journal equine

THINK L I K E A

HILL

THE ESSENTIAL HANDBOOK FOR UNDERSTANDING W H Y

HORSES DO WHAT THEY DO

H O W т о

Think L I K E A

Horse

HOW то

Think LI KE A

Horse The Essential Handbook for Understanding

Why Horses Do What They Do

C H E R R Y H I L L

ь w Storey Publishing

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by

publishing practical information that encourages

personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Deborah Burns Art direction by Vicky Vaughn Text design and production by Jennie Jepson Smith Cover photograph by © Cherry Hill Cover design by Philip Pascuzzo Author photo by Richard Klimesh Interior photographs by © Mark J. Barrett: 132; © Royalty-free/CORBIS: chapter headings (background texture), 73;

© Cherry Hill: vi 3rd and 4th from top, vii bottom, 6, 8, 20, 26, 33, 37, 48, 58, 64, 65, 81, 116, 122, 143, 151, 158, 160 right; © Richard Klimesh: vi top two, vii 3rd from top, 3, 4, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 23, 24, 30, 43 ,46, 57, 67, 68, 75, 80, 91, 124, 131, 133, 142, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 152, 153, 160 left, 161 left, 167; © Bob Langrish: ii, v, vi bottom two, vii top two, x, 5 ,14 , 22, 29, 31, 32, 34, 60, 62, 69, 74, 77, 79, 98, 104, 111, 117, 124, 135, 140, 141, 161 right; © Storey Publishing: 40-41

Illustrations by © Elayne Sears Infographics by Kristy MacWilliams: 9, 72; Ilona Sherratt: 36, 44, 128, 174 Indexed by Susan Olason, Indexes & Knowledge Maps Special thanks to Country Tack, Lanesborough, Mass., for grooming tools shown on pages 40-41.

© 2006 by Cherry Hill

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechani­ cal, photocopying, recording, or other — without written permission from the publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best o f our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.

Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further informa­ tion, please call 1-800-793-9396.

Printed in the United States by Versa Press 20 19 18 17 16 15

L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s C a t a l o g i n g - i n - P u b l i c a t i o n D a t a

Hill, Cherry, 1947- How to think like a horse / by Cherry Hill.

p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-1-58017-835-8 (pb : alk. paper) 1. Horses— Behavior. 2. Human-animal communication. 3. Horsemanship. I. Title.

SF281.H55 2006 636.1—dc22

2005027792

То ту long-time friends:

Deborah Burns, editor extraordinaire for 20 years

Sassy Eclipse — “Sassy,” excellent trail horse and

broodmare for 30 years

Miss Debbie Hill — “Zinger” generous dressage and

western horse for 30 years

and especially to

Richard Klimesh, my husband and best friend

for over 35 years.

Contents

CHAPTER 1

i

Becoming the Horse Why Think Like a Horse? • What a Horse Needs • What Horses

Don’t Like • Humans and Horses • How to Become Part Horse

CHAPTER 2

ж The Horses Senses .............................................................17 Vision • Hearing • Smell and Taste • Touch • Reflexes •

Proprioceptive Sense

The Physical Horse 47 Seasonal Changes • Digestive System • Skeletal System • Hoof Growth

CHAPTER 4 The Nature of the Horse 55 Bonding • Pecking Order • The Battle of the Sexes • Horse Play •

Curiosity or the Investigative Behavior • The Nomadic Lifestyle

CHAPTER 5 Routines The Horses Biological Clock • Shelter • Self-Preservation

66

CHAPTER 6 Good Behavior, Bad” Behavior The Spirit of the Horse • Temperament and Attitude • Natural

Horsekeeping • Domestication Pressures

76

CHAPTER 3

Horse Timelines Life-Stage Characteristics • Development Timelines

9 0

Communication 105 Reading a Horse’s Body Language • The Subtleties • Vocal Language •

How to Communicate with Your Horse • Voice Commands

Learning 127 The Brain • Mental Processes • Learning Principles • Behavior

Modification • Behavior Modification Techniques • Repetition •

Shaping

Training 149 Training Philosophy • Training Goals • Physical Development •

Content of a Training Session • A Typical Training Session

Epilogue 171

Glossary 175

Recommended Reading 178

Index 179

Preface W h e n I w a s A v e r y y o u n g c h i l d , I not only wanted to be with

horses all of the time, but I even wanted to be a horse. I galloped,

reared, kicked, and nickered. When I saw a new thing, I’d walk up very cau­

tiously, roll my head forward and down to get a really good look, and then

I’d jump lightly to the side with a squeal. Then I’d approach the item again

to smell it with an air of suspicion and high alertness, all the while making

snorting and blowing sounds.

I even did this at the dinner table to inspect

my food. Not the greatest behavior when we

had company, especially when Fd follow the

sniffing with a loud whinny. Our guests would

joke to my parents that I was part horse, but

that was not good enough for me. I wanted

to be all horse. That’s why, after grooming a

horse, I’d be careful not to completely wash

my hands so that I could save that wonderful

smell for as long as possible.

Somewhere in grade school, much to my

parents’ relief, my external horse behavior

subsided somewhat, but the core of my being

had become part horse. And so it is to this

day. My life has revolved around horses.

Many of the books I have written about

horses have been about horse-related “things”

— barns and feeding, grooming and tack, hoof

care, training and riding. In a few books, I’ve

talked about the interaction between humans

and horses as it relates to management or

training, but up until now, I haven’t devoted

an entire book to what makes up the horse.

Since I am a teacher at heart, my explana­

tions have lots of facts and details in them.

This is because instead of having you take my

word for it, I’d rather give you something you

can sink your teeth into — information that

can help you come to your own conclusions.

Because research on horse behavior is limited

and opinions abound, I’m offering you my

interpretation of what has been published.

Yet, when it comes right down to it, all of the

books and information in the world are not

going to take the place of the time and expe­

rience needed to develop a sense of horse. As

far as I am concerned, that is something very

personal. No one can give it to you, you can’t

buy it, and you can’t come to it purely from an

intellectual standpoint. Learning some facts

about horses, however, will help you form a

valuable base for understanding their needs,

behaviors, and abilities. To that end, I have

written a combination “left brain/right brain”

book directed at the scientist and artist that

exist in all of us.

the racts, I’m including examples

ces that will bring those facts to life,

vou’ll read my interpretation of

: - r; on my lifetime with horses as

- instructor, classroom teacher,

- - _-ge, breeder, book author, and

I encourage you to be open-

I Listen to, watch, and read other

_e: :he subterfuges sink, and watch

n?e to the top. Skim off what you

:ti faeip vou develop your own sense of

: ■ e

■ M : nalb, many terms describing people

м ri with horses have been masculine

швгягит and horsemanship. Yet today,

m~ make up the majority of horse own-

A®d what is even more interesting is that

pi at the so-called newer methods of nat-

Р ш е training, advocated primarily by

; dmdans as being less harsh and more

g ivpe of training, are how women

Ctr eh approach animal training, any-

ince we are the weaker sex physically,

:: use our brains to avoid confron-

B h We trv to figure things out to keep

- _ : n ; hurt. Maybe we are very similar

Hraes in that we both have a strong self-

ati: n aptitude. We also tend to be able

iceik -"ngs into small tasks and appreciate

riferts and partial progress,

fa»' I'm not saying that all male horse

s are impatient and use physical means

ation or are bronc-busting brutes —

far from that! There have been and are many

talented and thoughtful horsemen. But it can

be a male tendency to be ruled by ego and tes­

tosterone, which can give rise to fighting and

dominance. So although I’m delighted that

there has been a shift in thinking about horse

training, in the back of my mind I chuckle and

think that we girls have known these things,

inherently, all along.

In this book, I often use the term horse

trainer to refer to the human because I figure

that no matter how well trained a horse already

is and no matter what we are doing with him,

we are always training — whether adding new

behaviors, modifying an existing behavior, or

reinforcing an already established behavior.

It doesn’t matter if you are feeding a horse, if

you are riding at a lope across a pasture, or if

your farrier is shoeing your horse: the horse is

learning and is being trained, whether or not

you think of it as a formal training session.

I hope this book gives you a good idea of

how and why a horse does what he does. This

knowledge can give you a start in how to read

body language and behave around horses,

and help you plan and conduct your training

sessions. For specific how-to training instruc­

tions, please refer to the recommended read­

ing guide. Horse-training techniques require

separate volumes.

P R E F A C E ix

Becoming the Horse

W h e n m o s t o f us l o o k a t a h o r s e , we can eas­

ily see his beauty and admire his nobility. Its when

we start interacting with him that things can go wrong. That’s

because we tend to view horses in human terms.

When a horse runs away from us, bucks, or bites, for exam­

ple, we are likely to interpret what we think happened rather

■Jian observing and reporting specific objective facts. A human

interpretation might be “That horse doesn’t like me, is misbe-

having, or is mean.” Once a person comes to understand horses,

however, such natural behaviors are seen for just what they are

and actually become less frequent. The reason is that the better

y o u understand horses, the less often conflict will arise.

Do horses think? Well, that depends on the definition. If thinking is using the

mind to process information received from the senses, then of course horses

think. But do they reason? If reasoning is using logic to come to a conclusion,

then horses generally do not reason. Instead, they observe, react (often very

quickly), and think later.

Why Think Like a Horse? There are probably as many answers to that question as there

are horsemen, and most people would cite a blend of many

reasons. Here are some of the most common answers.

E To understand the world from the horse’s viewpoint.

Ш To make a horse feel as relaxed around you as if he were

with another horse.

□ To communicate with a horse in terms he can understand

in order to persuade him to do what you ask. Horses are very

willing, cooperative animals, so if what you ask is fair and

possible and the horse understands you and is relaxed, you

will have a better chance for success.

□ To be safe. Accidents are often a result of a misunder­

standing. The more you can think like a horse, the less likely

a horse will be to panic or have an explosive reaction.

□ To have a satisfying, smooth experience. When things

are going wrong between a horse and a human, everything

is awkward and out of sync. When things are going right, it

is like a dance with perfect timing and grace.

В To minimize stress. A little bit of stress is good — as our

moms told us, it builds strong character. But let’s face it: both

you and your horse would rather have your relationship be

low stress, comfortable, and harmonious. If you are both on

the same wavelength, it can be. When practicing tai chi, two

of the goals are learning to recognize when your hackles are

up and developing a means to smooth them down. So it goes

with handling horses. We need to identify when we are part

of the problem and then learn how to become part of the

solution.

A horses stress-tolerance

level is the point at which he

can no longer absorb stress

(noise, exercise, or trauma).

This results in a failure to

think or process stimuli

clearly.

Instinct is inborn, intrin­

sic knowledge and behavior.

★ ★ ★

2 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

В 7: achieve goals. The more you can think like a horse,

f e — : re you will be able to communicate like a horse, and

- :i?:er you and he will progress. Most often with horses,

I f - that the slower you go, the faster you’ll get there.

В 7: nelp a horse become solid and confident. The more

ю - : rk with his natural behavior and instincts, the more

fc: r : _;n and long lasting the results will be.

В T; nave a win-win situation. For you to succeed, it is

neeessary for the horse to lose. You can both develop

jBji: a work together and emerge as winning individuals

a •.•■•inning team.

В T: add to the horse, not take away from him. It is not

Lecessary to break a horse into fragments; rather, if you

л: rses, you will be able to add to the horse and help

Ifcr :evelop to his full potential.

I 7: nelp you get in touch with your animal sense and

lee: ~ e a better person. Working with animals can bring

irea.: rewards on many levels — physical, emotional, intel-

and spiritual. You can become more compassionate,

am: re rhvsically fit, and more observant.

■at the best reason of all for you to become part horse and

■■1 Iike a horse is that your actions will help preserve your

I k s spirit. After all, that is what attracted us to horses in the

irs: riace.

If you think like a horse it will be

easier to form a partnership.

B E C O M I N G T H E H O R S E

The Spirit Lives On

l put in a lot of extra work during those early

years, and I think it was appreciated by all of the

horses and most of the owners (as always, some

customers are just in a hurry). Like many young

trainers, almost all of the horses I initially received

for training were ones that had been started but

had developed bad habits. It takes much more

time to sort out undesirable habits than it does to

start a horse properly from scratch. What's worse,

many problem horses have damaged spirits; some

that I trained were mentally rattled, agitated,

bruised, or worn thin and ragged.

It was then that I learned by looking (but not

peering) into a horse's eyes, down into his soul,

that once the light had grown dim or gone out,

rekindling it was difficult to impossible. I vowed

never to cause a horse to tune out. And I wanted

to know how and why horses withdrew.

My role gradually began to broaden into that

of an instructor and educator. I wanted to teach

people in the hopes that I could make some things

better for some horses.

In 1973, after I graduated from college and

had the opportunity to train some horses and

observe other horse trainers, I saw that there was

something missing in conventional horse train­

ing. It seemed to me that most of the procedures

relied on force and domination, and training was

on a thirty-day timetable. I hoped to do better by

horses by focusing on what each individual horse

needed.

When I opened my first training business, which

l called The Spirit Lives On, l offered my services

at two for the price of one. My monthly fee was

the same as that of other local trainers, but when

someone brought me a horse to work with for

thirty days, I'd take him on two conditions. First,

the horse had to stay for at least sixty days.

Although they were billed for sixty days of board,

they were charged for only thirty days of training.

And second, before I turned over the reins, the

owner had to come and work with me and the

horse for the last week or two before the horse

went home.

4 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

B E C O M IN G T H E H O R S E 5

□ Self-preservation — avoiding being injured

or eaten by a predator

□ Eating and drinking for survival

□ Procreation

□ Socialization and routines

Much equine behavior stems from

instincts developed over millions

of years of living in a nomadic herd. What a Horse Needs

■c kn: w what horses like, want, and need, and what they

K r i : n't want, and do not need, you will be more able to

fike a r.orse. I’ll start with a brief overview, because all of

Hfe: topics will be discussed in more detail later in the book,

j*— ! :ilking about wild or domestic horses? Although most

л : e s we handle today are born into domestication, wild

irinncts still form the basis for their behavior. Domestic

have the same needs, fears, and innate patterns as their

ir_;e>:ors did, and their physical makeup hasn’t changed

in the last several million years.

U_-_ drses list of needs and wants might be ranked something

When I first approached this foal on

a Wyoming range, he was ready to

flee: two legs in motion, head up, tail raised.

I quit advancing and stood still, and almost immediately he became

relaxed and curious: lowered head

reaching forward, soft tail, and all four feet on the ground.

Self-Preservation As a prey animal, the horse has survived by being wary of

predators, which include the dog and cat families and humans.

That’s why horses are alert, wary, and suspicious, have a highly

developed flight reflex, and will fight when threatened.

They don’t like to be chased or cornered. They are social

creatures that find safety in numbers. They have learned where

to go and where not to go; which sights, sounds, and smells

mean danger; where food and water are; and how to escape

when danger is imminent. Although man is the ultimate pred­

ator (don’t get me started), horses can learn to overcome their

strong instincts of self-preservation and trust us.

Wild horses seek shelter from weather extremes and insects.

While domestic horses should be provided with a safe, com­

fortable place to live, they do not want or need to be locked in

a stall at the first raindrop or snowflake. Often, horses choose

to stand out in the open rather than in the confines of a stall

or pen.

Many of the subjects later in this book, such as a horse’s

senses, reflexes, and behavior patterns, will tie in with the sur­

vival imperative of self-preservation.

The Need for Feed Don’t kid yourself. Sure, your horse loves you, but when it

comes right down to it, eating is much more important than

being petted. In the wild, horses eat for 12 to 16 hours every

day, ingesting the dry equivalent of 25 to 30 pounds of natu­

ral feed each day. (For purposes of discussion, natural feed is

native pasture or grass hay.) But wild horses are constantly on

the move. If allowed, domestic horses would eat 16 hours a day,

too, but they do not need that much. Without feeding manage­

ment, domestic horses would eat themselves sick, especially if

what they are eating includes grain or alfalfa hay.

You can limit their intake, yet horses still have a strong urge

to chew for many hours of the day. This need to chew can be

satiated by feeding long-stem hay. I usually have four or more

types of hay in my barn. One of them is “busy hay,” which is

mature grass hay, high in roughage and low in protein and

energy It comes in handy to use as the “satisfier” part of the

ration. If adequate roughage is not supplied, horses may eat

bedding or chew wood or the manes and tails of other horses.

6 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

CO N

j me~ с reeding grass hay at least three times a day at

1.75 percent of the horses body weight per

г 1 I'X - round horse, that would be 15 to 17.5 pounds

divided into three or more feedings. If a mixed-

M k i5 available, you can substitute pasture for some

I n i as _:ng as grazing is monitored carefully. Avoid

sc : reed grain only if required for growth, breeding,

: ark. I reed very little grain, even to weanlings and

How Often Should a Horse Eat?

~ £ ' d how your horse reacts to various feeding frequencies, take five weeks to run this test.

' m his entire ration once a day.

' m twice a day at twelve-hour inter-

s: 6:00 a .m . and 6:00 p .m .

him three times a day at regular

'te '/als, such as at 6:00 a .m ., 2:00 p .m .,

' М О P.M.

W eek 4: Feed him four times a day at five- to

six-hour intervals, such as at 6:00 a .m ., noon,

5:00 p .m ., and 10:00 p .m .

W eek 5: Feed him free-choice grass hay. Allow

him to have access to it for sixteen hours out

of each day, such as between 10:00 p .m . and

8:00 a .m ., and between noon and 6:00 p .m .

*■ вас* -stance, note the following:

J t z z ■'■e finish all the feed in one eating

I season?

£ :e:r -or the free-choice option, a horse

srxJd dean up all he is fed w ith in tw o hours.

(ргее is feed left, i t w ill o ften be trampled,

ed, and wasted.

- : л long did he take to eat?

ош a horse w ill eat his ration in one to

-0Ю - ours.

: : ie leave any feed? Was it wasted, or

: : ne come back and finish it later?

- r-? 'f s feed le ft a t the next feeding, the

:s bad o r the horse is being fed too much.

- f ~orse eats h a lf his ration, walks over to

j e 5 drink, rests fo r five minutes, and then

-=s-7jes eating, tha t is perfectly normal.

How eager (noisy, pawing, pushy) was

■ he to be fed the next tim e he saw you?

A horse tha t is aggressive a t feeding tim e is

e ither being fed too little, too infrequently, or

considers you be low him on the pecking order.

Rate your horse's overall contentm ent

1 on a scale of 1 to 10 for each feeding

frequency.

Because eating is one o f you r horse's top p ri­

orities, his behavior a t feeding tim e and overall

contentm ent speak volumes. The m ethod w ith

the highest score w ill te ll you which feeding

frequency your horse prefers.

Now you have a better idea not only of what

your horse considers important but also how

he reacts to changes in his routines.

B E C O M I N G T H E H O R S E 7

The grass is always greener on the

other side.

Healthy Grazing Grazing management of domestic horses is a delicate balanc­

ing act among what a horse wants, what he needs, and what is

best for the land. (See Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage, second

edition, for detailed recommendations on both horse and pas­

ture management.)

If we were to let our horses graze free choice, in many cases

it would result in overgrazed land and overweight horses. It is

necessary to monitor pasture growth and manage grazing to

fit the carrying capacity of the land and the nutritional needs

and health of the horse.

Horses do well on native pastures and lower-quality

improved pastures, but rich pastures and alfalfa fields can lead

to obesity, colic, and laminitis. We might be surprised when

horses eagerly eat certain non-grassy weeds, such as fuzzy

dandelion and prickly thistle. They tend to avoid poisonous

plants unless there is nothing else to eat and they are hungry.

A horses inherent wisdom and keen senses of smell and taste

usually help him discriminate between what is healthy and

what is not.

During the summer a horse might drink three or four times per day.

Clean, Accessible W ater Horses drink 5 to 10 gallons of water a day — more in sum­

mer, often less in winter. They seek water about an hour after

8 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

How a Horse Spends the Day

.vild In a group pen w ith free choice hay

In a stall w ith 3 feedings per day

3urs

Lying down

1 hour

Socializing

2 hours Lying down

2 hours

Lying down

3 hours

the majority of their roughage,

с : r.ot need heated water and generally prefer cool

rann water. During winters with freezing tempera-

Lnr: r: horses do well drinking cold water but they often

нвг help breaking and removing ice on creeks, ponds,

■fes. or buckets.

lively, freeze-proof buckets and tank heaters can be

ms. is r.g as they are carefully monitored for excess heat or

Jp-cai shorts. I provide free access to clean, fresh, naturally

Л е с water, such as from a spring or creek, or freshly drawn

Лаг: - i rucketor tub.

E a s t-- al Salt and Minerals er> _ on the season, activity level, and individual metab-

: rs.es require salt and minerals in order to replenishШКП.

fflr :

« E E c C

лег S3

: horses find natural salt and mineral deposits and

— es eat soil along with them. For domestic horses, it is

provide blocks of free-choice plain white salt (sodium

ie trace mineral salt (red), and possibly calcium and

h: rus supplementation. That way, a horse can select

crer he wants.

d blocks with a high molasses content. Some horses will

~ :n a matter of days, thereby ingesting too much salt.

★ ★ ★

Electrolytes are salt ions

such as sodium, chloride,

potassium, calcium, mag­

nesium and other minerals

that are necessary fo r vari­

ous body functions.

★ ★ ★

B E C O M IN G T H E H O R S E

★ ★ ★

Socialization is the develop­

ment o f an individual and

his behavior through inter­

action with others o f the

sam e species. Horses natu­

rally live in small groups

called bands. In the wild,

a breeding band o f mares

is called a harem, while a

bachelor's band consists

o f all m ale horses.

★ ★ ★

Procreation Wild horses have a strong drive to perpetuate the species: you

might argue that it is the reason for their existence. Although

domestic horses still have those sexual urges and behaviors,

they are usually not free to breed. I will not go into breeding

behaviors in this book (see Recommended Reading, page 178),

but I will discuss the role of the sexes in herds and the sexual

characteristics as they relate to keeping and handling domestic

horses.

Socialization and Routines Horses gather in herds for protection and socialization. There

is perceived and real safety in numbers. When possible, keep

horses in herds or in bands on pasture. If this is not possible,

design facilities so horses are near other horses or can see or

hear other horses. Other animals or people can also provide

companionship.

Horses are most content when they are allowed to perform

their daily routines. Since they evolved as wanderers, roam­

ing as they ate and drank and looked for shelter and safety,

horses crave movement and need to mosey around and get

regular low-level exercise. When a horse is confined, unable to

exercise or flee from danger, he is not content and can panic.

Domestic horses require daily exercise and living quarters that

are safe and non-threatening.

Since horses are creatures of habit, they prefer to eat, drink,

rest, and perform other regular activities at particular times.

This ensures digestive health and mental contentment. (See

Routines, chapter 5, for more information.)

What Horses Don’t Like Horses have a long list of things that they don’t like. Most of

them disrupt their eating or safety.

□ Horses do not like to be afraid. If a horse feels threatened

or cannot resolve a confusing situation, he will grow fearful

and will be likely to panic.

□ Horses do not like physical pain, yet it is surprising how

they often tolerate it. When a bit is yanked or a saddle doesn’t

10 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

No fear. Blue is relaxed and con­ fident as she crosses the crackly

orange plastic.

A passive horse trainer lets a horse choose what is hap­

pening. In the very first interaction between a person and a

new, untrained horse, this has some merit, because it helps

the horse feel less threatened. If the trainer remains passive as

things progress, however, the horse will not respect the trainer

and may come to distrust her. A passive person is not well

defined, and horses like to know where things stand.

An assertive horse trainer is straightforward and confident

and lets a horse know where she stands. If an assertive trainer

is fair, consistent, and reassuring, a horse quickly learns to

respect and trust her.

An aggressive horse trainer often wants to win at all costs.

Since she tends to feel superior in general, an aggressive trainer

views her rights and needs as more important than those of the

horse. Because the end goal is often the highest priority with

an aggressive trainer, she sometimes hurries and uses force

instead of tact.

Human Characteristics If you understand human behavior, you’ll have a better chance

of getting along with horses. Some human characteristics

dovetail well with horse behaviors, and others are diametri­

cally opposed. Where do you fit?

Horses are very large and potentially dangerous animals,

and people react to them in various ways. Since it’s human

nature to dominate other people and animals, an aggressive

12 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Dealing with Fear To know horses is to realize they are not to be feared and that

the ideal level of domination is fair and respected leadership.

People who fear horses either avoid them altogether or, when

they are around them, are so timid that they don’t take any

action. I’ve seen middle-aged women in the middle of riding

.essons become so petrified that they might do something that

could hurt the horse, hurt themselves, or cause them to be crit­

icized by their instructor that they just freeze into total inac­

tion. Such passivity may seem safer than an aggressive attitude,

but it is not effective when it comes to working with horses. A

continuous series of actions and reactions is required for the

★ ★ ★

The near side o f a horse is

his left side. The off side is

his right side.

★ ★ ★

B E C O M I N G T H E H O R S E 13

attitude can surface when we work with horses. Some people

who are not normally aggressive become so because they are

actually afraid of horses and shift into a defensive mode. Men

who are new to horses often seem to feel that they must prove

they can control the beast, especially if someone else is watch­

ing. A contest of force develops: “I am going to load this horse

into this trailer, no matter what!” Ego, male hormones, and

fear — a bad mix.

Sadly, there are also some horse owners who don’t respect

their animals and take advantage of their generous natures,

treating them unfairly or cruelly. Since those people are

unlikely to be reading this book, I won’t spend time discussing

that type of relationship except to caution you: You will see

a lot of horse handling and training that is pretty crude and

insensitive, but it might be disguised with euphemisms that

make it sound as though it is good horsemanship. Beware!

To avoid dangerous conflicts, recognize that you have an ego

and determine whether it is of a healthy size. If it tends to puff

up, figure out a way to park it somewhere before you head to

the barn, or better yet, give it a tune-up or major overhaul.

Pride in a job well done is appropriate, however, especially

when it concerns horse care and training. That is the sign of a

healthy ego.

Modern humans are on a time schedule — we want results

and we want them now! We want to know what we have to

buy or do to make our horse perfect. In reality, it just doesn’t

happen like that. The more you give yourself to the horse, the

more you will receive in return.

Sassy had a progressive training

program and I never asked her to

do anything dangerous. That's why

she put her trust in me and over­ came her inherent fears, such as

stepping on this shiny silver tarp.

A horse is a horse, not a human

or a pet. Feeding treats from your hands can quickly turn your horse

into a pocket pest.

wonderful horse-human dance to take place. The trick here is

to start with simple things and do them well, never overfacing

yourself or your horse.

If a person is so fearful that when a horse acts, she is permis­

sive or submissive, the situation can get dangerous in a hurry.

I’m picturing a friend of mine, a tiny woman taking her daily

walk through her own pasture where three horses are boarded.

Somewhat afraid of horses in the first place, she tried to “make

friends” with them. She felt she could please the horses and

keep them from “attacking” her by giving them treats out of

her pockets. This worked safely twice, but by the third day, the

horses became so eager for the treats that they started crowd­

ing and jockeying for position close to the woman. Now my

friend had a reason to be fearful, because she had created a

dangerous situation.

Another common human response to horses is to treat them

as though they are human babies or pet dogs. It’s dangerous

and unfair to think of a horse in human terms. They simply

do not think like we do. If you expect them to react the way

your husband or mother or best friend does, you will be disap­

pointed and confused. So will the horse. Similarly, thinking a

foal is like a big dog and letting him jump up and roughhouse

with you will really backfire once he is ten times bigger. Horses

are horses and are most content when treated as such.

14 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

fit, it is no wonder that a horse might try to rid himself of it;

yet many endure pain inflicted by inexperienced or ignorant

humans.

□ Horses do not like inconsistency. They are more content

knowing what is expected of them and knowing that if they

behave a certain way, the reaction from the human will be

the same each time. It is confusing and frustrating for a horse

to be treated one way today and a different way tomorrow for

the same behavior.

□ Horses don’t like surprises, although they can learn to

become more tolerant of them. Loud noises, such as backfire,

gunshot, or dynamite; mysterious sounds, such as rustling

plastic; and sudden movements, such as an umbrella being

opened alongside the horse, elicit the startle response, which

can turn into a full-fledged spook.

□ Horses don’t like restraint and restriction, because these

take away their ability to flee, but they can learn to tolerate

and not fear this. When you tie or cinch a horse or confine

him in a stall or trailer, you are restraining him.

Q Horses don’t like isolation. Since they are naturally gre­

garious, they don’t enjoy being alone, although, once again,

they can adapt to it.

Q Horses do not like being chased, because they are prey

animals, and dogs, large cats, and humans are all predators.

That’s why if you are trying to catch a horse and he turns and

starts walking away from you and you keep walking after

him, you are confirming, in his mind, that you are a predator

stalking its prey.

★ ★ ★

To spook means to jum p

and run when encountering

a frightening object or situ­

ation.

To spook in place means

to show fe a r without moving

the feet. This is also called

the startle response.

To restrain is to prevent

a horse from acting or

advancing by using psycho­

logical, mechanical, or

chem ical means.

★ ★ ★

Humans and Horses In general, humans tend to want to dominate things physi­

cally. It makes more sense, however, to use our minds, our

most powerful tools, to help us become better leaders. Horses

naturally follow good leaders. They can also be good mirrors

of their humans. A horse’s behavior and actions often indi­

cate whether the person handling him is passive, assertive, or

aggressive.

B E C O M I N G T H E H O R S E Ц

to Become Part Horse - - : ir.d most important prerequisite for becoming part

■ --—pie, but you either have it or you don’t. It is a deep

t, reseed, and admiration for horses. That is the basis on

i l l ;1 ?e is built. It also helps if you have an affinity for the

■ horse that you are working with. That is an interest-

BBtnt- :hough, because when people visit our ranch and

■ seven horses, I’m often asked which one is my favorite,

that each one is my favorite, and it is absolutely true.

■id every horse, when I am working with him or her, is

buddy. I see that particular horse’s unique qualities

: v his or her own way of expression.

-rird people call their horses “old snide,” “blockhead,”

-blood,” and so on. Even though a horse cant under-

rc the words, there is no mistaking the inflection and inten-

Wbat’s worse, the horse owner is reinforcing to himself

be thinks about the horse. None of this is appropriate if

■ are :rvmg to get inside a horse’s head.

I : _ have an inherent regard for horses and a positive atti-

iifc the foundation for a good relationship is laid. The rest is a

— л lifelong interactive study. Work with as many horses

. _ :in, as frequently as you can, and try a wide variety of

». In that way, you will come to know horses. As you

du will develop horse sense, savvy, feel, and timing.

: ugh reading books, watching videos, and participating

У — / can point you in the right direction, it takes hands-

- —r and experience to develop feel. Feel is a combination

sensitivity, intuition, and perception that helps you know

:g do and when. Some people develop feel quickly; for

it takes a longer time, possibly requiring a major shift

bersonality to achieve.

etimes there is a mental or emotional block that pre-

i person from developing feel and timing. I’ve seen peo-

ork so hard that they try to force it to happen rather than

ring it to happen. Once there is a breakthrough, however,

experience can be profound.

As vou learn to read horses, look for subtle positive signals,

Lcr. is small ear movements, straightening of the body, low-

- _ of the head and neck, slight weight shift, leaning, reach -

: difference in breathing, tension in the lips and mouth,

To become one with your horse, you

need to develop feel. Feel comes

from respect, openness, and practice, which develops timing and balance.

B E C O M I N G T H E H O R S E 15

and licking. Pay attention and you will soon know what these

things mean. Body language is described in chapters 4 and 5.

When you learn to respond the way a horse does, you’ll

develop a system of communication that you can use to

encourage or discourage him. You might encourage or invite a

horse to continue his behavior with verbal praise (“good boy”)

or body language, such as backing off pressure (yielding) or

stepping back. You might discourage a horses behavior with a

step toward him, a weight shift, or a gesture.

Horses have so much to offer that it is well worth the invest­

ment of time and self to learn all about them.

The Benefit of the Doubt

К f you know a horse, and he is a good horse, but

I all of a sudden he does something out of char­

acter, there probably is a concrete explanation for

his behavior. Give him the benefit of the doubt.

He most likely either senses something you can't

sense or he is experiencing physical or mental

stimuli that don't affect you.

When one of my horses behaves oddly, I attri­

bute it to horse behavior, not to bad behavior. I

look at the environment, the weather, and my

horse to try and figure out what is happening.

A graphic example is when Aria turns her head,

intently looking in another direction than where

we are headed, it is often a challenge to see or

hear what she is reacting to. On the occasions

where l can hear a faint sound or see some

movement, I feel as though I am closer to

becoming the horse.

16 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

The Horses Senses

ORSES H A V E C E R T A IN P H Y S IC A L FEAT U RES th a t

cause them to think and act the way they do. In addi­

tion, they have ingrained behavior patterns that tell them what

to do and when. Learning about these can help us understand

the nature and spirit of the horse.

An alert horse carries his head up, with his ears forward, his

face line about 45 degrees in front of the vertical, and his nos­

trils open and actively taking in the scents in the air. The free,

alert horse changes the position of his head to view distant and

near objects.

17

18 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

T H E E Q U IN E E Y E

Vision

Optic nerve Third eyelid

Because of the placement of his

eyes on the sides of his head, a

grazing horse can see almost a

360-degree view.

Although the structure of the horse’s eye is similar to that of

many mammals, it is almost the largest eye on any living crea­

ture, including whales and elephants. A horse’s eye is twice the

size of a human’s.

A horse’s vision is quite different from ours. We have a 180-

degree field of vision and because our eyes are on the front of

our heads, we use binocular vision. The position of a horse’s

eyes on the sides of his head affords him greater peripheral

vision, similar to that of other prey animals. Horses see with

both monocular and binocular vision. Monocular vision

means that each eye has a separate field of view. With each

eye, the horse can see to the front, to the side, and to the rear.

Depending on the size and placement of his eyes, a horse’s field

of view on each side ranges from 130 to 140 degrees, for a total

of 260 to 280 degrees of monocular vision.

Binocular vision means that each eye supplies an image and

they are superimposed to create a single three-dimensional

picture. In order to use binocular vision effectively, a horse

must be able to move his head and neck freely. In the horse,

the binocular field is 75 to 95 degrees directly in front of his

face. Coupled with the monocular fields of vision, in most situ­

ations, this gives the horse a 345- to 355-degree field of vision,

leaving about 5 to 15 degrees of blind spots.

Retina cornea

To habituate Seeker to objects

moving in the periphery of her vision, Richard flaps a paper feed

sack in front of, to the side, and

behind her.

that point, it likely starts getting fuzzy and then enters one of

his blind spots. So just as he is about to walk over or through it.

he may try to change his head position to get a better look. He

might try lowering his head and flexing at the poll or tilting his

head to one side or the other. Also, he might try to identify the

object by touch or smell. None of this is possible if the horse is

being restricted with a short, tight rein. That’s why a severely

restricted horse can become frightened and confused.

Although a horse has a heightened awareness of motion in

the periphery of his vision, he can’t focus on the details there;

his visual acuity is poor on the sides. A sudden or odd move­

ment can thus cause him to spin and face the object. That’s why

it is necessary to accustom a horse to objects moving in and

out of the different zones, from in front of to the side of the

head, and vice versa. A good sacking-out program (habitua­

tion) accomplishes this. (See Chapter 9.)

