Serenity training: A fear-free horse in every situation

What is calmness training for horses?

Calmness training for horses is a special training program aimed at getting horses used to different stimuli and promoting their calmness. It helps to reduce the horse's natural flight instinct and maintain a calm attitude in different situations. Calmness training involves gradually introducing horses to everyday and unexpected objects in order to improve their reaction to new or frightening obstacles.

From basic exercises such as carrying a saddle to more complex tasks such as passing self-made obstacles or a calmness course for horses - the aim is always to strengthen the horse's confidence and safety. Special ideas for calmness training in horses include exercises with unusual objects that horses may encounter in their environment.

In special serenity training courses for horse and rider, the relationship between human and animal is intensified, leading to a deeper connection and better understanding. These courses take place in almost all regions of Germany. However, serenity training courses for horses and riders are also regularly offered worldwide. There are also numerous books and instructions that offer creative ideas and practical tips for serenity training that you can implement yourself. In this article, we present a few exercises, ideas and obstacles to calmness training. Our experts also explain the best way to get started with serenity training.

What is the difference between calmness training and anti-fright training?

The aim of anti-fright training is to prepare the horse so that it no longer frightens so easily. The horse is deliberately startled, for example by the loud rustling of a plastic bag. But shouldn't the human be the rock in the surf, calmly showing the horse that a rustling bag is harmless? Probably yes.

The aim of anti-fright training is to reduce the horse's flight instinct. This is often achieved through desensitization, in which the horse is gradually accustomed to various stimuli. Many people misunderstand desensitization as hardening the horse. The horse should actually learn to remain calm and not freeze like a statue.

In stressful situations, a nervous or skittish horse should learn to remain calm and assess the situation before reacting. Anti-fright training can be misunderstood, because if a horse does not flee, this does not automatically mean that it is relaxed. Instead, the training should give the horse security and show it that many things in its environment are harmless.

Calmness training, on the other hand, takes a different approach. It aims to make the horse really calm and relaxed. Instead of frightening the horse, it learns to remain calm in various situations through positive experiences. Calmness training strengthens the horse's confidence and promotes a close bond between horse and human. The horse learns to assess the situation before reacting and recognizes that there is no danger.

Why serenity training is the right way to go:

1. Confidence and security: Calmness training strengthens the horse's confidence. A horse that trusts its human is more likely to remain calm in stressful situations.
2. Natural reactions: Serenity training respects the horse's natural instincts rather than suppressing them. The horse learns that it does not have to be afraid without being desensitized.
3. Long-term results: Calmness training offers sustainable results. A horse that has learned to stay calm and evaluate situations will be less jumpy and nervous in the long term.
4. Positive experiences: Training is based on positive experiences and rewards, which leads to a better learning environment for the horse. It makes training more enjoyable and effective.
5. Better bond: Calmness training promotes the bond between horse and human. This close relationship helps the horse to remain calmer and more relaxed in all situations.

Ultimately, calmness training is the right way to calm a skittish or nervous horse. It creates a trusting and safe environment in which the horse can learn that it does not need to be afraid of new or unfamiliar situations. This leads to a harmonious and relaxed coexistence between humans and horses.

Why is my horse jumpy?

Fear in horses can manifest itself in different ways. There are excited horses that clearly show their fear. These horses often jump to the side, show a tense posture, make loud breathing noises, mount or no longer react to the rider's aids. Such signs of fear are easy for humans to recognize. As this behavior can be dangerous for the rider, horse owners are usually motivated to do something about it.

But there are also the "switched off" horses. These remain completely motionless when frightened. Their eyes are often half-closed, their ears are fixed backwards and they do not react to flies or noises. This behavior is often misinterpreted as tiredness or dullness, so that the underlying fear goes unnoticed and is not treated. The difference to the excited horses is that the "switched off" horses have learned not to show their fear. This depressive behavior is often caused by incorrect training that leaves the horse with no other options. 

How do I recognize that my horse is afraid?

