Horses in need of help
Horses that have had no human handling may be referred to our Rehabilitation team because they have no idea how to behave around humans, being effectively wild animals. Dealing with these equines is usually fairly straightforward because they have no reason to fear humans, though the older the equine, the less receptive they can be to new ideas – a bit like people!
Alternatively, a horse may have had contact with humans, but of a confusing, frightening or even painful nature. These equines present a much more difficult challenge. Horses learn quickly and the tactics they develop to deal with or avoid frightening situations are often deeply ingrained. Rehabilitation of abused horses means trying to help them relearn the way they view the world; no small task.
Occasionally horses may be referred to the team because they do not respect humans. This is often the result of having been rather spoilt by humans and always getting their own way. Horses naturally have a pecking order with their companions, and the dominant horse gets to boss everyone else around. This isn’t nastiness on the part of the horse, he simply understands that someone needs to be in charge and no one else seems to want to do the job!