Part of the reason that a horse is afraid of things behind him and

on his back are the "movies" that continuously play in his sub­

conscious. They go something like this: "As the horse is walking

peacefully along, a predator darts out of nowhere and chases

him, biting his legs or flank to bring him down." Or Feature B: "A

mountain lion waits till he is in the horse's blind spot, then jumps

from a rock or tree above and grabs onto his withers." It is no

wonder that we have to convince a horse that it is safe to let us

handle his legs or to let us sit in his blind spot and ride.

20 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Blind Spots As mentioned, horses have very good peripheral vision, espe­

cially with their heads down. When a horses head is up, how­

ever, he has several significant blinds spots:

Q Directly behind him, in the area of his tail

И Directly under his head or nose

a On his back, in the vicinity of the withers

О Directly in front of his forehead

That’s why if you come up behind a horse, he will either

reposition himself or turn his head to one side so he can see

y o u . If you or a dog or another horse surprise him and he can’t

move, he might kick at what he senses is there but can’t see.

The blind spot directly in front of a horse’s forehead is why if

y o u reach suddenly to pet his face, he may spook and become

head-shy. The blind spot under his muzzle explains why a

horse might accidentally eat your fingers instead of the treat

that you are offering. He can smell the treat but can’t see it.

A horse’s legs are his means of escape and preservation, so

that’s why he is skeptical about stepping in, on, or over things

unless he is allowed to inspect them first. The more experience

a horse has, the more trusting he becomes about stepping into

something in his blind spot.

A horse's blind spots include the

areas directly behind, below, above, and in front of him.

★ ★ ★

The adjustment o f the lens o f

the eye in order to focus on

objects at various distances

is called accommodation.

★ ★ ★

T H E H O R S E ’ S S E N S E S 21

When a horse grazes, constantly moving his head from side

to side, he virtually has a 360-degree field of vision. His view

:o the rear is blocked only by his relatively narrow lower legs,

so he needs to slightly turn or rotate his head as he grazes to

see behind himself.

Primarily because of monocular vision, we must show every­

thing to both sides of the horse. Don’t assume that if he accepts

something on the near side, he will automatically accept it on

the off side. Routinely work your horse from both sides.

Horses tend to be more farsighted than humans. Try observ­

ing a horse as he approaches an object that is initially far off in

his binocular field of view. As he draws closer, just a few feet

before he begins to pass the object, he might suddenly spook,

veer, or want to turn and face it. This is the point when the

object is leaving the binocular field and entering one of the

monocular fields, and it can cause the horse concern. Whether

it that point the image is neither here nor there, is fuzzy, or

-jmps, we can only speculate. Judging by the horse’s behavior,

though, it seems that there has been a rough visual transition.

When you ride a horse toward an object on the ground,

depending on the length of rein you offer, he can keep a close

еле on the object until it is about four feet in front of him. At

Horses, like other prey animals, can see with both monocular and

binocular vision.

afar, this horse looks at the slicker w ith both eyes (binocular vision), io he passes the object, he will view it w ith his right eye only (monocular •’sion). This is when a horse is most likely to spook — when the object aesses from one field of vision to the other. If the rider allows his horse

г “ эе rein to get a good look, the result is no spook!

MonocularMonocular

T H E h o r s e ’ s SEN SES 19

Visual Acuity The ability to focus and see sharpness of detail and

contrast, known as visual acuity, is determined in

a large part by the number of photoreceptors in

the retina. Photoreceptors are specialized cells

on the retina that are sensitive to light and make

vision possible. Photoreceptors in mammals are

rods and cones. Rods are sensitive to changes of

light and dark and movement. Cones are sensitive

to color but only work in bright light.

Horses have a narrow band (called a visual

streak) along the horizontal axis of the eye that

contains a high density of photoreceptors, in con­

trast to the small round spot in a human’s eye. This

means that when a horse is able to move his head

and neck without restriction to focus an object

on the visual streak, he has the potential for great

visual acuity and especially motion detection.

Above and below the visual streak, however, the

ability to focus is not as good. So if a horses head

is restricted, his vision is hampered.

Other factors that affect acuity are the shape of the eyeball,

the power of accommodation, the elasticity of the lens, and the

strength of the ciliary muscles. The horse is thought to have a

less elastic lens than a human does, and the lens gets cloudy

and less elastic with age.

Taking all of these things into consideration, horses do a

pretty good job of focusing on far objects when unrestricted,

but focusing on near objects is somewhat problematic. This

makes sense in an evolutionary way, because the horses that

were successful at recognizing danger from afar and fled are

the horses that survived and perpetuated the species.

Light and Dark Adaptation A horse’s rate of adaptation is slower than a human’s, meaning

that it takes longer for him to adjust from light to dark and

vice versa. This is because the shape of a horse’s pupil changes

from narrow and horizontal (in bright light) to a larger oval or

rounded rectangle (in low light). When you lead a horse from

a dark barn into the bright sunlight or from the bright sunlight

into a dark horse trailer, he might stop at the entrance, asking

The visual streak is a band along

the retina that is packed with

photoreceptors. This means that the horse can see very clearly in

a horizontal band across his field

of view, but less clearly above

and below the visual streak.

★ ★ ★

When discussing vision,

acuity means keenness or

sharpness. The power of

adaptation is the ability

o f the eye to change with

varying light intensities.

★ ★ ★

22 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Ig id

;es

or

m

ht

ng

far a few more seconds to adjust to the light change. Your eyes

^ ir^e more quickly, so you are ready to rush in, but if you can

scire a few seconds, your horse will feel more secure.

-enough horses take longer to adapt to changing light con-

:>ns, their range of adaptation is better than humans. This

i- due to the sheer size of a horse’s eye and the large retina

for light reception. Also, a horse’s pupil can dilate six

femes larger than a human’s. Horses have night vision as good

к an owl’s or a dog’s but not as good as a cat’s or a bat’s. A

be rse’s enhanced night vision is due to the tapetum lucidum, a

---orlike. fibro-elastic layer on the lower half of the interior

i i the eye. It reflects and essentially doubles the amount of

ieht sent to the retina. The tapetum lucidum’s metallic luster

i: ' hat causes shine when a light is flashed into a horse’s eyes

r_ the dark. So next time you ride your horse on a dark night,

Lr о w that he can see better than you can because of the special

irirares in his eyes.

And if you’ve ever “been through the desert on a horse with

i : r.ame,” your steed probably tolerated the bright light better

fa n vou did (unless you were wearing polarized sunglasses).

Hut’s because horses have built-in sunglasses. Corpora nigra

■also called iris bodies or brown bodies) are cloud-shaped,

r cnented structures that hang over the iris, partially occlud-

.ight from entering the pupil directly. The pupil’s narrow,

be rrzontal configuration in bright light tends to decrease the

■nount of light entering the eye from above (the sun and sky)

i " i below (reflection of the sun on the ground or sand). In

iration, a horse’s long, downward-angling eyelashes help act

. : > unscreen or visor.

It takes longer for a horse's eyes to

adjust from bright light to darkness

than it does for a human's.

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 23

Depth Perception Since depth perception is possible only in the binocular field,

and since a horse’s binocular field is much narrower than a

human’s, a horse’s depth perception is not as good as ours.

When a horse is free to raise his head to really look at some­

thing, he is able to use the area of his eye with the greatest

depth perception. Horses are naturally poor at judging dis­

tances visually but can be trained to “know” distances, such as

for jumping, by using specific training techniques.

Color Vision The horse’s eye has two types of cone cells in the retina that are

sensitive to color whereas a human has three types of cone cells.

Whether horses can see colors as we do is still widely debated.

Most researchers agree that horses do have more than “shades

of gray” discrimination but not the color range of humans.

Exactly which colors horses see is still unresolved.

The Third Eyelid A horse has an upper eyelid and a lower eyelid that protect the

eye, but in addition, he has a third eyelid (called a nictitating

membrane). The third eyelid is located in the inner corner of

each eye between the eyeball and the lower lid. When irritants

are present, the third eyelid moves quickly across the eye to

protect and wipe off the cornea. It also contains a gland that

secretes tears to wash and lubricate the eye.

The Eyes Have It

Most breed standards state that large, dark, wide-set, promi­

nent eyes, placed well on the outside of the head, are desirable.

Conversely, light-colored or small, recessed "pig" eyes, close

together and located on the front of the head, are undesirable.

Dark-colored eyes are thought to be less sensitive to bright light

wide-set eyes are usually coupled with a wide forehead, indicat­

ing more cranial capacity and a better temperament. Prominent

eyes contribute to a greater field of vision.

T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

ield,

an a

Durs.

>me-

atest

,-dis-

ch as

at are

1 cells.

3ated.

hades

mans.

The horse's eye is beautiful and

functional. The thick, downward- angling lashes offer protection

from debris and act as a sun visor.

;ct the

itating

•ner of

ritants

eye to

id that

)le.

ght.

:at-

:nt

~:rse Tears Sears from the lachrymal gland and the gland of the third

..i wash over the eye, collect in the lower lid, and then

I dk through a canal (the nasolachrymal duct) that empties

Дг: ugh an opening in the floor of the nostrils. If the ducts

: e: :'me plugged, tears run down the horse’s face rather than

be : the nostrils. If age, injury, infection, or dust clogs these

iects. your veterinarian may be able to open them and restore

fc ir function.

>: : I T H A N D N A S A L PA S SA G E S

Brain

Sara' cord

Trachea Tongue Incisors Nasolachrymal duct

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 25

Hearing ★ ★ ★

Frequency is a more techni­

cal term fo r pitch, or the

number o f vibrations a

sound produces p er second.

One kilohertz (kHz) equals

1,000 hertz (Hz).

Infrasound refers to any

sound with a frequency

below a humans audible

range o f hearing (i.e., less

than 20 Hz).

Ultrasound is any sound

with a frequency above a

humans audible range o f

hearing (i.e., more than

20 kHz).

★ ★ ★

When a horse hears something in the distance, he might stop

eating and stand perfectly still, head up and ears forward, com­

pletely immobile, as if receiving a transmission from planet

Equus. Then, just as suddenly, he might return to eating as if

nothing had happened; or he might shift into an excited flight

mode, increasing his distance from the object he heard.

A horse’s hearing structures are similar to those of other

mammals, except that horses’ ears are the most mobile of any

domestic animal. These large, movable funnels are able to twist

nearly 180 degrees from front to back as they focus on and

gather sounds. It is generally thought that a horse’s hearing is

better than a humans in several ways.

Pitch Horses can hear higher frequencies (pitches) than we can.

They can hear low frequencies with their ears, and they can

sense even lower frequencies through their hooves and their

teeth when grazing.

Frequency is measured in hertz. One hertz is equal to one

vibration per second. A sound like the human heartbeat has a

low frequency or pitch. A special whistle used to call a dog has

a high frequency or pitch, meaning that it has a fast vibration.

Humans can’t hear all frequencies: the range for a healthy

young person is 20 Hz (foghorn) to 20,000 Hz or 20 kHz

(boatswain’s whistle). We are most sensitive to sounds in the

1,000 to 4,000 Hz range. The human voice generally has a pitch

in the 500 to 2,000 Hz range, although male vowels can be

lower than 500 Hz. In general, vowels are below 1,000 Hz and

consonants are in the 2,000 to 4,000 Hz range.

With age, we lose our ability to hear high frequencies. By

middle age, the highest we can hear is about 12 to 14 kHz. Men

lose their high-pitch hearing sooner than women do.

Volume Horses can hear sounds from greater distances than we can,

even several miles away, depending on the wind. And it is

generally thought that they can hear (and feel) lower-volume

a horse has the most mobile ears tones than humans and that they are more sensitive to loud

of any domestic animal. noises than humans.

26 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

How Horses and Humans Hear Pitch

All ranges listed here are approximate, because various methods of research produce various results. In

addition, with animals it is hard to determine when something has been heard.

Pitch Range

1-2 Hz

Sound

Human heartbeat

261.7 Hz Middle С

500 HZ —

1000 HZ Human voice

2000 (2 kHz)__

3000 (3 kHz) Cell phone beeper or baby crying

12 kHz Human hearing loss occurs

15 kHz Dog whistle*

25 kHz

* might be silent to us, but can be heard by most dogs, cats, horses, dolphins, and whales

Who Hears What? ★ Range of hearing for humans in their prime (as

young adults) is about 20 Hz-20 kHz with maxi­

mum sensitivity in the 1-4 kHz range.

★ Range for horses in their prime (five to nine

. ears of age) is 55 Hz-25 kHz or more, with maxi­

mum hearing sensitivity in the 1-16 kHz range.

N I

N X о CM

M П ‘£Z Ф ■П с CO E

★ Range for dogs in their prime is 40 Hz-60 kHz.

★ Range for cats in their prime is 45 Hz-85 kHz.

★ Bats can detect ultrasound frequencies as high

as 120 kHz; dolphins, 200 kHz.

★ Elephants hold the infrasound record, with a

range from 5 Hz-10 kHz.

Volume is measured in decibels (dB), which is a logarithmic

_nit that represents the energy of the sound. Decibels aren’t

like ordinary numbers. For example, 20 dB has ten times the

energy of 10 dB, and 30 dB has one hundred times the energy

of 10 dB.

Horses have survived because they developed keen hearing,

>: it is no wonder that they are always listening, are innately

- —'picious, and can be easily startled by various sounds,

loud noises with high decibel ratings, such as gunfire,

enide backfire, and diesel truck engine brakes, can cause any

-: rse to startle and possibly spook. This fear can be overcome

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 27

with systematic conditioning, however, as evidenced by the

successful use of horses in the military and police forces.

Quiet barn noises of the type that take place during groom­

ing and tacking up fall into a pleasant range somewhere around

20 to 35 decibels. Noises of 85 decibels or greater, however,

such as loud music or a tractor or truck pulling up to the barn,

can be unsettling and even harmful to hearing.

Sounds That Worry Horses When traveling, horses can become very anxious from con­

stant truck, trailer, and road noise — the rattling of stall divid­

ers and doors, the sound of the engine, and other traffic noise.

The more a horse travels, the more he can become accustomed

to the noise, but in the early stages, you can dampen the effects

by putting cotton in his ears.

When a horse shows an aversion to having his bridle path or

throatlatch clipped, he could be reacting to the vibration of the

clippers, but more often it is the buzzing sound that bothers

Volume of Common Sounds

Here are some everyday sounds that you and your horse hear. The red line indicates

the level beyond which pain, damage, or death can occur.

Sound

Hearing threshold (human)

Human breathing

Rustle of leaves

whispering

Mosquito flying

Normal talking

Singing birds

Busy traffic

Vacuum nearby

Train nearby

Telephone dial tone

With repeated exposure, hearing damage begins

Heavy traffic

OSHA regulations begin

Volume in Decibels

(estimate) Sound

Volume in Decibels

(estimate)

0 Tractor at 80% throttle 100

10 Lawnmower, firecrackers 100

20 Thunder 100-130

20-30 Motorcycle, chain saw 110

40 OSHA requires protection 115

40-60 Tickling sensation 120

60 Rock concert, snowmobile 120

65-80 Unsafe; pain occurs 130

70-80 Jackhammer or gun 130

65-90 Dynamite blast 140

80 Jet nearby 150

85

Physical damage occurs 150

Shotgun blast, muzzle end 160

90 Rupture o f eardrum 190

90 Death 200

28 H O W T O T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Sounds That Trigger Anticipation Horses link certain sounds to specific activities, such as feed­

ing. Just like Pavlov’s dogs that salivated when they heard a bell

ring before being fed, horses anticipate being fed when they

hear sounds they know precede feeding. Here on our ranch,

the horses respond by becoming more active physically or call­

ing for feed when they hear:

Q The very first word or morning yawn from

the house

О The back door to the house opening and closing

Q The barn door sliding open or the feed room

door opening or closing

him, resembling a horde of insects attacking one of his blind

spots. Again, the instinct to survive tells the horse to avoid

clippers. It is easy to teach a horse that clippers are no threat by

using systematic desensitization. Unfortunately, it is also easy

to teach him to fear the clippers if you physically restrain him

and give him a sharp whack when he raises his head.

Wind, in and of itself, is noisy. It also brings with it more

sounds for the horse to process, and it masks other sounds.

A horse might normally hear sounds from one-quarter mile

away. With a 15-mile-per-hour wind, he might hear sounds

from one-half mile or more upwind and very little from down­

wind. It is no wonder horses are uneasy in the wind.

Horses also hear subtle precursor sounds that let them know

another horse is moving through their territory. Our horses

~en call out when they hear gates or stall doors opening or

closing, which signals the movement of horses and means it’s

nine to say hello or good-bye. When they hear the rattle of

-:ill dividers in a horse trailer way off in the distance, they are

alerted and keenly focus on its direction. When it passes by

i or ranch, if there is a horse in it, they often exchange vocal

jr~:ings as the trailer goes by.

When a cattle drive is still several miles away, they will be

г reoccupied with that direction. Sure enough, an hour or so

later, the cows start filing past our lane. In many cases, our

- : :>es make better watchdogs than our Rottweilers do, letting

Horses are restless in the wind

because of what they hear and

what they can't hear.

T H E H O R S E S SENS ES 29

us know by their alert posture and

ears pointed in a particular direction

that something unusual is happening

in our valley.

Horses can discriminate between

various human voices and words. (See

more on this in chapter 8.)

Sherlock stops and waits, watching

and listening for my cue to either

go forward or turn.

Speaking So Your Horse Will Listen A horse’s hearing is so keen that loud

voice commands are not only unnec­

essary, they are also rude and coun­

terproductive. Good horsemen can

often be observed communicating

with a horse in a type of low-level

“breaking patter,” a term from bygone

cowboy days. It describes a type of

low-volume mumbling a cowboy might use around a horse

that he is training. The soothing tones calm the horse. Hence

the term horse whisperer.

From my observation, the music or radio talk shows that

play in some horse barns are more for humans than the horses.

Some horses adapt to the constant noise, tune it out, and relax

in spite of it. Since a barn should be a peaceful haven for a

horse, however, I believe it would be more appropriate if there

were no radio or just soft, soothing music playing.

Smell and Taste The senses of smell and taste are more highly developed in

horses than in humans, and they are closely connected. Smell

is processed in a horse’s moist nostrils, which have a very large

surface area. Odor particulates are carried through the air and

deposited on the moist tissues, and the information is sent to

the brain for decoding.

Taste is processed by papillae on the tongue, throat, and

palate. Liquids or solids that the horse ingests pass over the

tongue and are either accepted or rejected. Horses naturally

like salty and quickly learn to like sweet, but generally don’t

like bitter or sour.

30 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

If a horse detects the flavor of a bitter pill, or suspects that

ne is coming his way, he will spit it out or try to avoid taking

it That’s why we sometimes need to disguise or mix certain

medications with something sweet, such as molasses-coated

sweet feed, soaked beet pulp, frosting, or applesauce.

Smell is horses’ tool of recognition. Their ritual is to smell

v.'ithout being smelled. Just like with dogs, when two horses

meet, each one wants to find out all he can about the other

"orse, without letting the other horse get too close to him.

When a horse is meeting a new horse, person, or object, the

-melling might need to be very thorough and could take some

■ me, but with a known associate, the sniffing is often ritualistic

and quick. After a brief sniff between friends, mutual groom-

ng often follows. After the deeper scent exchange takes place

: etween strange horses, if there is a challenge or threat they

might swish their tails, lift their hind legs, pin back their ears,

.: '.\rer their heads, squeal, and possibly strike or kick.

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 31

Mutual grooming is reciprocal nib­ bling along the neck, withers, and

back between two horses, usually

bonded buddies.

★ ★ ★

In reaction to a certain smell,

som e horses will exhibit the

flehmen response: raising

the head and curling back

his upper lip, sending scent

into the vomeronasal organ.

All creatures respond to

chem ical substances called

pheromones. Secreted by one

animal, pherom ones contain

information and elicit a

specific behavioral or physi­

ological response in another

anim al o f the sam e species.

★ ★ ★

The Flehmen Response If the smelling ritual includes recognition of hormones in urine,

sweat, or other bodily fluids, the odors often elicit the flehmen

response. The horse curls his upper lip back, driving the scent

into his nostrils and sealing it there, where the odor particles

can be processed by the vomeronasal organ (also known as

the Jacobson’s organ) at the top of the nasal passages. The area

is physiologically structured so that there is a direct route

between odor processing and the flehmen response behavior.

Other things that cause the flehmen response include medi­

cine, blood, perfume, smoke from hot shoeing, cigarettes or

hands that have held them. Although to us it is an odd behav­

ior, it is perfectly normal.

In some horses, the flehmen response is much more com­

mon than in others. Our big sorrel gelding, Dickens, has an

exquisite flehmen response. It is predictable and easily trig­

gered by worming preparations, mare urine, or new feed. It

lasts for minutes once it has started. Yet I can never remember

A World of Smells

A horse's behavior is often influenced by odors —

subtle smells that we might not detect and strong

smells that we might just label foul or pungent. To

the horse, they are a storehouse of information.

Here are some examples.

Shortly after birth, the mare and her foal parti­

cipate in an important bonding session through

smell and taste. The mare licks the foal, and the

foal nurses from the mare. This recognition lasts

a lifetime.

Horses mark their territory with manure and

urine. Stallions do this most distinctly by estab­

lishing and using stud piles (mounds of manure)

and by covering a mare's urine or feces with their

urine. Any horse, however, when put in a fresh

stall, scents it with his or her own body aromas.

Perhaps it makes the stall feel more like home.

The smell of urine is also the primary way a stal­

lion detects whether a mare is in heat.

Horses are notoriously good at homing, and it

has been suggested that their primary means of

finding home is by following the trail of scent.

The larger and more open a horse's nostrils are, the more oxygen and information he can take in.

32 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Horses are extremely sensitive to

the smell of water, which protects

them from drinking from a con­ taminated source.

T O N G U E

when processing odors, a horse sends

the scent up the nasal passages to the

vomeronasal organ.

vomeronasal organ

Taste buds

- ering our gelding Sherlock or mare Seeker exhibit the flehmen

-^ponse. To see if your horse will exhibit this behavior, the

■ ext time you clean your gelding’s sheath or your mare’s udder,

let that horse or another smell your glove with the waxy resi­

due on it.

Vie Scent of Water Tr.e equine sense of smell is so acute that it can make a horse

go off water if the source of his drinking water changes. He can

detect subtle differences in the mineral content and, depend-

ing on the horse, he might refuse to drink unfamiliar water.

If offered only unpalatable water, it could be days before he

ill cave in and drink, and by then he might be severely dehy­

drated.

If you travel with your horse, you can flavor his water. A

eek before departure, begin using a small amount of apple

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 33

и

juice, flavored gelatin, or another aromatic substance to flavi

the water at home. While on the road, repeat the process, so 1

will be less likely to pick up the differences in water.

Sniffing Danger Since horses can’t regurgitate, it is fortunate their keen sens

of smell prevents them from eating harmful substances. Tb

senses of smell and taste protect most horses from the multi

tude of poisonous plants that populate and border pastures. 1

there is sufficient high-quality grass forage, a horse will tend t<

avoid eating odd plants. If there is nothing else to eat, howevei

a horse will finally give in and eat the usually less palatabh

plants, some of which can be toxic.

Unless horses are very hungry or thirsty, they generally won’l

eat feed or water that is “off” — hay or pasture that has been

trampled or fouled by other animals or spoiled by rodents,

mold, bacteria, dirt, dust, scum, slime, or algae. This is a good

thing, because a horse’s digestive system is fairly sensitive to

many of these agents.

That said, you’ve probably seen a foal eating Mom’s manure.

It is thought that this practice enables the foal to populate his

intestines with the bacteria necessary for digestion of forage.

Disgusting by human standards; normal for horses.

j

i

34 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

When high-quality pasture is avail­ able, horses tend to avoid unpalat­ able or poisonous plants. Foals and

young horses learn what to eat or drink and how to graze by watching

their dams or other horses. Once a

horse has tried a feed, if it tastes

okay and doesn't make him sick, then he has learned to adapt to

that feed as nutrition.

■

What Do Horses Like to Eat? Various factors can affect what a horse will eat. Wild horses

:end to have an inherent wisdom regarding what is good or

bad to eat and also what they might need to eat in terms of salt,

minerals, or herbs. Our domestic horses may or may not retain

that instinct. If a stalled horse that is rarely turned out is sud­

denly put on a weed lot, he is likely to ingest weeds that could

;ause colic or worse, just to enjoy eating something green and

growing.

Given their druthers, however, horses show some very spe-

cific preferences for taste and texture, and what you find out

might surprise you. Each horse has a different palate, but I’ve

round that, in general, my horses prefer coarse hay to fine

hav (see box below), and they eat more broad-leaved plants,

including thistle, on pasture than I’d expect.

Hay Taste Test

When it comes to hay, I'm constantly doing taste tests with my horses. For example, in a recent test,

l set out three types of hay:

Л "Busy hay" — Very coarse, "Green hay" — Bright green, "caram el hay" — Tightly

I overly mature orchard grass/ Z l fine grass/alfalfa mix that was О baled, heavy flakes of

brome hay mix that was put up densely packed and put up moist, rich grass/alfalfa hay that had

perfectly dry and loosely baled. so it was still a bit damp to the caramelized in the center of the

No seed heads, just coarse pale touch but gorgeous to look at. flakes to a deep brown, tobac­

green stems. Because of its high moisture con­ colike color. This hay was not

tent, it was soft and would bend moldy or dusty but it was odd

rather than break. It had a unique hay, with more of the scent of

aroma that I would call slightly a sweet cigar or burnt Vidalia

acidic. onion than that of a salad.

By visual inspection, one would expect the horses

:э prefer the hays in this order: 2 ,1 ,3 , or green,

b jsy, caramel. Almost all of the horses, however,

preferred them in this order: 3,1, 2; or caramel,

busy, green. Among our various horses, the cara-

~el hay and the busy hay were often quite close

n preference, while the green hay was always

left till last, often just lightly picked through and

wasted.

So, based on the results, we renamed the hays:

1. Basic hay

2. Acid hay

3. Pate hay, as in smoked foie gras, an aged

hay for connoisseurs.

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 35

Touch ★ ★ ★

Horses with ancestors that

trace to heavy war horses

and draft breeds are often

described as cold-blooded.

Their characteristics might

include more substance o f

bone, thick skin, heavy hair

coat, shaggy fetlocks, and

lower red blood cell and

hemoglobin values. Horses

with ancestors that trace to

Thoroughbreds or Arabians

are called hot-blooded. Their

characteristics might include

fineness o f bone, thin skin,

fin e hair coat, absence o f

fetlock hair, and higher red

blood cell and hemoglobin

values.

★ ★ ★

When it comes to the sense of touch, just because horses are

big does not mean they are dull. In fact, quite the opposite is

true: horses are exquisitely sensitive.

Sensitivity differs greatly among individual horses, depend­

ing on the thickness of their skin and hair coat and the type

of receptors at various parts of the body. While some cold­

blooded horses can show duller reaction times and slower

response to touch, most saddle horse breeds, which are a mix­

ture of cold- and hot-blooded breeds, are quite sensitive. A

horse’s skin and underlying muscles react the way yours do to

light touch; heavy, steady pressure; pain; heat; and cold.

Sensitive Areas In addition, a horse has particularly sensitive “feelers” that take

the place of hands when inspecting things. The whiskers on

a horse’s lips and nose and around his eyes are antennae that

help him detect where he is putting his head, especially in the

dark. Since he can’t actually see what is in the bottom of the

bucket or water trough, his feelers help him get into tight or

deep places without hurting his head. That’s why it is best not

to clip off these feelers for supposed aesthetics, such as in the

Z O N E S O F S E N S IT IV IT Y

Knowing where your horse

is most and least sensitive

will help you choose the

appropriate touch, tools, and aids.

Very sensitive

Medium sensitive

. Toughest: can be rubbed

36 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

show ring. Whiskers are there for a reason — they are a neces-

sary protective feature.

The muzzle is a highly tactile area containing nerve end-

ings, whiskers, and the sensors for smell and taste. Although

a muzzle is soft and begs to be petted, how would you like it if

> meone came up and put their hand in your face? Respect the

horse’s muzzle as a sensory center and remember that below it

s a blind spot. Unfortunately, I’ve seen many people become

iniured or lose a finger when a horse instinctively bit what was

_r.der his muzzle, either because he felt threatened or because

ле was anticipating being fed. Try rubbing your horse’s fore-

aead, neck, or withers instead of his muzzle and he’ll tell you

which he prefers.

Horses use their mouths to lip (inspect), lick (inspect), chew

i inspect or destroy), bite (destroy), warn, and defend. Items

that are commonly bitten or chewed include ropes, blankets,

vood, fences, buckets, and the manes and tails of other horses.

In addition, horses use their mouths and teeth to groom them­

selves (legs and sides) and others (mutual grooming).

A horse also uses his hooves to inspect things. He will try to

gain a sense of safety, softness, or depth by pawing footing or

rlooring. Horses usually can sense unsafe, boggy ground well

Tefore stepping into it.

How Horses Like to Be Touched In general, horses like to be rubbed, not tickled or slapped.

They enjoy being rubbed on their forehead, neck, withers,

nack, croup, and chest. The rare horse would solicit rubbing on

sensitive areas such as the flank, girth, belly, nose, ears, or legs.

>o when you first start working with a horse, handle him in

places you know he will naturally enjoy and gradually get him

used to being handled in his ticklish areas. Every horse has his

r avorite spot, so experiment with each of your horses.

Since horses love rubbing on many parts of their bodies, it

should come as no surprise that they also love to rub their

bodies on fences, buildings, and even other horses, often for

long periods of time and with rhythmic swaying. This behav­

ior can destroy a mane or a tail head in a single session and

;an result in ripped blankets or damaged fences or buildings.

Regular grooming and allowing a horse to roll usually prevent

destructive rubbing habits from becoming established.

t h e h o r s e s s e n s e s 37

This foal has found a solid limb of the

perfect height for him to obsessively

rub his mane and neck against. By

now his neck is almost bald.

r especting a Horse's Sensitivity Horses are sensitive to touch, which means we can and

Ф. _ld train with very light pressure, not force.

Horses tend to move away from light intermittent pres-

Icre it is irritating) and lean into heavy, steady pressure (it

■ comforting). If you’ve ever tried to move an untrained

borse over and resorted to leaning bodily into him, you

Most 'ikely found that he leaned into you with all of his

* : and loved it! When communicating with the horse, -JJ

fc-jether through a halter or a hand, small taps are much

n : re effective than an all-out tug-of-war. As odd as it might

■cm. a light tap or a pesky little tickle on the ribs is more

Уге—ve in making a horse move away than steady pres-

■tre Take a lesson from the flies!

7:cch is an active sense, not a passive one. Desensiti-

■Doa results from becoming accustomed to prolonged or

fcrer.ed stimulus. Here’s an example. Where we live, there

arr тегу few horseflies, so when a horsefly does land on

ftne dt our horses to suck blood, it drives them crazy. One

■mg, a stallion from Wyoming was visiting our ranch,

JEc he brought along his own entourage of horseflies. They

rd portions of his back like shingles on a roof. He

: react to them at all. He had become desensitized to

■r stimulus of the flies.

"•’■ hen you ride, you communicate with your horse by

“ through his mouth or nose and on his back and

He will feel if you are relaxed or tense through your

n his back and by the feel of your legs on his sides.

.igh you first need to accustom a horse to being

:ed all over without becoming afraid (see discussion of

bbtuation in chapter 9), constant stimulation on his body

u r deaden him to the sensations, leading to the notion of

■arc-mouthed and dull-sided horses.

: : u use minimal intensity in your rein and leg aids, you

■til develop and maintain a horse’s sensitivity. Otherwise,

ight habituate him to the aids to a point where he is

rhem and no longer responds. The temptation at that

I rt:: is to bring out spurs and a more severe bit. There is

■ЁЕе line between the desensitization that is necessary to

к i horse safe and keeping the horse responsive to the

.

A horse will move away from a

light, pesky tickle, whether made

by a fly or a whip.

Considerate Grooming

Use the appropriate tool in the right place and with the correct technique. The tools are listed in order from most harsh to most gentle.

Tool Area of Body Technique Comments

Metal curry

Not to be used on the

horse at all

Run the mud brush

over the metal curry

to clean it

Save for using on other

brushes, not on horses.

The sharp metal teeth

would scratch a horse's

skin.

Shedding blade

Heavily muscled body

parts (neck, shoulder,

hindquarters)

Long strokes and light

to moderate pressure

Use to remove long,

thick winter coat. Sharp

teeth can scratch skin

and create an open

invitation for skin infec­

tions.

Sweat scraper

Heavily muscled

body parts

Long strokes and light

to moderate pressure

Use to remove water

from coat after bath

or sweat after a hard

workout.

Heavily muscled

body parts

Moderate pressure and

circular motion to rough

up the coat and loosen

debris

Choose a pliable rubber

curry that conforms to

the horse's body and

your hand. Avoid hard

plastic curries.

: .:*8&2£& i - : Heavily muscled

body parts

Short flicking motion to

send dirt and debris off

the coat

Either natural or syn­

thetic bristles are okay

as long as the ends are

not sharp.

Stiff-bristled mud brush

40 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Tool Area of Body Technique Comments

i l t 1-

Medium brush

ery soft rubber curry

Ribs, upper legs

Face, lower legs, belly,

flank

Long strokes to remove Use also to brush mane

final particles and to and tail,

start laying down the

coat

Light but steady pres- Wherever there is just

sure and circular motion skin over bone, use a

soft rubber curry that

has tiny rubber fingers.

Face, lower legs, belly,

flank

. ery soft body brush such as fine horsehair)

Smooth strokes and

flicks

A soothing finishing

brush for sensitive

areas.

Face, flank, under tail,

and to clean udder and

sheath

Wet, let set, then wipe.

No scrubbing

Warm water makes

cleaning easier and is

more comfortable for

the horse.

Cloth, sponge

Face, ears, jaw, lower

legs

Massage or stroke Use hands to strip water

off lower legs. Use

grooming gloves with

bumps to clean face

and area around eyes.Hand, with or without gloves

T H E h o r s e ’ s S ENS ES 41

Reflexes As the horse survived over millions of years by avoiding preda­

tors, he developed a set of reflexes that remain with him to

this day Natural selection favored horses that escaped preda­

tors. These individuals passed along their highly developed

instincts, and today’s horses exhibit a vast array of deeply

ingrained reflex chains.

Because reflexes are unconscious reactions, they are poten­

tially dangerous. We need to systematically override such

reflexes in order to handle and use a horse safely.

Flight is a horse’s main means of defense, so a horse’s legs

are vital to survival. Anything that diminishes his ability to

use his legs is a threat. For example, picking up the feet is often

a difficult task for novice owners, because a horse has deeply

ingrained protective reflexes related to his legs. The goal is first

to accustom him to having his leg touched, and then to pick up

the leg for a moment and build on that.

The Suck Reflex When a mare nibbles her newborn foal or the foal rubs his

head up against the mare, or a person scratches the foal on the

top of the head or over the tail head, it causes the foal to reach

with his head and neck, search for the dam’s udder, and make

suckling motions with his lips. Often, any rubbing along the

foal’s spinal column or the top half of the head will precipi­

tate oral movement, such as when two horses perform mutual

grooming. Because nuzzling and nibbling often lead to biting,

when we groom or handle foals and young horses we need to

override their natural desire to “mouth” us.

Withdrawal Reflex The withdrawal reflex is what causes a horse to snap his leg off

the ground when it is touched by a predator, a fly, a hand, or

clippers. Certainly, you want to preserve your horse’s natural

protective instincts so he can take care of himself in a pasture,

but you also want to work safely around his legs. You need

to systematically train your horse to keep his weight on his

legs for clipping, grooming, and bandaging. You want to train

him to pick up his foot when you ask him to, while still fully

expecting him to react quickly if a fly lands on his cannon.