The horse's facial expression can often be decisive for the horse's state of tension or relaxation. The Horse Grimace Scale (HSG) can also be used for this purpose. The Horse Grimace Scale was developed by Dr. Emanuela Dalla Costa in 2014 to investigate the expression of pain in horses after castration. Since pain is also a form of stress, the HSG is now also used as a scale for recognizing stress in horses.

Horses can show stress in different ways, while the horse freezes in one stressful situation, it can also run away in another. You can use these 17 stress indicators to recognize whether a horse is stressed:

• faltering gait
• so-called worry line above the eyes
• raised head
• Fixed neck
• Fixed or rigid ears
• wide-open eyes
• puffy nostrils
• Loud blowing
• Stress equipping
• Negative tension in the stomach
• hasty looking back and forth
• Running away
• Freezing to a standstill

But also:

• not present view
• Half-closed eyes
• No perception of the external environment
• No movement of the body

Conditioned fear

Furthermore, a horse is also quickly conditioned to fear. A typical example would be the reflexive acceptance of the reins when the human assumes that the horse is about to jump to the side. The problem with this is that the horse may not even be afraid at this point and has no intention of jumping to the side and then does so anyway, as the human was tense every time the reins were accepted and therefore uncertainty and danger were conveyed instead of safety. Ensuring safety is always the top priority for the herd animal horse. Dismounting in the field is therefore not giving up or a sign of weakness, but a smart decision to give the horse the safety it needs.

In the following, we explain how you can better understand your horse's fear and what you can do about it 

Understanding fear horses

The horse is a flight animal. When a horse feels threatened, a lot of adrenaline shoots into the bloodstream and the natural flight instinct kicks in. A horse can go from 0 to 100 in a matter of milliseconds. What many people don't realize, however, is that a horse can relax just as quickly. But why is an entire ride often ruined if the horse is spooked at the beginning?

To understand this, we need to look at the horse's autonomic nervous system. There is the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system puts a horse into "fight or flight" mode when it feels threatened. If a horse is relaxed and sees no danger, the parasympathetic nervous system is active and the horse can relax and digest ("rest and digest").

If a small scare situation makes the whole ride stressful, there may be two reasons or a combination of both:

1. Small frightening situations add up: A supposedly harmless frightening situation can be the straw that breaks the camel's back if the horse has already experienced several smaller frightening moments that the rider may not have noticed. A typical example: The horse sees four rabbits running past at different times during a ride. It is not startled by the first three, but at the fourth rabbit it suddenly jumps to the side and runs away. In reality, the horse has already taken a tense step at the first rabbit, lifted its head at the second, flinched briefly at the third, and the fourth was the last straw. As a human, you often don't notice these small reactions, especially when you are distracted.
2. Inadequate self-regulation of the nervous system: A horse that has not learned to regulate its autonomic nervous system will remain stressed for longer. If a horse is constantly stressed, it cannot learn to relax quickly. Conversely, if a horse is only ever relaxed and sluggish, it cannot learn to activate itself. The sympathetic nervous system is not "bad", but a necessary part of the reaction to threats. The balance between tension and relaxation, calmness, is crucial. In nature, a horse carries itself and uses its hindquarters for quick and controlled movements when fleeing or fighting. These are exactly the qualities that riders often want to encourage in training, but in a relaxed state.

Just as it is normal for people to be scared or frightened, it is also normal for horses. The crucial question is how to react to the fright and, more importantly, how quickly they can relax again. It is therefore important to teach the horse how to better regulate its autonomic nervous system.

How can you help the horse to deal better with fear?

1. Calmness training in the arena: calmness is practiced in controlled training situations. The rider has full control over when, how hard and how close a "scary" object is used.
2. High-contrast training sessions: Alternate between intensive and relaxed phases. For example, let the horse canter freely and for a long time, then load it and let it stand for a while until it is completely relaxed. Repeat this process. The horse learns what comes next and can relax more quickly. It can later transfer this skill to other situations.

However, this process takes a long time and is not something that can be achieved after just a few training sessions. Patience and consistent training are the key to having a calm and relaxed horse in the long term.

