A Voice for Horses - Issue 2 (Trauma) - Online

EDITORIAL (excerpt)

Trauma, no one talks about it, and yet most of us carry unacknowledged traumas and think, “That’s just the way I am.” This is because we only associate “trauma” with extreme events like war, abuse, or accidents. However, trauma is not just about the event itself but about the extent to which the experience overwhelms the nervous system. Maybe you have a hard time feeling safe in a relationship because you have been hurt in the past when you trusted someone.

It’s no different with horses; their behaviors are also just written off as “he is super sensitive; she explodes easily; he has a hard time leaving the herd; etc.” Maybe a horse is anxious when alone because it was weaned abruptly and too early. Maybe a horse is explosive or shut down because of regular harsh handling.