CURRENT TOPIC

Anxiety in Horses

Anxiety: Horses tend to have a variety of behavioral problems. These behavioral issues may arise due to certain traumatic experience, or may be deeply rooted in the horses psyche from past experiences. Anxiety affects the performance as well as the horse's appearance.

Causes: Anxiety may always have a root cause. The cause may either be due to a physical factor, like a snake or a banging door, fire crackers or any physiological stress, past abuse or separation anxiety. The anxiety could also be related to hereditary. Therefore it is very important to determine the cause of the problem.

Basically there are various causes of anxiety; a few of them are as follows: Exposure to a new or stressful environment. Fear of other horses sharing a common stable, especially when there is lack of close relationship. Past abuse or any other traumatic experience. Lack of training. It is seen that when horse are put to stressful conditions, they have the tendency to become anxious. Depending upon the capacity to handle stress, the nervousness in horses varies.

Diagnosis: Horses that exhibit prolonged or sudden anxiety should undergo an immediate checkup. Since the condition varies in every horse, hence it is very important to study the behavior of the horse. The various behaviors include widening of the eyes, trembling, restlessness (moving back and forth), moving at the corner of the stable, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, constipation, hair loss etc.

Treatment: There are many medications available for the treating anxiousness, stress in horses, but these medications are with side effect, and while they may help to relax the horse in short term, their long term effects are unknown.

Also calming drugs and sedatives usually leave the horses senses dulled, which can make competitive events as well as training difficult, as well as hampers performance.