Barn Sour or Security Hungry?

by Gabriel Denison

Horses are by nature social animals. They operate in complex herd societies that humans are only beginning to understand. One of the side effects of these herd societies that riders experience is the behavior commonly called “barn sour,” or “herd bound.” These behaviors, although quite clear to the horse, are especially hard for a rider to comprehend when the sun is out, the trails are beckoning, and your horse is struggling to return to the barn. At this moment, the rider is experiencing a mutation of herd behavior in the domesticated horse. In the wild, horses form attachments to groups, rather than individuals, and herd philosophy dictates that a lone horse is a horse in danger. Security lies in numbers. In domestic settings, depending upon the horse's personality, experiences and stress factors of each horse involved, this inherent separation anxiety can turn into an obsession focused on one stable buddy, or sometimes, just the stable itself. Patience and a cool, creative horseman can shift the focus of the horse's obsessive security needs from another horse to the rider him/herself, unraveling the barn sour snarl. Although it may prove a challenge, there are ways to understand and solve this problem.

Jennifer Williams, who holds a PhD in Animal Behavior from Texas University , says, “In general, highly strung, emotionally needy horses are more prone to form unhealthy attachments.” But, she adds, “Even very secure horses can form tight associations with horses they have only just met, when in stressful situations.”

When riding the herd bound horse on the trail, try and understand his emotional security requirements. If your horse does not feel safe with you - and for a horse, this translates as ‘will you lead and protect him' – he will remain nervous, fretful, and continue to attempt to return to the barn.

There are many behaviors associated with stable return. Spinning, balking, bolting, and, in extreme cases, rearing. Sometimes, “barn sour” behavior in a horse is simply rushing or “jigging” on the way back to the barn. The owner himself may contribute to barn sour behavior. The old Monday morning syndrome can apply here, when riders take their horses out on weekends, ride enthusiastically and at length, putting their horse away tired and sore. Before long, this horse resists being caught, and does not want to leave the barn. In this situation, barn sour behavior indicates a reactionary state of avoidance in the equine, and in this case, it is the owner that must change his patterns.

John Von Haas, of Martinagale Equine Services, who works as an abuse/rehabilitation trainer, as well as showing jumpers and Fox Trotters in Bend, Oregon, talks about his successful methods of reeducating the herd bound horse.

“My focus on reconditioning horses is psychological as well as physical,” he says. “Herd bound related behaviors are very high on the list of horses referred to me, and most of the time, the issue is a miscommunication and lack of trust between horse and rider. Horses will not work for you if they mistrust you.”

He goes on to explain that the rider must enter the world of the horse, assisting him in confronting his negative emotions, and strengthen the bond between horse and rider.

“ Horses are born brave, and good-hearted,” he says. “But they are terribly dependant upon us, and we must accept that responsibility when working with them.”

The first step the rider must take is to calmly stop the undesirable behavior in himself or his horse. Although an unexpected herd bound struggle can be frightening, the rider must be one mental step ahead of the horse, communicating without anger or panic that the ride will go forward.

“I always do the opposite thing that they (the horse) wants to do,” responds John, when asked how to deal directly with barn sour problems. “If they want to run, we stop and stand. If the horse wants to freeze or spin, I jump off and make him run along side me for a while.”

“That always surprises them. They are usually looking for a fight, and suddenly I'm trotting right beside him. He usually forgets about his fear, at that point. Once he accepts me as a herd partner, the barn sour behavior really subsides.”

 

There is a rural myth that separating bonded pairs is cruel, and carries a risk of emotional trauma. This can be true in situations where senior horses are involved, or horses that have worked in teams (i.e. horse farming, harness teams) for years. In these cases, hopefully it will be unnecessary to split up pasture buddies. But if the necessity presents itself, there are ways to diminish the emotional risk involved.

1) The horse(s) are not isolated, but introduced to new horses, and human companionship.

2) The horse(s) are not introduced into a stressful situation.

•  The horse is given a job to do, with positive reinforcement from his human riding companion.

Before separation, the strength of your physical containments should be taken into consideration as well. Be sure never to leave an obsessively bonded animal tied up, or in a barbwire enclosure. The horse should be contained in a stall, or small paddock to prevent injury during the initial break. It may take as long as two or three days, but he will calm down and adjust with proper handling.

“ Remember, the horse is looking for a partner,” John Von Haas encourages his clients. “You can be that partner.”

As horse owners, we experience frustration every time we ride a herd bound horse. However, with a little teamwork, it seems our trails will be happy trails indeed.