So often in my work as an equine sports therapist I see and hear about horses struggling with anxiety. Whether it be the gelding who sweats himself silly in the trailer, or the mare who can’t eat when the horse across the aisle is looking at her, it seems that anxiety is a very common affliction among our equines. It intrigues me too that while some owners will list it as a chief concern during a session, others will casually mention it in passing, often with a half laugh and that’s-just-how-he-is kind of acceptance. I admit that I have been guilty of this myself, even while knowing full-well that there is much I could do to help my horse work through the issue without allowing the stress level to shoot through the roof. And you know what? When I took the time to calmly and patiently help my horse the way he was needing, I realized how much easier things could be. It was not until experiencing the same event without all the stress that I realized how much there had been!

While anxiety in our horses can certainly be a bother for us as owners, riders, and handlers, it also has direct implications on the animal's overall wellbeing that can affect their longterm health, happiness, and suitability for the job which we are asking of them. The adrenal glands, which sit just in front of the kidneys in the lower back are tasked with managing stress, producing the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol as well as the hormone adrenaline when the fight-or-flight response is activated. Long-term stress can overwork the adrenals, leading to adrenal fatigue or burnout. Horses (and humans, for that matter) suffering from adrenal fatigue have little stamina, experiencing short bursts of energy in between crashes, and can be quite unpredictable, often having complete meltdowns over seemingly little things. The effects of longterm anxiety can be frequently seen in the stomach, which is where these emotions tend to live. (Think of that feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you are nervous or anxious.) Chronically anxious horses have a high rate of stomach ulcers and other stomach imbalances. It is also well-known that stress affects the immune system, which certainly holds true for horses as well. These horses have a harder time fighting off illness, and are more likely to suffer more severe reactions to insect bites, parasites, and vaccinations.

So, what can you, the horse owner, do about it? First, I like to determine whether the anxiety is acute or chronic. Acute anxiety has a sudden onset, usually caused by a known trigger (i.e. loading into the trailer, vet giving needle, or bicycles on the trail). Symptoms may include fast breathing, sweating, fight-or-flight response, tense muscles, and being very alert to the surroundings while perhaps ignoring you entirely. In these cases, the anxiety usually disappears and the horse returns to normal shortly after the trigger is removed.

Chronic anxiety, by contrast, is more or less always present (though the intensity may vary), and may even be viewed as a personality trait. It may or may not be traceable to a particular trigger. The chronically anxious horse is often quite jumpy or “flighty,” and can be quite challenging to connect with on a deep level. These horses tend to have very tight muscles, restricted range of motion, and move with shorter, choppier gaits. They may also exhibit vices such as weaving, pacing, pawing, wood chewing, teeth grinding, and even kicking or biting.

In cases of acute anxiety with a known trigger, the biggest step to solving the problem is exposure and practice, starting with very small baby steps. With the horse that is anxious about trailering, this means loading and unloading, over and over and over again. Reward your horse for even the smallest attempts at what you’re asking. Keep the sessions short and positive. Use treats, grooming, love, or whatever else your horse enjoys to make the experience as pleasant as possible. Do this work when you have the time to take as long as is needed (remember - if you have five minutes, it’ll take all day; if you have all day, it’ll take five minutes) and preferably without a deadline (“Well the show is on Sunday so he better be able to load by then”;). Wash, rinse, repeat. Do everything you can think of to make the trigger less intimidating. In the trailer, open all doors and windows. Use the most spacious trailer you have access to and take all the dividers out. Consider that a white interior is much more inviting than a dark colour. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of schools of thought when it comes to loading an anxious horse, so experiment until you find whatever technique works best for your particular horse and situation. Set your horse up for success, and notice every success, no matter how small! 

For the chronically anxious horse, it is important to carefully examine everything about the horse’s environment, routine, and lifestyle to identify anything that could possibly be contributing to the problem. This could be anything from a bully in the herd to nutritional imbalance to being uncomfortable with their job to too much artificial light to overhead power lines or an underground spring disrupting the horse’s energy field. Think like a horse and evaluate everything in his world as objectively as you can. Perhaps get a friend or equine professional to help. This is a great time to call your local equine sports therapist!

