12/02/2025
This guide reframes common misinterpretations of horse behaviour through the science of the autonomic nervous system, polyvagal theory, and trauma-informed horsemanship.
The problem:
We often anthropomorphise horses - attributing human emotions, intentions, and moral reasoning to their behaviour. This leads to misunderstanding, frustration, and ineffective or unsafe handling.
The solution:
Understanding that horses operate primarily from nervous system states, not moral frameworks. When we stop projecting human psychology onto horses and start reading their biology, we can respond appropriately and build genuine partnership.
“He/She is being naughty.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re in a sympathetic state - activated, overwhelmed, or over-threshold. “Naughty” is a human moral judgement placed on a biological stress response. Their nervous system is doing exactly what it evolved to do: respond to perceived threat or overwhelm.
“He/She is taking advantage of you.”
What’s actually happening:
They’ve learned patterns of relief, avoidance, or shutdown because their nervous system has not felt safe in that context. Horses do not strategise manipulation; they seek safety and relief. What looks like “taking advantage” is a learned survival pattern.
“He/She is testing you.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re scanning for safety through neuroception - the subconscious detection of threat or safety. Your breath, posture, muscle tension, energy, intention, and timing are constantly being interpreted by their nervous system. This is biological assessment, not deliberate challenge.
“He/She knows exactly what they’re doing.”
What’s actually happening:
In reactive moments, they’re responding from autonomic reflex, not deliberate planning. Most reactive behaviour is pre-cognitive. When regulated, horses can learn, problem-solve, remember, and make choices. The key is knowing which state they’re in.
“He/She is being disrespectful.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re dysregulated. “Disrespect” does not exist in equine behaviour - it's a human social construct. Horses respond to pressure, tension, threat, relief, and safety cues. They don’t operate from moral values.
“He/She is stubborn.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re confused, shut down, tired, sore, overstimulated, or overwhelmed. “Stubbornness” is often dorsal vagal freeze—immobility, refusal, or shutdown. Their system has moved beyond fight/flight into conservation mode.
“He/She is lazy.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re exhausted, bracing against pain, lacking fitness, dealing with metabolic issues, or protecting themselves from anticipated discomfort. Horses are not lazy; they are conserving energy for survival or avoiding pain.
“He/She is trying to get out of work.”
What’s actually happening:
Their body or mind cannot meet the task. This may be pain, emotional overload, chronic stress, unclear cues, insufficient preparation, or low capacity. If a horse could do it comfortably, they would.
“He/She is angry with you.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re defending themselves because something feels unsafe. Horses can experience frustration, but they don’t personalise or hold grudges. They act on what their nervous system perceives in the moment.
“He/She bites because they're nasty.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re communicating discomfort, fear, overstimulation, pain, frustration, or boundary-setting. Biting is communication, not malice. In many cases, subtler signals were missed or ignored.
“He/She kicked out at you on purpose.”
What’s actually happening:
It’s a reflex to fear, perceived threat, pressure, or pain. Kicking is a survival mechanism, not intentional harm. Sometimes it’s used to create space when earlier signs went unnoticed.
“He/She is spiteful.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re overwhelmed and using big behaviour to create space or safety. Horses don’t plot revenge; they repeat what has created relief before.
“He/She is ignoring you.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re shut down (dorsal), dissociated, or trying to self-regulate. Freeze can look like “not listening”. Or they may have learned that responding leads to discomfort.
“He/She is pushy.”
What’s actually happening:
They’ve never been taught spatial regulation, or they feel unsafe with distance changes. Many “pushy” horses are seeking co-regulation or reassurance.
“He/She is trying to dominate you.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re trying to create safety. Dominance theory has been debunked in horse–human interactions. What looks like dominance is usually anxiety, insecurity, or unclear boundaries.
“He/She is being silly.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re in fight/flight and detecting something you haven’t. Horses sense far more - vibrations, movement, frequencies, and emotional shifts.
“He/She is overreacting.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re reacting appropriately for their threshold. Their nervous system is trying to regulate or survive.
“He/She spooked on purpose.”
What’s actually happening:
Startle is involuntary. Spooking is a reflex. Patterns may develop afterwards, but the initial reaction is always a survival response.
“He/She won't stand still because they’re impatient.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re holding tension and cannot down-regulate. Stillness requires capacity and safety.
“He/She keeps shying because they’re naughty.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re overstimulated or in chronic sympathetic activation. Their threat-detection system is hypersensitive.
“He/She is being dramatic.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re overwhelmed and unable to discharge activation safely. Big behaviour - big dysregulation.
“He/She knows better.”
What’s actually happening:
A horse can only access learning when regulated. Knowing something on one day doesn’t mean they can perform it in a different nervous system state.
“He/She is overprotective.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re anxious, hypervigilant, or lacking co-regulation. What looks like protection is often insecurity.
“He/She is acting up.”
What’s actually happening:
Their threshold is low - due to pain, stress, environment, past experience, or handling. Behaviour is a symptom.
“He/She is bossy.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re insecure or anxious. Apparent “bossiness” is defensive behaviour, not dominance.
“He/She refused the jump out of cheek.”
What’s actually happening:
Pain, fear, confusion, visual issues, stress, or past experience. Refusals are communication.
“He/She stood on my foot deliberately.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re spatially dysregulated or unaware of their body. Horses do not aim for feet.
“He/She ran away because they don’t like me.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re avoiding sensations or situations associated with discomfort or overwhelm - not people personally.
“He/She won't load because they’re being difficult.”
What’s actually happening:
Past trauma, claustrophobia, pain, poor balance, sensory overload, or low capacity. Loading is biologically unnatural for prey animals.
“He/She bucks to get me off.”
What’s actually happening:
Pain, fear, or overload. Bucking is sympathetic overflow, not a calculated act.
“He/She rears because they’re dangerous.”
What’s actually happening:
They’re panicking, trapped, or escaping pressure. Rearing is a last-resort strategy.
“He/She is cold-backed.”
What’s actually happening:
Pain, trauma, saddle issues, or anticipatory fear.
“He/She just doesn't want to work with me.”
What’s actually happening:
They cannot. Their nervous system is not in a state that allows learning, connection, or effort.
Additional Misunderstood Behaviours
“He/She is herd-bound/barn-sour.”
Safety-seeking, not disobedience.
“He/She is hard-mouthed.”
A learned brace from pain or pressure.
“He/She is girthy/cinchy.”
Anticipatory pain or discomfort.
“He/She cribs because of boredom.”
A coping mechanism for stress or gastric discomfort.
“He/She weaves because they’re neurotic.”
A stereotypy caused by confinement, stress, or unmet needs.
Key Principles for Understanding Horse Behaviour
• Behaviour is communication.
• Horses do not have moral frameworks.
• Safety is the foundation of learning.
• Thresholds vary between individuals.
• Regulation comes before training.
• Horses respond to the present moment.
• Human nervous systems affect horses directly.
• Trauma and pain live in the body.
• Stillness requires nervous system capacity.
• Always rule out pain first.
Moving Forward
Understanding horse behaviour through a nervous system lens isn’t being “soft” - it’s being accurate. When we stop anthropomorphising and begin interpreting behaviour through biology, everything changes:
• safer horses
• safer humans
• better welfare
• more effective training
• deeper partnership
The language we use matters. When we stop labelling horses with human morality and start hearing their behaviour as information, everything opens.
