Do you think it’s possible for a horse to have PTSD about a certain arena if he had a negative experience there?

This gelding I’ve had for two years has come a long way. We purchased him out of the Legacy Ranch sale that they do every year. He was advertised as a ranch horse deluxe, and finished head horse. He was extremely untrusting. Panicked if he wasn’t comfortable. Scared of everything. He has come a super long way and has been exceptional in the barrel pen. He has mellowed out a lot and I’ve not been having any issue whatsoever with him being flighty, or panicky. Although inconsistent, we have clocked in the 1D several times. He loves to work. Still fragile minded so I am just careful with him. But he’s just been amazing. However he is terrified of cattle... not sure how he was a head horse.

Took him to a race tonight, that just so happened to be in the arena that they roped on him a lot as well as where the sale was held. He lost his marbles. Couldn’t focus. Was all over the pen. Couldn’t settle down. Was extremely flighty, hopping up and down. Trying to run sideways. Completely different horse. I’ve never seen him so worried and upset.

Do you all think that a horse can have PTSD about an arena if they had a negative experience there?

I definitely think it's possible. Are there any exhibitions at the arena you can haul him to before something that matters?

I don’t know how he’s bred but it’s not uncommon for a cutting /cow bred horse to be scared of cattle. 

It’s not an arena that’s close by... and this particular series only holds finals there. So it’s definitely not a place we frequent. I haven’t been there in two years. So I’m not overly worried about getting him “over the hump” and be sane there, so to speak. If his issue is with the arena, I just won’t go there. I just didn’t know if it was possible for one to have PTSD towards an arena. 

I don't know about PTSD, but I do believe from my own experience that yes if they had a tramatic experience at an arena or anywhere & they go back there, they can freak out. I had a mare who I was hauling. She was 5 or 6 I believe. Had her since she was born, so I knew how she was raised. She was winning money. When I took her to her first week-end away show, she was great. Handled it like a pro.Won me money that week-end. I was at a jp & she was starting to get a little strong & a trainer I knew said, let me get on her. This was an exh. He slow loped her to the first, jerked her down to where she almost sat down, which she has never been treated like that. I was like WTH !. Then he came out of the arena, took her behind his trailer & beat the crap out of her. I went & got her from him & she was dripping wet. He called her a btch. So I take her to my vet. She went over her & said, nothing wrong with her. A week later I took her back to the same arena. I was sitting on her outside of the alley watching the ground be worked & all of a sudden I felt her start shaking. She reared up & flipped over on top of me. It wasn't pretty. I ended up having to have surgery. Do I blame her, hell NO. This sick s.o.b. did such a bad number on her brain that he ruined her. 

I think my sadistic side came out when I read this--I thought of very bad things to do to that trainer.  And I'd feel pleasure in it. . . . 

Yes I definitely do believe they can have PTSD. They have memory just as we do... they are capable of remembering traumatic events, people and places. Something awfully terrible happened in that pen and something triggered it for him... sights, smells, noises ... I purchased my horse from our trainer roughly 7 years ago. He was on his property for quite a while before I got him. He was pretty much broke and trained there. Theres an old ugly shed at the end of one of his arenas and hes always really nervous to ride by it... he gets really breathing hard and just super watchy when I ride past it. My trainer told me the other day when I commented on him being funny by it that he use to keep him in that arena when his barn was full of client horses and a bob cat had gotten in that shed, killed a few chickens and neighbors goats. So that was almost 7 years ago and my horse still hates that shed when I go over there to rope. We went yesterday in fact and he was not happy when I went to gather the steers into the alley. He went by but wasnt focused on the steers till we got passed it. 

I think it's more the situation than places sometimes. 

My old gelding was on the track as a youngster for a short time.  He had an accident in the starting gate.  

There was an arena we went to that had a set of starting gates out back that they used for colts, as they were racebred breeders.  

My horse lost his marbles any time we got within eyesight of those starting gates.  He'd refuse to go near them, he'd shake all over, and break out in a sweat and hurry away from them.  

There's also an arena we have gone to that he fell down at the first barrel.  He HATES that arena.  We don't go anymore. 

It most definitely could be the arena.  I wouldn't force it and I probably wouldn't take him back. 

I read an article somewhere where a study was done that proved horses associate negative experiences to the locations those experiences occured. I need to find that article. 

https://thehorse.com/159588/horses-associate-places-with-positive-negative-experiences/