Convey security

The first two points have already been covered in the previous part. But how can a rider/horse owner convey safety? You can only convey safety if you feel safe yourself. Therefore, the first thing you should do is train yourself not to panic over every deer that passes by. Horses can feel a person's heartbeat from a kilometer away. So you can't hide your own fear. That's why the first two points also apply to humans. The same thing happens in the herd. When all the horses are lying down and sleeping, the herd leader stands and alerts his fellow horses when danger is imminent.

Provide security

One of the most important things you can do to give the horse and the person themselves security is to be attentive and present. One tip for this is to stroke the horse roughly on the neck in a fearful situation and to involve a lot of movement. As a rider, you usually don't want to move so as not to give the horse any reason to flee from the situation or show behavior that is dangerous for humans. However, this only reflects the horse's behavior instead of setting a good example and showing the horse that it doesn't need to be afraid. Words can also calm the horse down and make it more "present" again, because it is important to get the horse's focus back. Especially when the horse has a lot of energy built up, it is good to channel this energy into collection and ask the horse to do slow concentration exercises such as leg yields, hindquarters and forehand turns, lateral bending, etc., as they also soften the body and make it more flexible, which ultimately leads to increased physical suppleness. When riding out, for example, you can also use the terrain and climb over branches, go through puddles or change the ground to redirect the horse's focus, as the horse is then virtually forced to coordinate its legs and therefore has less capacity for scary situations. However, it should be noted that this distraction should never be a long-term solution, but it does offer the horse a short-term opportunity to relax.

How do I recognize that my horse is relaxed?

If you have managed to relax yourself and hopefully your horse in a stressful situation, you are probably wondering how you can recognize that your horse is relaxed. Relaxation is actually very easy to recognize in horses. However, you always have to take the horse's entire body and behavior into consideration. Here we have summarized ten reactions of the horse that show you whether your horse is relaxed:

• chew off
• snort off
• yawn
• Lick lips
• blink your eyes
• Ear play / movement in the ears
• Twitching in the mouth area (usually before chewing/yawning, etc.)
• Repositioning the legs so that the horse stands more comfortably
• Lowering the neck
• Perception of the rest of the environment (e.g. also scaring away flies)
• loose lower lip

Serenity training: the basics

Preparation is the be-all and end-all of calmness training, Bernadette Brune explains what is important and how to prepare yourself and your horse optimally for calmness training. Brune explains more about this in this video:

Achieving a calm horse requires specific training methods and a clear understanding of the basics. Calmness training is more than just calming the horse; it is about instilling confidence and trust in the horse so that it remains calm in stressful situations. Here are the basic elements of calmness training:

1. Building a solid foundation of trust

A calm horse is based on a strong relationship between man and horse. Trust is the key. Start by building a positive bond with your horse by spending time with him and responding to his needs.

2. Positive reinforcement

Use positive reinforcement to reward desired behavior. This can be done with treats, praise or gentle strokes. Positive reinforcement helps the horse to associate new things with positive experiences.

3. Desensitization

Desensitization is an essential part of calmness training. It means gradually getting the horse used to different stimuli so that it perceives them as harmless. Start with mild stimuli and slowly increase the intensity.

4. Constant routine

Horses are creatures of habit and react positively to a constant routine. Make sure that training sessions take place regularly and are always similar. This creates security and reliability.

5. Physical and mental workload

A horse that is well exercised is less susceptible to stress and anxiety. Ensure a balanced mix of physical and mental exercise. Exercises such as ground worklunging and concentration exercises promote both the physical and mental fitness of the horse.

6. Familiarization with different environments

Practice with your horse in different environments so that it learns to remain calm in new or unfamiliar situations. This can include walks in the field, training in different arenas or attending competitions.

7. Breathing and relaxation

Make sure that you remain calm and relaxed yourself, as horses are very sensitive to the emotions of their owners. Use breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques to promote your own calmness, which will have a positive effect on your horse.

8. Small steps

Don't challenge your horse too quickly and don't overtax it. Work in small, manageable steps and slowly increase the demands. Patience is the key to success here.

By applying these basic principles, you can help your horse to become more relaxed. A calm horse is not only more pleasant to handle, but also safer for the rider and the environment.

