Q&A: Horse Rushes Through Stall Gate

Q: I have a horse with terrible anxiety issues. Particularly, when passing through narrow spaces including his stall door. He likes to rush and I’m worried he’s going to hurt me or himself in the process. I have practiced pass through on the fence, and instead of learning to relax, he just seems to get more amped up the more I ask him to pass. Any help is appreciated!

A: Your horse’s rushing along the fence and through the stall opening is typical horse anxiety and claustrophobia.  Claustrophobia is a common condition that most horses deal with in one form or another.  Being fight or flight animals, they have evolved to be very uncomfortable with feeling trapped, for that means certain death to them.  For example, trailer loading is probably the most common issue that horses have trouble doing, much of which is due to feeling “trapped” when they are forced to enter.  Your horse’s tendency to rush through narrow spaces, such as during Pass Through along the fence and his stall door can usually be corrected with some practice and good feel and timing on your part.  

You can work on both the fence and the stall door around the same time period.  Obviously, every day you get him out to work with him, you must pass through the stall door at least twice.  However, as long as my horse understands how to do Pass Through, when I have a horse that panics and rushes a stall door or gait, I will work there until he walks calmly through.  When he rushes through, I won’t just leave the area and continue to my destination.  I will help him get over the claustrophobia of passing through an opening right then and there, if at all possible.  I take as long as is needed, even if it takes most or all of my session.  If your horse rushes the gait and you then go on to the round pen, arena, tack room, wash rack, trail, or wherever you are heading without addressing the issue of his rushing through at that moment, he will not get any better.  It’s the same concept I teach while riding on the trail.  When my horse rushes past or moves away from something or some area because he is nervous, if I don’t address the issue and help him overcome his fear with repetition and creating curiosity and confidence in his mind, he will continue to struggle with that object or area for years to come.  

Also, as a general rule, your horse should be very good at Lunging with Hindquarter Yields to change directions as well as Lead Beside and Desensitizing to Rest with the stick and string and flag, and Desensitizing with the flag during Lead Beside.  He should feel comfortable with you being the leader and guiding him through many of the fundamental sensitizing and desensitizing ground work.  His trust in your leadership as well as his relaxation to the desensitizing will do wonders in helping him relax during Pass Through along the fence and through the stall door.  

Now, let’s consider your horse’s rushing through the stall door and address that next.  When you go to bring your horse out of the stall, make sure to have the right training equipment.  I would recommend a stiff rope halter and a 14-foot lead rope as well as a stick and string or a flag, whichever you feel most comfortable using as pressure to ask him to move.  The longer lead rope will allow your horse to pass through quickly without pulling the lead rope through your hands.  Hopefully you recognized the word “allow” in the previous sentence.  One key to helping your horse through his anxiety and claustrophobia is to allow him to rush through and not try to stop or slow his momentum.  Trying to stop or slow him down will only add to his anxiety.  

Now place yourself outside the stall door on the opposite side of the opened door just outside the stall.  Your horse, at this point, will be in the stall.  You want to be right next to the stall, not in front of the opening.  You don’t want him to run you over.  You will ask him to walk through the door by pointing with the lead rope like you do when you ask him to leave to start the Lunge, Lead Beside, or Pass Through.  If you’re on the right side of the stall opening, you’ll be facing perpendicular to that opening on the outside of the stall and asking for him to pass through with your left arm.  At this point, he should come rushing through the stall door.  When he gets through, look at his hindquarters to yield them so he faces you.  Now, ask for him to come back through the stall door using your right hand.  Your stick or flag will always be in the opposite hand of your pointing hand.  You can use these after the pointing and clucking cues to make circular motions and then tap your horse’s neck/shoulder/ribs to increase pressure if necessary.  Most likely he will rush back into the stall.  Be careful to not allow your pointing arm to get caught between his body and the stall door frame.  Don’t change your body position if at all possible.  Don’t enter the stall unless you have to get on the inside to put enough pressure on him to leave the stall.  Stay on the outside and continue to ask him to pass through to the outside followed by into the inside.  If you have to go to the inside of the stall, try to stay on the inside and ask him to leave the stall and then come back in from that position.  The point is to avoid changing positions once you get him to start moving in and out of the stall.  Don’t worry about his rushing the door.  Just don’t get in his way and get run over when he does.  Just keep asking for the Pass Through.  You may have to do this for 30 minutes, or even an hour in really serious cases, or he may only need a couple minutes.  The key is to give yourself enough time and continue to ask for the Pass Through until he does it slowly and relaxed.  Eventually he will do just that, walk calmly and slowly through the stall opening.  

Do the same thing at the fence or wherever he feels anxious and claustrophobic.  Keep asking him to Pass Through along the fence, yield his hindquarters, then change directions and ask again.  Do it over and over until he begins to walk between you and the fence, showing a relaxed posture and not rushing through.  

As is with all other sensitizing and desensitizing techniques, the key is to know what to expect and how to ask him to do something, and then to continue until you get a relaxed horse.  Now, you should be looking for a change, for relaxation instead of anxiety.  You may not help him become 100% relaxed in one session, but you want to see significant progress.  For horses that rush the Pass Through, my goal is always at least an 80% improvement in relaxation and slowing down.  Then, continue to work with your horse every day if possible for 5-7 days, expecting a more relaxed response every day.  By the end of that week, your expectation should be a dramatic transformation from a horse that was frantic and rushing the area to one that is relaxed and moving slowly through the area.  Once you achieve slow and relaxed walking, then you can start to ask for more speed, but that is for another discussion.

I hope this helps!  Know that your horse will start to relax and not rush past the fence or stall opening as you repeat the exercise over and over again.  Lastly, as you do the exercise, make sure you demonstrate cool, calm, and collected demeanor, and this posture will also help your horse relax.  Until next time, Stay Safe in the Saddle!

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