We need to change things

I read an anonymous post this morning from someone who was understandably really upset after their vet had “slapped around the head, shouted, swore and kicked” their horse who was “playing up” while they were trying to sedate him. The post received hundreds of comments and while plenty were calling it out for the cruelty it is, there were also plenty of comments justifying the behaviour or seeing it as “not that bad”. This is so disappointing.

Many of these comments kept referring to the horse’s “bad manners” and him “being rude”. Horses who are reactive around veterinary procedures are scared and often even traumatised. The fact that so many people are so conditioned to think of horses as either compliant and good, or non-compliant and bad without any consideration that this is a thinking, feeling sentient being with their own life experiences is really disheartening.

Can you imagine the outrage if someone said their dog’s vet had slapped them around the head when they were frightened?

Yes horses are large animals that could potentially injure you, but any professional working with horses, especially vets who are expected to promote the very best welfare practices, should have a much better understanding of behaviour and should never be punishing an animal. Not only does further frightening or hurting a scared horse not work, it makes them even worse the next time.

This is not an anti-vet post, it is a call to demand better. With so much research now available around the effectiveness of using co-operative care and positive reinforcement for horses who struggle with veterinary visits, why aren’t all vets being given this information as part of their continued development? And if they are why are they not implementing it or referring their clients to behaviourists where appropriate?

There is a power dynamic between a vet and a client that can make it really uncomfortable to question them in the moment. I had an incident several years ago where my horse had an abscess and was in a lot of pain. The vet had just explained to me how much pain he was in, then proceeded to call him “rude” and “naughty” when he tried to snatch his leg away when she was attempting to dig it out. I had to really firmly insist on her sedating him as she kept fighting with my horse as he became really upset and panicked. She had just told me herself he was in a lot of pain, so why did she then say he was rude?

This isn’t an attack on that vet, I think she’s a kind person who loves animals, but I also think she’s been indoctrinated into a system that is not following the behavioural science we have. I really want this to change.

A horse who starts barging you around when you try to inject him isn’t rude he is scared.

A horse who bites and threatens to kick when you pin him in the corner while he is in pain isn’t nasty he is scared.

A horse who pulls away and desperately tries to leave when the vet turns up doesn’t “need manners putting into him” he is scared.

Sometimes yes in emergencies we have to get stuff done, but most of the time it is not an emergency, and even then there are so many options on the table to make things easier on the horse and safer for everyone involved. None of those options include slapping, punching or kicking horses.

Do any of your vet practices promote co-operative care or positive reinforcement? I’d love it if you could share them in the comments. 🐴