Why Do Horses Get the Zoomies?

If you have a dog, you’ve seen them all of a sudden get the zoomies around the house or yard like a crazy, insanely hyper puppy. Well, horses can get the zoomies too! And if you look up “mini horse zoomies” your day will be made! So what exactly are zoomies and why in the world do horses get them? We've got the answer for you, just keep reading.

What’s a zoomie?

A zoomie is a modern term used to describe a random burst of energy a horse has. These random bursts of energy can probably be witnessed in the pasture as your horse is galloping all over the place. The scientific terminology for zoomies is Frenetic Random Activity Period. This happens when your horse holds in too much energy and can finally release it by galloping around as fast as they can with their tail in the air and they may even kick up their heels a time or two for giggles.

Why do horses get the zoomies?

Horses can get the zoomies for similar reasons that dogs get the zoomies – they just can’t contain their excitement!

Zoomies can happen when your horse is playing and excited. Especially if they have spent most of their day in a stall and are turned out during a cool evening. The cool crisp air feels and smells great! Why not run around like crazy to breathe it in and stretch? The flies are in bed, the sun is going down, and it is just great to be alive. Cooler weather always seems to break out frisky behavior in even the calmest and composed horses. Approaching storms sometimes stir up horses enough for them to begin zooming around the pasture.

Has your horse ever escaped and ran around playing, “you can’t catch me?” You couldn’t catch them until they ran out of energy, right? Most likely their tail was held high too. That’s because they got the zoomies! Your horse was just so excited and proud of themselves for escaping that they couldn’t contain it! This has also happened without your horse escapes. They would rather zoom around the pasture playing tag instead of being caught.

Horse Zoomies Best Zoomies from r/Zoomies

The silly zoomies can also happen once a horse is turned out after riding for a while. They are excited to be out in the pasture naked and free! Eager to kick up their heels and return to their friends.

Zoomies is a natural and healthy behavior for your horse to exhibit.

When you witness your horse in the zoom-mode, it’s important to stay clear from their way and at a distance for safety purposes. If you know your horse gets the zoomies often, make sure to walk around their zoom-space to check for any holes, rocks, or material that can cause injury. They probably are not watching where they are going when the zoomies take over.

Horses love to run, play, and have fun too! Sometimes they have so much excitement built up it all comes out at once. Have you ever seen your horse get the zoomies? Hopefully you were able to catch it on camera!