Build a Brave Horse with Confidence
Desensitising training for horses is a process by which we try to reduce a horse’s fear or anxiety responses to stimuli in their environment. The goal is to make the horse calmer, more confident, more adaptable, and, ultimately, safer and more cooperative to handle. Because – at the end of the day, no one wants to handle or ride a jumpy horse that spooks at the slightest thing…
Desensitising training for horses involves gradually exposing the horse to different objects, sounds, sensations, and situations that may ordinarily result in a flight response or make them fearful and anxious. They learn through this exposure that these potentially startling or frightening experiences and situations are not ‘life-threatening’ and handle them with assurance, confidence, and calmness instead.
In other words, they become much safer to be around!!
In this post, we discuss the techniques, benefits, and outcomes of desensitising training for horses, answer some frequently asked questions and – hopefully – help you train your horse to be a calmer, less anxious, and safer individual.
What Are The Key Methods Of Desensitising Training For Horses?
Effective desensitising techniques for training horses require a systematic and patient approach. They involve exposing the horse, little by little in a controlled environment, to ‘scary’ objects like plastic bags and umbrellas, noises, sensations, sights, situations and so on.
Positive reinforcement also plays a central role in desensitising training because we reward the horse for displaying relaxed behaviour in response to the stimuli.
Other key techniques in desensitising training for horses include consistency in training sessions, perceptive observation of the horse’s body language, and incorporating desensitising into routine care and handling.
1. Introduce Your Horse To Common Desensitising Tools
Incorporating everyday objects – plastic bags, tarps, umbrellas, rain coats, things that flap around, prams – into your horse’s environment is a good way to help them get used to these types of unexpected movements and sounds.
However, successful desensitising training requires an understanding of how to introduce these tools gradually so as not to overwhelm your horse, and create a permanent fear of a particular object.
- Start by introducing common objects, such as plastic bags, tarps, or umbrellas.
- Begin with stationary objects before progressing to those with movement.
- Allow the horse to investigate and sniff the objects while observing their reactions.
2. Desensitise Your Horse To Touch And Pressure
Your horse must be able to accept pressure and being touched on various body parts. This is essential should the horse ever need a vet, and for everyday grooming too. So – learn how to use brushes, hoof picks, and other equipment in a way that gradually desensitises your horse to the different sensations that accompany them.
- Gently touch the horse with various items, like soft brushes, towels, your hands, or a whip if you’ll be using one as a training aid.
- Begin with less sensitive areas, such as the neck or shoulder, before moving to more sensitive areas like the legs or face.
- Use a calm and slow approach to avoid startling the horse.
Unusual Sensations
- Introduce your horse to sensations they may encounter, such as spraying water lightly with a hose or gently tapping their hooves.
- Associate these sensations with positive experiences, rewarding calm behaviour.
Vet Procedures
- Simulate veterinary procedures, such as touching ears, lifting hooves, or administering oral medication.
- Gradually accustom the horse to common veterinary actions to reduce stress during actual visits.
3. Expose Your Horse To Noises And Unusual Sounds
Most horses are sensitive to sudden noises; their hearing is far more sensitive than ours because it is one of their key survival traits – they need to hear predators coming in time to escape. So – desensitising your horse to noises and sounds involves exposing it to a range of different and unusual sounds – clippers, blow dryers, power tools, traffic, machinery, barking dogs.
This technique prepares your horse for real-world scenarios, making them less likely to spook.
- Gradually expose the horse to different sounds, such as clapping, clippers, blow dryers, or traffic noise. Use actual objects or sound recordings.
- Start with lower volume levels and increase intensity as the horse becomes more comfortable.
- Combine sounds with positive reinforcement to create positive associations.
4. Expose Your Horse To Unusual Sights
Horses that have never seen barking dogs, kangaroos, emus, cattle, sheep, chooks, pigs, goats, and sundry other species may spook when they first encounter them. If you have any of these animals around, start deliberately introducing your horse to the sight of them regularly so they get used to going past them without having a meltdown every time!
