13/10/2026
The Quirky Horse š“
I've always been a firm believer that horses aren't quirky just for sh*ts and giggles.
There's always a reason behind the behaviour. Sometimes it's nothing to lose sleep over (pun intended š), and other times it's a good reason to stop, put your detective hat on and look at the bigger picture.
Today was one of those days.
Some very odd behaviour, accompanied by noticeable physical and emotional changes, had me scratching my head.
A few simple tests ruled out some of my initial suspicions, but the pieces still weren't quite fitting together.
Turns out, I was looking in the wrong direction!
Did you know horses can suffer from sleep deprivation?
And no, we're not talking about a horse staying up until 3am scrolling through TikTok. š
Sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on a horse's nervous system, affecting everything from physical coordination and responsiveness to emotional regulation and behaviour.
Sometimes what looks like a training problem isn't a training problem at all.
The horse isn't being difficult. The horse is having difficulty.
And that's why I believe it's so important to listen to what they're trying to tell us, even when they're speaking fluent weird. š“š