My favourite remedies

In both acute and chronic cases, there are a number of energetic and herbal remedies that can be of great help in working through fears and in restoring balance after removing problematic triggers. While an in-person session with an equine sports therapist or other qualified professional is the best way to determine the best program for your particular horse, there are a few remedies that can be very useful to keep in the barn which you may find quite helpful:

Essential oils, produced through the steam distillation of flowers and plants, are beautiful, non-invasive remedies that most horses (and their owners!) quite enjoy. With the following oils, drop a couple drops into your hands and allow your horse to smell it, or gently rub or massage it into his favourite spot. You can also put a couple drops in the corner of his stall or trailer. Just make sure that he always has the option to leave or move away from it if he finds it to be too much. 

** Check with a professional before using essential oils around pregnant or especially vulnerable horses, and avoid use in close proximity to cats **

• Lavender is very calming and relaxing and a soothing tonic to the whole nervous system.
• Ylang ylang is calming and uplifting and has a beautiful fragrance.
• Lemon is cleansing and uplifting.
• Roman chamomile is calming and soothing to all body systems
• Peppermint is also very uplifting and great for soothing digestive upset, but should be diluted in a carrier such as sweet almond or holy oil before using on the skin or coat.

• Rescue Remedy, the five-flower blend, is a great one to keep in your first aid kit for times of sudden shock, illness, trauma, or stress.
• Aspen: for vague or unknown worries or fears, appearing agitated for no apparent reason
• Elm: for temporarily overwhelming situations such as trailering
• Holly: helps those who come from a history of abuse or neglect to move forward with their lives Impatiens: for those who are overly anxious or impatient; helps with recovery from illness or trauma
• Larch: for those lacking self-confidence
• Mimulus: for known fears of specific things or situations
• Rock rose: for acute fears or terrors, such as after an accident
• Star of Bethlehem: for those with a history of abuse; trauma or shock

These are just a sample of some of the many flower essences available. To achieve a significant shift in the horse, it is necessary to pick exactly the right remedy for the situation. Visit www.bachflower.com for more information or talk to your local equine sport therapist for advice.

When you find yourself in a stressful or anxious situation, it is a huge help to everybody involved - human and animal alike - if you can keep yourself as grounded and balanced as possible. There are several techniques that help with this; experiment and find what works for you.

• Deep breathing is critical. Take a long slow breath in through your nose. Hold it for 5-10 seconds, then let it out through your mouth, with a big sigh or other vocalization if it feels good. Repeat.
• Close your eyes and visualize yourself as a tree. Feel your roots reaching deep into the earth, grounding you and connecting you to Mother Nature. Feel the strength in your trunk, reaching tall into the sky. Feel the soft breeze through your leaves, your branches strong but flexible, drinking in the nutritious sunlight. Any unwanted energies or emotions are gently blown away.
• Visualize a beautiful column of golden light running through your spine, reaching high into the sky and deep into the earth. Through this beam of light you absorb strength, and any unwanted energies or emotions you send back down this rod into the earth.

Tapping out the cortices is a lovely BodyTalk technique that helps to balance the different parts of the brain and keep a good connection between the brain and the body. In times of trauma, these connections often get blocked, making it very difficult for both us and our animals to fully process through what is happening. By tapping out the cortices regularly - even every few minutes in especially traumatic situations - we keep the information and emotions processing, facilitating clear thinking and faster recovery. You can do this on yourself for your own benefit, you can do it on your horse for their benefit, or if they are uncomfortable with it or you feel unsafe, you can do the tapping on yourself but with the intention of sharing the benefits with your horse. Alexa Linton has made a great video walking you through this technique; check it out here.

Whatever the situation, you must be calm, grounded, and relaxed if you want to be of much service to your horse. It is your job to be your horse’s greatest ally. There is never any shame in taking a couple minutes’ time out in order to get yourself balanced and your emotions under control. Listen to your horse, trust your intuition, and remember the old saying, “If you’ve got 15 minutes, it’ll take all day. If you’ve got all day, it’ll take 15 minutes.” Happy trails!