UNDESIRABLE equine behaviour is frequently listed as a top concern among horse owners.
It includes behaviours such as pawing, striking, kicking, biting, rearing, bolting, bucking, napping, shying and freezing – all of which carry both social and economic implications and that, at their worst, can be dangerous to the rider/handler and render the horse valueless.
Horses will never act out of malevolence, and there will always be an explanation for such behaviours. Refusing to load, for example, is the horse's species-specific response to an anxiety-inducing situation – perhaps due to poor initial training or a previous bad experience – rather than wilful naughtiness.
Identifying the reasons for such behavioural problems presents a challenge for both vets and owners.
Undesirable behaviours are usually the horse's way of expressing an avoidance of,…