Serenity training: equipment and accessories

For comprehensive calmness training, there is a variety of equipment and accessories that can be used to accustom the horse to different stimuli and situations. Here is a list of possible equipment:

1. Knotted halter or cavesson
2. Long guide rope (approx. 3-6 meters)
3. Crop
4. Tarpaulin
5. Flutter tape
6. Rocker
7. Mattresses as a base
8. Pylons or cones
9. Bars and cavaletti
10. Spray bottle with water
11. Exercise ball
12. Umbrella
13. Blue barrel (or other colored obstacles)
14. Flutter tape lanes
15. Obstacle course (self-built or in the Extreme Trail Park)
16. Hula hoop
17. Pool noodles
18. Construction foil
19. Balloons
20. Obstruction tunnel
21. Bridge or platform
22. Bells or other sources of noise
23. Various substrates (sand, gravel, wood chips, etc.)
24. Mirror
25. Rope on the horse's back

This list can be extended depending on creativity and available materials. It is important that the training is varied and that the horse is safely introduced to the new stimuli in a controlled environment.

It is generally advisable to start from the ground, on the knotted halter or on a cavesson, with a longer rope and possibly a whip. There are no limits to creativity when it comes to choosing obstacles. Courses are often offered where creative obstacles are set up, such as a seesaw, fluttering tape lanes, mattresses as a surface or similar. These offer a good opportunity to expose the horse to new objects so that it can gain experience . Extreme trail parks are also suitable not only for sure-footedness, but also strengthen concentration on the rider and the surroundings. Calmness training is particularly useful for young horses before they are broken in. If the young horse already has a tarpaulin or rope on its back, it will perhaps be half as heavy the first time it is saddled. And if a flutter tape touches the horse's hindquarters, working on the double lunge or riding through branches and undergrowth will no longer be such a big problem.

20 ideas and obstacles for horse calmness training

Calmness training for horses is about getting them used to different stimuli and situations so that they remain calm and relaxed in stressful moments. Here are some ideas and obstacles that you can incorporate into your training:

1. Tarpaulin
   Lay a tarpaulin on the ground and let the horse walk over it.
   Wrap the tarpaulin around the horse's body to get it used to the feeling.
2. Flutter tape alleys
   Build alleys of flutter tape through which the horse has to pass.
   Hang flutter tape on an archway so that the horse has to pass underneath.
3. Seesaw
   Run the horse over a stable seesaw to improve balance and confidence.
4. Mattresses as a surface
   Place old mattresses on the ground and let the horse walk over them to get it used to uneven and soft surfaces.
5. Pylons and cones
   Set up a slalom course consisting of pylons and cones through which the horse must be led.
6. Poles and cavaletti
   Place poles or cavaletti on the ground and let the horse climb over them.
   Set up small jumps with the cavaletti.
7. Spray bottle with water
   Carefully spray the horse with water to get it used to contact with water.
8. Exercise ball
   Roll a large exercise ball around the horse to get it used to large, moving objects.
9. Umbrella
   Open and close an umbrella near the horse to get it used to sudden movements and noises.
10. Blue barrel
    Place colored barrels through which the horse must go through or around.
11. Hula hoops
    Let the horse climb through hula hoops or lead it through them.
12. Pool noodles
    Hang up pool noodles through which the horse must pass or use them as obstacles.
13. Construction foil
    Lay construction foil on the ground and let the horse walk over it to get it used to the sound and feel.
14. Balloons
    Tie balloons to the fence or hold them in your hand to get the horse used to moving, floating objects.
15. Obstacle tunnel
    Build a tunnel from tarpaulins or fluttering tape through which the horse must pass.
16. Bridge or platform
    Build a stable bridge or platform for the horse to climb onto.
17. Bells or other sources of noise
    Let different noises sound near the horse to get it used to loud and unexpected sounds.
18. Different surfaces
    Lead the horse over different surfaces such as sand, gravel, wood chips or puddles of water.
19. Mirror
    Set up a mirror so that the horse can see its own reflection.
20. Rope on the horse's back
    Place a rope on the horse's back and let it get used to it to prepare it for saddling.

