I had one that had been so badly mistreated, he never fully recovered from it. Horses can get PTSD, just like people. Certain things would definitely set him off...the sound of gun shots had him running the fence line, trembling, and pouring sweat. The sight of horse trailers and people on a camping trip had him pacing a hole in the ground, and if tied him to the trailer, he would dance in place from nerves.
You can tell if a horse has been mistreated... Most horses spook at something, jump a couple strides, and then they are fine. They come down from the fear and go, okay, I'm okay. A horse that is abused, does not trust, has an over responsive panic/flight response, or freezes and tucks their tail while trembling and showing the white of the eye.
If you have worked with enough horses, you can definitely tell the ones that are mishandled/abused. That doesn't mean they can't overcome the abuse. Some do. Some don't. Some improve to an extent.
Horses are smart enough to associate abuse with just that one person, while other people are considered safe/okay. Those are easier to rehab because they have trust. The most difficult ones are the ones that do not trust anyone and always fear people.
There are some horses that are more reactive, but I think you can definitely tell if it's abuse related vs. over reactivity. An over reactive horse, snorts and blows, and spooks at many different objects or situations. Abused animals seem to react to specific situations in a more dramatic manner then would be expected from a horse with similar training or experience.
You can tell if a horse has been mistreated... Most horses spook at something, jump a couple strides, and then they are fine. They come down from the fear and go, okay, I'm okay. A horse that is abused, does not trust, has an over responsive panic/flight response, or freezes and tucks their tail while trembling and showing the white of the eye.
If you have worked with enough horses, you can definitely tell the ones that are mishandled/abused. That doesn't mean they can't overcome the abuse. Some do. Some don't. Some improve to an extent.
Horses are smart enough to associate abuse with just that one person, while other people are considered safe/okay. Those are easier to rehab because they have trust. The most difficult ones are the ones that do not trust anyone and always fear people.
There are some horses that are more reactive, but I think you can definitely tell if it's abuse related vs. over reactivity. An over reactive horse, snorts and blows, and spooks at many different objects or situations. Abused animals seem to react to specific situations in a more dramatic manner then would be expected from a horse with similar training or experience.