★ ★ ★

A reflex is the automatic response o f a muscle to a specific certain stimulus. A horse does not think before responding; he reacts unconsciously.

★ ★ ★

42 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Croup and Perineal Chains с roup and perineal reflex chains cause a horse (particu-

briy a mare) to clamp the tail, tuck the croup (squat), and pos-

i : Kick and buck when the underside of the tail or anus is

M -:hed, especially with something cold, such as a neoprene

•■• rap or a spray of water. This is an automatic physical

mse to attack, to unfamiliar tack, or to handling. To this

iv my dear 31-year-old mare, Zinger, shudders and squats

■ce every time she is bathed.

These reflexes also make a horse clamp down her tail and

tighten her anal sphincter muscle just as you are about to

inert a thermometer or palpate. Sassy, my 29-year-old brood-

has a perineal reflex that has been dubbed “tail of steel.”

i : ugh she quickly overcomes it and relaxes in response to a

touch and consideration, she has a very strong and deter-

red instinct to protect her anus and vulva. Sassy has been

excellent broodmare, settling easily with no infections, and

lg well into her mid-twenties. It would seem that her self-

: - :ective reflexes have contributed to her breeding soundness

tc longevity.

★ ★ ★

Aids are the means by which a trainer or rider communicates with the horse. Natural aids are the mind, voice, hands, legs, and body (weight, seat, and back); artificial aids include the halter, whip, spurs, and chain.

★ ★ ★

taneous Trunci Chain cutaneous trunci (panniculus chain) is responsible for the

fcpid, repeated muscle contraction of the skin over the horse’s

- HTel: for example, when a fly lands on his rib cage. This same

-e£e x can make a horse hypersensitive to a riders leg cues.

Spina Prominens Chain spina (vertebra) prominens chain causes a horse to

b Qow his back if you run a fingernail down his spine.

proper conditioning or ill-fitting tack, coupled with

#■_:> reflex, may lead to a hollow back and bucking

n the horse is saddled or ridden.

0 ther Reflexes 1 ther reflexes commonly seen in horses include ear

- ~:;h, eyeblink, tearing, pupil dilation, head shake,

Biliva production, sneezing, and coughing. If you are

̂ are of the origin and nature of reflex chains, you can

--'-gn your lessons to help calm your horse’s fears and

erride his reflexes.

Sherlock's strong reflex in response

to light pressure on the right side

of his topline caused him to bend

his neck so dramatically that he

could easily touch his hip.

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 43

А Мар of Equine Reflexes

Reflexes are automatic responses to pressure on or movement of various portions of the

body. The intensity of the reaction will vary depending on the horse's physical makeup

(thin skin, fine hair coat, hot- or cold-blooded, etc.), temperament, experience, training,

physical restriction, degree of relaxation or tension, and how forcefully and with what

means the pressure is applied. A willful, resentful, or sullen horse will override his own

reflexes and tune out your aids as a means of protection or defense, and nothing you can

do will get a reaction.

Normal reflexes are reactions to pressure on various areas. A wild or unhandled dom es­

tic horse will show reflex reactions dramatically. A seasoned, trained riding horse may

show little or none as the reflexes have been overridden by habituation and training.

44 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Using your finger, a retracted b

point pen, and a brush handle, app

various amounts of pressure to eac

area. Note your horse's reactions.

* Poll: Raises the head and neck; may try to pull

aftSv Can be conditioned to lower head.

: Hhdge of nose: Raises head, hollows neck, flips

-cse jp . Can be conditioned to lower head.

: : oll flexion: With no alteration in a normal neck

:cs ~on, an upward rotation of the head via exten-

э : i at the poll or raising of the head causes forelimb

•fecion and hind limb extension; a downward rotation

rr n e head or flexion at the poll induces hind-leg

•fe : i and foreleg extension.

* Crest: Lowers neck.

: Ereast: Backs up if the head is low. If head is high,

т=ге* is blocked.

: =orelimb extensors: Causes cannon and hoof to

л ?й out to the front.

~ fo re lim b flexors: Causes leg to bend at the knee.

* Withers: Light pressure: lowers head, reaches with

*e£c nibbles if scratched. Heavy pressure: moves

за s . from pain, makes threatening gestures with

■пе=с and neck.

; Tonic neck reflex: Contracts on the touched side,

fl — no alteration in normal head position: Laterally

■c -cave neck induces hind-leg flexion and foreleg

; c r 's io n on side touched. Laterally convex neck

r a x e s foreleg flexion and hind-leg extension.

ic Back (spina prominens chain): Light pressure

"ir s: ne from withers to loin will cause hollowing.

I t side of spine, will cause spine to curve away

■r - i-essure, left hind leg to move forward, and

ip s .5 : у head and neck will curl to the left also. The

ж e-se will occur with pressure on the right side.

11. Ribs: Head turns toward pressure, ribs flex away

from pressure, nearest hind leg flexes, opposite hind

extends, causing sway or crossing.

12. Loin: Flattens or rounds back.

13. Croup: Tucks tail and hindquarters and rounds

back.

14. Semitendinosus (hamstrings): Raises leg or

kicks backwards.

15. Gaskin; Flexes hock,

16. Flank: Reaches hind leg forward or "cow-kicks."

17. Sheath: Reaches both hind legs forward. Drops

croup.

18. Abdominal muscles: Contracts belly, rounds

back, arches neck, drops croup.

19. Distal limbs: Withdraws legs by flexion.

20. Cutaneous trunci or panniculus (sheet of

muscle under skin of barrel) reflex: Light stroking

causes rapid, repeated twitching. Firm, steady pres­

sure causes isometric contraction.

21. Perineal: Contact with anus causes contraction

of anal sphincter and tail clamping.

t h e h o r s e ’ s s e n s e s 45

Proprioceptive Sense Receptors located in muscles and tendons con­

stantly send messages to the brain that help coor­

dinate a horse’s movements. Horses generally

have very good proprioceptive sense, some much

better than others.

Coordination is closely coupled to the proprio­

ceptive sense. A horse is well coordinated if his

body parts function harmoniously when he per­

forms complex movements such as canter, stop,

and turn.

Proprioceptive sense is knowing where parts of the body

(such as the limbs) are in relation to other parts and to

objects, without being able to see them. Zipper has good pro­

prioceptive sense as he crosses the brightly colored bridge.

Senses at a Glance

VISIO N

★ Horses have a broader range of periph­

eral vision and a wider range of adapta­

tion to light than humans do.

★ In a certain zone at far distances, horses

have better visual acuity and motion

detection.

★ Humans take home the all-around bet­

ter visual acuity trophy.

★ In general, humans have a faster rate of

light adaptation than horses do.

★ Although a horses ears are used pri­

marily to take in communication, they are

also a means of communication, as will be

discussed in chapter 8.

SMELL AND TASTE

★ Smell and taste are more highly devel­

oped in horses than in humans.

★ These senses gather information about

the environment and other horses, protect

the horse, and guide his behavior.

H EA R IN G

★ Horses have more mobile ears than

humans do and can pinpoint a sounds

location without moving their head.

★ They can hear higher and lower pitches

and seem to have greater sensitivity to vol­

ume at both ends of the scale.

T O U C H

★ Because the horse is a sensitive animal,

always start with the least intense signal

possible and go from there. Not only does

that leave you room to amp up your aids,

but it also ensures that your horse is being

treated fairly and humanely.

46 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

C H A P T E R

The Physical Horse

I n a d d i t i o n то t h e s e n s e s , some unique physiology

sets the horse apart from humans and other mammals.

Understanding these characteristics will help you provide more

appropriate handling and better care.

“Strong as a horse” is somewhat of a paradox. While many

physical features make the wild horse tough and durable, capa­

ble of surviving millions of years, the domestic horse can be

very sensitive and vulnerable. Feeding, veterinary care, hoof

care, and training practices can make or break a horse. Knowing

about the horse’s teeth, intestines, back, skeleton, and hooves

will help you become a better horsekeeper, trainer, and rider.

47

Seasonal Changes

Zinger's thick winter coat and long

guard hairs keep her skin dry and

her body warm.

Modern man has all but lost his natural connections to sea­

sonal rhythms. Not so the horse. The horse’s inherent calendar

and biological alarms and triggers automatically guide him

through such events as procreation and wardrobe changes.

Breeding Season Horses are seasonally polyestrous, which means they have a

specific breeding season each year, with multiple breeding

periods triggered by day length. In the Northern Hemisphere,

the most viable breeding months are from spring (April) to fall

(September).

A mare’s estrous cycle lasts an average of twenty-one to

twenty-three days, and during that time the mare is in stand­

ing heat (receptive to the stallion) for an average of five to

seven days. Gestation length is eleven months. In the wild,

foals are generally born in the summer, to take advantage of

warm weather and good pasture. All wild and pastured horses

tend to gain weight in the summer and fall in preparation for

winter, when feed is scarce and many plants are dormant.

Seasonal Coat In spring, in response to lengthening days, a horse sheds his

winter coat and grows a shorter summer coat. In the fall, in

response to shortening days, he sheds his summer coat and

grows a long winter coat. His hair grows thicker and longer

in the winter to protect his body from cold, wet weather, and

he gets particularly shaggy under the jaw, along the belly and

underline, and on the legs.

A horse’s skin secretes a waxy exudate called sebum, a natu­

ral waterproofing. Even if rain or snow penetrates the long hair

coat, if the sebum is undisturbed it will repel the moisture.

Although grooming in the summer distributes natural oils and

is good, bathing or deep and thorough grooming in the winter

strips the skin of its built-in protection and so is not advised

unless the horse will be blanketed. Horses do not require blan­

kets unless they are ill, thin, old, or have no shelter.

Horses have guard hairs that act as antennae around their

eyes and on their muzzles. The protective hair inside their ears

wards off insects. These hairs should not be clipped off.

48 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Digestive System No Return Horses thrive on grass and water because their digestive sys-

:em has evolved over millions of years as a nomadic grazer.

Knowing some of the features of the equine digestive system

'.ill help you become a better manager.

Teeth At five years of age, a horse has a full mouth of adult teeth

ith substantial reserve crowns below the gum line. The teeth

с imtinue to emerge until the horse is twenty years of age. As

:e chews, from side to side as well as up and down, his teeth

ear in a unique manner that requires regular dental care. (See

-ore about teeth in chapter 7.)

Intestines The cecum, part of the large intestine t h e h o r s e ŝ d i g e s t iv e s y s t e m

xated on the right rear side of the horse,

_ :;s as a fermentation vat, breaking down

;eilulose with the help of microorgan -

•ms. The cecum can become impacted

and cause colic. The pelvic flexure is a

rather sharp turn in the large intestine

or. the left rear side of the horse. It can

become blocked and cause colic. A

-: rse with colic might turn and look at

- is flank, bite his sides, paw, lie down and

£g: up, thrash and roll while down, sweat,

race, and wont eat or drink.

Spleen Тле spleen acts as a red blood cell (RBC)

-r>ervoir supplying extra RBCs, which

carry oxygen, during exertion. Release of

iirenaline triggers the release of the extra

red blood cells.

Because o f tight sphincter muscles in the esophagus, horses cannot regurgitate, so what goes in must con­ tinue through the digestive tract or result in rupture or impaction. When a horse is blocked at both ends and is suffering from gas, impac­ tion, or the production o f toxins, it can lead to colic, one o f the leading causes o f death in the horse.

Stomach

Pelvic flexureLarge intestine

T H E P H Y S I C A L H O R S E 49

Skeletal System

EQ U IN E SKELETON

Occipital

A horse’s skeleton has approximately 205 bones. The reasons

for approximation include:

□ Fusion of some bones, such as the five

sacral vertebrae, as a horse ages

Q Breed variation: Arabians might have

38 ribs but one fewer lumbar vertebra

Q Different number of tailbone vertebrae,

ranging from 15 to 21

Weight-Carrying Ability A horse’s body isn’t really designed to carry extra weight, but

it can by virtue of its suspension-bridge features. How much

weight can a horse carry? This will depend on several factors

including the horse’s weight, bone, conformation, breed, con­

dition, type of riding, rider’s skill, and type of saddle used.

An often-quoted rule of thumb is that a horse can carry 20

percent of his weight. This would mean a 1,200-pound horse

Nasal bone

Incisors- Caudal vertebrae

Point o f buttock

Navicular bone

50 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

could carry 240 pounds, which would include the rider plus

tack. Horses with denser, larger bone might be able to carry

— ore than the 20 percent. Bone is determined by measuring

the circumference of the foreleg just below the knee. Average

.5 about 8У2 inches for a 1,200-pound riding horse. If a horse

has lighter bone, he would likely be able to carry less than 20 percent. If he has heavier bone, he would likely be able to carry

more than 20 percent.

Equine Bones: A Breakdown

Skull 34

Limbs 80 20 bones in each

Ribs 36-38 18-19 pairs

Vertebrae 51-57 7 cervical (neck) vertebrae, 18 thoracic

(back) vertebrae, 6 lumbar (loin) vertebrae,

5 fused sacral (croup) vertebrae, and

15-21 caudal (tail) vertebrae

Total 201-209

EQ U IVALENT BODY PARTS, HORSE TO H U M A N

=0 relimbs

9 -.houlder jo in t в i'b o w = elbow В 'nee = wrist О Jastern = finger 0 K > o f = fingernail

Hindlimbs

О hip jo in t О stifle = knee Q hock = ankle О pastern = toe О hoof = toenail

T H E P H Y S I C A L H O R S E 51

Horses with short strong backs, short strong loins, and tight

coupling tend to be able to carry more weight than average.

That’s why Icelandic, Arabian, and some Quarter Horses are

suited to carry higher weights. A horse in peak condition will

be able to support weight better than a thin, poorly condi­

tioned horse. A horse used for walking and posting trot work

might be able to carry more weight than a horse that is used

for galloping or jumping. But even that depends on the skill of

the rider.

A skilled rider sits in balance and moves in harmony with

the horse. A loose, crooked, or imbalanced rider continually

throws the horse off balance and thus makes his work more dif­

ficult. Therefore, a skilled rider might be able to ride a smaller

Even though a horse is not designed

to carry weight, because of the

cooperative interaction between

the major topline ligaments and the

circle of muscles, with careful con­

sideration, we can ride.

H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

torse while a novice rider might require a larger, more solid

2»:r>e to compensate for the erratic movements of the rider.

Finally, the type of saddle can affect the weight-carrying

ж acity of a horses back. A rider’s weight, as well as the weight

the saddle itself, is distributed on the horse’s back by the

rciring surface of an English saddle’s panels or the tree of a

^:ern saddle. An average English saddle has a bearing sur-

Ёьсе of about 120 square inches and an average Western saddle

kts a bearing surface of about 180 inches. So when using a

iKestern saddle, a rider’s weight will be borne by an area that is

_ ; times the size of the bearing surface of an English saddle.

1 Ъеп comparing, you will also need to take into consideration

a Western saddle might weigh 15 to 40 pounds while an

English saddle would weigh between 10 and 20 pounds.

Because the back ligaments weaken with age and use, we

-eed to fit saddles well and learn to ride effectively in order to

: -rserve our horses’ comfort and usefulness.

Locking Limbs Hae horse has unique limb anatomy that allows him to stand

•M e sleeping using a minimum of muscular activity. Three

separate features enable a horse to sleep on his feet: the stay

irparatus, the reciprocal apparatus, and a locking stifle joint.

The ligaments and tendons of the stay apparatus stabilize all

ifee ioints of the forelimbs and the fetlock and pastern joints of

ifce hind limbs so that a horse’s weight is supported on straight

Bmbs as he dozes. The reciprocal apparatus of the hind limbs is

x set of muscles between the stifle and hock joints that work in

unison. When the hock extends, the stifle must extend. When

Biostatistics for a 1,000-Pound Horse

3iood volume 9.25 gallons

Stomach capacity 2-4 gallons

^eed in 16 pounds of hay per day

.vater in 5-10 gallons per day

Manure production 40 pounds per day

Urine production 6 quarts per day

Mare's milk production 9-11 gallons per day of low-fat

{lactation) (1.5%), high-sugar (6.5%) milk

The stay apparatus supports and

stabilizes the horse's forelimbs.

REC IPRO C AL APPARATUS

A N D LO C K IN G ST IFLE

Superficial digital

ing stifle lock the hind limbs dur­

ing dozing. Although classified as

muscles, those identified in this

drawing are largely tendinous.

STAY APPARATUS

Biceps brachii Triceps muscle

Lacertus fibros tendon

Radial carpal extensor muscle

Common digital extensor tendon

flexor 3 s

(1) Radial check ligament; (2) Superficial digital flexor tendon; (3) Carpal check ligament; (4) Deep digital flexor tendon; (5) Suspensory ligament; (6) Distal sesamoid ligaments

Extensor o f suspensory ligament

T H E P H Y S I C A L H O R S E 53

the hock flexes, the stifle must flex. So when the stifle is locked,

the hock is locked. The horse’s stifle, equivalent to our knee,

can be locked when the horse puts most of his weight on that

limb. The other limb rests with just the tip of the toe on the

ground. Every few minutes, a horse will shift his weight from

the left hind to the right hind to alternate which hind rests.

(See more about sleeping in Routines, chapter 5.)

Hoof Growth Horse hooves grow approximately a quarter of an inch per

month. Because wild horses move freely and over abrasive ter­

rain, their hooves usually wear off as fast as they grow. Domes­

tic horses, in contrast, often have limited movement and are

typically kept on soft footing. Most domestic horses therefore

require hoof care every six weeks to trim excess growth and

balance their feet. Because the portion of the hoof that the far­

rier nips or nails is equivalent to the ends of our fingernails

and is insensitive, it doesn’t hurt a horse to have his hooves

trimmed or shod.

A horse with well-shaped, healthy feet that lives and works

on ground that is minimally abrasive can remain barefoot. But

a horse with low heels, weak hoof walls, thin soles, cracks, or

other hoof disorders would most likely benefit from shoeing.

Even a horse with ideal hooves would need shoes if worked on

ground that wore the hoof away faster than it could grow. My

good mare Aria has the best hooves I have seen, yet I keep her

shod because I ride in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies.

Equine Vital Signs

LIFE STAGE TEMPERATURE PULSE RESPIRATION ( p e r m in u te ) (p e r m in u te )

Newborn foal 101 70-100 65

Foal 100 70 35

Adolescent 100 40-60 12-20

Adult 99.5-101.5 30-50 10-14

Senior 99-101.5 30-44 10-15

54 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

The Nature of the Horse

H o r s e s a r e g r e g a r i o u s . They love company. There

is safety and comfort in numbers, and the horse herd

represents security. Horses are most content if they can touch

other horses, be near them, or at least see them. Nevertheless,

unless a horse is soliciting close interaction from a particu­

lar preferred associate, most horses like to maintain a zone of

12-15 feet of personal space around themselves.

Many people are that way. I like to be with my family and

friends, yet I need my personal space, too. What’s different

with horses is how they act out their social needs — and this is

helpful for us to understand.

Bonding

★ ★ ★

A number o f terms describe horses’ desire to be together.

Pair bond refers to the relationship between two horses that exhibit a prefer­ ence to stay together; some­ times the bond is so strong that it causes problems.

Separation anxiety is the nervousness that arises when bonded individuals cannot touch or see each other. This can cause barn- sour, buddy-bound, or herd- bound behaviors.

Buddy bound describes a strong bond between two individuals that can result in separation anxiety.

Barn-sour describes insecurity that may make it impossible to move a horse away from a barn or may result in his bolting back to the barn.

Herd bound describes insecurity that may make it difficult to remove a horse from a herd or may result in his bolting back to the herd.

★ ★ ★

The first bond, between mare and newborn foal, is very strong.

It starts at birth, during the imprinting period, when the mare

licks and nickers to the foal and the foal nurses. For the first

few weeks, the foal wants to stay very close to its dam and the

mare is very protective of her foal.

This bond naturally begins to weaken as the foal matures, so

that by six months of age, the foal is more independent and the

mare is ready to wean him. In a domestic situation, the foal is

usually separated by sight and sound from the mare and paired

with other foals or young horses for companionship. In the

wild, when a foal is weaned to make room for another foal, the

older foal, especially if it’s a filly, might remain with the dam

and make an even stronger bond.

Alternatively, a weaned foal (wild or domestic) might seek

out the companionship of another horse for pair bonding.

These new companions become buddies or preferred associ­

ates. The bond between them can bring a great sense of confi­

dence and security when they are together, but when they are

separated, extreme anxiety can take over. In domestication this

is referred to as separation anxiety and is part of the conditions

described as herd bound, buddy bound, and barn-sour.

A barn-sour horse suffers separation anxiety and desper­

ately wants to retain contact with a buddy or the barn, which

represents security. The herd-bound horse might try to go

over or through fences or other obstacles to reach a group

of horses. Even a mildly buddy-bound pair of horses can be

nerve-racking, because the horses constantly try to keep sight

of each other. On a trail ride, for example, just as one horse

goes around a bend and into some trees, the horse behind loses

sight of him and panics.

An insecure horse might try to retain contact with a buddy

vocally, through loud calling. This is an example of an et-

epimeletic behavior, meaning behavior that “asks or signals for

care or attention.” The key to preventing barn-sourness in a

horse is to design his experiences so that he learns to live alone

at times in his life and also with various horses, not always with

one particular horse. In addition, your horse should learn to

buddy up with you, instead of with another horse, to derive a

similar sense of security.

56 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Dealing with Bonding Problems

Since our horses are home-raised, there are

natural maternal bonds between our mares

n d their offspring. Bonds can become problem­

atic with horses that are constantly housed near

each other.

For example, although putting Zipper next to

- s dam, Zinger, makes for a peaceful housing

i'rangem ent, it can have an undesirable effect

.vhen zipper is worked. He keeps one ear and

cart of his concentration on the whereabouts of

h s dam. It is as if an invisible umbilical cord has

appeared between the 31-year-old mare and her

20-year-old gelding.

The simple managem ent practice of housing

them in areas separate from each other dim in­

ishes the response by 99 percent. In fact, this past

year, after Zipper was given a year off on pasture,

he didn't even acknowledge Zinger when she was

turned out in the pasture next to him.

A friend's gelding (below) had extreme sepa­

ration anxiety, often working himself into an

unhealthy lather when apart from his buddies.

Assuming that horses and humans can make strong bonds,

d: horses miss us when we are gone? I think they might miss

■_ie feeding and good care we give, but they are more like cats

in how much affection they outwardly show. Some horses and

f :me cats are very demonstrative, but most are aloof when it

; rimes to emoting to humans — unlike dogs, which tend to

levelop very strong emotional bonds with us.

T H E N A T U R E OF T H E H O R S E 57

A horse can adapt to living alone, w ithout the company of other

horses. To fill some of your horse's needs for interaction, you can

provide him with some socialization substitutes. Regular groom­

ing will help take the place of mutual grooming with another

horse. Daily interaction, whether it is ground work or riding, will

help satisfy his need for bonding.

If a horse is particularly lonely, you can house or pasture him

with a companion animal such as a small pony, burro, goat, or

other farm or domestic animal that works for your situation and

your horse.

★ ★ ★

Epimeletic behavior means giving care or attention. Et-epimeletic behavior

means soliciting care or attention.

★ ★ ★

Mutual Grooming Mutual grooming is an example of epimeletic behavior, giv­

ing care or attention to another. The first instance of epimel­

etic behavior is when a mare licks her newborn foal. Mutual

grooming comes later and is the equivalent of “you scratch my

back, and I’ll scratch yours.” It usually takes place between two

preferred associates, because a horse has to trust another horse

to let him nibble along his neck, withers, and back!

When you first groom your young horse on the withers,

it would be natural and instinctive for him to turn and try

to reciprocate, but it would be pretty painful if he nibbled

you with his incisors. You can say

“Thanks, but no thanks” by tying

him in a fashion that prevents him

from turning around and reaching

you while you are grooming. Even­

tually, his instinct to reciprocate

will diminish.

In addition to nibbling, mutual-

grooming partners often stand

head to tail and swat flies off each

other.

Most horses enjoy a vigorous session

of mutual grooming with their pre­

ferred partner.

H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Pecking Order - recking order is the dominance hierarchy that exists in every

-: up of animals, from chickens to dogs to elephants. Horses,

• r.ether in a pair or a large herd, rank themselves in order of

■ithority. Factors affecting a horse’s position include: age, body

eze, strength, athletic ability, sex, temperament, and the length

i time in a particular band. When the pecking order is being

:-:ablished among a group of horses, it can often be quite vio-

|mt, with kicking, biting, and chasing. Once it is established,

• wever, future aggression is unnecessary because every horse

fcnows his place.

Humans occupy a position in the horses’ pecking order, as

шеЛ, so we must convince them not only that we are the top

•: rse, but also that we are wise and fair leaders. For safety and

intooth management, a human must be the top horse.

Pecking order is most evident at feeding time. You can eas-

tell a human’s rank among horses by watching as she feeds

tnem. If the horses come charging into the person’s space and

~ e drops the feed and turns tail, one of the horses is definitely

n top. In a pasture group, things can become pretty active, but

pecking order activities take place between stalled and penned

h: rses, too.

Each time a new horse is introduced into a herd, a band, or

I barn, things will mix up a bit. That’s why, to prevent injury,

I is important to introduce new horses gradually. Put the new

A group of horses can be violent

while sorting out its pecking order

or social rank, but eventually settles

into an orderly system.

T H E N A T U R E OF T H E H O R S E 59

horse near but not directly across a fence from the existing

group for several days so they can see and smell each other.

After a few days, turn the new horse out with some of the

group members that are the most agreeable and then gradu­

ally add others back to the group.

The Battle of the Sexes

Is this a mock fight between two

playful geldings, or a real battle for

pecking order position or sexual

dominance? One horse goes for

the jugular while the other defends

with his forelegs. (Let's hope it is

just play.)

Mares rule! A horse herd is like a clique, gang, or group of

friends that is run by women. In the wild, horses live in a

matriarchal society, and this order often carries over to domes­

tication, as well. Matriarchs are also called lead mares, boss

mares, or alpha mares. In addition, mares usually form pair

bonds for mutual grooming and running games.

Zinger, my 31-year-old mare, is the undisputed matriarch

of our ranch. She receives preferential treatment and respect

from all. All horses note when she is being moved around the

property. When she is in a pasture band, she is the acknowl­

edged leader and never has to fight for her position.

She initiates the exodus down to the creek to drink

When she finishes grazing and finds a place to rest, all

of the other horses in the band rest near her. She is no

pushover when it comes to goofy youngsters, mares

in heat, or geldings that don’t know their place.

Gelding groups are the domestic equivalent of

bachelor bands in the wild. They tend to show off,

engaging in mock fights and extreme races. Mam

geldings don’t mix well with mares, but there are

exceptions. Zipper is a neutral gelding; he rarely

oversteps another horse’s boundaries, nor invades a

mare’s critical distance, nor does too much sniffing,

so he can safely be turned out with mares and other

geldings. Dickens, on the other hand, is trouble look­

ing for a place to happen. Turning him out with or

near mares always results in a lot of squealing and

urinating, running, herding, biting, and kicking, so

Dickens is often turned out alone or with other geld­

ings. In fact, because he likes to touch, sniff, and nib­

ble other horses, he makes a good “teaser” — a horse

that lets us know when a mare is receptive and in heat

for breeding.

BO H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

*N le most mares are agreeable and fairly con-

ssrent year-round, others are decidedly different

w e " they are in heat. They can become irritable,

- ls?. or silly as if suffering from Persnickety Mare

Ц и ог от е (PMS). This can be a real nuisance when

t s z n e for show, race, or ranch work.

- a mare is valued but not for breeding, and

Her 3MS is extreme, spaying could provide the

-ecessary alternative to produce a more solid

performer. Alternatively, a mare's heat cycle can

be subdued using hormones prescribed by your

veterinarian, but this is an option with inherent

risks that should be carefully considered. Often

the best course of action is to work with the mare,

both when she is in heat and not in heat, to reach

a mutual understanding. Since the worst periods

usually last only a day or two, you could also just

give the "hormone queen" a few days off.

t Stallions in the wild play a very different role than domes-

K stallions do. Their job is to keep their mare bands together

ж:c pregnant. Domestic stallions, on the other hand, are pri­

marily bred using in-hand breeding or artificial insemination;

■nsequently, they live in solitary confinement, never enjoy-

ИЕ or benefiting from natural interaction with herd members.

7_ming a stallion out with geldings, even if they aren’t a threat

actually, often results in fighting and injury. Exceptions to this

г : the stallions that live on large ranches in the West. It is

. — ewhat amazing how quiet these naturally socialized stal-

i ; c 5 can be. Except for their obvious stallion physique, they

sruld be mistaken for geldings.

Castration bstration is a common procedure for 90 percent of domestic

-r -> horses. Geldings generally have a more stable disposition

— do either stallions or mares and are well suited for a wide

—- -~e of uses. In contrast, vocalization, fractious behavior, and

esr_al interest in fillies and mares are typical characteristics

ir the yearling stallion. Although gelding, by itself, will not

dtinge established behaviors, such as nipping and teasing, it

Щ eventually remove the tendencies toward them.

I Gelding at one year of age is common. Waiting longer may

increase muscle development but also establish stallion behav-

ЖГГ- more deeply. A gelding will not be able to impregnate a

fcrale horse, although he may retain some stallionlike behav-

r r for a time.

T H E N A T U R E OF T H E H O R S E

Horse Play

Foals, especially colts, will often

play-box while standing on their

hind legs. This is an excellent

example of why horses shouldn't

wear halters on pasture. Can't

you just see a forehoof caught in

a playmate's halter?

Play among horses can be rough, yet it is essential behavior for

both the physical and social development of foals and young

horses. Playing includes running (alone, with one other horse,

or with many others), chasing, bucking, rearing, jumping, nip­

ping, biting, striking, and kicking. The first game a foal learn?

is running, then rearing, then a favorite of all ages: approach,

withdraw, turn and kick.

Mares tolerate a foal’s play but rarely enter into the playing.

It is best if young horses are allowed to play with horses their

own age, anyway. Older horses aren’t interested in the same

games and many are impatient with a foal’s vitality. During

times of stress, such as extreme weather, drought, or scarce

feed, playing decreases greatly.

Play teaches a foal fighting behavior, sets the stage for sexual

training, sharpens reflexes, develops the competitive spirit,

and improves overall stamina. Foals begin to test their limits

from day one and continue these antics as long as they have an

62 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

I

r_:erested playmate. Colts invite play by nipping or nudging Many horses enjoy picking things

mother horse on the leg, then both horses drop to their knees UP with their teeth and tossing

ind spar and bite. They even play-box on their hind legs, biting them around-

i_-.d striking at each other with their forelegs. Fillies don’t play

is roughly as colts. They mainly run, kick, and participate in

- utual grooming.

Many horses pick up objects with their mouths and play

:h them. These can include sticks, tack, clothing, feed sacks,

and ropes. After grasping the object in their teeth, they often

shake and fling it around.

If a young horse has had inadequate exercise and socializa-

b on, he may attempt to play with you during lessons. Since

horses play rough, it is best to discourage your horse from

г laying with you and provide an opportunity for him to play

ith another horse.

Curiosity or the Investigative Behavior _'lne of the most endearing and valued characteristics of the

r.orse is his curiosity Strong investigative behavior is what

helps a foal get his first drink of mare’s milk and survive.

Take great care not to discourage a horse’s curiosity, because

is an essential key to his behavioral development and a means

:or him to learn about things. Plus, it is a valuable way to help

. ou train the horse. Curiosity shows interest, a precious gift.

T H E N A T U R E OF T H E H O R S E 63

Horses have remarkable curiosity,

and this is a valuable trait that we

must be careful to preserve. Suck­

ling Drifter and his sire Drifty decide

that the sight, smell, and sound of

the mower aren't so threatening,

so they come up to take a closer

look and sniff. Allowing your horse

a chance to satisfy his curiosity will

result in a more confident animal.

When a horse sees something new or unusual he goes

through a sequence of reactions, as follows:

И His first reaction is suspicion, with an alert stance

and adequate distance from the object.

Ш As he begins to take in information about the object

via his senses of sight, smell, and hearing, he begins

moving in closer, often in a circling fashion.

' В When he closes the gap enough to touch the item,

he might find it is safe and beneficial, like feed or

water, or he might decide it is dangerous and put

more distance between it and himself.

An interesting experiment is to walk out to a horse pasture

and just squat down and be still. The reaction among horses

will vary, but almost invariably, after the initial snorting and

sashaying back and forth, one brave soul will come up for a

sniff. If you move suddenly during the critical distance phase,

however, off he’ll go.

Curiosity can also get some horses in trouble when they learn

how to operate latches, gates, faucets, waterers, light switches,

and the like.

64 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

The Nomadic Lifestyle H: rses are born wanderers. For wild horses, the distance

re tween feeding or watering areas often required extensive

ravel, so they survived by eating many small meals while con-

imually on the move. With muscles in motion and warmed up,

serves ready to fire and senses keen, the horse in motion was

_; cessful in detecting and escaping predators.

Most horses are basically followers. The decisions of where

: go and when are made by only a few individuals, most often

±e lead mare. Domestic horses retain these instincts. They

mt the freedom to roam and to follow a trusted leader.

Follow the Leader Ihe horse is content to be a follower when he finds a strong

it .d just leader. You can use this to your advantage in training.

First of all, if you establish a connection of mutual trust and

'espect with your horse, he will be willing to follow you. Addi­

tionally, when introducing an inexperienced horse to a new

obstacle, you can have a friend lead an experienced horse over

: r by the obstacle, in front of the younger horse. This can be

specially handy when crossing a strange creek or stream. If he

rusts you and considers you his leader, you can also dismount

and lead him across an obstacle. (See page 133.)

Horse trainer clinicians use the horses tendency to follow

:th dramatic effect when they induce an unfamiliar horse to

;onnect with them and follow them around without a halter

or lead rope.

Most horses are followers and

prefer that a trusted leader make

all decisions.

T H E N A T U R E OF T H E H O R S E 65

pp Ц C H A P T E R

5 Routines

T h e h o r s e i s A c r e a t u r e o f h a b i t . He is most con­

tent when he can order his day according to his instincts

and needs.

Although wild horses have been observed to stick rather

closely to definite daily patterns, seasonal variations occur, as

do daily changes determined by the weather, temperature, air

flow, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. Horses tend to be

restless in the wind, lethargic in high humidity, and unpredict­

able when the barometer is changing. In spite of all of the many

variables, however, horse routines are fairly consistent.

66

The Horse’s Biological Clock H >rses improve our lives. Their strong biological clocks, sea-

s- nal changes, and daily routines bring a sense of order to a

i : metimes chaotic human calendar.

E ating Ihe most important routine from the horse’s point of view is

: iting. Since horses evolved as nomadic grazers, their digestive

" stems are set up for small, frequent meals. Pastured horses

:rnerally graze for sixteen hours a day. Confined horses look

1 rward to having their meals on time and can become noisy

md upset if feedings are missed or late.

Free-choice feeding doesn’t work as well with domestic

h : rses as it does with chickens and some dogs and cats. Horses

end to overeat. An exception might be feeding free-choice

rrass hay, but often this results in wasted hay that is trampled

ind soiled and then left uneaten.

Drinking Its really true: You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t

-ake him drink. Horses drink only when they want to, and,

~T>ically, that is soon after eating the bulk of their roughage.

