Understanding and reducing aggression in horses

Learn to understand aggression in horses so you can improve the relationship between you and your horse

You go to train with your horse or just to say hello and you're met with pulled back ears and an open mouth. Immediately you feel offended and hurt, you had the best intentions and just want a loving relationship with your beloved horse. So you might have some questions about why horses are aggressive and how our training plays a role in it. Questions like: Is it necessary to punish a horse to reduce aggression? Is aggression really a horse just misbehaving or is there another reason? And what your horse is feeling or experiencing.

I understand, working with aggressive horses is not easy. It's not only frustrating but it's scary as well, especially if you're not sure what to do. Working with your horse becomes less enjoyable, and all the fun is taken out of it.

But what if by understanding the behaviour, the aggression, it would give you insight into how to adapt your training and interaction with your horse? What if training could be fun? What if you didn't need to punish your horse to reduce the aggressive behaviour?

Imagine knowing why your horse is aggressive on a particular day and knowing how to adjust what you are doing to change the behaviour.

I believe horses are very gentle by nature and that high levels of aggression is very abnormal (research proves this as well). I also believe that each owner has a power within them to help their horse, because aggressive horses need our help, not a firm hand.