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Every horse owner has dealt with a spooked horse at one time or another. Managing the highly developed flight response in horses is fundamental to training.

While some degree of spookiness is expected from all horses, sometimes individual equines are especially sensitive, which can be challenging for trainers and caretakers alike.

This behavior can be challenging for handlers, but there are various techniques that can help manage and reduce these reactions. By understanding the behavioral factors that contribute to spookiness in horses, handlers and trainers can calmly lead their equine partners to success in sport, work, and leisure.

Spookiness in Horses

Spookiness in horses refers to having sudden and frequently exaggerated reactions to a perceived threat. Spooky behavior can manifest in several different ways, including:

  • Bolting
  • Spinning
  • Jumping
  • Freezing in place

Spooking is a natural equine behavior that has its roots in the horse’s instinctual drive for survival. As prey animals, horses are more likely to flee or freeze rather than actively confront danger.

When a horse perceives a threat, the sympathetic branch of its autonomic nervous system (ANS) activates, triggering the “fight-or-flight” response. This mechanism is common to all animals; what differs is the outcome of the “scare.” [1][2]

Activation of the ANS leads to a rapid increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline levels, which prepares the horse to respond and flee swiftly. In the wild, this response is essential to effectively escape from predators. However, in domestication the same response can lead to injury for both horse and handler. [1][2]

Types of Spook Reactions

When a horse spooks, their reaction can take different forms depending on the situation and the horse’s natural temperament and personality. Types of spook reactions include:

  • Flight: The horse may suddenly bolt, run away, or spin in an attempt to flee from the perceived threat
  • Freeze: In some cases, a horse may freeze in place when it spooks. This response occurs when the horse perceives the threat as too close or too overwhelming to escape
  • Fight: Less commonly, some horses may resort to a fight response when they feel trapped or unable to flee. This could involve bucking, rearing, or kicking out at the perceived threat

Equine Perception

Understanding how horses perceive the world around them is useful in understanding why they have a tendency to spook. Horses have a unique set of sensory capabilities that differ significantly from humans. By considering the equine point of view, handlers can make effective training decisions so horse and human are set up for success.

Eyesight and Vision

Horses have a very wide field of vision. As a prey species, they have evolved to quickly scan their entire environment, using their excellent peripheral vision.

Each of their eyes provides a monocular vision area of about 200 degrees and together the eyes provide a binocular vision area of approximately 70 degrees. This gives horses a field of vision that ranges between 345 and 355 degrees, leaving only 5 to 15 degrees of combined blind spots. In comparison, humans have a binocular field of vision of about 180 degrees. [2][3][4]

Blind Spots

Human handlers need to understand and adapt to the horse’s blind spots to ensure safety for both parties.

Horses’ blind spots include: [2][3][4]

  • The area directly behind their tail
  • Just behind the neck (withers)
  • Directly in front of the forehead
  • Beneath the nose

Due to the horse’s reliance on monocular vision, it’s important to present stimuli to both sides of the horse’s body. Interestingly, if a horse is comfortable with something on one side, this does not automatically mean that they will be comfortable with it on the other. Horses can spook when an object passes from one field of vision to the other. [2][3][4]

For example, a common scenario in which spooking occurs is when a dog runs to keep up with the horse. If the dog passes from the right to the left side of the horse unexpectedly, the horse may spook. This underscores the importance of integrated training when working with multiple animal species so all participants are familiar and comfortable with each other’s behavior before it’s time to perform together.

Night Vision & Low Light Conditions

Another important aspect of horse vision is how they react to sudden changes in brightness levels. Horses evolved to retain good vision in low light conditions. This is thanks to the tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer in their eyes that improves eyesight in the dark. [2][3][4]

While this adaptation allows horses to see better in the dark compared to humans, their pupils are not well suited to making quick transitions between light and dark environments. This explains why horses may appear reluctant or fearful when entering dark places during daylight hours, such as trailers. [2][3][4]

Motion Detection

As prey animals, horses are highly attuned to detecting movement, especially quick-moving objects. Rapid motion, such as a deer or bird passing suddenly within the horse’s field of vision, can startle the horse and lead to spooking.

This reaction may cause the horse to suddenly change direction or attempt to flee, as its natural instinct is to avoid potential threats. [2][3][4]

Color Perception

Equine color perception may also play a role in spookiness. There is some evidence that horses are able to distinguish the following colors: [4]

  • Yellow
  • Orange
  • Blue
  • Green

Conversely, horses appear to have difficulty distinguishing the color red. [4]

These findings may help avoid spooking in some scenarios, particularly in cases where horses have to follow a marked course such as during show jumping and eventing. By choosing flags, poles, and fences in colors horses are able to distinguish clearly, they are less likely to spook and refuse a jump.

Auditory Perception

Horses have highly sensitive hearing, and are capable of detecting sounds at frequencies beyond the human range. Additionally, horses have the most mobile ears of all domestic animals, and can swivel their ears in the direction of a sound, allowing them to pinpoint its precise point of origin. [2][4][5]

Beyond their ability to detect a wide range of audible frequencies, horses can perceive very low frequencies through their hooves and teeth. They are even able to pick up vibrations generated miles away. [2][4][5]

This heightened auditory perception makes horses much more sensitive to loud noises than humans. All of the following are common potential causes of spooking:

  • Gunshots
  • Tractors
  • Thunder
  • Fireworks
  • Heavy traffic
  • Loud vehicles

This sensitivity to sound means loud voice commands are not only unnecessary but can be counterproductive to effective training. [2][4][5]

Tactile Perception

Horses are highly sensitive to touch, with certain areas being especially sensitive, including the: [2]

  • Face
  • Belly
  • Coronary band
  • Inner limbs

This heightened sensitivity is why horses prefer gentle rubbing over tickling or slapping and respond better to constant pressure rather than intermittent pressure, which can cause irritation and anxiety. [2]