Horses that don’t have access to water can die of dehydration

r impaction colic. Having fresh water available at all times is

the best insurance that a horse will be able to satisfy his thirst

оеп he is ready

Defecating and Urinating /any horses, whether in pasture or in close confinement,

choose particular places to deposit their feces. With stallions,

ii is often part of a scenting ritual and territorial marking.

With other horses that are naturally neat, it is probably just a

r;ppy coincidence, so be thankful that they are so inclined, as

it makes collecting the manure much easier. In large pastures,

me horses usually designate separate areas for eating and for

rumination. This is a natural means of parasite control.

Horses defecate every two to three hours, from five to twelve

:imes per day, and more frequently when stressed or ill. Each

bowel movement consists of five to twenty fecal balls. Each

:ecal ball can contain as many as thirty thousand parasite

Top on a,fiprse's to-do list is to get

enough to eat. This can take as

much as 16 hours a day.

R O U T I N E S 67

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Most horses wouldn't urinate on

a hard roadway because of splash

back, but this police horse has

adapted to his working environment

by adopting an extra-wide stance.

Mares' ways Urination can be much more frequent with a mare in heat: she will frequently squirt tiny amounts. Horses learn to urinate by signals. M y mare Aria almost always urinates in her gravel pen when she sees me heading to the barn at feeding time. Then she enters her matted feeding area fo r a relaxed bout o f chewing her grass hay.

eggs! Re-infestation with parasites will occur daily if horses

are forced to eat in an area of fecal contamination. Therefore,

it is wise to offer sanitary feeding areas.

Although horses (but not some ponies) can defecate on the

move, only needing to raise their tails, urinating is a more ritu­

alistic procedure. It begins with choosing a place to urinate

that won’t splash back, because horses don’t like to splatter

their legs. The stance is different for male and female horses.

With mares, the head is low, the back is arched, the hind legs

are extended back and spread apart, and the tail is raised.

Male horses stretch out, separating the forelegs from the hind

legs more than mares do, which makes their back flat or a bit

hollow

Horses urinate about every four to six hours. When you are

on a long trail ride or your horse is on a long trailer trip, be sure

to allow him opportunities to relieve himself. When traveling,

the horse may not urinate on board if the trailer is not bedded

so he will need to be unloaded periodically to urinate in the

grass. If you are mounted and your horse starts to assume the

stance, rise up oft'his back.

Caution: if your normally good horse seems unusually antsy

while being groomed or shod, it could be that he needs to uri­

nate but doesn’t want to splash on the barn floor. In this case,

discipline obviously won’t solve the problem. Instead, turning

him into a paddock or freshly bedded stall for a few minute'

should do the trick.

Almost any horse will urinate in a freshly bedded stall. I:

is thought that they want to scent it and make it seem like

home. That’s why when racetrack officials need a urine samplr

from winners of a recent race, they put them in stalls with deer

straw bedding. The horses can’t resist giving a sample!

Grooming Horses perform various grooming rituals on a regular basi:

Besides mutual grooming, they groom themselves. Self­

grooming includes rolling, rubbing, scratching, and nibbling

and is heightened in intensity during shedding seasons anc

muddy periods.

Horses roll on the ground to scratch themselves, to remoii

loose hair, to counteract the plastering effect of rain, to looser

sweat, and to coat themselves with a layer of dirt or mud :■

68 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

■ord off insects. Prior to rolling, a horse may loosen and soften

be -oil by pawing. After he rolls, he stands up and shakes off

н :oat. A horse should be allowed to fulfill this natural desire,

b nake grooming easier, you can control where he rolls, such

1* 1: ' turning him out after a lesson for half an hour in a sand

Im This will allow him to perform his ritual at the same time

he cools and dries from his workout.

[ : ibbing is another favorite pastime of horses. It helps them

t~^:ch an itch or insect bite; removes hair, mud, and sweat;

often relieves the discomfort of a wound. Horses rub

Biemselves with their teeth (biting their forelegs and sides or

- inkets) and their hind legs (scratching their heads and necks

h the toe of a hind hoof). They also rub any and all parts of

bodies on buildings, fences, and trees. This can rip blan-

s, turn a wound into hamburger, or make a bald spot at the

: of the horse’s tail. To a horse, though, all of this is normal

If-grooming.

For safety, it is important that a horse not be turned out with

halter, blanket, or other item of tack or clothing that could

him if caught on a fence, tree, or his own hoof. Break-

ay features are available for items, specifically halters, that

used for turnout.

Wearing a blanket does not dimin­

ish the desire for a good roll. Note: all blankets and pasture halters, if

used, must be outfitted with break­

away safety features.

R O U T I N E S 69

How Horses Lie Down and Stand Up

A horse lies down to roll or sleep in a prescribed way. First he steps forward with his

hind legs and back with his front legs so that all four feet are close together, as if he was

practicing for the circus. Then he might rotate until he finds a good place or orientation

to lie down. When satisfied, he will raise his head, flex his forelegs, kneel onto the front

of his pasterns and knees, then tuck his hind legs under his body and lower himself so

that his belly is resting on the ground.

When the horse stands up, he extends his forelegs out in front of his body, raises his

forehand, and then uses his hind legs to lift his hindquarters.

If a confined horse has only hard or abrasive ground on which to lie, he can develop

bleeding sores on his legs. That's why he needs a soft place to lie.

L Y IN G D O W N Watch the horse's forelegs when he lies down or

stands up. When lying down, he (1) flexes his fore­

legs, (2) kneels, and (3) lowers his hindquarters down.

R I S I N G when rising, he (4) extends his forelegs, (5) lifts

his forehand, and then (6) lifts his hindquarters.

к •

H O W T O T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Sleep Positions

es rest in one of three sleep positions for a total of five to seven hours in a twenty-

-•our period. The more secure and relaxed a horse is, the more likely he will rest in

ions 2 and 3.

Dozing. Horses doze while they are standing

ftfth lowered head, the posture of minimal

г demand on the horse. Their stay apparatus

Teciprocal apparatus allow them to lock their

: legs and rest one hind leg at a time while they

Their eyelids can be in any position from half-

r to almost closed. Yearlings and older horses

spend a total of four resting hours each day

r s position. The slow-wave sleep of dozing is

fltaracterized by decreased heart and respiration

; and decreased muscle tone.

/-") Sternal-Recumbent. When a horse lies down

L — for a sternal-recumbent nap, he lies on the

- dime of his belly, sometimes resting his chin on

- e ground. His legs are usually folded underneath

- £ body and he can rise in an instant. Slow-wave

: eep generally occurs when the horse is in the

nemal-recumbent position. About two hours per

згу are spent in this position. Any longer and the

im p ress io n of the organs becomes uncom-

tab le and could be harmful.

3 Lateral-Recumbent. From the sternal-

recumbent position, the relaxed horse

- ight roll over on one side, lay his head and

-eck flat on the ground, and stretch his legs out in

n e lateral-recumbent position. The horse's eyes

к I be fully closed. When he is lateral-recumbent,

-e experiences deep REM sleep, so you might see

-im twitch or "run" with his legs, or hear him grunt,

;nore, or whinny. His respiration and heart rate are

s ightly elevated, if environmental conditions allow,

Position 1: Dozing while standing

Position 2: Sternal-recumbent

a horse will sleep in this manner for up to one hour

per day.

Precocial species, like the horse, tend to have

lower REM sleep requirements than do animals

that are helpless at birth, like humans. A horse in

REM sleep is hard to rouse, so he will only stretch

out like this if he feels very secure.

11ШШШ ■ ~~ ■ 1ШШ

ЩЯйвкл щ Wl

'ШШШят.Щ i 9 Иф щ

■

Slow-Wave Sleep 30-35 sessions per day

Standing or sternal-recumbent

2 hours per day

REM Sleep 9-10 sessions per day

Usually lateral-recumbent

1 hour per day

★ ★ ★

Slow-wave sleep is charac­ terized by slow, regular brain waves. The m ind is not fu n c ­ tioning but the muscles are not fu lly relaxed. Rapid eye movement (REM)

sleep is a deeper sleep, with a loss o f muscle tone, in which brain waves are more active, almost like in a waking state.

★ ★ ★

Resting and Sleeping Humans tend to do all their sleeping in one period at night.

Horses sleep twenty to fifty times a day in tiny naps. Wild

horses do all of their sleeping during the day, in very brief

spells, and keep vigil for predators at night. Domestic horses

sleep during both the day and night but retain the instinct to

be vigilant by mainly dozing or sleeping in short bouts.

Foals, especially during their first few weeks, spend more

than half of their time sleeping and the rest nursing. The

healthy foal will most commonly be observed resting in the

sternal-recumbent or lateral-recumbent position (see page

71). By the time a horse is two years old, he has formed a close

approximation to adult resting habits.

Shelter It is surprising how hardy horses are. While I recommend pro­

viding natural or man-made shelter for horses, you’ll often see

storm. I can only imagine that such horses feel confined and

a bit trapped when they are inside, and given their druthers,

when there is a storm threatening, they’d rather be outside,

free and ready to flee. Domestic horses that refuse to use a

run-in shelter during a storm might dislike the drumming o:

rain or hail on the roof or remember the sudden, frightening

sound of snow sliding off the roof. Life is safer and simpler in

the wide-open spaces. A horse’s coat is well suited to keep him

comfortable in many kinds of weather.

72 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Self-Preservation ibent

t

night.

Wild

r brief

lorses

net to

more

I- The

in the

: page

a close

id pro-

ten see

winter

2d and

uthers,

utside,

) use a

ling of

itening

pier in

ep him

I admire a horse with a high self-preservation aptitude, one

that avoids getting hurt or cornered. Such a horse is alert and

:al<es care of himself and is generally less costly to care for.

5: me horses, like my mare Zinger, who has had only one injury

n :hirty-one years, avoid situations that are risky. Others, like

Г ickens, are more lackadaisical and goofy and are constantly

reding cuts and scrapes.

When a horse notices a new object in an otherwise familiar

place, he might pause, startle, or spook. For example, I rarely

drop a horse blanket on the floor of the barn, but if I did so and

then led a horse into the barn, even though he might be very

familiar with blankets, he would most likely stop momentarily

mentally and/or physically) to decide if the blanket poses a

hreat: “What the heck IS that?!”

★ ★ ★

Precocial species are ani­ mals that are relatively inde­ pendent and mobile at birth.

★ ★ ★

Dogs lares usually foal at night to reduce the chances of a preda-

: killing the foal or the mare while she is in labor. This also

allows the foal a few hours before dawn to gain strength and

igure out how his legs work. It is understandable, then, why

~iany domestic horses vehemently dislike dogs. They might

iee from them, right through fences at times, or they might

t am and chase one with their teeth bared.

Even my 29-year-old mare Sassy, whom I raised from a foal

and who has lived with dogs all her life, can still turn quite

ggressive toward dogs. She’s not fooling around — but then,

One type of shelter that horses do

take advantage of is shade. Whether

cast by trees or sheds, shade allows

a horse to escape the hot summer

sun and avoid insects that prefer

sunny areas.

R O U T I N E S 73

These buddies didn't read the prey-

predator manual and thoroughly

enjoy each other's company.

she has backed down some ornery cows and the odd llama о

emu, too. She has a very strong sense of self-preservation an

a protective maternal instinct, but no fear.

I generally exclude dogs from training areas unless a par

ticular horse and dog know each other well or have an affini

for each other. Bonding can happen between horses and dogs,

too. To every rule, there are exceptions.

Flight — Survival — Spooking When something scares a horse and he can flee, he will run firs

and ask questions later. He will put a certain distance (calle

flight distance) between himself and the fearsome object о

situation, then stop and look back at it. The flight distance

could be a few feet from a shirt on the clothesline, or a quarte

of a mile and still running from a bear. When the horse finall

does stop to look and the object is no longer there, he actuall

becomes more fearful than if he could still see it.

You might say that horses have great imaginations when

comes to danger. Real or imagined — it is all the same to then:

Even when a horse is not particularly afraid of something, he

still operates with a flight zone around him, a particular area о

personal space that only trusted associates (human or animal

or familiar things are allowed to enter.

Spooking in Place vs. Running A seasoned horse might have built up enough courage and a

big enough repertoire of strange experiences in his memory

bank that when he encounters something odd, he is simply

startled. The startle response is also known as a spook in place.

His heart and body jump but his feet stay still. We can certainly

live with that.

When a horse shies, however, he often spooks and runs. This

can be dangerous if you are riding him.

Things That Worry Horses Although pheasants and ducks that take sudden flight and

deer that bound out of the bushes don’t pose a deadly threat

to a horse, their sudden movement and sound can catch him

by surprise and cause him to jump sideways very quickly.

When this happens, even a seasoned horse and rider can come

unglued.

74 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

С ne fine spring day, Zipper (this gelding has appeared in my

H for years; he was seventeen years old on this occasion)

Г d лете enjoying a rein-swinging walk across a pasture wed

| : den through many times before. On this day, however, there

a fawn hidden in the tall grass. When we came upon it,

s*r.er than step on it, Zipper jumped up and twenty feet to

pe left, landed, and just stood there, looking at the spot where

# г fawn was. Meanwhile, I hovered in the air without a horse

I eider me for a while until I finally had to hit the ground.

-„so scary is almost any common object that is out of place,

# 21 moves in a sudden or strange manner, or that makes an

■c _>ual noise. Examples are an umbrella opening, motorcycles

в - bicycles, plastic bags and sheets, balloons, water puddles,

breams, and rivers.

Petrified of Pigs Even though a domestic pig probably doesn’t represent a threat to horses (although perhaps a wild boar did to eohippus), the odd behavior and smell o f pigs, and their sudden noise and quick movements, alarm many horses.

Zipper Stays Zipped

but alertly. His reaction was understandably

intense. In a similar situation, it would not be

unusual for a horse to buck and bolt out of fear.

W hen the phone company was dynamiting

through rock to install underground lines

along our road, the horses never really got used

to the loud, unpredictable sounds, even though

the blasting crew worked near us for several

weeks. The erratic blasts bothered me, too, but

I reasoned. There would be a blast, my heart

would jump; I'd go on.

One day, I was crossing Long Tail Spring on

Zipper just as a blast w ent off behind us. Before

the blast, he was relaxed, moseying along, with

his head and neck long and low as we crossed

the water, in an instant, when the dynamite

ignited, his body shortened; he tucked his tail,

dropped his croup, and raised his head. He

became tense and hard and his entire body shot

straight upward. When he landed, all four feet

splashed in the spring at once, sending mud and

water up at us both. Then he just stood there

as if to say, "W hat the heck was that?" when

I urged him on, he continued forward steadily

R O U T I N E S 75

C H A P T E R 4

ж

Good Behavior, “Bad” Behavior

T o A g o o d h o r s e m a n , and to the animal himself,

everything a horse does is just behavior. When we label

something a horse does as bad, we are basically saying, “I don’t

like it; I don’t understand it; I don’t know how to change it.”

The more we know about the nature of the horse and how

domestication and training affect him, the better chance we

have of helping all of our horses be straight-A students.

To learn, observe, and enact takes time, but how better to

spend your time? Content horse — happy, safe rider.

76

The Spirit of the Horse E : to this point, I’ve been talking about specific physical and

3|c" avioral characteristics. It is the horse’s spirit, however, that

makes him such a trainable partner for us lucky humans.

Here are some things I’ve observed:

D Horses are cooperative and willing. They are generous

in ~ forgiving and make patient teachers. They have the pre-

c : us trait of curiosity, which we should take great pains to

rre>erve. They are trusting, and once we have earned their

feust, we should maintain it.

С Horses are adaptable to a variety of situations, are good

с _mers, and have an excellent memory.

3 Horses are not naturally aggressive and can quickly learn

к be submissive, so much so that others often take advantage

к ±em.

Z Horses have a special sense that allows them to detect our

n x>ds or a shift in the weather before it occurs. They seem

t xnow when there is “something in the air,” whether it is

s: mething playful or impending doom. Without physical

с ntact, they can read and pick up very subtle signals from

i human. That is what makes horses so valuable for the reha­

bilitation of people who have suffered physical, emotional,

pr mental damage.

Temperament and Attitude Temperament is disposition, the general consistency with

Irbich a horse behaves. It is a steady, permanent characteristic

:: i specific horse. We have little, if any, effect on a horse’s over-

iZ temperament.

Attitude, on the other hand, is temporary. It is the outlook

: i a horse at a particular time and may be affected by specific

:: nditions, such as hormones, the weather, recent events, good

o: bad memories, or illness. A good horse might temporarily

*j.ve a bad attitude, and a spoiled horse might have a good

iav every now and then. Attitude is something on which we

humans can have an effect.

ш

A horse's spirit is strong, yet sensitive.

★ ★ ★

When discussing tempera­ ment, horsemen use specific terms. A sullen horse, for example, is one that is sulky, resentful, and withdrawn.

★ ★ ★

G O O D B E H A V I O R , “ B A D ” B E H A V I O R 77

Horses Are Individuals Even though most horses show certain universal behav

characteristics, every horse is an individual with his own a

position. Many factors contribute to a horses temperame

Some are inherent at birth, while others result from early ex-

riences and the environment. Genetic influences include t\

breed, and family lines.

Influences on Temperament Whether a horse is more cold-blooded (draft) or hot-blood

(Thoroughbred and Arabian) depends on his breeding. Anc

try affects temperament factors such as sensitivity, athl

potential, and level headedness, as well as physical char

teristics like hair coat, bone size, thickness of skin, density

hooves, and size of eyes and nostrils. Some of these conf

mational traits can have a strong influence on temperame

Temperament Types

Every horse is unique and has his own tempera­

ment. There tend to be some com m on threads

among horses, however, that allow us to catego­

rize them by temperament. Profiling, by nature, is

gross generalization, but it can provide a handy

way to talk about a horse in broad terms. Most

horses are a combination of two or more types.

Physical characteristics (such as the size and

set of the eyes, hair whorls, or thickness of the

skin) may or may not indicate the temperament

a horse is likely to have. All horses are trainable,

but some take to it more easily due to their

temperament.

Alert. Interested, kind, and cooperative. Pays

attention and likes to learn and interact with peo­

ple. Generally calm and confident, yet responsive.

In my experience, this describes the vast majority

of horses.

Stubborn. Might be dull or lazy; can be tough

to work with because when this horse doesn't

understand or gets tired, he can become sullen

and tune out mentally, turning off the message

center connected to his senses. Generally requires

more time and patience to train than an alert

horse does and can require continual retraining.

Nervous. Hyper, easily excitable, and hard to

calm down. Tends to shy and spook. Has a lack

of confidence, which may be improved. Can over­

anticipate. Would resent and react, often violently

to restriction and restraint. Best trained by an

experienced horseman. Some mature beyond the

nervousness and are trained into very responsive

excellent horses.

Aggressive. Characterized by explosive

behavior, such as charging, biting, kicking, and

striking. Seldom can be safely trained, handled, or

ridden except by rare accomplished horsemen.

78 H O W T O T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

physiology of the senses, for example, can contribute to a

_ _’s confidence. Horses with large, prominent eyes have a

r field of vision than do those with small pig eyes. Certain

'ers select family lines that have physical traits and a tem-

ent that result in a more trainable horse.

The sex of a horse and the subsequent hormone levels affect

rcnavior patterns. Stallions tend to be more aggressive, with

i -:rong drive. Mares, with their hormone changes, can be

unpredictable and sometimes as aggressive as stallions.

; Other physical factors that affect temperament are age,

health, physical condition, and diet. Of these, all but age are

■pwemed by the environment of the wild horse and by the

- magement of the domestic horse.

I iг 1 у experiences with humans and with other horses have a

ksdng effect on the personality of a young horse. Horses need

I .earn acceptable limits of social behavior within the herd

hierarchy If they are sheltered from interaction when young,

ev often do not act wisely when it later becomes necessary

I: socialize with other horses. Letting a horse be a horse is

—.Dortant for his social development.

Natural Horsekeeping beeping horses is inherently unnatural, but we can all design

I facilities and management routines to give horses as natu­

ral a life as our situation allows. The best way to prevent vices is

fe: nouse and care for your horse using the principles of natural

:: :>ekeeping. These include:

Q As much turnout as practical in an area where

cantering is possible

Living with companions or near companions

□ A large pen with sheltered loafing and eating areas

Free-choice grass hay, or a minimum of three

feedings per day of grass hay

I Minimal grain

О Free-choice salt, minerals, and freshly drawn or

naturally aerated water

The vast majority of horses are

alert, kind, and cooperative.

G O O D B E H A V I O R , “ B A D ” B E H A V I O R 79

A stall should be a cozy, restful

place, not a prison. Claustrophobia

can be reduced with Dutch doors

that allow a horse to see other

horses and activities.

★ ★ ★

Stereotypies are aberrant behaviors repeated with regularity and consistency, such as cribbing, pacing, and self-mutilation.

A horse is cast when he is in a lateral-recumbent posi­ tion, gets trapped alongside a stall wall or under a fence, and remains therefor hours.

★ ★ ★

Domestication Pressures Many of today’s horses are often subjected to extended con

finement and a demand to adapt to the schedule of human

They are overfed concentrates and underfed roughage, and ar

underexercised, confined, and isolated.

Those who don’t fully understand the nature of the hor

are more apt to subject him to conditions that are workab

for the human but are bad for the animal. For example, hors

are basically claustrophobic. Stall life can be so stressful for

horse that he has difficulty being comfortable mentally an

physically. What might seem like a cozy stall to you might

a jail cell to him. And what you might consider a healthy ro

tine to keep your horse clean (weekly bath, close clipping, a

blanketing) might actually be leaving him without his natu

protective sebum, guard hairs, and the chance to have a go

roll and be a horse. It is a remarkable testament to the adap

ability of the horse that so many learn to love their domes '

digs and our care.

Stereotypies Horses that can’t adapt to their living conditions often devel

behavior abnormalities, or stereotypies. Some horses, by tern

perament or heredity, are more prone than others to devel

stereotypies. Stereotypies are often signs that a horse is trying

to cope with conflict, uncertainty, or restriction.

Conflict occurs when the horse has two opposing urg

both equally strong. A new horse wants to eat but is afraid

enter the barn to get his feed because he is afraid of confine

ment and of the people in the barn. He might run in, grab

bite, and then dash out, hitting his hip on the doorway. P

confirms his fear, but he is getting hungrier. He ends up pacin^

and pawing outside the barn door.

Another example of conflict is the horse that has received

shock from an electric waterer. The owner repairs the water

in front of the horse and then tells the horse it is now OK

drink. The horse does not understand what the person h

done or said, so he does not know that it is safe to drink t

water. He sees the water and wants to drink but has a fear

being shocked. He might paw at the waterer (possibly breaki

it) and whinny, soliciting attention.

80 H O W T O T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Blue’s Blues

|эпсе bought a beautiful blue roan filly off a

•ange in Wyoming, where she and all of her

: н restors had been raised roaming thousands of

;:'e s . Although Blue had excellent conformation

=rd was a fine student, she had trouble adapting

■; confinement. In the two years I owned her, I

- _"ed her out on pasture more than any horse

-ad and as much as our land would allow. There

r e times, though, when the pastures had to

r t and I had to house her in a large pen like all

: - my other horses (who, by the way, were as

■ appy as clams under the same management).

At our place, each horse has his own pen and

a are roomy, but some are larger than others.

E je had the largest pen of all the horses. Even

■vth daily work sessions and exercise, however,

r e developed two odd behaviors that eventually

:'3m pted me to sell her so she could return to

me open range and become a broodmare.

Blue's stereotypies were unique and they inten-

5 -led the longer she had to live in a pen. The first

was odd and noisy but not particularly damaging.

5'e would hang her head over the top of the panel

of her pen and bob her head up and down rapidly

a_d with great force, not just once or twice, but

• : ' hours. This made a racket as the panels clat-

: re d , and the obsessive behavior wore a bald

r o t on the underside of her neck. Even putting

-er in a pen made of the tallest panels on the

-arket at the time (5'6") didn't deter her.

If that was the only aberrant behavior she had,

however, we could have engineered a special pen

for her. It was really number 2 that worried me

a 'd caused me concern.

Every morning when we got up to do chores,

.ve wondered w hat configuration we would find

= ue in that day. She started out lying right next

to the panels and putting her legs outside the pen.

We blocked the base of the pen with railroad ties

and granite rocks to prevent her from being able to

stick her legs out. Then she som ehow managed to

get her legs out above the ties and rocks, so that

her body was quite a bit lower than her legs. Even

when all of the spaces were blocked so that she

couldn't get her legs out at all, she would still roll

along the side of a pen and become cast. Later, she

seemed to be cast in the middle of a pen. Often

there would be two or three bowel movements

under her tail where she lay. A sight strange enough

to strike fear in the heart of any horse owner!

No matter how or where we housed her, Blue

continually cast herself, often requiring us to dis­

mantle pens or other facilities to free her. Although

this made her a constant managem ent concern, my

real worry was her health, because lying down for

more than a couple of hours can be very dangerous

for a horse. For this reason alone, I reluctantly sold

her, but I made sure it was to someone who had

enough land for her to be out in a broodmare band.

I'm glad to report that years later, she is still happy

in her range life, and she has raised wonderful foals

each year for her new owner.

G O O D B E H A V I O R , “ B A D ” B E H A V I O R 81

★ ★ ★

Vices are undesirable behavior patterns that emerge as a result o f domes­ tication, confinement, or improper management.

Bad habits are undesir­ able behaviors that develop in response to handling or riding.

★ ★ ★

Uncertainty results when the horse faces a problem beyond

his power of resolution. When a young horse is rushed in hii

saddle training and is asked to do something that he does ncc

understand, he lacks confidence and is uncertain of the ou -

come. In trying to cope, he might try bucking, bolting, rooties

at the bit, or just becoming sullen and tuning out. For example!

if a horse is asked to perform flying lead changes before hq

has learned to lope on the correct lead in both directions, hq

doesn’t know what to do and he doesn’t know what the trainer

might do.

When a horse is trained progressively, on the other hanc.

he becomes more confident with each step. He knows what s

being asked of him and what the outcome of his behavior

be. When he can’t process the requests and cues because hq

doesn’t have the basics, he is uncertain. This could cause hira

to come unglued.

Restriction and restraint are related but are significantly de­

ferent. Restraint is generally the term used to describe limita­

tion of movement by tack; bad habits such as rearing, boltind

and bucking can develop when restraint is used improperly ia

handling and riding. Restriction relates to living quarters, ani

occurs when a horse’s movement is limited by confinement. A

horse that is restricted to a 12' x 12' box stall six days a weed

and only ridden on Sunday can pace, paw, and kick his stall

and turn into a holy terror in the arena or on the trail. He ha*

a week’s worth of energy pent up and wants to get out ani

exercise. He might buck, bolt, or rear.

Vices and Bad Habits When a horse develops a behavior abnormality, it is generat'd

one of two types: a vice or a bad habit.

Vices, which are reactions to life in confinement, indue?

wood chewing, pawing, tail rubbing, weaving, pacing, and

kicking the stall. Most vices are coping mechanisms. They ar;

best prevented and treated by attention to proper diet, exer­

cise, and socialization. Boredom and the resulting vices ar;

symptoms of inadequate management.

82 H O W T O T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

id habits are responses to improper handling and training.

testing, pulling, biting, and striking are undesirable behaviors

erubited by the horse who feels rushed, threatened, or con-

in his training.

Pawing is one way horses react

to confinement.

Dealing w ith Abnormal Behavior _

|:c all vices and bad habits, first examine your management

; handling techniques. Modify routines according to the

|^;estions given here and in the book Horsekeeping on a

р к Acreage, second edition. If, after concerted efforts on

Ikit part, no positive changes in behavior occur, consider

-native restraint remedies that are appropriate to the prob-

. mechanical or electronic devices, or, upon consultation

■fa your veterinarian, medications or surgery.

I ff a vice or bad habit makes a horse dangerous or unusable,

i 'ast resort to save his life, you may need to consider these

ecr_er solutions (see charts on pages 84-89).

G O O D B E H A V I O R , “ B A D ” B E H A V I O R 83

Vices at a Glance

V ICE

Becoming cast (not a true vice, but an undesirable stable behavior)

D ESCRIPTIO N

Chronically rolling near stall or pen wall and getting stuck alongside

or under wall or panel.

Bedding eating Eating straw or sawdust.

Blanket chewing Chewing or tearing blankets and sheets.

Bolting feed Gulping feed w ithout chewing.

Cribbing Anchoring of incisors on edge of an object (post, stall ledge), arching

neck. Can cause colic, poor keeper (prefers "m ind drugs" over food;

can be socially contagious.

Kicking other horses (not in play)

Masturbation

When turned out with other horses, kicks for any or no reason.

Various methods of self-stimulation and ejaculation in a stallion.

Pawing

Self-mutilation

Digging holes; tipping over feeders and waterers; catching leg in fen

wearing hooves away, losing shoes. Most often a vice of young hors

Biting flanks, front legs, chest, scrotal area with squealing, pawing, a kicking out. Onset at 2 years; primarily stallions, some geldings.

Stall kicking Smashing stall walls and doors with hind hooves, resulting in faciliti

damage and hoof and leg injuries.

Tail rubbing Rhythmically swaying the rear against a fence, stall wall, trailer butt

or building.

Weaving/pacing/ Swaying back and forth, often by stall door or pen gate/Repeatedly

Stall walking walking a path back and forth.

Wood chewing ; Gnawing of wood fences, feeders, stall walls; up to 3 pounds of wooc

per day.

84 H O W T O T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

TREATM EN T

rauses of rolling: shedding,

: fit, colic.

rve eater.

: eaty coat, shedding, boredom,

, nanket fit.

' was with competitive horses

. "eeding.

29'. ed stress, mimicry and then

Theory: endorphins, which

ate the pleasure center of the

released during the behavior,

: :o addiction.

Manageable. Serious if horse left for long period of time unnoticed,

as he can develop severe colic. Bank stall bedding against stall wall;

use antiroller (surcinglelike item) in conjunction with sheet or body

blanket. Provide horse w ith open place to roll on a regular basis.

Manageable. Be sure horse gets adequate roughage in the form of

long-stem hay. Use nonpalatable bedding such as wood shavings.

Manageable. Keep horse clean with regular grooming and use prop­

erly fitted blanket. If still persists, remove blanket or muzzle.

Manageable. Feed hay first. Put rocks or large feed wafers with feed

in large shallow tub rather than deep bucket. Use large feed pellets

or wafers instead of finely ground grain.

Manageable but incurable. Means of dealing with it include crib­

bing strap that prevents contraction of neck muscles; also available

with clamps, spikes, electric shock. Possible future pharmacological

treatment. Surgery possible. Muzzle can be used in some situations.

mbalance, nasty disposition,

у mare behavior.

frustration.

May be incurable, as it is difficult to referee. Change turnout com ­

panion or may never be able to turn horse out w ith other horses.

Manageable. Be sure horse has adequate exercise; can use m echan­

ical devices to prevent erection.

ent, boredom, excess feed.

. endorphin addiction similar

ng; can be triggered by confine-

f c l ; : k of exercise, or sexual frustra-

~ent, impatience, likes to

Hd, doesn't like neighbor,

sntion.

Curable. Provide exercise, diversion; don't use ground feeders and

waterers; use rubber mats; don't reinforce by feeding.

Manageable/might be curable. Geld nonbreeding stallions;

increase exercise, reduce confinement; include stall companion or

toy; neck cradle; muzzle; possible future pharmacological treatment.

Professional managem ent and training.

Can be curable, depending on how long-standing the habit. Increase

exercise, pad stall walls or hooves, don 't reinforce by feeding, in des­

peration can try kicking chains or balls strapped to fetlocks.

Manageable with grooming, cleaning sheath and udder, worming,

other medical treatments. For chronic habit, use electric fence. Wrap

tail when trailering.

Manageable. Decrease grain, increase exercise. Turn out where he

can be with or see other horses. Use specially designed stall door for

weaver. Consider stall companion or toy.

Manageable, increase roughage. Cover wood with antichew product

or use metal or electric fence. Increase exercise, activity, and pasture

time.

G O O D B E H A V I O R , “ B A D ” B E H A V I O R 85

Bad Habits at a Glance

BAD HABIT DESCRIPTION

Balking ' i

Refusing to go forward often followed by violent temper if

rider insists.

Barn-sour/ herd bound Balking, rearing, swinging around, screaming, and then rushing

back to the barn or herd or companion.

Biting Nibbling with lips or grabbing with teeth, especially in young

horses.

Bolting when turned loose

wheeling away suddenly before halter is fully removed.

Bucking Arching the back, lowering the head, kicking with hind legs,

or leaping.

Can't catch Avoiding humans with halter and lead.

Can't handle feet Swaying, leaning, rearing, jerking foot away, kicking, striking.

Crowding Pushing into the handler in the stall or while being led.

Halter pulling Rearing or setting back when tied, often until something

breaks or horse falls and/or hangs by halter.

Head-shy Moving head away during grooming, bridling, clipping, vet

work. J, •

Jigging Walking/jogging with short, stilted stride, hollow back, and

high head.

86 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

TREATMENT

hands, stubbornness, extreme

^overworked.

from buddies or barn (food,

Curable. Review forward work with in-hand and longeing, but don't

overwork. Turn horse's head to untrack left or right. Strong driving

aids with no conflicting restraining aids (no pull on bit). Do not try to

force horse forward by pulling; you'll lose.

Curable, but stubborn cases require a professional. A confident,

capable trainer gets the horse to progressively go farther from the

barn (herd) and then positively reinforces the horse's good behavior,

so horse develops confidence. The lessons Go and Whoa must both

be reviewed.

treats), playfulness (curiosity), or

aent (irritated or sore), investigating

л th mouth. Often from hand feed-

ts or petting on the nose.

: ng; anxious to exercise or join

Tcrses.

Curable. Handle lips, muzzle, and nostrils regularly in a businesslike

way; when horse nips, tug forcefully on halter, then resume activities

as if nothing happened.

Curable but dangerous, as horse often kicks as he wheels away.

Use treats on ground before you remove halter; use rope around

the neck.

0 "S , get rid of rider or tack, sensi-

’ sore back, reaction to rider's legs

Generally curable. Monitor feed and exercise; use proper progres­

sive training; check tack fit.

continent, disrespect, bad habit.

ent or improper training. Horse

earned to cooperate, balance on

-rg; take pressure and movement

work.

Curable. Take time to properly train, use walk-down method in small

area first, progress to larger. Remove other horses from pasture, use

treats on ground; never punish horse once caught.

Curable, but persistent cases require a professional. Thorough,

systematic conditioning and restraint lessons: pick up foot, hold

in both flexed and extended positions for several minutes while

cleaning, grooming, rubbing leg, coronary band, bulbs, and so on.

- ngand manners.

ooor halter training; using weak

=ent or unsafe facilities, so horse

ее by breaking something. Often

1 55 tied by bridle reins.

: jgh handling or insufficient con-

oainful ears or mouth problems.

ka "ing attempt at collection, horse

г -ed to aids, too strong bridle aids.

Curable with proper in-hand lessons about personal space.

Can be curable but very dangerous, and incurable in some

chronic cases, which require a professional. Use long rope through

tie ring and hold end, or use specialized tie ring; run rope around

throatlatch and tie with bowline; use wither rope.

Curable. First eliminate medical reasons, such as ear, tongue, lip, or

dental problems. Start from square one with handling; after horse

allows touching, then teach him to put head down.

