Can Horses Climb Stairs? (Answered!)

I was walking down a nature trail with my son the other day when we passed some people on horseback.

The path was quite narrow so we got out of the way and let them past.

When we got further down the trail, though, we hit a set of stone steps in the direction the horse riders had come from.

We were both a bit confused because we thought there was no way horses could go up stairs, especially not uneven, old steps like these.

Nonetheless I didn’t want to assume anything, so when we got back, I did some research.

So, can horses climb stairs?

As long as the steps are shallow and wide enough, horses are capable of climbing stairs. Climbing stairs isn’t an easy feat for horses, and they may need some training to get used to it, but they are in principle completely capable of climbing stairs that are wide and shallow enough.

Like most animals of their size, stairs are typically pretty daunting and confusing for horses.

However, they can be taught to climb them and, once they’ve learned, they will get quite confident with it.

However, they can’t climb any stairs; as I said, and as you can probably imagine, very steep and narrow staircases aren’t really possible.

But what problems do they have climbing stairs?

Are horses afraid of stairs?

One problem many animals have with being able to climb stairs is that they simply become nervous and scared at the idea.

Dogs are the best example of this.

Often, puppies will need direct teaching from their mothers or older dogs to learn to be able to climb stairs and overcome their fears.

There’s no hard and fast rule about it, but there are many reasons a horse would be rightfully scared of stairs.

Horses will instinctively avoid narrow steps like the ones on most staircases, and avoid trying to ascend at such an angle.

If they’ve never climbed stairs before, they are likely to be understandably nervous.

On the other hand, they may just refuse to go near the stairs.

Either way, they’re unlikely to be all that enthusiastic.

So, training is key, really.

They can’t do it without being taught how to, and you should always exercise extreme caution with horses on stairs.

Can horses go up stairs?

Up the is easiest direction for horses to go on stairs, as again it is for most animals.

Taking your horse up stairs is generally safe as long as those stairs are appropriate for horses standing on them, and as long as your horse knows what it’s doing to begin with.

If the stairs are even remotely slippery, do not try and make your horse climb them.

The chances of slipping are always high, as their hooves have very little grip or purchase on slippery surfaces, even with horseshoes.

A small slip can be disastrous for a horse, as it can very easily break its leg.

So, don’t take any chances.

If you need to lead your horse up any stairs, those stairs need to be very wide, very long, and very shallow.

Horses’ legs can’t be lifted up very high to get over even small obstructions which, again, presents a tripping hazard.

If your horse tries to step over a step that’s too step and doesn’t make it, it will fall forward and, again, stands a chance of seriously hurting itself.

So, stairs do present a number of dangers, and it helped me to understand how the horses I saw got up the stairs they did.

Those stairs were very wide and shallow, the kind you often see on nature trails.

But, what about the other direction?

Can horses go down stairs?

Can horses go down stairs?

Down stairs is definitely a considerably greater struggle for horses than going up them.

Horses, and many animals like them, have very poor vision of the floor around their feet.

This goes some way to explaining the danger of taking them up stairs, but much more so in the other direction.

If they can’t see around their feet, it’s very difficult for them to judge the distance to the ground when going down stairs.

This means that they will very often misstep, and could again very easily slip and seriously hurt themselves.

Down stairs is certainly harder, but still not impossible.

Again, it’s just about training and appropriate steps.

Of course, horses cannot go down narrow steps.

They would certainly trip and fall.

Again, wide, shallow steps and a lot of training, and your horse will be able to walk down them; but you should always be very careful.

So, horses are not stupid by any means and perfectly capable of learning to climb stairs.

However, their bulk does in most cases exclude them from being able to climb anything except wide, shallow steps.

Steep staircases are not possible, and actually pose a serious risk of injury to the horse in any number of ways.

They could slip on the steps or fall backwards, either of which could be potentially devastating for a horse.

Before you get your horse to climb steps, make sure they’re well trained and it’s a safe staircase.