- Expose the horse to various environments, including different surfaces, terrains, and settings.
- Practice desensitisation in different locations to generalise the training to various situations.
5. Familiarise Your Horse To Unfamiliar Riding Equipment
Introduce your horse to any tack you’ll be using that it isn’t already familiar with. For example – if you use a riding whip or crop as a training aid and your horse has never seen one, you’ll probably need to desensitise it to having the whip around so it learns to focus on what the whip is conveying rather than on the whip itself.
- Familiarise the horse with riding equipment, including saddles, bridles, saddle blankets, rugs, whips.
- Start by letting them see and smell the equipment before gradually placing it on their back.
- Associate the presence of equipment with positive experiences, such as treats or grooming.
Understanding Desensitising Training For Horses
Desensitising training for horses revolves around a series of processes, which we’ve outlined below.
Gradual Exposure
This is one of the most important aspects of desensitising training. Stimuli should be introduced in a gradual and controlled manner that allows the horse to become familiar with, and accepting of, new and potentially alarming elements in their environment. Make sure the horse is fully accepting of the stimuli before moving onto the next one.
Positive Reinforcement
We have more about positive reinforcement for horses in a previous article but essentially, rewarding the horse for calm and non-reactive behaviour reinforces a positive association with stimuli. This helps and encourages the horse to view these experiences as non-threatening.
Patience and Consistency
Desensitising is a gradual process for most horses. It requires patience and consistency. Some horses will take a lot of things in their stride without getting overly concerned about them whilst others will take a lot longer and may not ever become totally desensitised to more scary things. Regardless, short, regular sessions that keep the information fresh in the horse’s mind tend to be more effective than infrequent, longer sessions.
Variety of Stimuli
Desensitising covers a wide range of situations, and stimuli – from common ‘flappy’ things like plastic bags, tarps, umbrellas, to sounds, touches, and riding equipment. This variety helps the horse adapt to different situations and reduces the chances it will spook because a plastic bag blew in front of it whilst out on the trail.
Observation of Body Language
Being able to understand and interpret your horse’s body language is a pivotal aspect of desensitising. You need to be able to gauge the horse’s comfort level and adjust your training accordingly. Push too hard for example and you risk the horse losing its trust in you and you’ll likely have to go back and re-establish this before you can move forward again.
Most horses require some type of desensitising at some point because it’s virtually impossible to think of everything that may trigger a flight or fear response in them in one go! And – even something that you think you’ve desensitised them to at home may cause an adverse reaction when presented in a new environment or setting… “But s/he doesn’t worry about [plastic bags/open umbrellas/tarps…] at home!” I think we’ve all been in this situation a few times!
However, we can certainly make life a lot easier for ourselves, and less scary for our horse, by getting them accustomed to most of the common stimuli they’ll come across in life. The following are some general ways you can get your horse used to some common ‘scary’, objects, sounds, sights, and situations.
How desensitising training for horses can help with a particular trigger?
Even the best-trained horses often have their little peccadilloes when it comes to dealing with scary things.
So how do you desensitise these horses to these things?
1. Identify The Triggers
Work out what frightens your horse, or triggers its anxiety. It may be an object, a noise, or a situation. If your horse doesn’t like sharp sounds or loud noises for example, clapping or banging may trigger anxiety and fear. Or perhaps an open umbrella or tarp scares the living daylights out of it.
2. Gradually Expose The Horse To The Trigger
Introduce the trigger, which is now called ‘stimuli’, gradually. Here are some common ways to do this:
You could start by introducing it some distance from the horse (i.e. place an open umbrella or tarp on the ground, or play a recording of clapping / loud noises) and either walk the horse towards the
stimuli, or move the stimuli closer to the horse until you feel it move from simply noticing the object to wanting to react in a negative way (show fear or stress). This point is called its ‘threshold’.
3. Know When The Horse Has Reached Its Threshold And React Positively
We mentioned being able to read body language earlier, and this is one of the reasons why… Being able to identify when a horse is reaching its threshold means you will know when to stop, or back off, before the horse reacts in a negative way.
