To calm a nervous horse, rule out pain first, improve its daily routine, and retrain fear through small, rewarded steps. Discomfort can be hard to spot. In a 2020 study of 60 riding horses, 44 were lame despite owners believing they were comfortable. Offer more time with forage and other horses. Avoid punishing fear, and be patient with gradual progress, as the Merck Veterinary Manual advises.
Key points
- Pawing, looking toward the flank, rolling, and sweating can signal colic, according to Merck's colic page. Call your vet immediately, before trying a calming routine.
- Record when the behavior began, its frequency and duration, and what stops it. Merck's page on diagnosing behavior problems notes that a video can help, too.
- Pastured horses graze 8 to 12 hours daily, while confined horses spend less than 3 to 4 hours feeding, according to Merck's professional chapter on horse behavior.
- Train below your horse’s fear threshold. Merck warns that overly intense exposure can increase fear.
- Calming supplements come last. Merck's nutrition chapter reports no conclusive evidence that oral magnesium calms horses.
How to calm a nervous horse: the plan at a glance
Follow four steps in order: rule out pain and illness, adjust daily care, retrain fear, then consider extra support. This page introduces HolistaPet’s horse-care guides on nervous behavior.
See what each step involves, why the order matters, and how long it takes in the table below.
| Step | What to do | Why this step | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Rule out pain and illness | Book a vet exam. Note when the behavior started and what stops it, and film it to show the vet. | Pain can pass for nerves: in a 2020 study, 44 of 60 riding horses that owners thought were comfortable were lame. | Until your vet has checked for a medical cause |
| 2. Fix the horse's day | Give more hours with forage, more turnout and contact with other horses. | The Merck Veterinary Manual links many behavior problems to confinement and says isolating horses can lead to problems. | Ongoing, every day |
| 3. Retrain fear | Use desensitization and counterconditioning with rewards. Never punish fear. | Merck's guide to treating behavior problems warns that punishment can increase fear. | Slow and gradual |
| 4. Consider extra support | Only after steps 1 to 3. Check competition rules before you use any supplement. | Merck's nutrition chapter finds no conclusive data that oral magnesium calms horses. | Only after steps 1 to 3 |
The order matters. Pain comes first because it can pass for nerves and is easy to miss. The daily routine comes next because horses that live alone are at risk of repetitive behaviors such as weaving and stall walking, according to Merck's professional chapter on horse behavior. Training builds on that base, and supplements come last.
Is there a fast way to calm an anxious horse?
Merck’s treatment guide says there are no quick fixes or “magic pills” for behavior problems. Progress is usually gradual and takes time and commitment. If your horse is scared right now, follow the steps below for immediate support.
Why do horses get nervous?
Fear is a normal response to a real or perceived threat, and horses are born wary of new things. The Merck Veterinary Manual calls this fear of new things neophobia, and it describes a phobia as an exaggerated fear response that is sudden and profound.
Merck's professional chapter on horse behavior names the two main fear patterns: noise phobias and phobias of particular places or settings.
Early life matters, too. The amount and type of human handling, especially in the first days and months of life, and exposure to new things can influence a horse's behavior and character, according to Merck's introduction to horse behavior.
What are the signs that a horse is nervous?
Watch the eyes, nostrils, and ears, and check heart rate if possible. In a 2021 study of 28 healthy horses, all took a short trailer ride, while 10 also spent 15 to 30 minutes alone in a stable. These situations increased heart rate and produced these signs:
- More white showing around the eyes
- Flared nostrils
- A raised upper eyelid and inner brow
- A visible tongue
- Flicking ears
- More frequent blinking
Is your horse nervous, or dull and withdrawn?
A nervous horse reacts strongly to what is around it. A horse that seems flat and uninterested is a different picture. Read about a dull, withdrawn horse if that sounds more like yours.
Step 1: Rule out pain and illness
Call your vet for new or sudden nervous behavior, since pain and illness can look like nerves. For any colic signs below, call immediately.