Curable. Check tack fit, use aids properly, including use of pressure/

release (half halt) to bring horse to walk, or use driving aids to push

horse into active trot.

G O O D B E H A V I O R , “ B A D ” B E H A V I O R 87

Bad Habits at a Glance (continued)

BAD HABIT DESCRIPTION

Kicking Lashing back at a person with one or both hind legs; also

"cow kicking," which is lashing out to the side and front.

Rearing Standing on hind legs when being led or ridden, sometimes

falling over backward.

Refusal to load Balking, rearing, or backing up when asked to step into

a trailer.

Running away/ bolting

Galloping out of control.

Shying/spooking Spooking at real or imagined sights, sounds, smells, or

occurrences.

Striking Taking a swipe at a person with a front leg.

Stumbling Losing balance or catching the toe on the ground and

missing a beat or falling.

Tail wringing Switching and/or rotating tail in an irritated or angry

fashion.

88 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

TREATMENT

• to touching legs, then fear

: -ough handling or to get rid of

.-.vanted nuisance.

Curable, natural reflex that is easily overridden with progressive

handling. Serious cases are very dangerous and require a profes­

sional to use remedial restraint methods.

- sidling, doesn't think he must go

afraid to go forward into contact

ated with balking; a response to

Can be curable but is a very dangerous habit that might be

impossible to cure even by a professional, check to be sure no

mouth or back problems. Review going forward in hand and

review longeing.

iight response), lack of training

5 : .erfeeding, underexercising, pain

ig tack.

ject or of trainer's reaction to horse's

1 poor vision, head being forcibly held

can :see, playful habit.

r : pping, first use of chain or twitch,

rr -ead, dental work.

ack of coordination, lack of condi-

iazy, long toe/low heel, delayed

■ of hooves, horse ridden on forehand,

Curable with progressive lessons in leading, restraint, Whoa, and

Walk on.

Might be curable but very dangerous, as when horse panics,

can run into traffic, over cliff, through fence, and so on. Remedy

is to pull (with pressure and release on one rein) the horse into

a large circle, gradually decreasing the size (doubling or one-rein

stop).

Generally curable. Put horse on aids and guide and control

his movement with driving and restraining aids; thorough

sacking out.

Curable but very dangerous, especially if coupled with rearing,

as person's head could be struck. Hobbling by a professional.

Curable. Have hoof balance assessed; check break-over; ride

horse with more weight on the hindquarters (collect), conditioning

horse properly.

poor-fitting tack, poorly

;er injury, rushed training, mare

nabit.

May not be curable once established. Proper saddle fit; rider

lessons; massage and other medical therapy; proper warm-up;

and progressive, achievable training demands.

G O O D B E H A V I O R , “ B A D ” B E H A V I O R 89

Horse Timelines

K n o w i n g h o w a h o r s e m a t u r e s physically and

mentally, and how it compares to our human maturity

timeline, can help you design appropriate management and

training programs.

Today’s domestic horse experiences rapid physical matu­

rity in the first two years, then levels off until the senior years,

after which the decline can be quick unless the management is

excellent. Exactly when the senior years occur is variable and

depends on a horse’s genetics and his care throughout his life.

Although some parallels can be drawn between characteris­

tics of developing children and foals, at peak mental capacity

a horse doesn’t have even the intellectual capacity of a human

toddler. The mental equivalent comments that follow are

intended to show how a horse’s thinking patterns develop as

he matures.

e-Stage Characteristics ::>ughout a horses development, he will display specific

aviors and physical characteristics indicative of his age.

■л-ing what is normal or average for a particular age will

you a better idea of what a horse needs and what type of

yior he is likely to exhibit.

That Was Then — This Is Now

When I bought Zinger off the Washington range,

she was barely 12 months old. She had strong

reflexes and a high self-preservation aptitude

yet was curious and friendly.

- лГ - ' 'Ш '

During her prime, Zinger proved to be a power­

ful, trustworthy, and versatile horse. She was

always there for me as a western, trail, ranch

or dressage horse and as a broodmare.

H O R S E T I M E L I N E S 91

At 31, senior Zinger is sound, willing,

and wise. Although I'd like to keep

riding her forever, I want her to enjoy

her retirement in good health, so this

photo was taken on our last ride.

HORSE AGE

Weanling

6 months H U M A N EQUIVALENT 4 years

Physical Growth The physical development o f horses progresses differently from that o f humans. The timeline above, based on my experience and observa­ tion, is meant to serve as an approximation. For a rough idea o f how a horses development compares to a humans, one horse year equals eight human years until the horse is two years old; thereafter, each horse year equals two-and-a-half human years.

Foal The foal is born with needs equivalent to a human infant

is preoccupied with hunger, thirst, sleep, and comfort. Bd

a precocial creature, however, within hours of birth the i

has the physical ability and mechanical skills of a two-year-

human. Twenty-four hours after birth the foal is able to m

using legs that are 90 percent as long as an adult horse’s. Gn

pled with keen instincts, this physical advantage has he

the young horse survive over the millennia. Sometimes

physical development is expressed too exuberantly and :

stress themselves, especially when they are turned out fo

ing extended confinement.

In spite of their apparent vigor, foals are fragile, both

tally and physically, and need close contact and security

the dam. The suckling foal is characteristically inquisitive

timid, fractious yet vulnerable, feisty yet fearful.

Handling the youngster from birth through the sue

period is beneficial, but make the sessions short, firm. |

and to the point. The mare provides much of the foal’s ne>

nutrition and immunity, but it is important to develop a с

scientious feeding and health plan tailored to the foal.

'11Л

Weanling By weaning time at four to six months of age, the horse

reached the human physical equivalent of a four-to-five-v

old child and the mental equivalent of a two-to-three-y

old. With a short attention span and unpredictable outbu:

weanlings are best left to be horses, with lots of turnout tii

92 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Yearling Two-year-old

| 1year 2 years

8 years 16 years

lessons should be frequent, short, safe, and fun. The wean-

g can experience deep mental and physical trauma and is

. impressionable, so harsh handling is never appropriate.

e must be taken to preserve the weanling’s interest in eat-

̂and other routines so that he does not become depressed,

■e young horse separated from his mother is uncertain about

safety. In addition, he must rely totally on his own behav-

patterns for the first time. If he is out on pasture, he must

ride when and where to graze, drink, and find salt. If he is in

ren or stall, he must approach a new feeder or water trough

his own, without reassurance from his dam. Appropriate

rition and health care are essential during this peak grow-

i period.

arling yearling spends much of his time experimenting with his

sical capabilities and finding his place in equine and human

rieties. The equivalent mentally of a five-year-old human

i physically of an eight-year-old, the yearling horse can be

*v, rambunctious, and moody. Fillies and colts are begin-

g to experience the effects of the hormones of puberty, so

add sexually oriented games into playtime. This is the age

„en many male horses are gelded.

is imperative that the lessons started as a foal be reviewed

d continued with the yearling. Although sessions are still

с rt, they can be more frequent and cover a wider variety

nandling. The yearling is receptive and capable of learn-

k. all of the domestic horse ground rules. He has nutritional

and health needs unique to his age, so he shouldn’t be lumps

in with adults’ herd management just yet. For example, tl

yearling will require higher protein feed and may need to :

dewormed more often than adults.

★ ★ ★

Epiphysis is the term fo r the growth plates at the ends o f long bones.

★ ★ ★

Two-Year-Old With the two-year-old comes a serious sex drive and its subse­

quent effect of surging hormones on a colt’s or filly’s attentio*

during training. Geldings tend to be more stable.

The physical equivalent of a sixteen-year-old human and the

mental equivalent of a twelve-year-old, the two-year-old horse

is too often treated as a mature horse. Many of the epiphysea.

closures in the two-year-old’s leg joints have matured, but hr

should not be made to accept the workload of an adult; h

skeletal immaturity leaves him prone to injury. He lacks tn

stamina and strength to perform under a rigorous schedu.r

without risking permanent physical or mental damage.

Having lost much of the yearling's silliness, the two-year-

old can generally focus on lessons and show the trainer h -

potential. Until the age of five, the horse’s teeth are shedding

and erupting, and his epiphyseal closures continue to mature

Adult/Prime The five-to-twelve-year-old horse is in his prime both physi­

cally and mentally. The physical and mental equivalent ot a

human in his twenties and thirties, the adult horse has г

mature physique and has had many experiences that (hope­

fully) have made him sensible. His nutritional requirement

Middle-aged

12 years 40 years

Adult

5 years 231/a years

94 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Senior Geriatric

20 years 30 years

61 years 85 years

■r - basic. He can remain physically fit with moderate exercise,

l ir i his immune system is at its peak.

Middle-Aged Between prime and senior years, the twelve-to-twenty-year-

lii.- horse shows noted changes in stamina and can lose some

fc.scle tone. Similar to forty-to-sixty-year-old humans, the

■banges are extremely variable between horses, depending on

heir genetics, use, and care.

Senior enior horse, at age twenty to thirty, like his over-sixty

h_man counterpart, will likely have dental changes (lost,

U>m, and/or broken teeth) that lead to difficulties in chewing,

b^imilating nutrients, and maintaining weight. Dietary needs

r. dude an increase in the amount of feed and the quality and

jr.ount of protein and fats, but a decrease in carbohydrates.

'__>:on and hearing deterioration can affect behavior. The

une system is not as strong as it once was, and arthritic

ges may cause lameness.

Geriatric Б-irses of more than thirty years of age might be physically

irpaired, but many, like Zinger, remain healthy enough to

cnoy light work, driving, or riding. The biggest challenge is

peiing, as they often require easily chewed feeds such as mash,

eet pulp, and hay chop. Regular low-level exercise is essential

b prevent stiffness just as for humans over eighty-five.

Mental Equivalent Since a horse never even approaches the intellectual capacity o f a human, when I use the phrase “mental equivalent” I am refer­ ring to a parallel stage or a comparable phase between horses and humans. As an example, a weanling has mental characteristics simi­ lar to that o f a 2-3-year-old child — a short attention span and sudden outbursts. That’s what I mean by men­ tal equivalent.

H O R S E T I M E L I N E S 95

Has the mechanical skills (legs)

for survival; stands and nurses

at birth; weighs approximately

10 percent of mature weight

yet legs are 90 percent of

mature length and height is

75 percent of mature height;

inquisitive; playful; sleeps a lot

(see Newborn Foal Timeline)

weight 110 pounds

height 11.2 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 2 years

Mental - Newborn

Great rate of physical growth;

playful and tests physical limits;

may start sex behavior with dam;

gains confidence until weaning,

then insecure; chews objects

weight 400 pounds

height 13 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 4 years

Mental - 2 years

Great rate of physical growth:

about half of adult weight;

impressionable, curious, reach

can be insecure or feisty, frh

begins sex play in earnest; sho

attention span, chews objects

weight 500 pounds

height 14 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 5 years

Mental - 3 years

15 years Mental aging starts slowing

down while physical aging

continues at same rate; might

be a little past prime or at

beginning of middle age; a little

stiffness; an additional sensi­

tivity to weather and insects;

becoming more tolerant and

relaxed about humans and use

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 481/2 years

Mental - 45 years

10 years Prime of life; usually at

12 years of age, horse is

called "smooth-mouthed"

(see pp. 101-102)

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 36 years

Mental - 40 years

6 years /J Beginning of physical

and mental prime, wh

lasts to age 12 to 15,

depending on horse

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 30 years

Mental - 30 years

20 years Bones become more brittle, wear

and tear shows on joints in begin­

ning stages of arthritis; vision deteri­

orates; teeth stop erupting and wear

begins approaching the gum line;

begin graying around eyes, ears,

and muzzle; mare fertility declines

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 61 years

Mental - 50 years

25 years

96

The average lifespan of a hor.

may show signs of sway back i

hay belly, decreased muscle i

and weight, prominent backb

lose teeth; drooping lower lip ,:

skin; less saliva production an

ability to absorb nutrients; ms

be anemic; winter coat comes |

early, grows long, and sheds la

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 73Уг years

Mental - 55 years

H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Birth 4 months 6 months

1 year Sexual display; gelding often

occurs; testy, moody; chewing;

biting; wolf teeth often removed

weight 600 pounds

height 14.2 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 8 years

Mental - 5 years

18 months Sexually mature; estrous

occurs in fillies, and males

capable of breeding

weight 875 pounds

height 15 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical -12 years

Mental - 8 years

5 years ; : -sidered first year as

■ -ature horse: has full

mouth of permanent

teeth (see pp. 101-102);

-a-jre skeleton (see

в : many 5-year-olds

: - already solid adults

-.•nan Equivalents:

-"’..sical - 2ЗУ2 years

Mental - 25 years

4 years From this point on,

weight and height

are usually stable

until senior years

weight 1100 pounds

height 15.2 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical -21 years

Mental - 21 years

3 years Will vary from still a

bit silly to settled and

developing adult habits

weight 1050 pounds

height 15.2 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical - 181/2 years

Mental -18 years

2 years Serious sex drive;

growth plates may

have matured enough

for light work; light

riding is often started

weight 925 pounds

height 15.2 hands

Human Equivalents:

Physical -16 years

Mental -12 years

IlMl | * Jsr gt - w

30 years 35 years 40 years Joints relax, so pasterns slope May have lost a number May be stiff and

more; eyes may become of teeth by now, so have difficulty eating,

cloudy; partial blindness needs soft food but is a treasure

Human Equivalents: Human Equivalents: Human Equivalents:

Physical - 86 years Physical - 9Ш years Physical -111 years

Mental - 60 years Mental - 65 years Mental - 70 years

i

H O R S E T I M E L I N E S 97

★ ★ ★

Foals will make a submissive gesture with lowered head and repeated opening and closing o f mouth, known as clacking, snapping, or champing.

Meconium is a dark, sticky fecal material that accumulates in the fetal intestines and is discharged at or near the time o f birth.

★ ★ ★

A new foal is a clean slate onto

which you can write a masterpiece.

Development Timelines Knowing what happens when with your horse can help you:

many ways: to design a training and health program, to choc

tack, to conduct an optimal exercise and training program,

and much more.

Newborn Foal Timeline

Birth — breathes; opens eyes; moves head and

legs; assumes sternal-recumbent position; looks,

and investigates items and mares body with muz­

zle, nose, tongue; listens and hears; shows sucking

reflex; tries to stand

Ф 1 hour — stands; seeks dam; walks; defecates

meconium (a newborn’s first stool); follows dan::

nurses; nickers; imprints to dam; resists restraint:

shows withdrawal reflex

0 2 hours — lies down (sternal-recumbent and

lateral-recumbent positions); sleeps; gets up; fear- J

new objects or people but is curious, and secure

with dam, so investigates

3 hours — begins to play; self-grooms sides;

moves tail; tests objects with mouth; trots; gallop?

24 hours — scratches head with hind hoof; rubs

on objects; yawns; makes clacking (snapping)

mouth movement; rolls; exhibits flehmen respor

98 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Here are the ranges of growth-plate closure times in

:ne equine forelimb. Distal refers to the lower growth

plate of a particular bone. Proximal refers to the upper

growth plate of a particular bone.

Birth Proximal coffin bone

Distal short pastern bone

Distal long pastern bone

Proximal cannon bone Distal radius 6-15 months Proximal short pastern bone

Proximal long pastern bone

6-18 months Distal cannon bone

11-25 months Proximal radius (forearm)

22-42 months Distal radius

26-42 months Proximal humerus (arm) (not shown) proximal short

36+months Proximal scapula (shoulder blade) pastern bone

(not shown) Distal short pastern bone

Proximal long pastern bone

Proximal radius

Proximal cannon bone

Distal cannon bone

Distal long pastern bone

Proximal coffin bone

joint Closure Timeline Ihe horse’s skeleton is not fully mature until between the fourth

d fifth years. It is critical to know whether joint closure has

:curred at the distal radius (see illustration above) before he

ins hard work. If you want to start working a horse before

ro years of age, have his knees x-rayed and the radiographs

erpreted by your veterinarian. If work begins too early, the

-: mg horse can suffer from epiphysitis, or inflammation of

~e epiphyseal closures. Such a condition can predispose a

borse to lameness and limb deformities.

Dental Timeline mature horses have incisors, premolars, and molars. Some

■so have wolf teeth and canines, which will be discussed sepa­

rably. An adult horse will have at least thirty-six teeth. There

ire twelve incisors at the front of the mouth, twelve premolars

beginning at the corner of the lips, and twelve molars at the

?u.ck of the mouth.

Before a horse develops his permanent teeth, he has a set of

temporary teeth. For example, the temporary premolars are in

nice by two weeks of age but are replaced by the permanent

H O R S E T I M E L I N E S

A young (2-year-old) horse's permanent

incisors and molars are beginning to

replace the temporary ones.

An aged (5-year-old or older) horse has a

complete set of incisors and molars, and

a male will most likely have canine teeth

as well.

premolars between the ages of two and fb

years. Most age guidelines are based on tii

of tooth eruption. Teeth begin to wear

months after they erupt.

Premolar does not refer to a tempor:

tooth but to the position of the tooth in

mouth; premolars are located ahead of

molars. When a particular tooth appea

such as the second premolar, all four secor

premolars erupt at approximately the sar

time: the upper right, the upper left, the low*

right, and the lower left.

Between the premolars and the incisors

a relatively toothless space called the inter-]

dental space, which is where the bit lies. Aftr

the age of four, however, most male hors

also have four canine teeth (tushes) in

interdental space behind the incisors. Me

canines usually begin to erupt at four years

age and are most often fully developed at fiv<

Canines can get very sharp, so they need to :

clipped or rasped to keep them from cuttir

the horse’s lips when bridled. Very few ma

develop tiny canine buds.

In addition, some horses have wolf tee:

(first premolars) in front of the second pre

molars, but usually only in the upper ja

Through evolutionary processes, wolf teer

are absent in some horses. If they are goir

to appear, they will erupt by the time he is

yearling. Although they are permanent teet

sometimes wolf teeth are pushed out (alor

with the temporary second premolar) whe

the permanent second premolar erupts

two to three years of age. They can sometime

cause painful pinching of the lip skin whe

a snaffle bit is used on the horse. Because

this, veterinarians often extract wolf teeth.

The numbering of temporary and perm_

nent premolars and molars can be confusir;

100 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

the wolf tooth is called the first perma-

r remolar. Refer to the chart on pages

-1 13 for clarification.

a horse is five years old, his teeth are

ntlv erupting, shedding, and being

r d. At five he is said to be aged and to

i full set of teeth. His teeth will continue

±rrr;rge, however, until he is in his early

fc- :he time a horse is five years old, in

n to the teeth you can see above the

line, below each tooth there are ЗУг-4

of extra tooth embedded in the bone

— r jaw. These are called reserve crowns,

i horse ages, these reserves emerge con-

usly at about the same rate that the sur-

vears away from chewing and grinding.

time a horse is in his late twenties, he

- running out of reserve crowns, and by

are thirties he could have lost many of his

and be chewing mostly with gums.

' г and Tear _;'per jaw of a horse is 30 percent wider

the lower jaw. As the horse grinds his

■ ■•• ith a sideways motion, he wears down

- 'ars, causing sharp edges to form on the

ie (cheek surfaces) of the upper molars

■ rremolars, and on the inside (tongue

~i:es) of his lower molars and premolars,

-c sharp points can interfere with a horses

:ng and can cause cheek and tongue lac-

ins. That’s why it is important to schedule

annual dental exam for each horse so your

rinarian can file off the points (a process

floating) and keep the wear on the teeth

need.

The reserve crowns are the parts of the

teeth that lie below the gum line. These

grow during a horse's life but can be

used up by the time he reaches old age.

A cross section of the horse's jaw

from the front, showing the sharp

points that form from normal

chewing.

H O R S E T I M E L I N E S 101

Tooth Development ___

AGE

Birth to

2 weeks

4-6 weeks

6-9 months

1 year

2 years

2У2-З years

ЗУ2-4 years

4У2-5 years

7 years

9-10 years

12 years

1 5 years

20 years

25 years

30 years

TOTAL # TEETH

16

20

INC ISO RS

24

28

32

32

36

36

36

36

36

36

36

36

36

temporary

Centrals appear at birth

or erupt by 2 weeks;

4 total

Intermediates erupt;

8 total

Corners erupt;

I 12 total

12 total

12 total

Centrals pushed out;

8 total

intermediates pushed out;

4 total

Corners pushed out;

0 total

0 total

0 total

0 total

0 total

0 total

0 total

0 total

permanent

0 total

0 total

0 total

0 total

0 total

Centrals erupt;

4 total

Intermediates erupt;

8 total

Corners erupt;

12 total

7-year hook on upper corner incisors;

12 total

Galvayne's Groove appears at gum-

line of upper corner incisors;

12 total

Galvayne's Groove extends % way

down upper corner incisors;

12 total

Galvayne's Groove extends % way

down upper corner incisors;

12 total

Galvayne's Groove extends entire

length of upper corner incisors;

12 total

Galvayne's Groove У2 gone;

12 total

No Galvayne's Groove;

12 total

102 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

PREM O LA RS

permanent

M OLARS

permanent

0 total

COMMENTS

Wolf teeth (1st Permanent Premolar)

may appear in front of the 2nd Tempo­

rary Premolar usually of the upper jaw

Wolf teeth often removed

Sometimes temporary molar caps

need to be popped off by vet

0-4 Canines appear in the interdental

space in males and some mares; horse

has "full mouth"

Horse is called "smooth mouthed"

which means all the cups on the chew­

ing surfaces of the incisors are gone

May begin losing teeth; incisors appear

more angled forward when viewed

from the side

H O R S E T I M E L I N E S 103

C H A P T E R

Communication

Si n c e h o r s e s c o m m u n i c a t e primarily through body

language and feel, they interpret our actions in their own

terms. That’s why we need to learn their language — not only to

understand what horses are saying to us, but also to know what

our position, posture, and movements are saying to them.

Each time you interact with your horse, the two of you are

having a conversation. Just as with people, conversations can

go well or badly. Here are two versions of a typical conversation

between a horse and his trainer. Which one do you think will

have the best long-term results?

105

HEAD DOWN

t r a i n e r : Reaches for forelock. ("Let

me straighten this out for you,

Star.")

h o r s e : Raises head quickly and very high.

("There's something coming at my head; I have to

protect my eyes and ears.")

t r a i n e r : Can no longer reach forelock, so jerks

down forcefully and repeatedly on lead rope, which

causes pain to Star's nose and poll from the halter.

("Do what I want! Don't pull away from me!")

ho rse : Raises head higher. ("I didn't move fast

enough, so now there's pain on my nose and head.

I'm really scared")

t r a i n e r : Continues jerking, begins yelling. ("By

golly, you are going to lower your head, you stupid

horse.")

ho rse : Starts swinging his head off to one side and

the other. ("I'll try something else to get rid of this

pain on my head and nose, what's going on?")

t r a i n e r : Slaps the horse on the neck with the end

of the lead rope, ("I'll show you who's boss. See

what happens when you don't do what I want!'')

ho rse : Swings his head over to the right and rears 2 feet off the ground. ("Swinging my head didn't

work; maybe if I go higher I can get away from the

pressure")

t r a i n e r : Jerks on rope but loses grip. ("I'll teach you

to disobey me.")

h o r s e : Pulls away and trots 30 feet away, turns and

stops, looks at trainer with his head down. ("Well,

that worked, all I have to do next time is rear and

pull away to stop the pain. Glad I finally figured that

out.")

t r a i n e r : Reaches for forelock. ("Let

me straighten this out for you,

Star.")

h o r s e : Raises head quickly and very high.

("There's something coming at my head; I have .

protect my eyes and ears.")

t r a i n e r : Can't reach forelock, so applies steady

downward pressure on the lead rope to the hal

the horse's poll. ("Put your head down a little, S

I can't reach your forelock.")

h o rse : Raises head 7 inch, then lowers head half

inch. ("I don't like that pressure on my head. I'll L

moving my head up to get away from it. That die

work, so I'll try lowering my head just a little bit.

t r a i n e r : Holds steady pressure when head rises,

instantly releases pressure when head begins to

lower, and rubs Star on the forehead. ("Good bo:

h o r s e : Keeps head still. ("This feels good.")

t r a i n e r : Applies downward pressure. ("It's too ho

to reach your forehead with your head way up tf

Star. Bring your head down a little more.")

h o rse : Lowers head 1 inch. ("Last time I felt press

it went away when I lowered my head")

t r a i n e r : Instantly releases pressure and rubs Star

the forehead, saying "Good boy." ("Now you're le

ing. What a smart horse!")

h o r s e : Lowers his head 2 more inches. ("When 11

my head it feels good")

t r a i n e r : Moves hand from forehead to forelock.

("Don't worry, Star, it's just like the rubbing.")

h o rse : Tenses muscles in neck and starts raising

head. ("I'm not sure about that thing coming at m

ears, but I haven't been hurt yet.")

t r a i n e r : Applies light pressure instantly, keeping

hand on forelock. ("Figure it out, Star.")

h o r s e : Lowers head 5 inches. ("If I lower my head

pressure goes away. It's worked every time so fa-

And I haven't been hurt.")

t r a i n e r : Releases pressure when Star lowers he

Continues rubbing forehead and forelock while

ing "Good boy." ("That's enough for right now. Yot

did really well.")

106 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

DING

er : With snaffle rein in hand,

- : /es arm out to the right, which

: uts tension on the rein. ("Bend

: ur head to the right, Star.'')

*se: Feels pressure on the corners of the lips on

fte right side of his face and from the bit ring on

fte left side of his face. ("I don't like this pressure;

»fiat can l do to avoid it?")

Begins to move his head and neck to the right,

.vonder if the pressure would stop if I turned my

-~ad this way")

=R: Takes up the slack and maintains pressure by

: u ing his hand back and out to maintain a con-

r_ant pressure on the horse's mouth, ("it's working;

Star bent his head to the right. Now let's get a little

-юге.")

4SE: Bends more to the right, then tries straight­

en ng his head and neck, but hits the bit so raises

- s head. ("Well, bending to the right doesn't make

Шю pressure stop. Maybe if l go the other way. No,

that's worse. Maybe if I raise my head")

■ d e r : Maintains pressure and adds a downward pullI тэ the rein pressure. ("C'mon, Star, don't be stupid.

I you had it there a minute ago. Why did you start

I ighting? Maybe if I give you a stronger cue, you'll

I -gureitout.")

r i d e r : With snaffle rein in hand,

moves arm out to the right, which

puts tension on the rein. ("Bend

your head to the right, Star.")

ho rse : Feels pressure on the corners of the lips

on the right side of his face and from the bit ring

against the left side of his face. ("I don't like this pressure; what can I do to avoid it?")

r i d e r : Holds light contact. ("C'mon, Star, figure it

out.")

ho rse : Looks to the right, tips right ear to the right. ("I wonder if the pressure would stop if I turned my head this way.")

r i d e r : Maintains light contact but does not add

more. ("I can see the wheels turning, Star. You can

do it.")

h o r s e : Begins to move his head and neck to the

right. ("I'll move this way and see if the pressure goes away.")

r i d e r : Feels the first instance of compliance in

the neck, jaw, and poll and adjusts (yields) the

pressure appropriately on the rein as soon as the

horse starts to soften. ("I felt Star give, so I have

to reward immediately if I want him to make the

connection.'')

h o rse : Momentarily holds the bend or bends a little

more to the right. ("The pressure went almost com­

pletely away when I bent my head and neck this way, so it's OK here.")

C O M M U N I C A T I O N 107

★ ★ ★

Body language means what is conveyed by an animal’s or persons location, posture, and movement.

★ ★ ★

Reading a Horse’s Body Language You can tell what a horse is thinking by looking at his over

stance, the position of his head and neck, the use of his ea

and the action of his tail and legs. In general, you will be able:

tell if the horse is fearful, passive, assertive, or aggressive. Yc

will know whether he is welcoming you or telling you to

out of his space. Once you know the larger, more graphic :

nals, you will become aware of the subtler precursors to th,

movements. (See The Subtleties, page 121.)

Overall Stance How can you tell if your horse is content, fearful, or agitate

His overall stance will give you a good starting point.

Content and Relaxed A relaxed horse is often standing with one hind leg resti

his head and neck in a soft, lowered position, his eyes sof:

partially closed, his ears relaxed and maybe slightly tipped

the side, and his muscles relaxed. A relaxed horse is conte

and feels secure.

Content and relaxed Friendly

108 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

r 'iendly h' r.en a horse is friendly, his ears are forward. His head is

Ш a medium height as he softly reaches with his muzzle, as

[r to sniff. His soft eyes look interested, and his muscles are

*r.axed.

H e rt \n alert horse has his head up, his ears forward, his face line

icout 45 degrees in front of the vertical, and his nostrils open

md actively taking in the scents in the air. The alert horse is

ren perfectly still and intent, but there is no fear in his eyes.

.ifrien d ly It is hard to mistake an unfriendly horse. He holds his head low

ird reaches aggressively with his muzzle, perhaps with bared

j; eth and ears back. His eyes are cold and glaring, his nostrils

Trnched and wrinkled; perhaps his tail switches and one of his

m d legs is raised in warning.

C O M M U N I C A T I O N 109

Unfriendly

Fearful A fearful horse has his legs in a ready-to-flee position, or thej I

are already in motion. His head and neck are up and a le rJ

his eyes are wide open and his ears are facing the perceive- I

danger, his muscles are tense and ready for instant flight. Ал I

anxious horse is worried and dangerous.

Balking A horse that is balking is rigid and unyielding. He won’t move I

no matter what you do. He is mentally and physically tune; I

out. A horse usually balks because he is in pain, he is afraid, he I

is confused, or he has developed a bad habit.

110 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Ejcking A bucking horses alternates between lowering his

:ead and standing on his forelegs, and raising his

-_rad and standing on his hind legs, often in a sunfish

: d eking) motion either in place or as he moves for-

«ard. A horse bucks because he is afraid, the tack or

rider is uncomfortable, because it feels good, or out

: f nabit.

-yper Тле exuberance and high spirits of an overfed and

_r.derexercised horse can resemble that of a fearful

i arse. However, an experienced observer can usually

receive playfulness and confidence in the horse’s

racial expression — a twinkle in his eye rather than

■ -\'ary eye.

Many behaviors are rider-induced. This horse,

kicking out when the leg or whip is applied, is

essentially saying: "I am not familiar with the

feel of the whip and I don't like it. I don't know

what it means. I feel like I am being asked to

go and stop at the same time. I am confused."

Rearing A rearing horse stands on his hind legs, sometimes so straigh:

up that he could fall over backward, especially if he has the

added weight of a rider on his back or if the rider is pullir; ;

back on the reins. A horse rears because he can’t go forward с г I

backward or doesn’t want to. If he is restricted by tack or the I

rider and is given conflicting signals, maybe up is the only wr j

he thinks he can go. On the other hand, he might use rearing

as a power move to make himself bigger and say no.

Rearing

Sick If you know your horse well and he suddenly acts different>|

than normal, you will suspect that something could be wror.rj

physically. A sick horse tends to either lie or stand very stiL j

or to move around violently, pawing, rolling, and looking a: I

his flank. Pain might make him extremely passive and nor-1

reactive, or he might buck, rear, avoid being tacked up, reac |

violently to cinch tightening, avoid being mounted, refuse : j move forward, stumble, put his ears back and dive at you, or

work with a hollow back, raised head, and short stride.

Bolting Horses that run suddenly and fast anrl

are hard to stop are bolting. They often

bolt in conjunction with a spook. Bob

ing is most commonly caused by fear с r

extreme insecurity and disobedience.;

Horses that are herd bound or barn-sour

often bolt to return to the herd or barn

112 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

In Context

113C O M M U N I C A T I O N

it would be useless to write a dictionary of absolute definitions

of horse body language because, for example, "ears back" can

mean anything from ill to paying attention to angry. We have

to read these signs in context, that is, along with what else the

horse's body is doing.

For instance, one day, my vet, who knows my horses well,

came to float their teeth. I noticed his new assistant look with

concern at Zinger who has one eye with more white than normal.

Usually when a horse shows the whites of his eyes, it means he

is excited or fearful but Zinger was standing relaxed on 3 legs

with her head down. So, in context, the white of her eye was not

a concern.

Bolting

Hindquarters resting

Position of Hindquarters Since a horse’s hind legs are a means of protection from preda­

tors, the position and activity of the hindquarters tell you a lc I

about what he is feeling. Here are some insights.

E3 When a horse is standing in a storm,

he turns his hindquarters toward the

weather and lowers his head. The body

mass of his thickly muscled hindquarters

provides a wind and rain/snow block for

his vulnerable head.

В When a horse is resting, his croup

is lowered, often with a resting hind leg.

and the hindquarter muscles are soft.

И When a horse relates to another

horse or a human, the orientation of his

hindquarters indicates their relationship

When a horse faces you, he is inviting.

When a horse presents his hindquarters

to a human or another horse, it is gener­

ally an act of protection or aggression, a?

it often precedes a kick.

Threatening One exception to usual hindquarter lan­

guage is when a mare wants to be bred by

a stallion: she will present her hindquar­

ters to him for breeding. Even though she

might be soliciting the breeding, however

she might still kick the stallion. Another

is when a young foal has had his tail

head scratched by humans (something

foals dearly love), but turning his rear tc

humans can become a dangerous habi:

If the foal turns his hindquarters to the

human every time a human approaches.

even if he is only asking for scratching,::

can be a hard habit to break.

114 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

R Itad and Neck : level and action of a horses head and neck are often closely

i with the action of the hindquarters and indicate what is

( i : ■ to be coming soon. Here’s what to look for.

В A evel, relaxed head and neck mean that

fc. re is likely to be no action soon. The horse

■i: mtent and hanging out.

When the head is elevated or in constant

r : :ion, going up and down or side to side, it

■ :nportant to pay attention.

Б A particularly aggressive head gesture is

«еп the head is held very low, often snaking

pock and forth with the ears pinned flat back and

teeth bared. You might see a mare exhibit

behavior when protecting her foal. It means,

r.o uncertain terms, “Stay away or I’ll bite.”

reason for the low head is so that the horse

protect her own legs and vital organs while

g the intruder’s legs to disable him.

A sudden thrust forward of the head at any

el means “Beware” or “Get out of my space.”

On the other hand, when a horse slowly and

othly reaches forward with his head, he is

ig inquisitive or curious or might be solicit-

: rubbing. When you groom your horse, he

:ht raise and stretch his neck as if to say “Ah,

t’s the spot.”

Relaxed

essive

C O M M U N I C A T I O N 115

Teeth A horse’s teeth are not to be trifled with. They are capable

removing a finger or a nose in an instant.

И Bared teeth mean “Stay away; I’ll bite.”

И Clacking of the teeth is a submissive gesture of a

young horse toward the mouth of the dominant horse,

similar to muzzle licking in dogs.

Ups Although it is tempting to pet a horse on his soft lips, they

really for inspecting and eating. Here are some rules of th

about lips.

(3 When a horse’s lips are closed but loose, the horse

is relaxed. Licking and chewing indicate that a horse

is relaxed and submissive.

SU When they are closed, pursed, and held tight, the

horse is tense and probably not breathing effectively.

В When a horse’s lips are open, he is eating, drink­

ing, yawning, examining an object, or getting ready

to bite.

Nostrils Next to the eyes and ears, the nostrils can tell you the

about how a horse is feeling.

D Soft nostrils mean a horse is relaxed; flaccid could

mean the horse is ill or bored.

Q Tight and rigid nostrils indicate tension from fear

or pain or are a sign of aggressiveness.