These ideas and obstacles help to prepare the horse for different situations and promote its composure. It is important to carry out the training gradually and with a lot of patience in order to gain and strengthen the horse's confidence. You know your horse best and know when it is ready to master a new challenge

3 calmness exercises for your horse

Preparation is the be-all and end-all, which is why it is important to first create tools and then apply them. This means that you first create controlled situations at home, in familiar surroundings, in the arena and work on the horse's composure in these situations. You can work on the following exercises with your horse. Of course, these can also be transferred to other things and situations. Calmness training is mental work. You should therefore always take the horse's attention span into account. A horse (especially at the beginning) is usually mentally exhausted more quickly than physically. As soon as over-jumping occurs or the small learning successes become smaller or fail to materialize, you should find a positive conclusion to the training as soon as possible. The more frightened a horse is, the less capacity it has for learning. If you are being chased with a chainsaw and have to solve a simple math problem at the same time, this is probably also difficult or impossible and you will still be mentally exhausted afterwards.

In this video, Bernadette Brune shows us how she organizes the calmness training and how she deals with the horse's reactions to the still unknown stimulus.

Exercise 1: Chasing fear

In principle, it is always a good idea to give the horse a leap of faith. Giving the horse some control yourself can strengthen the bond and lead to more control in the long term, even if that sounds very paradoxical at first. Basically, as a horse owner, you don't want certain things to become negative in the first place, but perhaps more positive. So before you present the horse with a scary object, you can first let it run in front of the horse. For example, if you attach a bag to a whip, you can lead the horse behind you and then either place the bag in front of your own body or between the horse's body and the human body. As the horse is in the rearmost position and runs forwards, it may have the feeling that it can chase the scary bag instead of the bag chasing the horse and it having to flee. This "chasing" gives the horse more control and makes it feel safer. It can be implemented in a similar way in the field. If a horse is afraid of oncoming cars or cyclists, you can turn the horse around after the car/bike has passed and let it walk or even trot behind. This is also the cornerstone of all cattle work in western riding.

Exercise 2: Creepy objects

If you want to integrate a new object, it is important to do this step by step. This is also known as gradual exposure. If you stick with the plastic bag example, this would mean first leading the horse behind the bag, then touching it on the head, neck, back, etc. and then making noises with the plastic bag from a distance by wagging it a little, for example. Patience is the top priority here. Patience to wait for the horse to relax. If the horse owner notices that the horse gets scared at a certain point and runs away from the bag or even freezes and stands still, but is tense, he should not go any further, but also not remove the bag. Otherwise you would encourage the running away/freezing. In most cases, it is therefore best to remain in position with the bag until the horse relaxes. You should also keep curiosity in mind when doing this exercise. The usual method is usually to present an object to the horse until it turns its head away, for example, or is finished sniffing the object. This does not necessarily have to be a bag or a plastic sheet, but can also simply be the saddle pad to which the horse is to be accustomed before being broken in. Unfortunately, this has the consequence that the horse is no longer interested in the object afterwards and is then also unaware of things in other situations and is then frightened by its sudden presence. Accordingly, an object should be taken away when it is "at its best" and the horse is curious about the object, sniffs at it or even moves its nose in the direction of the object. This is similar to target training.

Exercise 3: Hanger training

The preparation for hanger training is to send the horse through narrow alleys. This can be a box entrance, but also two jump stands to which pool noodles are attached. There are no limits to creativity. The prerequisite is that the horse has learned to yield to pressure. Every step and every lean forward and every kind of curiosity is rewarded by removing the pressure (e.g. whip or rope). It is also advantageous to make the places outside the alley/trailer unattractive by working there and then taking a break on the trailer. The whole principle is called negative reinforcement.

Horse serenity training: Summarized

Calmness training is a valuable method of acclimatizing horses to different stimuli and situations and thus promoting their inner calm. In contrast to anti-fright training, which often focuses on desensitization through deliberate frightening, calmness training emphasizes positive experiences and a gradual approach to frightening objects or situations. This leads to long-term trust and a strong bond between horse and human.