Colic warning: Call your vet immediately. Some signs resemble restlessness. The Merck Veterinary Manual's colic page lists:
Repeated pawing with a front foot
Looking back at the flank
Curling the upper lip and arching the neck
Kicking at the belly
Lying down or rolling
Sweating
Stretching as if to urinate
Straining to pass manure
A swollen belly
Loss of appetite, low mood, and fewer bowel movements
Horses rarely show every sign. Problems such as intestinal obstruction need rapid diagnosis and treatment. Don’t wait to see whether a calming routine helps.
Use the checklist below to understand what you’re seeing. The first row is an emergency; all other rows need a vet exam before training begins.
| What you notice | What it can point to | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency: pawing, looking back at the flank, rolling, sweating | Colic (see the box above) | Call your vet now |
| A sudden change in a horse that used to be calm | A health problem; Merck's page on diagnosing behavior problems says the vet checks with a physical exam and may run blood tests | Book a vet exam; take a video of the behavior to show the vet |
| Ears flattened or turned back, an intense stare, repeated stumbling under saddle | Musculoskeletal pain, as in a 2020 study of 60 riding horses |
Ask your vet for a lameness exam |
| Poor appetite, mild weight loss, a change in attitude | Gastric ulcers, which Merck's gastric ulcer page says only endoscopy reliably diagnoses | Book a vet exam |
| Dropping feed, hesitating to take the bit, bad breath | A dental problem, from Merck's list of dental signs |
Book a dental exam with your vet |
Why is my horse suddenly nervous?
A sudden change in a horse that used to be calm can have a medical cause, so call your vet before you change the training. Merck says the vet starts with a physical exam and may run tests such as blood tests.
The vet will also ask for a detailed history. Write these down before the visit:
- When the behavior started
- How often it happens and how long it lasts
- What stops it
- A typical 24-hour schedule for your horse
- How your horse is housed
It can also help to take a video of the behavior to show the vet.
Can pain make a horse look nervous or spooky?
Pain can change how a horse behaves under saddle, and owners often miss it. The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram lists 24 behaviors, and in the 2020 study, a score of 8 or more was a good indicator of musculoskeletal pain.
The study looked at 60 riding horses in regular work that their owners assumed were working comfortably. Of these, 44 (73%) were lame, and the lame horses were more likely to:
- Flatten or rotate their ears back
- Show an intense stare
- Stumble or trip repeatedly
The authors note that horse owners are poor at recognizing lameness. If you see these signs under saddle, ask your vet for a lameness exam before you treat the behavior as nerves.
Gastric ulcers: common and easy to miss
Merck reports gastric ulcers in about 30% of adult horses, up to 90% of racehorses, and over 60% of show and performance horses. The latter includes event, western performance, and endurance horses. Ulcers are least common in horses on pasture.
Signs can be subtle: mild colic, poor appetite, slight weight loss, poor body condition, and attitude changes. Endoscopy is the only reliable diagnostic method. Stress, housing changes, and changes in contact with other horses can increase risk.
Dental problems and the bit
Dental problems may become noticeable during feeding or bridling. Merck lists reluctance to eat or chew, dropping food, hesitation to accept the bit, and bad breath as signs. Have your vet check your horse’s teeth at least yearly. Older horses may need more frequent checks.
Step 2: Fix the horse's day: forage, turnout and company
Give your horse more hours with forage, more time out of the stall, and contact with other horses. Free-ranging horses spend more than 60% of their day foraging, and the Merck Veterinary Manual links many behavior problems to confinement.
How much forage time does a horse need?
Offer plenty of time to forage. Pastured horses graze 8 to 12 hours daily, while confined horses feed for less than 3 to 4 hours. These figures come from Merck's professional chapter on horse behavior.
Merck's chapter on horse nutrition requirements recommends at least 1.5% to 2% of body weight in forage daily, measured as dry matter. For a 1,000 lb horse, that means 15 to 20 lb of forage dry matter each day.
For a full feeding plan, read what horses should eat each day.
Why a horse needs company
Horses are highly social and need contact with other horses for everyday well-being. Merck warns that isolation can cause problems, including stereotypies: repetitive behaviors such as weaving and stall walking. These are less common in horses with more social contact, plenty of varied roughage, and straw bedding.