Q When a horse’s nostrils flare, he is either winded

from exercising and trying to catch his breath, or

they are taking in scents for processing.

Bared

Clacking

These soft, open nostrils indicate

a horse that is calm and relaxed.

116 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

; riare is saying to the photographer, "Stay away from my

зг I'll go after you!" She also might be trying to prevent

jal from being too friendly with humans.

Off to the side (relaxed)

du look at the ears in relation to the overall stance and the

:don of the head and neck, they can provide you with a

peat deal of information about the horses temperament and

tude.

В Usually when one or both ears are flopping off to

the side, the horse is relaxed. This can occur when

the horse is resting or when he is working.

□ Ears that are rigid can indicate a horse that is

;ense or alert, depending on the other body signs.

When both ears are ahead and the horse is looking

intently, that usually indicates alertness.

□ A horse with ears pinned flat back is showing

anger, resistance, or aggression. A horse that is ill or

in pain, however, can also pin his ears back. When a

horses ears are flat back, the ear canal is sealed off as

a protective measure.

3 A horse that is being ridden might have one or

both ears turned backward to his rider. This is often

a sign of the horse respectfully paying attention to

what is happening back there in one of his blind

spots as well as keeping track of what is ahead.

Flat back (resistance)

One forward, one back

(paying attention)

C O M M U N I C A T I O N 117

Kind

Relaxed

Eyes If there is one part of a horse that we are drawn to immediate ■

it is his warm, soft, large, dark eyes.

D When a horse is content, secure, and relaxed, he

has a soft, almost mystical look in his eyes of inward

focus — part dreaminess, part deep sigh, and all very

beautiful. This is how we hope to see our horses most

of the time.

Q A horse that has been worked into the ground,

has been treated unfairly, or is ill or injured can have

a dull eye that almost looks sunken. He has retreated

into himself and is tuned out. He is not listening, is

listless, and barely responds. To bring a horse back

from such a black hole is difficult, because he has

given up.

D Also unmistakable, however, is the hard, glaring

eye that we might see in a horse that is in protective

mode. A broodmare might have that look, for exam­

ple, when she is protecting her foal. If your horse

gives you this cold eye when you come to give

him feed, however, he is trying to assert his domi­

nance over you. You need to make it clear to him

that you are the dominant one and you are also

benevolent, and that is why you are providing feed.

Horses should learn to accept feed submissively

from humans.

□ A worried horse can sometimes show wrinkles

around the eyes, as if concentrating on something

such as minor pain or a small concern.

В When a horse is frightened or in panic, he opens

his eyes so wide that we sometimes see the whites of

his eyes, the sclera. This often indicates he is ready

to pop into action in an instant. Some horses, how­

ever, such as Appaloosas, have a smaller iris in rela­

tion to the sclera, so that even when relaxed, the

white shows.

Frightened

118 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Leg Language [# rr.eans for locomotion, aggression, protection, and inspec-

Bon, a horses legs have a language of their own, which should

n- rare full у read and taken seriously.

P A softly raised and resting hind

.eg indicates relaxation.

П A quickly raised leg indicates a

threat: “Stay away or I’ll kick.”

Pawing indicates impatience or

illness or is used to look for food or

to prepare the ground for rolling.

□ Striking with a foreleg is a dan­

gerous and aggressive behavior that

indicates a horse feels threatened and

wants to remove the other animals or

object from his space.

О When a horse stomps with any

leg, it indicates impatience, anger, or

irritation, such as with flies.

■ • ng

Raised, relaxed

Raised to kick

C O M M U N I C A T I O N 119

Swishing

Tail Talk The position and activity of the tail indicate the level of relax

ation of the muscles of the hindquarters.

И If the croup is rounded, “dropped,” and relaxed,

the horse’s tail will be soft and swinging from side to

side as he moves.

И A clamped tail means tension, fear, and possible

kicking or bolting to come.

И If a horse’s back is hollow and tense, his tail will

be held in a tense, raised position.

В A horse in high spirits might hold his tail straight

up.

D A raised tail can also indicate alertness.

D A swishing (switching or flicking) tail indicates

irritation. A flicking tail movement is characteristic

of horses that don’t like leg aids or spurs. A swishing

tail can also be characteristic of a mare in heat telling

other horses to stay away from her hind end or for a

select few to come closer.

Clamped

Relaxed

120 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

The Subtleties \s you learn to read horses and become a keen observer of

tfceir body language, you’ll find that often before a big move-

eent, there are lots of little signals. If you see and understand

tfee little things, you can progress faster and avoid unwanted

: - ;alation. If you reward when a horse is trying, it will encour-

him. If you take a subtle step or shift your weight when you

*ee a small warning sign, you just might head off a wreck.

Before a horse explodes, he will give you lots of little warn-

- ; signs, such as:

::kingaway ★ tight jaw ★ ears pointing away

r : m you ★ clamped tail ★ head up ★ leaning

. ay ★ muscles contracting -k turning away ★

. : tension ★ stepping away

3 rfore a horse actually does what you are asking him to do,

be may show you lots of little attempts or tries that you can

reward, such as:

: king toward you ★ blowing ★ ears pointing

: rardyou ★ relaxed tail ★ head down ★ leaning

■; ward you ★ reaching toward you ★ turning toward

jou ★ loose lips ★ stepping toward you ★ licking lips

Emotion, Mood, Mental State, or Attitude? to u know your horse’s temperament and his level of training

a i management, yet from day to day you see a difference in

his body language and the way he behaves. These differences

;in be called a mood, an emotional or mental state, or, my

farvorite, an attitude, which is a temporary outlook that can be

caused by a variety of factors.

How your horse greets you can be negatively influenced by

ainess, injury, pain, hormones, separation, fatigue, hunger,

liiirst, fear, or inclement weather. He can be positively influ-

z'ced by good health, socialization, fitness, rest, satiation

:th food and water), safety, confidence, and mild weather,

ust like you, your horse can have good days and bad days.

You can minimize the number of bad days by being a consci-

rr.:ious horse keeper and trainer who fills her horse’s needs

r:d treats him fairly.

Vocal Language

At weaning, 4-month-old Sherlock

calls shrilly to his dam Sassy who is

several pastures away enjoying her

freedom.

Although body language is the main means of horse comm

nication, horses express themselves vocally, as well. Here is

translation of some of these expressions.

Exhale. An outward sigh that is soft and relaxed means j

what is sounds like: “Aaaaaahhhhh,” a release of tension.

Sharp snort or blow. One or two snorts might be a punc

tion of alarm, or they could just indicate that a horse is cleai

ing dust from his nasal passages.

Vibrating, rolling snort. Usually uttered in deep tones, a r

ing snort means a horse is very wary and suspicious and m

suddenly bolt. This has always been the hallmark of Zing

who lets us know when our behavior or something else

strange by her standards. It is more frequent now that h

vision is failing a bit at age thirty-one.

Whinny or neigh. This is a loud call that usually starts hi ̂

and drops in tone. It can often be heard as far away as half

mile, so it is something that your neighbors and their hor

can hear. Horses use a full-volume whinny to make or m

tain contact, as a warning, or to solicit attention or care,

our seven current horses, five are relatively silent and t\

mares (half-sisters) call whenever there is a marker even

such as a door opening, the movement of another horse

the property, or merely the appearance of a person.

Scream. An intense calling is typical of a weanling who is t

ing to reestablish contact with his dam, or of a frantic, her_

bound horse.

Nickering. A soft, low chortling is how a mare greets her f'

or a horse greets a human friend, such as at feeding time.

Grunt. When a horse groans or grunts, it is a sign of de

exertion. Some horses grunt when they roll or when th

buck and kick.

Squeal. A short, high-pitched, excited call, often made by

mare in heat, can mean “Come here” or “Get away.”

Blowing. Horses often say hello to each other by blowiru

into each other’s nostrils. It may end almost as soon as

begins, or it may escalate to excited nickering, grunting

squealing, and varied displays of body language, frien

and otherwise.

122 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

use artificial aids to extend or intensify our

hands and arms. Longeing whips, longe lines,

riding crops, lead ropes, rope halters, and chains

are all artificial aids that intensify the action of

our hands. Artificial aids should never super­

sede a good understanding and use of the natu­

ral aids.

Your Mind: Evaluation and Decision Your mind is your strongest asset when working

with horses. You have the power to set the tone

choose the course of action, evaluate how things

are going, reinforce behaviors, and modify or

completely change your tactics. Your powers of

observation and reason allow you to find a way

to meet your goals while respecting your horse.

Coordination of your aids becomes

especially important when you are

also performing a task such as open­

ing a gate.

Your Voice: instruction and Reassurance Although horses don’t verbalize the way we do.

they do respond to our voices. It is appropriate

and productive to use voice commands when

working with horses, especially for ground

training, and especially when you are the main

person handling a horse:

The reason clinicians do not advocate voice commands

more often is because most of them are talking constantly to

the audience, and it would be difficult for a horse to distin­

guish a voice command out of all of that. Voice commands are

not customary in most show ring settings but they can be a

means to an end such as “Whoa” when a reiner asks his horse

for a sliding stop. In most at-home training situations, voice

commands are not only appropriate but also very effective.

Voice Commands Horses can discern a wide variety of voice commands. They

can quickly make an association between physical aids and

voice commands. Eventually you can use the verbal cue alone

to achieve the same response if you desire. This is handy for

longeing, for example. If you follow a pattern with your voice

124 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

How to Speak Horse

"walk on!" with a higher pitch on "Walk"; to start

a horse from a standstill.

"Ta-ROT!" with a higher pitch on "Та"; to trot a

horse from a walk.

"Waaaaaalk," in a drawling, soothing tone; to

slow a horse to a walk.

"Trrrrahhhhht," in a low pitch; to slow a horse to

a trot.

"Whoa," abrupt, low-pitched, with punctuated

ending; to stop a horse promptly from any gait.

"Eeeee-asy," in a soothing, drawn-out middle

tone; to slow a horse within a gait or calm a horse.

"Let's GO!" or "Can-TER!" in an energetic, brisk

tone; to get a horse to canter or lope.

"Trot on," like "Ta-ROT!" but even; to get a lazily

trotting horse to move forward energetically.

"Baaaack," in a low, soothing tone; to back a

horse during in-hand and long-lining work.

"Tuuuurrrrrrn," in a melodic, descending pitch;

to change a horse's direction when longeing.

"Okay," a conversational prelude; to alert a horse

that another command is coming.

"Uh!" a staccato command; to warn the horse

to pay attention.

"Goooood boy/goooood girl," spoken with

pleasure and pride; to tell your horse he or she

has done something well.

Adapted from Longeing and Long Lining the English and Western Horse, Wiley Publishing Inc., 1998

; .'■mmands, it will prevent confusion. Voice commands should

be consistent in the word used, the pitch, the inflection, and

the volume.

Use Words Consistently Zommonly used voice commands include “Walk on,” “Ta-rot,”

Turn,” “Canter” or “Let’s go,” then “Eeeeasy” and “Whoa.”

Which word you use for which command is more meaning-

ful for you than your horse. Traditionally, “Whoa” or “Ho” is

_sed for stop, but you could use “Bup” or “Stop” instead. To a

horse, any word is fine as long as you use it consistently (no

fair changing words or talking in sentences) and the word is

nomatopoeic — that is, the word sounds like the action.

Horses are capable of learning quite a few words, but it is

rest to not choose words that sound alike. If you use both

Whoa” and “No” in his vocabulary, the horse is likely to stop

•henever you say “No,” even though you may have intended

:ne command to stop another behavior.

Pitch Your Voice Appropriately The pitch, or musical tone, of your voice can give a big clue as

:o the meaning of a command. Chirping a trot command in a

C O M M U N I C A T I O N 125

crisp, high tone sounds like trotting, while a deep bass voice

more convincing for a “Whoa.” When a mother tells her b

in loving singsong tones that he is “such a stinker,” it is the

tone of her voice that makes him laugh and coo, not the word.-

she says. So it is with horses. The tone of your voice make> -

statement of your mood and intentions more than the wore,-

you use.

Be Aware of Inflection Connected closely with pitch is inflection or modulation: the

rise and fall of your voice. A rising inflection tends to make i

horse move forward, and a falling inflection to slow or settle

Thus it makes more sense to say “Can-ter” with a rising inflec­

tion on -ter, than it would to have a falling inflection on the

second half of the word.

One of the biggest challenges for novice female trainers is

finding an appropriate “Whoa” that is substantial and with i

falling inflection. More often than not, the first attempts ar;

more like “Whoa?” — which doesn’t get your message across

Using a tape recorder is a great way to hear what you sounc

like as you are developing your voice commands.

Use Suitable Volume Since a horse’s sense of hearing is so keen, it is not only unnec­

essary but counterproductive to yell or even talk loudly to i

horse. Horses can hear whispers. So in everyday handling anc

training, you and your horse might have quiet conversations

that someone down at the other end of the barn or arena won:

even hear. Loudness is rarely required. But for example, if a

horse is zoned out and is rhythmically rubbing his tail on a

fence, you might say “Twinkle, stop that” in a normal tone

with no effect. That’s when you might pump up the volume or

add a loud clap or whistle to snap the horse out of his trance.

126 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Learning

A l t h o u g h h o r s e s a r e n o t r a n k e d highly as prob-

ь. lem solvers, their keen power of association and their

adaptability make them extremely trainable. And they are very

intelligent when it comes to being horses.

Horses are constantly learning. They adapt daily to their envi­

ronment and respond as much to what we don’t do as to what

we do. That’s why understanding how horses learn can make

us more mindful and become better leaders.

The Brain Man’s brain comprises approximately 2.0 percent of his boc- ;

weight, while a horses brain is a mere 0.1 percent of his mass

When using brain size as an indicator of intelligence, it is easv j

to see why horses could be thought of as dumb beasts, but thr

is far from the case.

Parts of the Brain The brains of mammals have similar parts. We cannot be cer­

tain as to the function of the various parts in horses, but can

only speculate using research on the brains of humans an с

other animals as a guide.

Cerebrum The thinking portion of the brain has four main lobes: fron­

tal, parietal, temporal, and occipital. In the cortex, sight an.

hearing are processed and learning takes place. Deep in th

cerebrum is the limbic system, where feelings are processed

Also in the limbic region is the olfactory lobe, which processes

smell and taste.

Comparing Brains

Brain weight in vertebrates does not increase in direct proportion with body weight, as shown in the first

list below. Other physiological factors help determine brain function and relative intelligence, ranked in

the second list. Both lists are in round numbers.

Brain Weight as a Percent of Body Weight

Small bird 8.00%

Human 2.00%

Mouse 2.00%

Cat, dog 0.10%

Lion, elephant, horse 0.10%

Shark, hippopotamus 0.035%

Relative intelligence Ranking

Human 7

Dolphin 5

Chimpanzee 2.5

Elephant 2

Whale 2

Dog 1

Cat 1

Horse 1

Sheep 1

Mouse <1

1 28 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

H O R SE

Olfactory bulb Thalamus Hypothalamus

Cerebrum

HUM AN

Spinal cord

Midbrain

Cerebrum

Cerebellum

Cerebellum The athletic portion of the brain is located above the brain

stem. The cerebellum regulates balance, coordination, and

muscle activity. Conscious movement is a series of sequential

events governed by neural activity in the cerebellum. Learned

motor skills (training) occur here. Balance is governed in the

jerebellum in conjunction with signals from the inner ear.

Brain Stem The brain stem has four portions: the medulla, the pons, the

midbrain, and the thalamic region. The medulla connects

■ле spinal cord to the brain and is responsible for basic func­

tions such as breathing, digestion, and heartbeat. The pons

is where the balance between arousal and sleep is regulated.

The midbrain is where memory is stored. The thalamic region

j comprised of the pituitary gland, which controls hormone

production related to sex and stress, and the thalamus and

.-.vpothalamus, which regulate temperature, hunger, and thirst

md govern the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems.

★ ★ ★

The limbic system is the neural portion o f the brain below the cerebral cortex, centered on the hypothala­ mus and including the hippocampus and amyg­ dala. The limbic system controls emotion, motiva­ tion, memory, and some homeostatic regulatory processes.

★ ★ ★

L E A R N I N G 129

Mental Processes As horses learn, they don’t reason, they react. They are objec­

tive realists. Understanding how they learn is not only interest­

ing, but also essential for communication and training.

Power of Association Horses have a natural ability to link a stimulus with a response,

the basis of classical conditioning. Although this is great for

an experienced trainer, it can cause problems for a novice who

makes mistakes — the horse is always learning, whether we

want him to or not.

For example, suppose you are teaching your horse to back

up in hand, and you face him and start walking toward him

saying “Baack.” At first he doesn’t know what you want him

to do. If you bump the noseband of his halter by tapping on

the lead rope, he might take one step back. If you reward him

by stopping, praising, and maybe rubbing him, you are train­

ing him using classical conditioning. The next time you repeat

the lesson, he’ll probably realize that when you walk toward

him from the front and say “Baaack,” you want him to move

in reverse. This quick linking of action and reaction, stimulus

and response, is one reason horses are so trainable.

If, however, a novice tries the same lesson and the horse

lunges forward, rears, or veers sideways three or four times in

a row, he has learned the wrong association. He has learned

that when someone walks toward him, says “Baaack,” and tugs

on the halter, he rears and they quit bothering him. He has

made an association that the novice didn’t want, but it still was

honest learning by association.

Anticipation Once a horse has learned something, especially when it has

been repeated too often, he might second-guess you and antic­

ipate what you are going to ask. Although we may joke that

such a horse is a mind reader or is going on “auto pilot,” it’s

not really funny because pretty soon you have lost your means

of communicating. Before you have even presented the cues,

the horse is already beginning to perform what he expects you

are going to ask — and he may guess right and he may not.

Certain things can trigger anticipation, such as approaching

130 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

★ ★ ★

The power of association is the ability to link an action with a reaction, a stimulus with a response. This is the key to training horses, since they will try to avoid correc­ tions and earn rewards.

★ ★ ★

a particular obstacle or place in the arena, or even your body

language giving him a pre-cue.

You’ll see this during longeing. Often a horse will sense when

you are going to ask for a canter, for example, and he’ll start

iust as you ask, not in response to your asking, so you might

think, “Wow, he read my mind.” In reality, he was reading your

pre-cues. Although anticipation may seem harmless or even

novel when first observed, it may develop into a habit that can

make a horse virtually uncontrollable.

To prevent anticipation, you’ll need to watch your pres and

cues, so to speak. Vary the sequence of maneuvers, vary the

location of lessons, and keep the lessons moving forward in a

progressive fashion.

Memory Horses are said to have a memory second only to an elephant’s.

If true, the horse is in distinguished company. Horses rarely

forget lessons, good or bad. They remember past associations

with alarming clarity and for long periods of time.

Once a horse learns a simple task, such as lowering his head,

he’ll likely remember it for months without use or review. If he

Learns a specific type of performance (reining, for example),

he will remember it for years. After a long break, he might not

be perfect the first time you ask him to review, but he will get

back up to speed quickly and will be able to progress rapidly.

Similarly, we cannot erase a horse’s bad memories: once

scared or injured in a particular location, for example, he will

be wary of that spot in the future. We can just add layer upon

layer of new memories in hopes of burying the bad so deeply

that they don’t matter much any more and rarely surface.

Imprinting The first type of learning that a foal usually experiences is

imprinting. This process of species bonding between the dam

and foal takes place during the first few hours after birth. The

: dors of the placental fluids and the sounds exchanged with

±e mare confirm innate behaviors in the foal.

Early handling by humans is a good idea. Once the mare and

foal have bonded and all medical issues are resolved, the foal

can be handled and touched all over. Since most foals are born

at night, this training can begin as early as the next morning.

Cute Becomes Hazardous The little pony foa l that has been taught to put his front hooves on the shoulders o f his owner to amuse visitors will remember his lessons, in spite o f his 600-pound weight, when he is 5 years old. Learned behaviors that seem cute in a young horse can quickly grow dangerous.

imprinting occurs at birth when the

mare and foal exchange sounds and

smells. It is best if the human doesn't

interfere during imprinting.

L E A R N I N G 131

★ ★ ★

Various terms describe dif­ ferent methods o f learning.

Imprinting is the rapid learning in a young horse’s critical period (first few hours o f life) that reinforces species behavior and creates bonds.

Modeling means copying the behavior o f another; also known as mimicry.

Habituation is repeated exposure to a stimulus, thus decreasing a horse’s response to it.

Flooding is an intense, overwhelming form o f habituation.

★ ★ ★

A band of horses follows its leader

across a stream. A human can take

on the role of that leader (see

photos at right).

Modeling Modeling or mimicking the behavior of other horses takrd

place in herds, so you may as well take advantage of the prrr -

ciple in training situations, too. When a band or herd crosse-.

creek, the herd members derive security from seeing the hor>л

in front of them cross the water safely Similarly, once a hor>e

has bonded with his human handler, he can be more easily led

across water, playing follow-the-human-leader. Young hor^aj

who observe other horses being tacked up, longed, and ridce'

seem to take to the process more easily than horses that live ш

isolation. That’s why some trainers like to saddle up and wc ri

a group of young horses together in a round pen. Monkey se-i.

monkey do, and there is safety in numbers.

However, modeling can work in negative ways, too. Some

say tongue sucking, cribbing, wood-chewing, spooking, ar c

being difficult to catch are socially contagious behaviors thcr

horses obtain through mimicry.

Habituation One of the first training principles you use when you work witl

a horse is habituation. This introduces a horse to a particul*

person, procedure, or object in order to gain his acceptance

without fear. Related terms (in order from mild to extreme) an

gentling, sacking out/desensitization, and flooding.

Gentling Gentling is touching a horse on every part of his body an с

getting him used to all-over grooming. Although once a hor>e

is not afraid of humans, he naturally loves to be rubbed с о

his forehead and neck, he must learn to accept and appreci­

ate grooming elsewhere, especially in his ticklish and sensitive

areas. (See How to Pat a Horse, page 38.)

Sacking Out Sacking out is a form of systematic desensitization in whicr

a mild stimulus is introduced at a low level, rest periods are

given, and the stimulus is gradually increased. By repeated

careful exposure to a certain stimulus, a horse’s response ca~

be diminished. Sacking out a horse with blankets and slicker-

is a way of gradually decreasing his apprehensions concern­

ing the sight, sound, or feel of an object. If your end goal is t:

132 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

rses takes

f the prin-

d crosses a

the horses

ice a horse

; easily led

mg horses

md ridden

that live in

> and work

xmkey see,

too. Some

aking, and

aviors that

l work with

particular

acceptance

rtreme) are

; body and

nee a horse

rubbed on

id appreci-

id sensitive

shake a noisy sheet of plastic over a horses back and let it touch

him, you would first rub him with a soft cotton blanket and

gradually work up to the plastic over a few weeks.

Flooding Flooding is exposure to full-intensity stimulus while restrain­

ing the animal until he stops reacting. With the above example,

you would fully restrain the horse and then come at him from

all sides with sheets of plastic, waving them wildly. Not only

does this hold risk of injury to all parties, but it is an unneces­

sary means to an end.

A Safe Approach for Best Results For safety, I prefer my horses to be sacked out but not totally

desensitized, brain-dead, or robotic. When I am riding in the

mountains, I want them to bring their instincts along. If I had

removed all reflexes with aggressive flooding, it would be like

riding a stuffed horse. I take care of my horses, and when we

are riding I expect my horses to take care of me, but they could

not react to danger if they had been numbed by flooding.

A beneficial use of desensitization is evident when your vet­

erinarian gives your horse an injection. Often the vet will tap

the injection site a few times with the back of his hand to stim­

ulate the initial nerve firing before he inserts the needle. Thus

prepared, a horse often doesn’t react to the needle because his

skin has been desensitized. A similar deadening occurs when

you pick up a fold of skin and hold it for a few seconds before

you insert a needle. The area around the site of injection has

become dull to pain and the horse barely feels the needle.

Latent Learning ! | t g g s j 3 ; f

n in which

periods are

>y repeated

sponse can

md slickers

is concern-

id goal is to

Learning that has been assimilated but has yet to be demon­

strated is known as latent learning. Sometimes a horse has been

taught a lesson but has not shown that he has really absorbed it.

After a day or so off, however, the first time the horse is asked, he

responds perfectly. This latent learning is commonly observed in

horses. When it seems that a horse just doesn't get it, giving him

some time to let it soak in often does the trick.

I lead young Sassy into a moun­

tain creek giving her the freedom

to lower her head and look at the

water. Then I mount up and ride her

as she splashes across with great

confidence.

L E A R N I N G 133

Learning Principles

Left Brain/ Right Brain The left side o f the brain governs scientific, logical, problem-solving issues, so it is often referred to as the thinking part o f the brain. The right side o f the brain involves pictures, patterns, emotions, and creativity, so it is referred to as the artis­ tic side o f the brain.

Horses tend to be more right-brain and people more left-brain. Humans can help horses develop the left brain, while horses can help people develop the right brain.

All horses learn at different rates. You should have a training

plan, but you will need to tailor it to each individual horse. I"

addition, horses are always learning. When you are feeding

your horse, turning him out, or just grooming him, you гг-.

teaching and he is learning.

In order to learn what you want him to do, a horse mu>:

understand what you are asking.

At first, the request should be in simple terms, such as "I want to be able to touch you on the ribs without you being

afraid.” Then, over a period of many lessons, you can reach

the stage where the horse learns to respond or not respond t :

various kinds of pressure. For example, he can learn the de­

ference between leg pressure to encourage him to go forward

backward, or sideways, and pressure that is meant to drive him

forward onto the bit and collect him.

Do Horses Know Right from Wrong? Horses know instinctively that their behavior is “right” because

it is what they were born with, their innate behavior pattern s

To horses, everything they do is right — until we teach them

otherwise. It is surprising how willing they can be to learn ou:

right and wrong to get along with us. What a special gift. We

can reciprocate by striving to be good and fair teachers.

Behavior Modification A horse is always exhibiting some sort of behavior, whether

he is peacefully grazing, pulling back while tied, or entering a

trailer. Through behavior modification, you start with a base

behavior and carefully mold the horses actions into a safer

and more useful pattern of behavior. You do this by linking

a stimulus with a response following proven animal-trainir.g

principles.

When a horse does what you want, and you wish him to

repeat it in the future, you encourage that behavior. When

he does something you don’t want him to do, you discourage

the behavior and show him a different way to act. Then you

positively reinforce the new, desirable behavior. The more you

learn about horses, the less correcting you will have to do.

134 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

In order for your horse to understand

your intent, whenever you work with

him, your aids and reactions need to be

immediate, consistent, appropriate, and

concise.

L E A R N I N G 135

Be Immediate The timing of rewards (or punishment) is

important. You have only a few seconds

during or after the behavior to link it to

the behavior. If you reward or punish

before or after that time, you are reinforc­

ing the wrong behavior!

For example, say you are turning out a

yearling colt and just as you slip off his

halter, he reaches over and bites you.

Darn: he was rewarded with freedom

right after he bit you. Bad as this is, it

would make no sense to chase, scream­

ing, after that horse; nor would it do any

good to catch and punish him. If you did, you would either be

chasing him like a predator or punishing him for being caught.

Now, where’s the sense in that?

You always need to “be here now” and pay attention when

handling horses. You’ll need to be aware of the nipping ten­

dency in this horse so you can give him something else to do

when you suspect he is thinking about biting. You need to

be savvy and develop your horse sense to detect when he is

thinking about trying this common, silly, adolescent behavior.

When you read the signs, ask him to lower his head and back

up, or return him to the barn, tie him to the hitch rail, and then

turn him out a few minutes later.

Be Consistent At first, if you stick with just one way of asking the horse to do

something, it will be easier for him to learn. Once a horse mas­

ters the simple basics, you can start adding variations, which

are essential for advanced riding.

For example, say you are teaching a horse to pick up his foot

so you can clean his hoof, but his foot seems rooted to the

ground. You use the technique of pinching the tendon, but it

To the horse, this is correct behav­

ior. The approaching human would

likely consider it misbehavior.

Regardless of who is right, this

horse's rearing can be eliminated

using behavior modification.

isn’t working well for you with this horse. You try squeezing

the chestnut and that works a little bit better, but it is still no:

getting a straightforward response. Next you try tapping the

front of the hoof with the hoof pick and then nudging the heel

with your boot toe; then you go back to the chestnut, or was::

the tendon method? Well, I’m confused — I wonder how the

horse feels.

Often, just as the light bulb is about to go on in the horse's

mind, the human caves in and either quits or tries something

else. If you are following a proven program, be consistent and

persistent with your aids. The first time takes the most time:

the next time will be much quicker. That said, I feel obligated

to add (and I’ll mention it again): if something is not work­

ing, things are escalating dangerously, and you can’t resolve the

situation, stop and change what you are doing or get help.

Be Appropriate Choose an aid or cue that is appropriate for what you are try­

ing to accomplish and use it with the appropriate intensity.

For example, when teaching a young horse to back up when

you are opening a gate in-hand, it is appropriate to use the gate

as a visual aid. You can position the horse to face the gate so

that when you open it toward him, it will be a natural visual

cue for him to start backing away from it. It would not be

appropriate to slam the gate into the horse or bump him on

the nose with it to get him to move.

Be Concise Horses don’t understand sentences, paragraphs, or long,

drawn-out actions. The simpler your communication, the bet­

ter. If you are teaching a horse to trot while longeing, a simple,

crisp “Та-rot” accompanied by appropriate body language,

is ideal. “Come on there, Doofus. Move up there. Get going.

Come on, Doofus!” is ineffective and counterproductive.

Behavior Modification Techniques When you train a horse, you modify his behavior. Since horses

have a strong power of association, they quickly learn what to

136 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

do and what not to do with the proper use of stimulus-and-

response conditioning. There are four ways to modify behavior:

positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment,

and extinction. All involve the use of stimuli or reinforcers.

Reinforcers, a.k.a. Stimuli Animal behaviorists use the term reinforcer for the stimulus

we apply to a horse to elicit a specific response and thereby

train the horse. There is an action, and there is a reaction. If we

choose our actions carefully, we will get the reactions we want

from our horses.

Because using the words reinforcer and reinforcement

(which comes later) can cause confusion, I’m going to use the

word stimulus, but know that it and reinforcer are the same

thing in the context of this book.

A stimulus can be a physical contact cue, such as pressure.

It can be body language, such as stepping toward a horse. It

can be a voice command that the horse has learned means

something specific: for instance, “Eeeeasy”. A stimulus can be

something artificial, such as the rustle of plastic or the sudden

appearance of a whip.

The horse interprets stimuli as being either positive or nega­

tive. Positive stimuli make a horse feel good; negative stimuli

make a horse feel bad. Additionally, positive and negative

stimuli can be of either primary or secondary type.

Primary positive stimuli are things that a horse inher­

ently likes; he doesn’t have to learn to like them. A horse

is born liking primary positive stimuli such as food, rest,

rubbing on the forehead, release of pressure, or having

clear personal space.

Secondary positive stimuli are something that a horse

learns to love because they are associated with a primary

stimulus and give him an overall sense of well-being.

When you use the praise “Good boy” with a rub, rest, or

a treat, a horse learns to link the sound of the praise with

a good feeling, so later just your voice alone can make the

horse feel good.

Primary negative stimuli are things that a horse inher­

ently does not like; he doesn’t have to learn to dislike

them. A horse is born disliking primary negative stimuli

such as pain, pressure, and things that cause fear.

Later, when you say "Good boy"

from a distance, your horse will

remember the warm, fuzzy feeling

of your touch and it will bring a

sense of contentment to him.

Rubbing the horse's forehead is a

primary positive stimulus. The horse

automatically loves it.

When you rub his forehead and say

"Good boy," you are linking a second­

ary stimulus with the rubbing.

L E A R N I N G 137

These three drawings demonstrate

linking of primary and secondary

negative stimuli.

(1) Jerking on the halter is a primary

negative stimulus. The horse natu­

rally dislikes it.

(2) When you jerk on the halter and

say "Quit" you are linking a second­

ary stimulus with the jerking.

(3) Later, when you say "Quit" from

a distance, your horse will remem­

ber the physical discomfort of the

jerk and he will be reprimanded by

the secondary stimulus.

Secondary negative stimuli are things that a horse learns t

dislike or avoid because they are associated with a primar.

negative stimulus and give him an overall sense of discomfor:

unrest, or fear. When you scold your dinking (constantly fool­

ing around) horse with a harsh “Quit!” and pair it immediate-

after with a sharp jerk on the lead rope, he learns to link t

sound of the scolding with the upcoming bad feeling on hi

nose. Later, just your voice alone can make the horse stop his

fooling around, pay attention, and stand still.

Positive Reinforcement When a horse does something that you like, if you immedi­

ately give him something good or make him feel good, it wil

encourage him to repeat that behavior in the future. That

rewarding him, or using positive reinforcement. Your hors;

will be eager to repeat the behavior in the future because he

likes what follows it. When rewarding, you can use primary or

secondary stimuli. Rest and a rub on the forehead are primarv

positive stimuli.

Reward is the cornerstone of horse training, but take care

that you don’t inadvertently reward the wrong behavior. Wher

that foal turns his butt toward you, and you laugh and think

“How cute” and give him a good scratching over his tail, you

are inviting problem behavior. He has been rewarded for turn­

ing his butt to humans and will repeat the behavior to get the

same response. What’s more, if you bring him in off the pasture

as a yearling and he does the same thing, he will be frightenec

and confused when, now threatened by his bigger size, you

138 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

3rse learns to

th a primary

if discomfort,

nstantly fool-

immediately

is to link the

eeling on his

iorse stop his

you immedi-

1 good, it will

uture. That is

t. Your horse

re because he

se primary or

d are primary

but take care

havior. When

igh and think

:r his tail, you

rded for turn-

vior to get the

off the pasture

be frightened

gger size, you

slap him sharply across the butt. So be aware of what you are

rewarding, or it may come back to haunt you, supersize.

Another caution: food is the strongest primary positive

stimulus, so be careful about what is happening at feeding

rime. If you go out to feed your horse in the pasture, he comes

it you with ears back and threatening body language, and you

ust dump the feed and leave, you have just used reward to

encourage him to behave like that again in the future.

Similarly, suppose one of your horses is the vocal type and

his screaming is driving you crazy. If you give him extra feed to

shut him up, not only have you contributed to his obesity, but

vou have also rewarded him for screaming and he will repeat

±e behavior in the future to get what he wants. (See more

ibout this problem in Extinction, page 142.)

Negative Reinforcement If as soon as a horse does what we want, we remove a negative

эг unpleasant stimulus, we have used negative reinforcement

:o strengthen the desired behavior. In the future, the horse will

likely perform that behavior sooner so that the negative stimu­

lus will be removed sooner.

For example, say you want your horse to move over. You

ipply pressure on his ribs with your hand or the butt end of a

• hip, or with your leg if you are riding. As soon as the horse

:>egins to move to the side, away from the pressure, you remove

he pressure by taking your hand, the whip butt, or your leg off

he horse. His sideways movement has been encouraged using

negative reinforcement and a primary stimulus. Pressure (an

★ ★ ★

Positive reinforcement

means giving a pleasant

stimulus during or imme­

diately after a behavior to

encourage that behavior;

also called reward.

Negative reinforce­

m ent means removing

an unpleasant stimulus to

encourage a behavior that is

occurring.

Reinforcement means

strengthening an association

between a stimulus and a

response. You can use p ri­

mary stimuli (inherent) such

as food or rest, or secondary

stimuli (paired with prim ary

and learned stimuli) such as

praise or a pat.

