Yesterday I went to pick up a horse that had been on the same property all his life until six months ago when his owner moved him to a boarding facility. Trying to hang on to him was impossible financially and physically so she called us to help. This horse was bottle fed when his mom died of west nile virus by the woman that had owned him all 17 years until now. We moved him out of the city and to a rural set up at the rescue – the second move in a short time after many many years of stability. To say he is in shock is an understatement. He is scared and confused and shut down….and no I am not romanticizing his feelings. You can see his concern and he has been coming over to me and just resting his head in my hair breathing in my smell. If he could crawl in my lap he would do it.
Sometimes I think we really don’t understand the amount of change we ask horses to endure. Every time they get on a trailer they may never see their friends again, may not see their people again, and may not go to a nice place. Black Beauty taught us all how hard it is to follow what horses endure in a single life time. They have no warning, have no way to know what is next and have no say in what happens. I have had horses get off trailers, look around, and say thank you. I have had horses get off trailers, look around, and act stressed and terrified. Do you recognize and think about what herd animals go through, that are by nature drawn to work in groups, when they are constantly separated from where they feel safe? It’s a hard life that often ends up badly. Do you know how many horses we have had in the rescue that were out of multi-million dollar facilities and we pick them up in absolute trash filled back yards looking like skin and bones?
My advice is to remember what they go through and recognize signs of stress. Stress can be in the form of weaving (moving back and forth rhythmically), avoiding contact, acting out in frustration and anger, shaking, cribbing, calling out, pacing, and shutting down. We use lots of things to address stress in the rescue like treating for ulcers, lavendar oil on the nose, supplements with lots of magnesium and vitamin E, and brushing. These all help but what I have learned helps the most is just sitting with the horse quietly for as long as you can being a reassuring presence and expecting nothing. Of course we try to find a buddy for bonding quickly as well because you just can’t be a pasture mate! When this guy rested his chin on my head he wants to know I will stay there and be still for as long as he needs because he is confused and scared. Can you take more time to help relieve stress in your horse?