What a study of stalled sport horses found
In a 2019 study of 187 sport horses housed individually, straw bedding, an outside-facing window, and less concentrated feed offered limited benefits. Horses that spent longer in stalls were more likely to seem unresponsive to their surroundings. The authors recommend free exercise, contact with other horses, and frequent access to fiber.
If your horse must be stalled
Merck suggests these changes for horses that stall walk:
- More exercise
- Company and a view of other horses
- Clean bedding
- Feeding more than twice daily
- More pasture time
- More open stalls with better outside views
- Toys, which may help young, active horses
If your horse is on vet-prescribed stall rest, ask which changes fit their recovery plan.
Does turnout help a nervous horse?
Turnout offers free exercise, grazing, and company, which the sources link to fewer behavior problems. Merck recommends more pasture time for stall walking. The 187-horse study’s authors also encourage frequent free exercise and contact with other horses. Merck's gastric ulcer page notes that ulcers are least common in horses on pasture.
Daily routine audit to save or print
Fill in the first column for your horse, then compare it with what the sources above say.
| Check | Your horse now | What the sources say | Change to try |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours with forage in front of your horse | ____ hours | Horses on pasture graze 8 to 12 hours a day; confined horses feed for less than 3 to 4 hours (Merck) | Spread forage across more of the day |
| Forage per day | ____ lb | At least 1.5% to 2% of body weight, dry-matter basis (Merck) | Weigh the hay you feed |
| Hours of turnout | ____ hours | Free exercise as often as possible (187-horse study); more pasture time (Merck) | Add turnout time where you can |
| Can your horse see and touch another horse? | Yes / No | Horses need contact with others; horses that live alone are at risk of repetitive behaviors (Merck) | Stable or turn out your horse next to a companion |
| Bedding type | __________ | Straw bedding had a small benefit in the 187-horse study | Ask your vet whether straw suits your horse |
| A window or outside view | Yes / No | A window to the outside had a small benefit (187-horse study); Merck lists better outside views | Open a window or move your horse to a stall with a view |
| Meals per day | ____ meals | Feeding more than twice a day is on Merck's list for stall walking | Split the ration into more meals |
Step 3: Retrain fear with desensitization and counterconditioning
Expose your horse to what it fears at a level so low that it stays relaxed, and pair the exposure with a reward, as Merck's guide to treating behavior problems describes. Never punish fear. Merck's page on horse behavior problems says punishment makes the problem worse.
What desensitization and counterconditioning mean
- Desensitization teaches a horse to tolerate a situation by exposing it to the trigger at a level low enough that it causes no fear.
- Counterconditioning teaches the horse to replace an unwanted response with a more favorable one.
Keep the level low. Start so far from the trigger, or with so little of it, that your horse stays relaxed. If the exposure is too intense, the horse can become more fearful, which Merck calls sensitization.
A desensitization ladder for one trigger: a plastic bag
Here is one example ladder for a common trigger, a plastic bag. Each rung adds a little more of the trigger, and you move up only when your horse stays relaxed.
| Rung | Setup | Move on when | Step back if |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The bag lies still, far enough away that your horse notices it and keeps eating | Your horse is relaxed, keeps eating and has a soft eye | Its head goes up, the white of the eye shows or its feet start moving |
| 2 | The bag lies still, a little closer | Relaxed, eating, soft eye | Head up, eye white showing, feet moving |
| 3 | A helper moves the bag gently at the distance of rung 1 | Relaxed, eating, soft eye | Head up, eye white showing, feet moving |
| 4 | The bag is held still near your horse | Relaxed, eating, soft eye | Head up, eye white showing, feet moving |
| 5 | The bag is moved gently near the shoulder | Relaxed, eating, soft eye | Head up, eye white showing, feet moving |
How do you calm a scared horse?
Over time, you calm a scared horse by rewarding relaxed behavior at a level of the trigger it can cope with. Rewards work. Merck's professional chapter on horse behavior reports that positive reinforcement and clicker training have been used successfully to teach horses to load into a trailer, even horses that previously refused.
A calm companion can help, too. In a 2015 study of 22 three-year-old horses, 11 first watched a calm horse, already used to the task, being led across a surface that was new to them. When they crossed it, they had lower average and maximum heart rates than the 11 that did not see the demonstration. All of the horses crossed.