★ ★ ★

L E A R N I N G

Don't punish a horse for an honest unpleasant sensation) was removed when he moved sideway:

reflex. This horse might be reacting He’ll be more likely to repeat that behavior in the future, and to the surcingle, cavesson, bridle, , , .

should take less pressure each time to get him to move over. side reins, or whip. r °

Another example takes place in the half-halt. A half-haltш dressage or a check in Western riding is a momentary gather­

ing up of the horse. Using driving forces from the seat and legs and restraining forces via the hands on the bridle, the ride

calls the horse to attention and asks the horse to gather u:

compact, or collect for a second or two. As soon as the horst

responds, the half-halt should be released.

In this case, as in many other aspects of training horses, the

yield is much more important than the take. In other word-

the result comes from rewarding the horse’s compliance. If he responded the way you wanted but instead of yielding, yc -

tried to hold him in that shape, it would give him no incentr e to comply next time you asked.

Caution: Negative Reinforcement Can Backfire When a horse bucks off a saddle or a rider, his bucking behav­

ior has been strengthened by the principles of negative rein­

forcement. If the horse initially perceives a saddle or rider j

something undesirable, threatening, or uncomfortable, and he

succeeds in removing it from his back by bucking, then buck­

ing behavior will likely be repeated in the future.

140 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Punishment Disciplining a horse immediately after an unwanted behavior

can discourage him from repeating that behavior in the future.

So when a horse acts badly and you do something that he per­

ceives as unpleasant, you have punished him for his behavior.

Some people are reluctant to discuss using punishment when

training horses, feeling it is unfair and unnatural. All you have

to do is watch a group of horses on pasture for a few days and

you will witness some very real and harsh examples of punish­

ment taking place.

When a newly weaned foal approaches an adult gelding and

nuzzles his flank, the foal will be punished. It will be told in no

uncertain terms to get away and stay away. It could be in the

form of a kick or a bite, and the foal could be injured. That is

natural horse behavior in action. When any horse approaches

the feed of a more dominant animal, he will be punished. Pun­

ishment is a fact of life, a necessity in herds, and an integral

part of “natural” horse training. If administered according

to the principles in this book, punishment will be immedi­

ate, appropriate, consistent, and concise, and it will make for

peaceful future relations.

For example, if you are leading your horse and he tries to

run ahead of you or over you, and you give him a sharp tug

on the halter, you are punishing him for his dangerous (bad)

behavior. The pressure on his nose from the halter is a primary

stimulus — he instantly knows he does not

'ike the pressure or pain on his nose. You can

link a secondary stimulus with this primary

stimulus (jerking on the lead rope), if you

also use a voice command such as “Quit.” The

horse will begin to associate your authorita­

tive voice with controlling him, so that later

/our voice command alone will produce the

same results.

Another example is an electric fence. When

a horse leans over an electric fence into the

next pen or pasture and he is shocked by the

fence, he has been punished by a primary

stimulus — he doesn’t need to learn that a

shock stings. He will be less likely to repeat

:hat behavior in the future.

★ ★ ★

Punishm ent is administer­

ing an unpleasant stimulus

during or immediately after

a behavior to discourage

that behavior.

Extinction means remov­

ing a pleasant stimulus to

discourage the behavior that

is occurring.

★ ★ ★

Punishment is something horses

understand. Horses dish out severe

and harsh punishment among

themselves. The horse on the right is saying w ith tooth and hoof "Go

away. Stay away."

L E A R N I N G 141

Don't cave in and feed your

screaming horse or you will be

training him to scream louder and

longer in the future.

The Walk-Down Method To use this means o f catch­

ing a horse, start in a small

pen and increase to a larger

pen. Always walk toward

the horses shoulder, never

his rump or his head. Never

move faster than a walk.

When the horse stops,

scratch his withers. Always

be the first to retreat. Even­

tually, halter the horse.

Caution: wrongful punishment occurs when you punish a

horse that does something right. Say you have a horse that is

difficult to catch, and you are using the walk-down method t:

catch him. Finally, you get a halter on him, and once you с

you give him a sharp jerk and say, “Next time don’t be so hare

to catch!” Well, if I were the horse, I’d be much harder to eater

the next time, because I learned that when I finally stood stC

and let you approach and halter me, the first thing I got was

punishment!

Extinction When a horse has an undesirable behavior that we want tc

eradicate, sometimes we can use the principles of extinction

to remove it.

Remember the horse that screamed when he wanted to be

fed? He has learned that when he screams, he gets fed. You havr

inadvertently trained this horse to scream, using the principles

of positive reinforcement or reward.

To rid the horse of that undesirable habit, you’ll need to us-,

extinction, followed by a new round of positive reinforcement

First, quit giving him something good (feed) when he exhibits

the undesirable behavior (he is noisy). That’s extinction. Then

you must reward the behavior you want (a quiet horse). Once

the horse is quiet, feed him.

If the habit is long-standing, it might take quite a while to

change it, and at first, the horse might scream more loud:

and add pawing and stall-door banging to the clamor, like a

spoiled kid trying to wear down a parent in order to get candy

Just when it doesn’t seem as though it could get any worse, the

horse will likely try something different. When he tries to be

quiet, that is when extinction is starting to work and you can

start using positive reinforcement. Feed him when he is quiet

and only when he is quiet. This particular example can be :

real test of your commitment to training your horse.

Another example is a horse that has fought restraint and bro­

ken free; he has learned to repeat his fighting behavior througr.

negative reinforcement. He removes something unpleasar.':

(restriction) by fighting and overpowering a person or break

ing equipment or facilities. Once he is free, he has learned what

he needs to do in the future to get free — pull like there is n

tomorrow! His behavior has been reinforced.

142 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Case Study: Pulling Cure and Prevention lish a

hat is

lod to

ou do

) hard

catch

id still

3t was

ant to

notion

1 to be

iu have

nciples

to use

emenL

xhibits

i. Then

). Once

.'hile to

loudly

r, like a

t candv.

irse, the

es to be

you can

is quiet

an be a

md bro-

through

pleasan:

r break-

tedwha:

;re is no

Here is how to use extinction with a horse that pulls when tied but

has broken free only once or twice. Before using this method, set

your horse up for success by working on several aspects of the

problem,

preparation

First, make sure he knows how to yield to pressure on his poll,

including putting his head down and coming forward in response

to very light pressure on the halter. Test him by doing rapidly paced

in-hand work (such as walk, stop, walk, trot, stop, back) and seeing

how he responds to the pressure. Test him further by ponying him

(leading him from a seasoned, well-mannered riding horse) at all

gaits. If he follows your pony horse like a butterfly on a string, pro­

ceed to the next phase, the extinction of pulling back when tied.

Procedure

In order to discourage fighting when tied, you must not allow the

horse to gain his freedom. A com m on method is to tie a horse

hard and fast to a safe, strong, high hitch rail or post with double

rope halters and double lead ropes and let him pull until he gives

up. Although this method can work, it can be dangerous. Here's

another way.

Thread a 25-foot rope through a deflated inner tube (shown) or

special tie ring set above the horse's head. Attach one end of the

rope to the halter and hold the other end. When the horse pulls on

the rope he will obtain a certain am ount of slack, which you can

then take up to return him to the starting point. The horse doesn't

gain his freedom by pulling; he is just able to move somewhat,

which keeps him from feeling trapped.

The horse's undesirable behavior is likely to get worse (pulling,

rearing, scrambling, or falling down) before it gets better. Don't

quit: this intensification is often a sign he is about to give in and

the behavior is about to disappear and be replaced with another

behavior, such as standing still, w hen he does stand still, he should

be positively rewarded with rubbing, rest, and perhaps a walk

around or release.

Caveat: Working with a confirmed puller is dangerous, and a cure

m ight be impossible or just temporary, it is often best to leave it

to an experienced trainer. Prevention is easier.

Sherlock's 25' lead rope is run through an

inner tube. I'm holding the other end. When he

pulls, I give him a little slack, then take it back.

Now Sherlock is tied hard and fast to the inner

tube. He tests it, feels pressure on his poll, and

steps forward, yielding to the pressure.

Sherlock has learned that there is no escape

and that standing tied is not only possible,

but easy.

L E A R N I N G 143

Fighting restraint can take many forms, such as pulling a

leg away from a person who is trying to clean the hoof; break­

ing a halter, lead rope, or tie rail; and breaking equipment.

If the habit is not too deeply ingrained, it is possible to use

extinction to erase the fighting. However, if a horse has broken

twenty-three lead ropes or halters when tied, he might uproot

the entire barn or kill himself thrashing and fighting, before

extinction works.

Repeating ground tie with Sassy in

a variety of situations made her a

ground-tie queen — solid, reliable,

and confident.

Repetition Repetition is appropriate, necessary, and a friend to horses and

to horse trainers, to a certain degree. But it is often carried

to extremes. Certainly, horses respond favorably to consistent

handling, and consistency involves repetition. Once a horse

has been introduced to an idea and he responds even a little

bit in the right direction, then it is a matter of building on that,

and reviewing frequently afterward.

Variety is the spice of life, and variety in horse

training is good, too. It helps a horse develop into

a well rounded, more confident partner and keeps

him from anticipating and becoming robotic. Most

horses would order up consistency with a little bit of

variety.

In my experience, horses learn best if they are

introduced to an idea, rewarded when they make

attempts toward the desired behavior, and then given

some time to let it soak in.

If a horse does not get it within a few attempts or a few min­

utes, either the approach needs to be changed or the horse or

trainer needs a break. It simply makes no sense to continue

repeating something with a horse when you are continually

getting the wrong response.

Here is what is appropriate in regards to repetition: repeating

something three to four times in a training session and hold­

ing training sessions five times a week. If you are working on

backing your horse up (in hand or riding), the first time you

introduce it, you might work on it for a few minutes until the

horse starts to get the idea. Then you would leave it, work on

something else, and come back to it a few more times during

that first session. For every session after that, you would work

144 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

on backing for a minute or so, three to four times in the ses­

sion. Heck, if you do that, by the end of the week, you’ll have a

horse that backs promptly, straight, and in good position.

Here is what is not appropriate: repeating something a hun­

dred times in a row. If you did this with the previous example

of backing, you’d more than likely sour the horse to backing

and he’d get sullen, resistant, and even lock up when you tried

:o back him. Why should he comply? All he has to look for­

ward to is more and more backing. Knowing when to quit is

an art. Read your horse. Be fair.

★ ★ ★

Shaping is a term for the

progressive development of

the form o f a movement;

the reinforcement o f succes­

sive improvements toward

a desired behavior.

★ ★ ★

Shaping Once a horse understands what you mean by an aid, you can

:nen begin to ask for a gradual improvement in form, also

Known as shaping.

For example, when you are first teaching a tiny foal to lead,

and you want him to stop, you might step in front of him, use

a tug on the noseband of the halter, say “Whoa,” or employ a

?reast rope to show the foal what you want. Your eventual goal

is for the foal to stop square alongside you on a slack rope, just

by cuing off your body language. But getting to that stage takes

a series of steps that span several lessons. Each time the foal

;ets closer to the final goal, you should reward him by releas­

ing pressure and gradually using fewer training aids.

In another example, when you are first teaching a two-year-

j’ld to canter on a longe line, you’ll accept just

about anything that leads to cantering without

bucking or pulling. Your eventual goal is for the

horse to canter directly from a walk, in proper

?alance, rhythm, and engagement and on the

correct lead. Reaching such an advanced goal

:akes time, though. You’ll likely see a lot of trot

steps, wrong leads, breaking gaits, rushing, lifti­

ng of the head, and hollowing the back, but each

nme the horse shows improvement, he needs to

:e encouraged.

Shaping works best if you remember these

principles: choose the best starting point, reward

all good efforts, and don’t move too fast toward

die goal, but don’t get stuck in a rut, either.

Z IP P E R S S H A P IN G P R O G R A M

★ Lope.

★ Continue loping.

★ Lope in a straight line.

★ Lope on the correct lead.

★ Lope in balance.

★ Lope with collection.

★ Lope from a trot.

★ Lope from a walk.

★ Lope from a halt.

★ Lope anywhere.

L E A R N I N G 145

S H E R L O C K S L E A D IN G P R O G R E S S IO N

when teaching a foal to lead, set

yourself up for success by first

leading the foal behind the dam.

Then with the dam nearby, lead the

foal using a butt rope to cue him to

move forward. Later, lead the foal

w ithout the butt rope and out of

sight of the mare.

Choose the Best Starting Point In the foal-leading example, introduce “Whoa” when the foal

is most likely to want to stop anyway. Have someone lead the

mare next to the foal, and when the mare handler stops the

mare, ask the foal to stop. It would be much more difficult to

take the foal away from his mother the first time you asked for

him to stop. Youd likely have a frantically rearing youngster.

When teaching the two-year-old to canter, you’ll have better

success asking for a canter when the horse is fresh and eager

to move on than you will if you wait until he is tired.

Reward All Approximations to the Desired Behavior With the foal, when you release the pressure on his lead rope

when he stops, it is reinforcement. Letting the foal stop by his

mother’s side is also a reward. Even when a foal starts to slow

down, you can give him a rub and say “Good” to let him know

he is getting the idea. Soon the foal can learn that a soothing

touch or word is a reward.

When you ask for a canter and the two-year-old bolts into

a gallop, remain calm and praise the horse for his attempt to

make an upward transition. Even if a young horse takes the

wrong lead, at least he cantered, and it is best to reward him

for that before you begin working on the leads. If you try to

work on too many things at once, the horse will likely become

confused. If you are fair and conscientious in what you ask of

your horse, soon the horse will relax and the correct response

will come easily.

146 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Don’t Go Too Fast Toward a Goal If you try to reach perfection in just a few sessions, your horse

might miss some valuable pieces of the puzzle or connections

between the lessons components. The beauty of a systematic

training system is that when you have problems, you always

have a progression that can be reviewed. If you move from

point A to point D and skip В and C, then you have fewer

places for review and fixing.

You might get the job done by being very harsh with the

foal, and determined to get him to stop and stand still right

from the beginning, but it will be through fear and physical

pain rather than learning. This won’t make the next session any

easier — if you can catch the foal at all!

If you keep after the two-year-old and in one session expect

him to canter on the correct lead in balance and in rhythm, you

might be able to accomplish it with a very talented horse. Most

horses, however, would become very tired, and you might do

more harm than good. Remember, often the slower you go, the

faster you get there, and the longer lasting the results are.

Don’t Get Stuck in a Rut After a while you may find that you get the job done pretty

well but no longer gear the lessons to forward progress. This

can make it more difficult to advance the horse’s training later.

Horses are creatures of habit, so be aware of what you do

repeatedly with your horses. Keeping the lessons progressing

will yield maximum performance

and satisfaction.

If you lead a foal next to his dam

for four months, then it will be more

difficult to convince the foal that

he can operate independently than

if you had started the independent

work in the first month of training.

For the first three months of longe-

ing, if the two-year-old is allowed

one or two trot strides in between a

transition from walk to canter, it will

be more difficult to erase them than

if you started working on eliminating

them after a couple of weeks.

The use of side reins is both an art

and a science. They can be a valu­

able training aid but are sometimes

used as a shortcut, bypassing

important intermediate steps.

L E A R N I N G 147

C H A P T E R

Training

N ow t h a t y o u h a v e a g o o d i d e a of what a horse is

made up of physically and mentally and you are familiar

with the principles of learning, some general training guide­

lines are in order. Along with a bit of philosophy, I’m going

to break my own rule about avoiding anthropomorphism and

start out with a list of training rules from the horse’s perspec­

tive — straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

I will then talk about setting goals, the phases of training, and

the various types of lessons you can work on with your horse.

Afterward, I will give you some guidelines for a typical training

session, taking into account the instincts and behavior of the

horse. With that, you’re good to go!

149

12 Training Rules from the Horse's Viewpoint

If your horse could talk and you asked him how he'd like to be treated, he m ight answer

something like this.

^ No breaking. Bend me, but don 't break me.

I Present me with simple lessons that l can

master, and build on those. Don't force me to

change; invite me to change. Be calm and patient,

and you will be amazed at w hat I will do for you.

2 Be clear. If you can tell me what you w ant

me to do and I can do it, I will do it. If I don't

understand you, don 't punish me; ask me another

way. I w ant to cooperate.

3 Treat me like a horse. I'm a horse and

proud of it. Although we can be good

friends, l'm not a person and I'm not your puppy,

either.

4 Be flexible. I know you w ant me to master

a certain action today, but cut me some

slack if you see that I am distracted or tired or

confused. Sometimes I need the reassurance of

reviewing something simple that I already know.

Focus, please. You always ask me for my

attention when we work together, so I'd like

you to pay attention to what we are doing, too.

Turn off the cell phone; forget about the sales

contract on your desk or the fender bender your

kid had or your recent medical results. Be here

with me now, okay?

/ set the scene for success, sines you

K j know l am afraid of loose dogs or lawn

mowers next to the arena, help me get over

those fears first before you ask me to do som e­

thing while those things are going on. Eventually,

I'd like to be able to do anything, anytime, any­

where for you, but I have a lot of insecurities to

overcome. With your help, we can do it.

Be consistent. When you are first asking

me to do something, such as to put my head

down so you can examine my ears, if you ask

me the same way a few times in a row, I'll get

the idea and, hey, no problem. But if you work

with me a few times and then let your friend Joe

handle my ears, and he does it really differently, l

may get startled and he may get angry. It is going

to be harder for me to figure out w hat l should

do. If you are consistent until you see that I've

got it, then you can start varying and adding. If

you take your time, you will be surprised at all the

variations l can learn, if l have trouble catching

on, you can always review the first way I learned,

which is locked in. Just give me a starting point

and be consistent — I like that.

8 Bond with me my way. I like to be rubbed

on my forehead and my neck; that makes

me relaxed and content. Don't tickle the end of

my nose or my flank or my belly, and please don't

slap me hard, thinking I like it. Just use firm, circu­

lar, rubbing motions and we'll be buddies forever.

Take your time. When you are in a rush and

move around me in a hurry, you smell anx­

ious and I can sense your accelerated heart rate.

Sometimes I get nervous and hyper, too. When

you skip a step and ask me to do something new,

sometimes I get lost and then can't remember

the simplest task. I like it best when you move

smoothly around me, letting me know what you

are doing and taking as much time as it takes for

us to figure it out together.

Be optimistic, w hen you walk toward

me, I can tell if you are expecting things

to go well or badly. If you are projecting a smile,

I feel positive about working with you. On those

days when you are in a rush or anticipate prob­

lems, I pick up on that and tend to shift into

defense mode, because given the choice, I'd

rather flee than fight. If you're happy, I'm happy.

^ Be fair and realistic. I really appreciate

I that you understand me, because then

you w on 't ask me to do something that l am not

physically capable of doing. You'd never ask me

to carry or pull too much weight. And you'd never

ask me to cross an impassable bog or go down a

dangerously steep cliff. As long as you treat me

fairly and only ask me to do reasonable things, I

will never refuse you.

Be objective. When you and I are work­

ing together, report w hat you see, not

w hat you interpret. When the back cinch strap

hits my hind legs and I raise my leg, realize it sur­

prised me. Since I can 't see down there, my reflex

is to kick at something that m ight be attacking

my legs. Of course, when I have a m inute to think

about it, I realize that nothing is going to harm

me, so l no longer lift my leg, but at first l just

react, if you think, "Boy, you son of a gun, you are

not going to kick at me!" and get mad at me, then

we have a problem. Once you get to know me,

you'll understand why I do certain things and give

me the benefit of the doubt. In this way, you can

help me overcome my fears.

Training Philosophy

A Win-Win Partnership

If you are like me, you want to produce a horse partner that

you can count on and one that can count on you. You want to

feel safe working together, be able to communicate well, and

enjoy your work. I’ve written about training extensively in

other books (see Recommended Reading, page 178).

A s we move to the training principles section

of this book, here's an overview, one I wrote

for one of my very first books.

"When you face your horse in a training pen,

neither of you wants a fight. And neither of you

wants to be frightened or injured. You basically

w ant to get along, if your goal is a long-term part­

nership, then you must reach an understanding

and an effective system of communication. You

must watch each other carefully, listen acutely,

and respond honestly. You need to make the rules

and be in charge. But, in order for the partnership

to be successful, the rules should be based on the

natural instincts and talents of the horse.

"For a human to win, it is not necessary for

a horse to lose. You should not have to take

things away from a horse or break him into frag­

ments in order to train him; rather you should

add to the horse. The goal should be making,

not breaking.

"Horses, by nature, are generally cooperative

and interested in developing an interaction with

humans. So don't make the mistake of viewing

a horse as your adversary.

"I hope that you have a good horse to work

with and that you take your time and enjoy the

experience — after all, isn't that the reason we

all got into horses in the first place?"

— From Making Not Breaking by cherry Hill

(Breakthrough Publications, 1992)

152 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Training Goals It is good to have goals but be flexible so you can adapt them

to each of your horses each day If you design your training

program around a horses natural behaviors, inclinations, and

physical abilities, you’ll have a better chance for success.

Designing an Effective Training Program A training program is an individualized calendar of events that

you design for your horse to suit his age, level of training, and

his temperament. If it is well designed, it will suit the horse and

it will help you accomplish your various subjective and objec­

tive goals. Think of a training program for horses as spanning

weeks, months, or years, rather than minutes, hours, or days.

Subjective goals are those that you can’t measure scientifi­

cally, such as a willing attitude, cooperation, trust, and respect.

They are the foundation for the objective goals.

Objective goals usually involve performance of specific

maneuvers, such as standing still when you mount, cantering

on the correct lead, or clearing a four-foot fence. It is usually

easy for you to see whether your horse has or has not met an

objective goal. Eventually, the matter of form or quality of per­

formance of objective goals enters the picture and then the

quality of performance becomes your lifelong goal as a horse

trainer. But never lose sight of the subjective goals. Never sac­

rifice your horse’s trust or attitude to go higher or faster.

★ ★ ★

Training is replacing a

horse’s inborn fear o f mans

world with trust and respect

while preserving the horse’s

curiosity and willingness to

learn.

★ ★ ★

Zinger: willing, cooperative, trust­

ing, trustworthy, respectful, and

respected.

T R A I N I N G 153

Goal Setting

The more you can specify w hat you w ant to accomplish, in your mind or on paper, the easier it will be to

reach your goals. All styles of riding have the same basic goals that are taught in approximately the same

order. Your list m ight look something like this.

Mount with horse

standing still

Walk

Halt

Turn both ways

Dismount

My Goals for Basic Riding

Trot (walk to trot; trot

to walk)

Ride corners and

large circles

Turn on the forehand

both ways

Ride with other

horses in the ring

Ride out of the ring

Serpentine, half-turns

Canter (trot to can­

ter, canter to trot) on

both leads

Square halts

Back

Walk around, turn

on the hindquarters

Negotiate obstacles,

such as gates, small

fences, and so on

Phases o f Training How you design the training program for your horse will

depend on your horses conformation, age, prior training

and conditioning, and your (competition) goals and sched­

ule. All training programs, whether casual or formal, tend to

go through three phases: familiarization, learning skills, and

improving form.

Phase 1 includes such basic routines

as saddling.

Phase 1: Familiarization During early lessons, you need to accustom your horse to

training routines, tack, and sensations. These include being

touched all over, being groomed, having a saddle on his back,

feeling the restriction of a girth, accepting the presence of a bit

in his mouth, adjusting to the weight and sight of you on his

back, tolerating the sweat during a session without being able

to rub or roll, and following a daily work routine. In addition,

you’ll need to help your horse develop mental concentration so

he can pay attention for progressively longer periods of time.

In the early part of a training program, these are the only

goals and they are very important: the basics upon which all

other training is built. Your horse needs to be relaxed and

comfortable about all of these routines before you move on.

Phase 2: Learning Skills Once you feel your horse is relaxed about the basics of rid­

ing or driving, you’ll need to start teaching him specific skills.

154 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Cultivate willing and correct responses to your aids whether

you are on the ground or riding.

During the skills phase, there are many objective goals. For

example, your horse needs to learn to move forward either

in response to your body language or a longeing whip on the

ground or from leg pressure when you are riding. The simplest

form of the forward lesson is halt to walk, but going forward

includes all upward transitions (walk-trot, trot-canter, and so

on) and extensions within gaits (extended walk, extended trot,

and so forth).

Your horse also needs to learn to stop and to slow down.

You’ll need to use proper body language from the ground and

effective aids from the saddle to garner the walk to halt and all

downward transitions (trot to walk, and so on) as well as col­

lection within the gaits (for example, the collected canter).

Another basic lesson is to move away from pressure. You’ll

teach your horse to move his forehand or his hindquarters

or his entire body away from your hand or leg. This lesson is

needed for many exercises, including moving over while tied,

turning on the forehand, and side-pass.

During this technical skills phase, your horse is learning

what to do and what not to do. He learns a battery of responses

according to your goals and his skill level. First, your horse

will amass a repertoire of basic skills and then he will begin

learning how to differentiate between similar aids for different

responses.

Phase 3: improving Form After your horse has learned his basic technical skills, your next

goal is to help him improve his form. In the form phase, you will

gear the work so that your horse performs in a smoother, more

balanced, collected manner. In other words, you will help him

improve the quality of his work. First your horse learned what

to do; now he will learn how to do it in better form. Phases 2

and 3 are not separate — you’ll constantly shift back and forth

between reviewing a skill and honing the performance. Your

horse will usually tell you what to work on next.

No matter what the maneuver is, keep the important subjec­

tive goals in mind: forward energy, rhythm, suppleness, and

relaxation, mental and physical acceptance of contact, relative

straightness, balance, and precision.

Phase 2 involves learning specific

skills, such as the sidepass.

Phase 3 focuses on improving form

and the quality of the work, as in a

collected lope.

T R A I N I N G 155

Overall Goal: The Basics

As your horse adds new skills to his list of gaits

and maneuvers, be sure you don 't sacrifice these

important basic goals just to learn a new exercise.

Ask yourself:

н is my horse still relaxed, loose, and supple when

working on straight lines with forward energy?

н is he keeping a regular rhythm at each gait? (it

might be too fast or too slow at this point, but it

must at least be regular.)

и is my horse willingly accepting contact from my

hands on the bridle and my legs on his sides?

в When I ask for more energy from the hind­

quarters, does he respond by moving forward?

и Does my horse track straight on a straight line?

и Does my horse feel balanced slightly to the

rear, where he can work in a more collected form,

rather than heavy on the forehand?

Physical Development As you work your horse, regularly evaluate his physique. As

your horse exercises and is trained, he will be using particular

muscle groups more than others. With repetition, these muscle

groups become dominant and subsequently affect his confor­

mation. If the work you do with your horse is correct, he will

develop an attractive, smooth, and functional physique. If the

work is incorrect, his conformation could become imbalanced,

with unsightly thick bulges in some places and hollow, weak

spots in others.

★ ★ ★

Self-carriage refers to a

form o f posture and move­

ment that is balanced, col­

lected, and expressive, and

that is either natural or

developed and performed

by the horse without aids or

cues from the rider.

★ ★ ★

Improving the Frame Most horses start out with one of two basic frames. One is

the horse with a shorter topline than underline: hollow back

(sagging downward), high head, nose extended as much as 45

degrees in front of the vertical, croup higher than the withers,

hind legs trailing. The other beginning frame is the horse with

a long topline and a long underline: relatively flat, relaxed back;

a low, flat neck; nose out at a 45-degree angle; heavy on the

forehand. Both horses should be gradually developed so that

they can strengthen and round their necks, backs, and croups;

shift more weight back to the hindquarters; and increase the

carrying capacity and activity of their hind legs.

If your horse is of the first type, hed benefit from long, low

work such as the posting trot, something that will stretch and

156 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

T R A I N I N G 157

Physical Goals

Keep these goals of physical development in mind as you work with

your horse:

★ Gradually change a horse's flat or hollow topline to a bowed topline.

★ Develop suppleness and strength evenly on both sides of the body.

★ Gradually shift the weight of the horse from the forehand to the hind­

quarters.

★ Improve the style or expression of the horse's movement.

★ Improve the quality of the gaits.

C H A R A C T E R IS T IC F R A M E S

A high head and a hollow back A flat topline and a low head

The goal, a balanced horse

Ride your horse in an engaged

frame for a few strides, then let

him relax out of it. Pick him up

again for a little longer. Gradually

increase the time you ride your

horse in a collected frame until it

becomes second nature to him and

he starts to develop self-carriage.

relax his back. If you are starting with a horse of the second

type, use only long and low work to warm him up and assure

that he is supple. From there you can gradually introduce him

to the idea of elevating his forehand and shifting his weight

rearward. Upward and downward transitions between the halt,

walk, and trot are a good means to initially get the horse to step

under with his hinds and slightly elevate his front end. Train­

ing him to carry more weight on his hindquarters will take

considerable time. It may take several months or more to see

signs of improvement in overall carriage.

After several months of correct ground work or riding, how­

ever, your horse will likely begin to show signs of a slightly

rounded back, a slight rounding of the neck, and a slight low­

ering of the croup. One of the most visible differences at this

stage is that the horse can carry his nose comfortably and

steadily at about 25 to 30 degrees in front of the vertical. His

hind legs will step farther underneath his belly. It is beneficial

to ride your horse in this type of frame for the next year of his

training. He will likely show glimpses of self-carriage during

that year.

Further developing your horse’s frame is a process that is

also accomplished by small degrees. At first, ride your horse in

a slightly more engaged frame for only a short period of time

(a few strides, a few minutes). Then allow him to return to his

established level of self-carriage or give him a break on a long

or a loose rein.

Content of a Training Session Each time you handle your horse, think of yourself as a cho­

reographer of events leading to your horse’s finest and most

advanced work. If you lay the foundation through carefully

planned and executed exercises, you will have a better chance

of helping your horse reach his full potential.

Types of Work Choose the type of work that is most suitable for your horses

age and level of training: forward work, gymnastics, lateral

work, or collected work. Horses generally tell you what you

158 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

should work on. A horse will tell you when he needs a review

or when it is time to move on to the next step. If you study

your horse and tailor your training program to fit him, you

will make great progress. If you try to cram a square peg into a

round hole, well, it will be tough. Additionally, don’t forget to

work from both sides.

The Basics Horses learn well using a progressive approach. If you start

with something simple, something a horse can understand,

master mentally, and perform well physically, you build up his

confidence and interest. Then you can add the next step, and

before you know it, you and your horse will be capable of per­

forming all sorts of skills together. This is called starting with

the basics.

What are the basics? They are the foundation on which all

other lessons are based.

И Don’t be afraid □ Move

В Show mutual respect В Stop

Ш Pay attention Q Yield

Young Horse Sessions I f you are working with a

suckling, weanling, or year­

ling, shorter, more frequent

sessions are best. For a

suckling or weanling, a ses­

sion might entail grooming

fo r five minutes, then fifteen

minutes of in-hand work,

followed by five minutes

o f grooming. The yearling

might warm up with some

in-hand work, learn the

basics oflongeing or ground

driving in a twenty-minute

lesson, and have five to ten

minutes o f grooming at the

end o f the session.

While you are teaching the basics, take care of small prob­

lems before they become large ones that can’t be fixed.

For example, if you start bridling your horse and find he

raises his head, you will first have to teach him that he doesn’t

need to fear and avoid you by raising his head. If you find he is

sensitive about you reaching for his ears and poll, you will have

to desensitize that area first. When it comes time to put the bit

in his mouth, you might find he does not like his mouth, lips,

or teeth to be touched. You need to stop, go back to square

one, and work on that. Often, if you spend a week or so taking

care of the little things, you will find it improves your horse’s

behavior overall and will save you from constantly nagging

over those little things in the years to come.

If there is a lesson that requires immediate attention, such

as preparation of a new yearling for farrier care in two weeks,

the lessons should be conducted several times a day so that

steady progress is made. Shorter, frequent sessions yield much

better and longer-lasting results than does one all-out mara­

thon session.

T R A I N I N G 159

Forward Work Forward work is energetic work with minimal constraint,

something most horses naturally like. Examples are an ener­

getic walk, trot, or canter in a straight line with very little con­

tact from the bit and minimal bending or flexing. Forward

work is always suitable for a warm-up and cool-down for any

horse. In the very early stages of training, especially of a young

horse, forward work might be the only suitable type of work

for the entire training session.

Here is an example of forward Western ground driving. Circles are the key to gymnastic work.

Gymnastics Gymnastics add contact, bending, and changes of rein to the

forward work. Examples are circles of various sizes, half-turns

(reverses), serpentines, and change of rein across a diagonal.

Even though you’ve now added bending, the movements still

proceed on one track, with your horses hind feet following in

the footprints of his front feet, whether on a straight line or a

circle. In other words, there is no lateral work yet, which would

offset his hindquarters to his forehand.

Gymnastics might constitute the new work portion of a

young horses lesson, and this activity is appropriate for the

160 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

last part of a warm-up and for the review periods for a more

experienced horse.

Lateral Work Lateral work begins the intermediate phase of training and

includes figures that have a sideways component to them.

Examples are turn on the forehand, leg-yield, turn on the

hindquarters, leg-yield, side pass, half-pass, and so on. In most

cases, lateral exercises are worked on after a horse is warmed

up and has done ample forward work.

Collected Work Collected work aims at developing your horse’s longitudinal

(front-to-back) flexion and strength and balance in his hind­

quarters. Examples include all upward and downward tran­

sitions, such as walk-trot, trot-walk, trot-canter, canter-trot,

walk-canter, canter-walk, and backing. Generally, this work is

the focus of new work for an intermediate to advanced horse.

In a half-pass, a horse moves sideways

and forward at the same time.

Collection develops and requires

strength and balance.

Catch and halter your horse.

A Typical Training Session No matter what stage of training your horse is currently in, try

to pay attention to how you organize each training session. A

typical session, whether ground training or mounted training,

includes preparation of your horse, warm-up of you and your

horse, the training session, cool-down, and post-session care

of your horse.

Preparation o f Your Horse Your relationship with your horse begins with the first step you

take toward him in the stall or pen. As you handle your horse

during leading and grooming, be direct and precise in your

body language.

Tie your horse in a comfortable manner that confines his

movement to an area that makes him safe for you to work on

while you are grooming and tacking. Be very matter-of-fact as

you perform routine tasks such as cleaning his hooves, apply­

ing fly spray, clipping, and so forth. Your horses acceptance

and cooperation during these common practices affect his

mindset and attitude for the upcoming session. Use groom­

ing to stimulate your horse or to relax him, depending on his

nature and the stage of his training.

Warm-Up If your horse is bridled as you lead him to the training area,

remember that leading a bridled horse is different than leading

a haltered horse (see box on opposite page).

Groom and tack him.

162 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

When you reach the arena, stop your horse straight and

square and give him your command to stand still. Then take

your time as you prepare to start the session: this will develop

patience in your horse.

For example, if you are going to longe, take plenty of time

organizing your longe line or fiddling with your sunglasses or

hat — anything to let your horse relax and stand still and not

anticipate. If you will be riding, check that the saddle is straight

and then step in front of your horse and see if your stirrups and

bridle are even. Give the girth its final tightening. Put on your

gloves and sunglasses, secure your hat or helmet, and mount.

Sit for a moment without doing a thing.

When you decide it is time to move off, whether longeing

or riding, give your horse the appropriate signals. Follow this

routine consistently and your horse will not develop the habit

of dinking around or walking off as you mount.

