing the pharynx to open. This allows air to flow into the esophagus. This usually produces a belching sound, known as the “coughing sound.” Normally, the air is not swallowed but returns to the pharynx. Most horses that cough place their incisors on a solid object to do so. These are typically the edges of the feed trough or stall, fence posts, or similar objects. Free-head-tossers are less common. They toss their heads without resting their incisors on an object. As they contract their neck muscles, they nod their heads toward their chest and then let them snap back up.
Coping often occurs in conjunction with stomach ulcers (see related article). Acid-induced stomach ulcers are accompanied by pain, sometimes severe, which causes stress. As a result, some horses begin to cope. It is believed that coping increases saliva production and thereby neutralizes the acidic stomach contents.
Common treatment methods, such as fitting a head-bobbing strap or performing head-bobbing surgery, merely prevent the physical movements associated with head-bobbing. However, they do not address the underlying cause. Instead, they deprive the horse of the opportunity to relieve stress.
The head-tilting strap is controversial under animal welfare laws. It is fastened tightly around the horse’s neck, directly behind the head. As a result, the horse can no longer tense the neck muscles needed for head-bobbing. However, since some horses get used to the pressure, they start head-bobbing again. Consequently, the strap must be tightened further and further to remain effective. This can lead to pressure sores and chronic pain.
You should only consider a head-butting surgery if your horse is suffering significant health consequences from head-butting. During this procedure, performed under general anesthesia, certain nerves and muscles in the neck flexor group are severed or partially removed. This prevents the horse from striking with force. The surgery is therefore only performed on horses that strike downward.
A certain degree of aggression within a herd is part of the natural behavior of horses as they establish a hierarchy. It serves as a means of communication. Under natural conditions, herd groups are relatively stable. Once established, the hierarchy prevents access to watering and feeding stations from having to be fought over again and again. In modern group housing, however, there is usually a certain degree of fluctuation. Aggressive conflicts arise more frequently when new horses must frequently be integrated into the existing hierarchy. Insufficient space and too few feeding stations further fuel these conflicts.
Part of a mare’s natural behavior is the sometimes aggressive defense of her own foal against other horses and even humans.
However, first-time mares sometimes exhibit aggressive behavior toward their own foal that is caused by pain or fear. This usually disappears after the foal’s first suckling. The mare experiences positive sensations during this process, as pressure in the udder subsides and endorphins are released.
Some mares, however, display excessive aggression toward their own foal, which can result in serious injuries. The cause is believed to be, on the one hand, a lack of bonding between mother and foal, and on the other hand, a hereditary component. In extreme cases, the foal can only be protected from further injury by separating it from the mother.
This form of aggression is directed toward humans and, in severe cases, leads to very dangerous situations. Due to a lack of training and socialization, horses may fail to recognize humans as higher-ranking social partners. They challenge the hierarchy. This can result in deliberate biting or targeted kicking when entering the stall or when being rounded up in the paddock.
Treating this behavior requires targeted behavioral therapy measures, which owners can often only implement with the help of trained therapists. However, you can successfully prevent this behavior through consistent training that begins as early as the foal stage.
Fear-induced aggression stems from entirely different motivations. This tends to affect lower-ranking, insecure, and fearful horses. Unable to act on their natural reaction—flight—out of desperation, they display aggressive behavior. These horses do not approach humans head-on but turn their hindquarters toward them and attempt to kick. Their tail is usually tucked tightly between their legs.
You must not punish this behavior, as doing so will likely only intensify it. With plenty of patience and time, you must try to rebuild the horse’s trust.
In all forms of aggression, the trigger can be a physical cause, a painful illness, or an injury. Therefore, a veterinary examination is always recommended.
Housing and feeding conditions that are as species-appropriate as possible are essential for preventing behavioral disorders in horses. In group housing, care must be taken to ensure a balanced herd composition, sufficient space, and opportunities for activity. The integration of new horses should be done slowly and gradually. For stabled horses, sufficiently long paddock or pasture times are important to allow for ample free movement. Stall partitions should be designed to allow for sufficient social contact with neighboring horses.
Another important preventive measure is avoiding stressful situations in the horse’s daily life. Depending on the horse, stressful situations can include, for example, competitions, transport, veterinary treatments, hoof care by the farrier, or even being overworked during daily training. A slow and trusting acclimatization to such situations leads to greater relaxation over time.
The training and education of a horse should also be carried out gently and expertly. Many mistakes can creep in here that contribute to the development of behavioral problems later on. Handling a horse is not something everyone is born knowing how to do. Inexperienced horse owners should seek guidance from experts at the beginning to understand their horse’s behavior and needs. On this foundation, they can then build a trusting relationship with their equine partner.
For a long time, stomach ulcers in horses were considered an “occupational hazard” for racehorses and show horses. It was believed that early training, the stress of the racetrack, or frequent travel to competitions triggered the development of stomach ulcers. However, we now know that this condition affects horses of all breeds and performance levels. Even a children’s pony that appears to be grazing peacefully in a pasture can suffer from a stomach ulcer. While approximately 90 percent of all racehorses are still affected by stomach ulcers, the proportion of affected leisure horses ranges from 30 to 60 percent, and among sport horses, it reaches up to 65 percent.
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