Should you try flooding at home?
No. Flooding means prolonged exposure until the horse stops reacting. Merck says it is far more stressful and should be used only by a professional, as a last resort.
How long does it take to desensitize a horse?
There's no set time. Merck says improvement is usually slow and gradual and takes time and commitment, so plan for many sessions and move up a rung only when your horse is relaxed.
When to get professional help with a fearful horse
Get help from a qualified trainer or a veterinary behaviorist if your horse rears, strikes, bolts, or kicks. A veterinarian may add medication in some cases. Merck notes that its limits include side effects, cost, time to take effect, and relapse when it stops.
How to calm a horse down on the ground, in the moment
Keep yourself safe, give the horse distance from what frightened it, and ask for one simple thing it knows. Never punish fear, which the Merck Veterinary Manual says makes it worse, and call your vet at once if you see colic signs.
Card to save or print: horse frightened right now
- Stay calm and stand at your horse's shoulder.
- Keep the lead rope in loose folds. Never wrap it around your hand.
- Give your horse distance from the trigger until it can look at it without moving its feet.
- Ask for one simple task it knows: walk on, halt, or one step back. Reward a calm answer with a pause or a scratch.
- Do not tie a panicking horse, and do not punish, yank, or chase it.
- End on a calm moment, and plan a desensitization session for another day.
Colic check: if your horse is sweating, pawing, rolling, or looking at its flank, treat it as possible colic and call your vet at once. These are among the colic signs that Merck's colic page lists.
What should I do when my horse spooks?
Let your horse settle at a distance from what startled it, then work through the card above. Do not punish the spook, because punishment makes fear worse.
Afterward, write down what triggered it. That trigger becomes your next training project, worked on another day at a level low enough that it causes no fear, as Merck's guide to treating behavior problems describes.
How should you handle and ride a nervous horse?
Use clear, consistent signals, and release the pressure as soon as your horse responds. Equitation scientists set out these training principles in a 2016 review on reducing horse-related risks to people:
- Keep signals consistent: when a signal means the same thing in every setting, the horse's responses become consistent and reliable too.
- Make signals easy to tell apart: each signal should be unique and ask for one response only, above all the signals for opposite actions, such as go and stop.
- Release pressure promptly: when you ask with the leg, the rein, or the lead rope, the release should be prompt, consistent, and easy for the horse to achieve.
- Keep arousal low: avoid provoking flight responses, and ask for the lowest level of arousal the task needs.
Your own nerves may play a part. Several studies have found that a horse's heart rate rises when a nervous person handles or rides it, a 2020 review in Frontiers in Veterinary Science notes, although the findings are not consistent across studies. If you feel tense yourself, end the session on a calm moment and try again another day, as the card above suggests.
How to help a nervous horse with trailers, noise, shows and other triggers
Start with the trigger your horse encounters most, and begin practice long before the next event, at a level that keeps your horse relaxed. The table below gives a first step for each common situation, and the last column points to the part of this page that explains the method.
| Situation | First step | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Trailer loading and hauling | Start slow desensitization and counterconditioning with food long before travel day, and avoid punishment. Merck's professional chapter reports that clicker training has taught even horses that refused to load. | Step 3 |
| Being alone or leaving the herd | Start with very short separations while a companion stays in view, at a level that keeps your horse relaxed. Horses are highly social, and Merck says isolation can lead to problems. | Steps 2 and 3 |
| Stall rest | Ask your vet which changes from Merck's stall-walking list in Step 2 fit the rest plan, such as a view of other horses or more meals a day. | Step 2 |
| Noise (fireworks, storms) | Noise phobia is one of the two main fear patterns. Plan desensitization at a low level well before the event, using Merck's method. | Step 3 |
| New places and shows | Fear of places is the other main pattern, and Merck notes that anticipating a show appears to make stall walking and weaving worse. Bring a calm companion: in a 2015 study, young horses that first watched a calm horse had lower heart rates. | Step 3 |
| Winter confinement | Keep forage in front of your horse. Merck says most wood chewing happens in winter, usually from a lack of roughage, and that less than 1 kg of hay per 100 kg of body weight (1 lb per 100 lb) can make it extreme. | Step 2 |
| Vet and farrier visits | Practice touching your horse and picking up its feet in rewarded sessions, at a level that keeps it relaxed, long before the visit. | Step 3 |
Calming supplements and products: where they fit
Supplements come after steps 1 to 3. Research in horses is limited and mixed. Merck's guide to treating behavior problems warns that there are no quick fixes or “magic pills.”
