A horse that headbutts is often simply trying to connect with a human, but the action can also signal the horse’s desire for control of a situation. Though headbutting can be harmless, horses are large and strong and headbutting can endanger human safety if carried too far.
Instead of pushing the horse away and saying “no,” a handler can offer the horse other behaviors that aren’t dangerous to humans, suggests a recent report from The Horse. Dr. Andrew McLean of the Australian Equine Behaviour Center says a horse testing his limits with his handler is acquiring his “sense of agency.” Basically, he’s trying to see what he can get away with.
If a horse is head-butting to show his bond with his handler, offering the horse a gentler option such as rubbing on an arm or shoulder is helpful. This allows the horse the social interaction he craves while keeping his handler safe.
A horse that is head-butting to control his environment is able to move the handler around — voluntarily or not. Pressure was applied, the human moved and the horse removed the pressure. An alternative is to offer the horse a vocal command, like “back” to move the horse instead. This response must be conditioned in advance, McLean says. A horse that performs a learned response retains the sense of control he gained when headbutting.
Learn more at The Horse.
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