Horses only learn positive behaviours when they’re not frightened… They are prey animals so when they get anxious and fearful about something their self-preservation instincts take over, and they just want to get away from ‘the threat’. Therefore, when they’re frightened, they’re more likely to learn negative behaviours, like the fact that they’re bigger and stronger than you and can pull away or run over the top of you, and make their escape!
So – as soon as you feel the horse’s behaviour change from noticing the stimuli to reacting (negatively), stop. You’ll know when this is happening because the horse’s body language as it approaches the stimuli will change. Not all horses will react the same way though…
Your horse may stop dead in its tracks, in which case let it stand there until it relaxes, stops reacting, and even gets a bit bored. Or it may not stop but will lift its head, snort, arch its neck and focus more intently on the stimuli. So you stop, and let the horse stand there until it ‘relaxes, stops reacting, and even gets a bit bored’.
When it does, give it a pat as a reward then move forward a few more steps (the horse or the stimuli not both), until you again feel a reaction. Stop, stand, wait, reward, repeat… over and over until the horse is standing close to the stimuli without reacting.
4. Exercise Patience And Consistency
Desensitisation takes time. Be patient and consistent. Regular short sessions are far more effective than sporadic, long ones.
Use positive reinforcement (treats, praise, a pat) to reward the horse for calm behaviour. Reinforce this association between the stimuli and positive experiences.
Be consistent in your desensitisation approach. Regular, short sessions are more effective than irregular, long ones.
Stay calm and composed because you’re meant to be reassuring your horse there isn’t anything to be afraid of!
5. Get Professional Help If Required
If you need professional assistance with specific issues or your horse presents a challenging case, get it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Desensitising Training for Horses
How to Desensitise Your Horse to Clippers?
The first rule is that you don’t start the night before the show you need the horse clipped, or trimmed, for!
- Familiarisation: Start by letting your horse see and sniff the clippers while they’re turned off. Allow them to become accustomed to the sight and sound.
- Feel: Touch the horse with the clippers, and stroke it backwards over their coat so they get used to the feel, starting with less sensitive areas like the neck and shoulders.
- Gradually introduce sound: Turn on the clippers at a distance and gradually bring them closer. Stop when the horse gets anxious, wait until s/he settles, and reward the calm behaviour with treats or praise, before moving any closer.
- Touch and sound combo: While the clippers are on, lightly touch your horse with them. Begin with less sensitive areas, like the neck or shoulder, and work your way to more sensitive areas as they become comfortable.
- Positively reinforce calm behaviour: Reward your horse when they stand still and relaxed during the process. Positive reinforcement creates a positive association with the clippers.
- Short and sweet sessions: Keep initial sessions short to avoid overwhelming your horse. Gradually increase the duration as they become more accustomed.
What does desensitising a horse during training mean?
Desensitising a horse during training means systematically exposing them to various potentially alarming stimuli to reduce fear or anxiety whilst you’re working on other things with them. The goal is to create a horse that remains calm and responsive in different situations, making them safer for handling, grooming, veterinary procedures, and riding.
How long does desensitising training take?
Desensitising training duration varies depending on the horse’s temperament and previous experiences. On average, it can take several weeks to a few months to see significant progress.
Can desensitising training be done at any age?
While it’s generally easier to start desensitising training when the horse is young, older horses can also benefit. Patience and consistency is key, regardless of the horse’s age.
Are professional trainers necessary for desensitising?
While professional guidance can be beneficial, many horse owners successfully conduct desensitising training on their own. It requires patience, consistency, and a good understanding of your horse’s behaviour.
How often should desensitising training sessions occur?
Consistency is crucial. Regular, short sessions (15-20 minutes) a few times a week are more effective than infrequent, lengthy sessions.
Key Takeaways About Desensitising Training for Horses
Patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement are the cornerstones of successful desensitising training for horses. Remember though that each horse is different, and the desensitisation process should be tailored to the individual horse’s temperament and experiences.