The horse can be safely introduced to new stimuli in a controlled environment through targeted exercises and the use of a wide range of equipment such as tarpaulins, flutter tape lanes, seesaws and mattresses as surfaces. Such exercises, which range from working with everyday objects to more complex obstacle courses, help to strengthen the horse's self-confidence and composure.

A central aspect of calmness training is gradual desensitization and the use of positive reinforcement. The training is based on introducing the horse to new experiences through small, manageable steps and rewarding it for its calm behavior. This helps the horse to evaluate the situation before it reacts and to recognize that there is no danger.

The aim of calmness training is to prepare the horse for stressful and unfamiliar situations so that it is able to remain calm and relaxed. This is particularly important as horses, as flight animals, tend to panic quickly. Through consistent training, the horse can learn to better regulate its autonomic nervous system and relax more quickly in stressful moments.

Overall, calmness training offers lasting results that significantly improve the lives of horse and rider. A calm horse is not only more pleasant to handle, but also safer for the rider and the environment. It creates a trusting and secure basis on which horse and rider can work together harmoniously. With patience, consistency and the right approach, calmness training is the key to a balanced and relaxed horse.

Horse serenity training: the most important questions and answers

Why is calmness training important for horses?

Calmness training helps horses to remain calm in stressful and unfamiliar situations. It reduces the natural flight instinct and promotes trust between horse and rider, leading to safer and more pleasant cooperation.

Are clicker training or treats suitable for calmness training?

Clicker training or treats as a reward are sometimes also suitable for calmness training. However, this belongs in experienced hands, as it is often difficult to tell whether the horse just wants the treat or has really understood that a certain object is not scary. It is typical to place a bowl of food on the hanger as a reward, especially during hunter training. However, it often happens that the horses rush out of the trailer when there is nothing left to eat, as they only have eyes for the food and have not even realized that they are standing in a narrow trailer. The lack of perception also applies to running through scary alleys when the food is waiting at the end. Of course, this cannot always be generalized, but caution is always advised. However, food can also have a positive effect on the horse, as it stimulates the chewing muscles and the horse can relax more quickly through the chewing movement, as long as the food is not a distraction from the actual problem.

What equipment do I need for serenity training?

You can use a variety of equipment for calmness training, such as

• Knotted halter or cavesson
• Long guide rope (approx. 3-6 meters)
• Crop
• Tarpaulin
• Flutter tape
• Rocker
• Mattresses as a base
• Pylons or cones
• Bars and cavaletti
• Spray bottle with water
• Exercise ball
• Umbrella
• Blue barrels or other colored obstacles
• Pool noodles
• Construction foil
• Balloons
• Obstruction tunnel
• Bridge or platform
• Bells or other sources of noise
• Mirror
• Rope on the horse's back

What is the difference between calmness training and anti-fright training?

While anti-fright training aims to reduce the horse's flight instinct by deliberately frightening it, calmness training emphasizes positive experiences and a gradual approach to frightening objects or situations. Calmness training promotes the horse's confidence and safety through gentle methods.

How long does it take for my horse to become more relaxed?

The duration of training depends on the individual horse. Some horses make progress quickly, while others need more time. It is important to be patient and consistent and to carry out the training in small, manageable steps. Regular training sessions are crucial for lasting success.

Can I do serenity training without professional help?

Yes, serenity training can be done without professional help. There are many books, online resources and guides that offer detailed exercises and tips. However, it can be helpful to occasionally seek professional support to ensure you are using the right techniques and to overcome specific challenges.

How can I measure my horse's progress in calmness training?

Progress can be measured by the horse's reactions to various stimuli. A calmer horse shows fewer fear reactions, remains calmer in stressful situations and trusts the rider more. Document the exercises and observe the changes in your horse's behavior over time.

What are the long-term benefits of serenity training?

In the long term, calmness training leads to a calmer and safer horse. It strengthens the bond between horse and rider, improves the horse's manageability in various situations and contributes to a more harmonious relationship. A calm horse is also less susceptible to stress-related illnesses and injuries.