Why Does My Horse’s Behaviour Change in Spring and Autumn?

If your normally sensible horse suddenly becomes sharper, spookier or more difficult to concentrate in spring or autumn, you're not imagining it.

Seasonal changes can affect horses in several ways, and for some horses the difference in behaviour can be surprisingly noticeable.

So, what's going on?

Changes in grass

Spring and autumn can both bring periods of rapid grass growth.

Changes in pasture can alter the amount of energy, sugar and other nutrients your horse is consuming — sometimes quite quickly. For horses that are particularly sensitive to dietary changes, this may coincide with them feeling fresher or more reactive.

If your horse's behaviour changes at the same time every year, it's worth looking at what is happening to their grazing and overall diet during that period.

Changes in turnout and routine

The change of season often means a change in management too.

In spring, horses may suddenly spend much longer turned out as the weather improves. In autumn, the opposite can happen, with reduced turnout and longer periods in the stable.

Exercise, feeding, daylight hours and daily routines can all change at the same time.

For some horses, particularly sensitive or reactive ones, changes to their normal routine can temporarily affect how settled they feel.

Mares and seasonal behaviour

For mares, spring can also mean the return of more obvious reproductive cycling as daylight hours increase.

Some mares show very little behavioural change when in season, while others can become more distracted, sensitive, tense or reactive.

If you notice a clear pattern connected to your mare's cycle, it's worth discussing it with your vet, particularly if the behaviour is significant or appears uncomfortable.

More energy doesn't always mean changing feed

When a horse suddenly feels much sharper, it's easy to assume they simply have too much energy.

But that's not necessarily the case.

A horse that feels tense, distracted or over-reactive isn't always experiencing an excess of physical energy. They may simply be finding it harder to regulate their response to everything happening around them.

Before dramatically changing their diet or workload, look at the whole picture. Has their turnout changed? Has the grass changed? Are they being stabled for longer? Has their workload altered? Could they be uncomfortable? Has anything else changed in their environment?

Can a calmer help with seasonal behaviour changes?

If you've considered the obvious causes and your horse simply becomes more reactive during seasonal changes, additional calming support may be useful.

This is where BUCK OFF can help.

BUCK OFF is designed to support horses that are naturally tense, spooky, sharp or over-reactive. The aim isn't to sedate your horse or take away their energy. It's to support a calmer response so that they are better able to process what's happening around them without escalating quite so quickly.

For horses that reliably become much sharper during spring or autumn, Buck Off can also be introduced ahead of the period when you know their behaviour normally changes.

Look for your horse's pattern

Perhaps the most useful thing you can do is start recognising your individual horse's seasonal pattern.

If every March your horse suddenly becomes much sharper, or every autumn they become tense when their turnout decreases, that information is valuable.

Rather than waiting for the behaviour to become difficult, you can plan for it: review their grazing and diet, keep their routine and exercise appropriate, investigate any signs of discomfort and introduce additional support where needed.

Seasonal behaviour changes aren't unusual.

The important thing is working out what changes for your horse when the seasons change — and managing that, rather than simply trying to manage the behaviour it produces.