Magnesium: no conclusive calming data
Merck's chapter on nutritional diseases of horses reports no conclusive evidence that oral magnesium supplements calm horses. They may also cause excessive dietary intake, so Merck advises caution.
Tryptophan: one small study
In a 2017 crossover study of 11 horses, tryptophan produced both sedative and stimulating effects on stress measures. However, it didn’t change reactive behavior during a startle test.
CBD: two small, early studies
CBD research is preliminary, and these studies measured different outcomes. In a 2021 study of 17 stock-type geldings, horses fed CBD pellets for six weeks had lower reactivity scores during a novel-object test. Heart rate didn’t differ from unsupplemented horses.
In a 2023 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study of 12 healthy horses at rest, CBD paste didn’t change sedation scores, facial expressions, or heart rate compared with placebo.
Do calming supplements work for horses?
Evidence is limited. Magnesium lacks conclusive calming data, tryptophan didn’t change reactive behavior in the study, and both CBD studies were small and preliminary. Supplements don’t replace vet checks, a supportive daily routine, or patient training.
Check competition rules before a show
Before competing, check every supplement and CBD product against your federation’s rules. US Equestrian (USEF) answers competitors’ drug and medication questions at 800-633-2472.
Include herbal products, too, and ask about any unfamiliar ingredients.
Adding a product to your horse's daily routine
After addressing vet care, daily routines, and training, you may consider an additional product. HolistaPet offers CBD Oil for Horses and CBD Pellets for Horses. Compare them in the HolistaPet CBD products for horses.
The oil contains broad-spectrum hemp extract with 7,500 mg per bottle. It’s third-party lab-tested and can be given directly or mixed with feed. The ready-to-feed pellets contain broad-spectrum CBD, are rich in omega fatty acids, and come in alfalfa-flavored 2 lb and 5 lb bags. Ask your vet before adding any supplement, and check your competition rules before use.
Sources
- Animals (MDPI). Application of a Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram and Its Relationship with Gait in a Convenience Sample of 60 Riding Horses. 2020.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Treatment of Behavior Problems in Horses. 2025.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Colic in Horses. 2026.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Diagnosing Behavior Problems in Horses. 2025.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Veterinary Professional Version). Behavior Problems of Horses. 2025.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Veterinary Professional Version). Nutritional Diseases of Horses and Other Equids. 2026.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Behavior Problems in Horses. 2026.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Introduction to Behavior of Horses. 2025.
- PLOS ONE. Effect of transportation and social isolation on facial expressions of healthy horses. 2021.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Stomach (Gastric) Ulcers in Horses. 2024.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Dental, Coat, and Hoof Care of Horses. 2025.
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Veterinary Professional Version). Nutritional Requirements of Horses and Other Equids. 2026.
- Animals (MDPI). Housing Horses in Individual Boxes Is a Challenge with Regard to Welfare. 2019.
- Applied Animal Behaviour Science. A trained demonstrator has a calming effect on naïve horses when crossing a novel surface. 2015.
- Starling M, McLean A, McGreevy P. Animals (MDPI). The Contribution of Equitation Science to Minimising Horse-Related Risks to Humans. 2016.
- Rørvang MV, Nielsen BL, McLean AN. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Sensory Abilities of Horses and Their Importance for Equitation Science. 2020.
- Applied Animal Behaviour Science. Preliminary evaluation on the effectiveness of varying doses of supplemental tryptophan as a calmative in horses. 2017.
- Journal of Veterinary Behavior. The effects of pelleted cannabidiol supplementation on heart rate and reaction scores in horses. 2021.
- Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Behavioral observations, heart rate and heart rate variability in horses following oral administration of a cannabidiol containing paste in three escalating doses (part 1/2). 2023.
- US Equestrian (USEF). Drugs & Medications. Undated web page.
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