Equine Emotional Regulation
What is Emotional Regulation?
Emotional regulation refers to the ability to process, manage, and respond appropriately and adaptively to emotional experiences. Emotions, amongst instincts, are what drive behavior. For horses, emotional experiences include those like fear, excitement, anxiety, sadness, happiness, and so on…horses have no reason to fake emotions whatsoever. Humans do not have the ability to detect emotions through body odors as many animals do, though we distinguish them through observation of facial expressions, vocalizations, posture, and body movements. Emotions are not to be confused with instinct, a biologically imbedded pattern of behavior in response to specific stimuli, or feelings, internal mental beliefs that cannot be observed.
Horses are mirrors. They have the ability to reflect our own emotions back to us. So when we are around them and dysregulated, they let us know. Unfortunately, most handlers who are reflected upon by the horses they are around, often blame the horse instead of looking within themselves.
Why is it beneficial to practice Emotional Regulation with horses?
Horses are biologically driven by fear and anxiety. These emotions vary in horses depending on their breed, history, and training. Imagine a high strung Arabian horse walking past a whipping flag in the wind vs an old rodeo horse. The Arabian typically has a high head, tense body, and white eyes while passing and the old rodeo horse walks past without batting an eye. The Arabian has a completely different background when compared to an old rodeo horse, therefore their reactions to the same stimuli are not the same.
These varying reactions can be managed and must be done so delicately. We all know the frightened horse can become a dangerous one in an instant and it is all up to how that horse’s emotions are regulated via handling and training. There is no need to overstimulate the horse to attempt “understanding” of the stimuli causing the behavior (i.e. whipping a flag closer to them until they just stand there, helpless). Repetition of frightening stimuli while a horse is in a tense state typically results in a state of learned helplessness, a psychological state a being enters when they've learned they cannot change their situation - mentally checked out. This action can also result in an even more reactive horse (or ticking time bomb), one that becomes behaviorally dangerous, all at the hands of a handler due to the way specific situations are handled.
It is not only fear that drives big behaviors, but many others also. Imagine a stallion, excited to breed a herd of mares, just as biology intended. If not managed with emotional regulation understanding, that excited stallion can get dangerous quickly when being handled. Emotional regulation is beneficial to all horses so they are able to receive and manage the information we give them during workout and training sessions and respond appropriately.
How do I emotionally regulate my horse?
Because of what emotional regulation is for horses, we must first regulate ourselves. Approaching a horse with an unsettling energy will spoil an entire exercise. There are times handlers do not realize they have an unsettling energy, therefore a check in with our inner self before any session is a must. If handlers are in any way unsettled, they will show indicators to their horse like increased heart rate, hormones, body language, respiratory rate, and tone of voice. An increased heart rate to a horse means there is something to be worried about, therefore in that event, they are going to focus on their surroundings to attempt to find the danger lurking. When a horse is focused on his surroundings at a time a handler attempts an exercise, neither will have the potential to fully grasp the attempt and more emotions will ensue.
If you feel fear, control it. Take a moment for yourself, close your eyes and compose with a deep breath, tell yourself your horse needs you for reassurance in this instant. We must ensure we do not use our horse to regulate. For example: excessively stroking or patting, hugging, and talking can actually cause adverse effects. These actions may help us feel better but not our horse due to the energy we emit to the horse and what it means to them.
Once we have ourselves in check, we can move onto helping our horse. Luckily, they are extremely similar to that of our regulation! Doctor Janet L. Jones in Horse Brain Human Brain couldn’t have said it better:
Relaxation. Relaxing a horse’s body calms him enough to heed your guidance. When he realizes you’re not afraid, he loses some of his own fear.
Consistency. Nibbling your sleeve can’t be wrong today but cute tomorrow. Consistency allows the principles of learning to work.
Predictability. When a horse knows what to expect, he can begin to predict. Prediction yields a sense of control, which reduces fear.
Our behavior is what helps the horse emotionally regulate, therefore the calmer handlers are, the calmer our horses will be.
Have the idea of calmness within yourself, squashing any chance of becoming worked up for any reason (fear, frustration, anxiety, etc.)
Stand with an unthreatening posture - softened muscles, bent knees, relaxed overall
No eye contact with the horse
Breathe slowly and regularly
Speak slowly with a calm, low tone of voice
Acknowledge where the horse is most comfortable and allow him to stand in his chosen position (see Receiving Energy for more info)
Light hands on the rope
Use a few long strokes on the neck or shoulder to reward the horse’s relaxation
Signs a horse is relaxed: (See Fig. 1)
Neutral spine - head in low position with outward extended neck, tail unclamped
Lobby ears falling to the sides
Slow blinking eyes with no whites showing
Slow respiratory rate with a potential to snort at exhale
Relaxed overall musculature and posture
Keep in mind that this exercise may not come out perfectly the first time it is attempted. I am amazed at what just 15 minutes a day does for horses!
Of course, there is much more in our horse’s world that affects their ability to emotionally regulate other than humans. Horses need a trusty, species appropriate environment, adequate rest/sleep, movement, diet, and friends as a strong basis for their overall health. We must consider this especially when attempting to aid in equine emotional regulation given the direct effect everything listed (and then some) has on the equine emotional state.
What if I have trouble emotionally regulating my horse?
This can be for many reasons, so the answer is not a one size fits all. Because of this, it is best to consult a professional to aid you in your process when you feel stuck.
I offer in person and virtual coaching assistance tailored to yours and your horse’s needs specifically for the best possible outcome of connection. Click here for more information!
-L.R.
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Figure 1: Sarge presenting tense vs relaxed posture.