A warm-up serves many purposes for both you and your

horse. It readies the neurological pathways, alerting them

for signals, thereby increasing coordination during the more

demanding work that will follow. It increases blood flow to the

skeletal muscles, which increases their strength of contraction

and allows them to stretch without damage.

Stretching exercises, such as an active long trot, should not

be used as the first part of a warm-up as they may result in torn

Leading with Halter vs. Bridle

Leading a bridled horse requires a different method than leading

one wearing a halter, w ith a halter, the lead rope communicates

with the halter ring or knot under his jaw and you direct him

with left, right, and backward movements of the rope. This exerts

pressure on the cheekpieces, noseband, and crownpiece of the

halter.

w ith a bridle, the reins are attached to a bit, putting pressure

on the bars, tongue, and corners of the mouth, if you treat the

reins of a bridle like a single lead rope, you would give confus­

ing and contradictory signals to your horse's mouth. Separate

the reins with your index finger and use the reins independently

to indicate to your horse whether he should turn right or left or

slow down.

Lead him to the arena.

Mount up.

T R A I N I N G 163

fibers. It is always beneficial to move your horse at a walk for at

least two to three minutes before starting a trot.

An energetic, forward trot at a slow rhythm is suitable for

the end of the warm-up period; an explosive fast trot or com­

plex work is not. Your horse will tell you when he is relaxed

and ready to move on to the next phase when he shows you

these signs:

□ Blows (exhales gently or forcefully through his nose)

И Breathes long and deep

Q Mouths the bit, chewing and licking

E3 Begins lowering his head

И Reaches forward with his neck and head

Almost any horse improves after a warm-up. It takes the

edge off a fresh horse and puts him in the mental state to pay

attention and work. If you have a lazy horse, a warm-up will

get his blood flowing and he’ll be more physically stimulated

to work. If your horse is hyperactive or hot, a warm-up will

“smooth” him out: that is, his neuromuscular responses will

start firing with more control. But be careful you don’t use up

all of your horse’s energy in the warm-up. Save some for the

actual training session.

A blowing horse, indicating readi­

ness for work

164 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Ideal Length of a Training Session

The Heart o f the Training Session To custom-design a training session to fit your horse, try to

think like a horse as you fit the pieces together. It is usually

more appealing to and more productive for a horse if you break

the session into several short sections rather than approaching

it as one long block of time. For a one-hour session, you might

use ten minutes for a warm-up and save ten minutes for a cool­

down at the end. That leaves you forty minutes for the work. So

the sixty minutes would go something like this:

Remember, all handling and riding is training.

Age Length of Session Frequency

Foal 15 minutes 5 times per week

Weanling 30 minutes 5 times per week

Yearling 30-60 minutes 3-5 times per week

2-year-old 60 minutes 4-6 times per week

3-year-old up to 90 m inutes 4-6 times per week

4-year-old up to 2 hours 2-6 times per week

5-20-year-old 1-6 hours 2-6 times per week

21 and older 30-90 minutes 4-6 times per week

The work session

В Break (a little longer break after the hard stuff): 3 minutes

El Review work (go back to working on something that your

horse knows very well and really enjoys): 10 minutes

□ Cool-down (some long trotting and walking on a loose

rein): 10 minutes

S3 Warm-up (long trotting): 10 minutes

IS Review work (something your horse knows

very well): 10 minutes

□ Break (let your horse stretch and blow and

relax): 2 minutes

a New work (something your horse is in the pro­

cess of learning and you want to work on together):

15 minutes

T R A I N I N G 165

Taking a break on a loose rein

Review When you are ready to begin the review portion of the session,

choose something your horse knows well and is capable of per­

forming with relative mental and physical ease. Your horse will

appreciate the mental break. He will be confident because he

can do circles and serpentines at the walk, or a quiet trot in his

sleep! But don’t let him fall asleep while doing them — review

work should be active, forward, lively, and on straight lines (no

lateral work). Keep it simple.

Break When you take the rest break, take care not to “throw your

horse away” all of a sudden. Abrubtly releasing the reins or

letting your horse collapse on the longe line just teaches him

to travel heavily on his forehand. Let him, instead, gradually

stretch down. Feed the reins or line out to him slowly until he

is just moseying around the arena, blowing through his nose.

If a horse reaches down, stretching the top muscles of his

neck, it indicates the preceding work was done correctly. If

instead your horse throws his head up and bulges the under­

side of his neck out, it means his back is sore and the previous

work was incorrect and tense.

As the rest period comes to a close, drive your horse forward

with your lower legs or with your longe line and body lan­

guage, slowly regaining the previous level of contact until you

have your horse working in the state he was before the break.

New Work At first you might want to use a watch to get a sense of how

long you are taking for the various portions of a session, but

before long you’ll learn to read your horse’s signs and know

when it is time to move on to the next segment of the session.

The new work period should occur during your horse’s mental

and physical peak, when he is tuned in and warmed up but

not tired out. The new work is the more challenging work that

your horse is learning, such as a series of precise transitions or

advanced lateral work.

It is not so difficult to start new work. The hard part is know­

ing when to end new work. Knowing when to quit is both an

art and science. Although you’d like to make a major break­

through during every single training session with your horse,

166 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

How Much Is Too Much?

The new work can include obstacle

work, which most horses find inter­

esting and engaging.

It is not w hat you use but how you use it that determines

whether something is appropriate or excessive. Whether we are

talking about time, tack, aids, or repetition, often less is more.

★ If something is not working after considerable repetition, stop

and reevaluate.

★ When choosing whether you should ride w ith a snaffle bridle,

bosal, bitless bridle, curb bit, or spade bit, remember that the

improper use of any item of tack can result in mental abuse or

physical injury. Your hands have the ability to turn a snaffle bit

into a cruel instrument, or a spade bit into a delicate means of

communication.

★ Longeing can be used as an enjoyable, productive interaction

or as a way to exhaust a horse and deplete his spirit reserves.

★ Halters, ropes, chains, whips, and other ground-training tack

can be used effectively and appropriately, or be intimidating and

counterproductive.

that isn’t a realistic expectation. Sometimes it is

necessary to quit while you are ahead. If your horse

has given you an honest effort but begins to tire and

make mistakes, he is telling you that it is time to

move out of the new work period, even if you have

not accomplished your goal of the day. When your

horse starts making mistakes, he could be telling

you that he has lost his concentration, he is past his

peak, or he is just plain tired.

On the other hand, if your horse is still fresh and

is being testy or stubborn, and in spite of your good

efforts is not paying attention, then you may need to

work him through a difficulty before you close the

new work period. If you end the session in frustra­

tion, just think of how confused your horse must be.

Try to find a satisfying point of closure for both you

and your horse.

In many instances, it might serve you both better

(and avoid a fight) if you walk on a long rein for a

few moments, arrange your thoughts and strategy,

T R A I N I N G 167

Peak Performance

Every horse peaks, mentally and physically, at a different time and

for a different length of time. When a horse peaks, he is at the

top of his physical game and he is alert and responsive. Things go

smoothly.

At first, the peak might only last a few minutes. With any horse,

the peak period will increase as his condition improves. You need

to learn how to recognize and then predict your horse's peak so

that you can make the most of that important zone. That's when

you w ant to perform the new or most complicated work with

your horse.

If you insist that a horse work too far past his peak, you risk

destroying w hat you have gained in the previous work. You

always w ant to quit the dem anding work at a point where it is still

fun and engaging for both of you, so that you can't wait to work

on it during the next session.

and then return to the work. If your horse is in good physical

condition and you know his level of mental concentration, you

will likely be able to recognize those times when he is going so

well that you can ask for more complex work. It is important

to realize that when introducing new lessons, there always is

the potential of running into a problem. If you make an effort

to think things out ahead of time, you will be more capable of

quickly deciding whether you should resolve a problem now

or tactfully close the session instead and deal with the problem

next time.

Break The break after the new work can be a little bit longer than

the previous break, but it should follow a similar format. Your

horse will really appreciate this break.

If he shows his appreciation of the loose rein by stretching

his neck down and reaching out with his nose, that means your

work together has been well done. If instead he raises his head

and hollows his back, that tells you that you have been holding

him in tight position and when you let go, he had to counteract

those muscles with a reverse stretch. This is not a good sign.

168 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

When you take contact with your horse through the bridle,

seat, and legs, you will start the final work session, which is a

valuable review.

Closing Review Before the final review period, think of the problem areas that

popped up in the new work so that during the closing review,

you can touch on the basic principles that underlie them. Don’t

be tempted to work on new movements per se, or you may

open a can of worms just when you are ready to quit. Instead,

take your horse through a review of simple, basic principles

so that during your next training session, he will have a better

chance of performing the new work correctly.

For example, if your horse was stiff when you cantered left,

don’t canter left during the review period. Rather, run through

some gymnastic exercises in both directions at the walk and

trot to loosen his poll, throatlatch, neck, shoulder, rib cage,

and hindquarters. I’ve often found that working to the right

improves work to the left, and vice versa.

To preserve your horse’s self-esteem and interest in his work,

end the review session with something he does really well. It

is good for you, too, to end with a good feeling about your

training and riding, so as you wind down the session, think

of several parts of the lesson that went particularly well. If you

both end on a positive note, you will look forward to working

together again soon.

The Cool-Down After a vigorous training session, it is impor­

tant to let your horse gradually and system­

atically wind down from his work. Save at

least ten minutes for this. The cool-down

begins after the last review period in the ses­

sion when you give your horse some slack in

the reins, and ends when you have returned

to the barn to untack.

A cool-down does not have to consist

entirely of walking around on a long rein,

although it can. Unless your horse is unfit, a

cool-down can include some trotting freely

on a long rein. That sort of loose, relaxed

untacking

Cooling out at the hitch rail

trotting will help flush accumulated lactic acid

from the dense muscles of his hindquarters and

will also clear his mind. After particularly hard

work, you may choose to dismount, loosen the

cinch, and lead your horse around the arena for

the last five minutes.

If your horse is very hot, don’t let his thick

muscles cool out too quickly. Keep his back and

loin covered with a quarter sheet or wool cooler

so his muscles will dissipate heat more slowly.

Post-Session Care What you do after the training session can have a

lot to do with how your horse will greet you the

next day. If you spray a hot horse with cold water,

it can feel unpleasant and cause his muscles to

become stiff. Besides, using water to hose sweat

and dirt off your horse every day is not a good

long-term management practice. A daily transi­

tion from wet to dry can be extremely damag­

ing to the structure of your horse’s hooves. Also,

fungus and skin problems can occur when horses

are frequently wet down and aren’t allowed to dry

thoroughly.

Most horses enjoy a vigorous rubdown with

dry towels or burlap much more than a spraying

with water. After wiping your horse down and

applying a full cooler or scrim, you can tie him

out of drafts in the winter and out of direct sun

in the summer so he can dry comfortably. When

your horse is thoroughly dry, curry and brush

him vigorously, use a vacuum if desired to remove

any dried sweat or shedding hair, cover him with

a sheet, and return him to his stall or pen. As you

turn him loose, give him a good rub on the fore­

head and neck and tell him he did a good job.

Epilogue The dawn horse, also known as eohippus or

hyracotherium, was the first equid to appear

on earth 55 million years ago. Although DNA

evidence is still coming in, for purposes of

this discussion we can say that the modern

horse, Equus caballus, has been domesticated

for approximately 5,000 years.

To put the horse’s relationship to man in

perspective, come and stand in the middle of

my 100 x 200 foot arena with me. If you start

by looking at the in-gate and then let your

eyes travel 50 feet to the first corner, then 200

feet down one long side, 100 feet across the

far end, 200 feet up the other long side, and

then 50 feet back to the gate, your gaze will

Eohippus Mesohippus

have traveled 600 feet, or 7,200 inches. That

represents the 55 million years of the horse’s

evolution.

Now, look at your little fingernail. It is

approximately Vi-inch wide. That represents

the number of years that the modern horse

has been domesticated.

I’m continually amazed at the adaptability

of the horse, the number of things the horse

is willing and able to do for man. But deeper

yet, is my admiration for the spirit and nature

of the horse.

Whenever we work with one of these special

animals, the more we can think like a horse,

the better for us all.

Merychippus

Pliohippus Equus

171

Heart girth

Throat latch

Chin groove

Upper lip

Elbow-

Forearm

Chestnut

Pastern

Parts of a Horse

172 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Crest Foreheads

Bridge of nose

Muzzle-

Lower lip

Jugular furrow

Shoulder-

Point of shoulder

Chest

Canm

Fetloo

Hoof

Withers

Loin Croup

Body Language: Develop Clear Signals

Drive: Simultaneously, step toward the horse's

hindquarters with your driving foot (right foot when

horse is tracking left); raise the whip; say "Walk On".

Stop: Simultaneously, step toward the horse's fore­

hand with your blocking foot (left foot when horse is

tracking left); lower the whip behind you; raise your

left arm and say "Whoa."

Neutral: Hold whip behind you with both arms at

your side; weight evenly distributed on both feet;

lower your gaze and take a deep belly breath.

Turn: With horse tracking left, start backing up and

to the left while handing the whip behind you from

right to left hand. Step to the left, raise the whip and

say "Turn."

174 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Glossary

aberrant behavior. Abnormal behavior. See also

stereotypies accom modation. The self-adjustment of the lens of

the eye for focusing on objects at various distances,

acuity. Keenness or sharpness of vision,

adaptation. A change in behavior to conform to

new circumstances; in vision, the power that the

eye has of adjusting to variations in light,

agonistic behavior. Social interactions that serve to

maintain order.

aid. The means by which a trainer or rider commu­

nicates with the horse. Natural aids are the mind,

voice, hands, legs, body (weight, seat, back); artifi­

cial aids include the halter, whip, spurs, chain,

anthropom orphism . Attributing human characteris­

tics to nonhumans.

anticipation. A response that begins before an

expected stimulus.

attitude. A temporary behavior reflecting specific

conditions.

bad habit. Undesirable behavior in response to

handling or riding,

balk. Refusal to move.

band. A small, stable group of horses; in the wild,

a breeding band consisting of mares is called a

harem. A bachelor band consists of all male horses,

barn-sour. Describes a horse that has developed the

bad habit of bolting back to the barn upon release.

See also herd bound

bars (mouth). The bony, flesh-covered space between

the incisors and molars where the bit lies; also

called the interdental space. behavior modification. A method of changing exist­

ing behavior.

binocular. Using both eyes at the same time,

buddy bound. Describes a strong bond between two

horses that can result in separation anxiety.

check ligaments. Part of the stay apparatus of the

forelimbs.

clacking. A submissive gesture of foals with lowered

head and repeated opening and closing of mouth;

also known as snapping or champing,

classical conditioning. Linking a stimulus with a

response for the purposes of training,

claustrophobic. Uncomfortable and frightened

when confined or crowded,

cold-blooded. Horses whose ancestors trace back to

heavy war horses and draft breeds. Characteristics

might include more substance of bone, thick skin,

heavy hair coat, shaggy fetlocks, and lower red

blood cell and hemoglobin values,

colic. Abdominal pain.

colt. A young uncastrated male horse usually

between the ages of weaning and gelding (or

stallion selection).

cue. A signal or composite of trainer aids that is

designed to elicit certain behavior in a horse,

dam. The mother of a horse.

dom inance hierarchy. Pecking order; social ranking

of individuals within a group,

epimeletic behavior. Caregiving or attention,

epiphysis. The growth plates at the ends of long

bones.

Equus. The genus of the horse; the species of the

modern horse is caballus.

et-epimeletic. Soliciting care or attention,

evasion. Avoidance of an aid; for example, a horse

that overflexes or gets “behind the bit” to keep from

accepting contact with the bit.

extinction. Removal of a pleasant reinforcement to

discourage the behavior that is occurring,

filly. A young female horse.

flehmen response. A behavior in reaction to a smell;

the horse raises the head and curls back the upper

lip, sending scent into the vomeronasal organ.

175

flight. Escape or running away,

flooding. An intense, overwhelming form of habitu­

ation. See also habituation

foal. A young male or female horse, usually under a

year old.

gelding. A castrated male horse.

gregarious. Social, living in herds.

habituation. Repeated exposure to a stimulus, thus

decreasing the horses response to it.

herd. A large group of horses of mixed ages and

sexes.

herd bound. Separation anxiety exhibited by an

individual when he is removed from the herd, and

may result in the bad habit of bolting back to the

herd upon release.

hot-blooded. Horses whose ancestors trace back to

Thoroughbreds or Arabians. Characteristics might

include fineness of bone, thin skin, fine hair coat,

absence of fetlocks, and higher red blood cell and

hemoglobin values.

imprinting. The rapid learning in a young horses

critical period (first few hours of life) that reinforces

species behavior and creates bonds,

infrasound. Any sound with a frequency below a

humans audible range of hearing (i.e., less than

20 Hz).

instinct. Inborn, intrinsic knowledge and behavior,

intelligence. Ability to survive in or adapt to the humans world.

in term ittent pressure. Application and release of an

aid, in contrast to steady pressure.

latent. A type of learning that has been assimilated

but has yet to be demonstrated.

limbic system. Neural portion of the brain below

the cerebral cortex, centered on the hypothalamus

and including the hippocampus and amygdala. It

controls emotion, motivation, memory, and some

homeostatic regulatory processes.

long yearling. A horse in the fall of its yearling year;

usually 18 months of age.

meconium . A dark, sticky fecal material that accu­

mulates in the fetal intestines and is discharged at

or near the time of birth.

memory. Ability to remember previous experiences

or training.

mimicry. Allelomimetic behavior, or copying the

behavior of others.

modeling. Observational learning or mimicry,

monocular. Using one eye to see.

mutual grooming. Reciprocal nibbling along the

neck, withers, and back between two horses, usually

bonded buddies.

nasal turbinates. Passageways from the nostrils to

the lungs.

near side. The left side of the horse,

negative reinforcement. Removing an aversive stim­

ulus to encourage a behavior that is occurring,

nomadic. Wandering or roaming,

off side. The right side of the horse,

olfactory. Pertaining to the sense of smell,

pair bond. Two horses that exhibit a preference to

stay together, sometimes so strong that it causes

problems.

papillae. Folds and projections on dorsal surface of

the tongue that contain taste buds,

pecking order. Caste system or social rank,

pheromones. Chemical substances secreted by an

animal that elicit a specific behavioral or physiolog­

ical response in another animal of the same species,

poll. The junction of the vertebrae with the skull; an

area of great sensitivity and flexion,

positive reinforcement. Reward; giving something

pleasant to encourage a behavior that is occurring,

power of association. The ability to link an action

and a reaction, a stimulus and a response. The key

to training horses, because they will try to avoid

mistakes and earn rewards,

proprioceptive sense. The ability to sense the posi­

tion, location, orientation, and movement of the

body and its parts.

176 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

punishm ent. Administering something unpleasant

to discourage a behavior that is occurring,

reciprocal apparatus. Part of the stay apparatus of

the hindlimbs. reflex. An unlearned or instinctive response to a

stimulus.

reinforcement. Strengthening an association; with

primary stimuli (inherent), such as feed or rest,

or secondary stimuli (paired with primary, and

learned), such as praise or a pat.

REM sleep. Rapid eye movement sleep; a stage in

the normal sleep cycle during which dreams occur

and the body undergoes various physiological

changes, including rapid eye movement, loss of

reflexes, and increased pulse rate and brain activity.

Also called paradoxical sleep,

resistance. Reluctance or refusal to yield,

restraint. Prevention of acting or advancing by psy­

chological, mechanical, or chemical means,

sacking out. Gentling, usually by accustoming to

flapping objects.

seasonally polyestrous. Multiple breeding periods

during a specific breeding season each year,

self-carriage. A form of posture and movement that

is balanced, collected, and expressive and that is

either natural or developed, and performed by the

horse without aids and cues from the rider,

separation anxiety. Nervousness when bonded indi­

viduals cannot touch or see each other; can cause

barn-sour, buddy-bound, or herd-bound behaviors,

shaping. The progressive development of the form

of a movement; the reinforcement of successive

approximations to a desired behavior,

slow-wave sleep. A state of deep, usually dreamless

sleep that is characterized by delta waves and a low

level of autonomic physiological activity; also called

non-REM sleep, or orthodox sleep,

socialization. Development of an individual and his

behavior through interaction among others of the

same species.

spook. A response of jumping and running when

encountering a frightening object or situation,

startle response. Spooking in place,

stay apparatus. A system of ligaments and tendons

that stabilizes joints and allows a horse to stand with

very little muscular effort.

stereotypies. Aberrant behaviors repeated with regu­

larity and consistency. Examples are cribbing, pac­

ing, and self-mutilation.

stress tolerance level. The point at which a horse

can no longer absorb stress (noise, exercise, or

trauma), and erratic behavior results,

substance. Of solid quality, as in dense bone or large

body size.

suckling. The nursing foal,

sullen. Sulky, resentful, withdrawn,

supple. Flexible.

tem peram ent. The general consistency with which

a horse behaves.

ultrasound. Any sound with a frequency above the

humans audible range of hearing more than 20 kHz),

vices. Undesirable behavior patterns that emerge as

a result of domestication, confinement, or improper

management.

voice com m and. A natural training aid that must

be consistent in the word used, tone, volume, and

inflection.

walk-down method. A means of catching a horse.

Start in a small pen and increase to a larger pen.

Always walk toward the horses shoulder, never his

rump or his head. Never move faster than a walk.

When the horse stops, scratch his withers. Always

be the first to leave. Eventually, halter the horse,

weaning. Separating the foal from its dam, usually

at 4 to 6 months of age.

weanling. A young horse of either sex, that has

been separated from the dam but has not yet

reached 1 year old.

yearling. A young horse of either sex from January 1

to December 31 of the year following its birth.

G L O S S A R Y П 7

Recommended Reading Hill, Cherry. 101 Arena Exercises. North Adams,

MA: Storey Publishing, 1995.

-------. 101 Longeing and Long Lining Exercises.

Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing Inc., 1998.

-------. The Formative Years: Raising and Training

the Young Horse from Birth to Two Years. Ossin­

ing, NY: Breakthrough Publications, 1988.

-------. Cherry Hill's Horse Care for Kids. North

Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2002.

-------. Horse for Sale: How to Buy a Horse or Sell

the One You Have. New York: Horsekeeping®

Books, 1995.

-------. Horse Handling and Grooming. North

Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 1990.

-------. Horse Health Care. North Adams, MA:

Storey Publishing, 1997.

-------. Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage, second

edition. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing,

2005.

-------. Longeing and Long Lining the English and

Western Horse. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing

Inc., 1998.

-------. Making Not Breaking: The First Year Under

Saddle. Ossining, NY: Breakthrough Publications,

1992.

-------. Stablekeeping: A Visual Guide to Safe and

Healthy Horsekeeping. North Adams, MA:

Storey Publishing, 2000.

-------.Trailering Your Horse: A Visual Guide to

Safe Training and Traveling. North Adams, MA:

Storey Publishing, 2000.

Hill, Cherry, and Richard Klimesh. Maximum Hoof

Power: A Horse Owner’s Guide to Shoeing and

Soundness. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square,

2000 .

Kainer, Robert A., and Thomas O. McCracken. Horse

Anatomy: A Coloring Atlas. Loveland, CO: Alpine

Publications Inc., 1998.

Klimesh, Richard, and Cherry Hill. Horse Housing:

How to Plan, Build, and Remodel Barns and Sheds.

North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square, 2002.

Waring, George H. Horse Behavior, second edition.

Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, 2003.

178 H O W TO T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

Index

A page number in italics indicates a photo or illustration; a number in boldface indicates a chart.

Accommodation, 21 adaptability of horse, 77, 80, 171 adaptation, light and dark, 22-23 ,23 adult/prime stage, 94, 94-95, 96-97,

102-3

aggressive horse, 7, 12, 78, 115,115 aids (cues), 39,43, 123-24, 124, 136 alert horse, 6, 6, 78, 109, 109, 115,

115 alfalfa hay, 7, 8 anticipation, 29-30, 130-31 attitude, 54, 77-79, 78, 79, 121

B ad habits, 82-89, 83, 84-89 balking, 86-87,110 ,110 barn-sour horse, 56, 86-87 becoming the horse, 1-16 bedding, eating, 84-85 behavior

good and “bad,” 76-89 modification, 134-44,135, 137-43

bending vs. breaking, training, 150 benefit of the doubt, giving, 16,16 binocular vision, 18, 19,19, 24 biological clock, 67-72, 67-72 biting, 86-87 bits, 167 blankets, 48, 69, 69, 84-85 blind spots, 18 ,20,20-21, 21, 37 body language of horse, 15-16,

108-20,108-20, 174,174 bolting, 86-89, 88-89, 112,113 bolting feed, 84-85 bonding, 56-58, 57-58, 150 brain of horse, 128, 128-29,129 breaks, training, 165,166,166,

168-69 breeding and temperament, 48,

78-79 bucking, 86-87, 111, 111 buddy-bound horse, 56 “busy hay,” 6, 35

Canine teeth (tushes), 100,103

“caramel hay,” 35 cast horse, 80, 81, 84-85

castration, 61 catching problems, 86-87 cerebellum/cerebrum, 128,128-29,

129 champing/clacking, foal, 98,116,

116 claustrophobia, 80, 80 clear instructions, training, 150 coat, seasonal, 48, 48 cold-blooded horses, 36, 78 colic, 49, 67 collected work, training, 158, 161,

161 color vision, 24 communication, 2,105-26 companion animals, 58 conciseness for communication, 136 conflict and stereotypies, 80 consistency, training. 135-36,144,

150 context, body language, 113 cool-down, 165,169, 169-70 cooperation o f horse, 77 coordination, 46,4 6 cribbing, 84-85 croup reflex, 43 crowding by horse, 86-87 cues (aids), 39, 43, 123-24,124,

136 curiosity behavior, 63-64, 64 cutaneous trunci chain, 43, 45

Danger, sniffing, 34, 34 dawn horse (eohippus), 171,171 day, how a horse spends the, 9 defecating, 67-68 dehydration, 67 dental. See teeth depth perception, 24 desensitization, 39, 133 development timelines, 98-99,

98-103 ,102-3

digestive system, 49,49 dislikes of horse, 10-11, 74-75 disposition, 54, 77-79, 78, 79, 121 dogs and horses, 73-74, 74 domestication pressures, 80-81,

80-89, 83, 84-89 domestic vs. wild horses, 5, 5, 6 dominance hierarchy, 59, 59-60

domination, human nature, 11, 12-13

dozing position, 71, 71, 72

Ears body language, 117,117 hearing, 26, 26-30, 27-28, 29-30,

46, 126 eating. See feeding ego, healthy, 13 electrolytes, 9 estrous (heat) cycle of mare, 48,61 evolution of horse, 171,171 extinction, 139,141, 142-44,143 eyes

body language, 118,118 vision, 18-25 ,18-25, 37,46, 79

Fair and realistic, training, 151 familiarization (phase 1), training,

154,154 fearful horse, 3, 13-14, 110,110,

118,118 feeding

digestive system, 49, 49 natural horsekeeping, 79 need, 5, 6-9, 7, 8, 9, 10 preferences, 35, 35 reinforcement and, 139, 142,

142 routines, 67

“feelers,” 36-37,48, 48, 80 feel for horse, developing, 15-16,

15-16 feet handling problems, 86-87 first premolars, 100,101,103 flehmen response, 32-33, 33, 98 flexibility, training, 150 flight distance, 74 floating teeth, 101 flooding (habituation), 132, 133 foal

development timeline, 98, 98, 102-3

life stage, 92, 92, 96 play-boxing, 62, 62-63

focus, training, 150 focusing on objects, 19, 19-20, 22 following the leader, 11-14 ,12, 14,

65,65

179

form improvement (phase 3), train­ ing, 155,155

forward work, training, 158, 160, 160

frame, training, 156-58,157 frequency (pitch), 26, 27 friendly body language, 108, 109

Galvayne’s Groove, 102 gelding groups, 60, 60, 61 gentling (habituation), 132 geriatric stage, 95, 95, 96-97, 102-3 goals, training, 3 ,153-55, 153-56,

154 grain, 7, 79 grazing management (pasture), 7,

8,8 “green hay,” 35 grooming

single horse, 58 tools and techniques, 40-41,

40-41 training, 154, 162, 162, 170,170

growth-plate closures, 99, 99 gymnastics, training, 158, 160,

160-61

Habituation, 39, 132-33 halter caution, 62, 62, 69 halter pulling, 86-87 hay, 6-7, 35, 35, 79 head/neck, body language, 115,115 head-shy, 86-87 hearing, 26, 26-30, 2 7 -28 ,29-30,

46, 126 heat (estrous) cycle of mare, 48, 61 herd-bound horse, 56, 86-87 hindquarters, body language, 114,

114 hoof growth, 54 hooves, using to inspect, 37 horse-human conversations, 106-7 horsekeeping, natural, 79 Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage

(Hill), 8, 83 hot-blooded horses, 36, 78 human and horse

development comparison, 92-95 leaders, humans as, 11-14,12, 14,

65,65 hyper body language, 111, 111

Immediacy, behavior modification, 135

impaction, 49, 67

imprinting, 131, 131, 132 incisors, 99, 100, 100, 102 inconsistency and horse, 11 individuals, horses as, 78 inflection of voice commands, 126 infrasound, 26, 27 instincts, 2, 5, 5, 42, 65 intestines, 49, 49 introducing new horse to herd,

59-60 investigative behavior, 63-64, 64 isolation and horse, 11

Jacobson’s organ, 32 jigging, 86-87 joint closure timeline, 99, 99

Kicking, 84-85, 88-89, 119,119

Latent learning, 133 lateral-recumbent position, 71, 71,

72, 98 lateral work, training, 158, 161, 161 leader, human, 11-14 ,12, 14, 65, 65 leading, halter vs. bridle, 163,163 leading lesson, 146,146 learning by horse, 127-47 left brain, horse, 134 leg, body language, 119,119 length and frequency of training,

165 life-stages, 91-95, 91-97, 96-97 light and dark adaptation, 22-23, 23 limbic system of horse, 129,129 lips, body language, 116,116 loading problems, 88-89 locking limbs, 53, 53-54 longeing, 163, 167 lying down, 70, 70

M ares, 60, 61, 68, 79 masturbation, 84-85 maternal bond, 56, 57 meconium, 98 memory of horse, 131 mental equivalent, 95 mental process, horse, 130-33,

131-33 middle-aged stage, 94, 95, 96, 102-3 mirror, horse as, 11-12 modeling by horse, 132,132 molars, 99, 100,100-101, 101, 103 monocular vision, 18, 19, 19 mutual grooming, 31, 31, 37, 42, 58,

58, 60, 68

muzzle, 37, 38, 38, 116,116, 151

Natural horsekeeping, 79 nature of horse, 55-65 needs of horse, 5-7, 5-10, 7, 9 negative reinforcement, 137-38,

138-39, 139-40 nervous temperament, 78 new work, training, 165, 166-68,

167 nomadic lifestyle, 65, 65 nostrils, body language, 116,116

Objective, training, 151, 153 optimism, for training, 151

Pacing, 84-85 pain avoidance, 10-11 pair bond, 56, 60 partnership with horse, 2-3, 3, 152 parts of a horse, 172-73 passive horse, 12 pasture management, 7, 8, 8 pawing, 83, 83, 84-85, 119 peak performance, 168 pecking order, 59, 59-60 perineal reflex, 43 peripheral vision, 18, 19, 21 Persnickety Mare Syndrome (PMS),

61 personal space of horse, 55 pheromones, 32 philosophy, training, 152, 152 photoreceptors, 22,22 physical development, training,

156-58, 157-58 physical horse, 47-54 pigs and horses, 75 pitch (frequency), 26, 27 pitch of voice commands, 125-26 play, 62-63, 62-63 PMS (Persnickety Mare Syndrome),

61 polyestrous, 48 positive reinforcement, 137,137,

138-39 power of adaptation, 22 power of association, 130 precocial species, 71, 73, 92 precursors, communication, 108,

121 precursor sounds, 29 premolars, 99, 100, 101, 103 prey animal, 6, 11, 19 ,19, 42 procreation need of horse, 5,10

180 H O W T O T H I N K L I K E A H O R S E

proprioceptive sense, 46, 46 pulling, cure/prevention, 143, 143 pulse of horse, 54 punishment, 141-42, 141-42

Rapid eye movement (REM), 71, 72, 72

rearing, 88-89, 112,112, 135, 135 reciprocal apparatus and locking

stifle, 53, 53-54 reflexes, 42-45, 43-45 reinforcers, behavior modification,

137-38,137-39 relaxed body language, 108, 108,

114, 114-15, 115, 117, 117-20, 118, 119, 120

repetition, learning, 144, 144-45 reserve crowns, 101, i Oi respiration of horse, 54 restraining and restricting horse, 11,

20, 22, 82 review work, training, 165, 166, 169 reward, 137, 137, 138-39 right brain, horse, 134 right vs. wrong behavior, 134 rolling, 68-69, 69 roughage, 6-7, 35, 35, 79 routines, 5, 10, 66-75 rubbing, 37, 37, 69 rules (training) from horses view­

point, 150-51 running away, 88-89

Sacking out, 20 ,20, 132-33 safety and thinking like a horse, 2 safety need of horse, 6, 10, 11 salt and minerals, 9, 79 seasonal changes, 48, 48 sebum, 48, 80 self-carriage, 156,158, 158 self-grooming, 68-69, 69 self-mutilation, 84-85 self-preservation, 5, 6, 6, 73-75,

73-75 senior stage, 95, 95, 96, 102-3 senses of horse, 17-46 sensitivity, 36-39, 36-41, 40-41,46,

150-51 separation anxiety, 56, 57, 57 session (training), 158-70,160-67,

165 ,169-70 sex of horse, 60, 60-61, 79 shaping, learning, 145-47,145-47 shelter, 72, 73, 73, 79 shoeing, 54

sick body language, 112,113 single horse, 58 skeletal system, 50-53, 50-54, 51 skill learning (phase 2), training,

154-55,155 sleeping, 71-72, 71-72 slow-wave sleep, 71, 72, 72 smell and taste, 30-35, 31-34, 35, 46 socialization need of horse, 5, 10 sounds, 26, 26-30, 27-28, 29-30,

46, 126 special sense of horses, 77 spina prominens chain, 43, 45 Spirit Lives On, The, 4 ,4 spirit of horse, 77, 77, 171 spleen, 49, 49 spooking, 1 1 ,1 9 ,19, 21, 74, 88-89 stallions, 61, 79 stall kicking, 84-85 stall walking, 84-85 stance, body language, 108-13,

108-13 standing up, 70, 70 startle response, 11, 74 stay apparatus, 53, 53-54 stereotypies (behavior abnormali­

ties), 80-82, 81 sternal-recumbent position, 71, 71,

72,98 stimuli, behavior modification,

137-38,137-39 stress, minimizing, 2 stress-tolerance level, 2 striking, 88-89, 119, 119 stubborn temperament, 78 stumbling, 88-89 submissiveness of horse, 77 subtleties (precursors), communica­

tion, 108, 121 success, setting scene for, 150 suck reflex, 42, 98 surprises and horse, 11

Tail, body language, 120,120 tail rubbing, 84-85 tail wringing, 88-89, 120 taste test for hay, 35, 35 tears, 25,25 teeth

body language, 116,116 digestive system and, 49 timeline, 99-103, 102-3

temperament, 54, 77-79, 78, 79, 121 thinking like a horse, reasons for,

2-3 ,3

third eyelid (nictitating membrane), 24

time (taking) for training, 151 timelines of horse, 90-103 touch, 36-39, 36-41, 40-41,46,

150-51 training, 65, 149-70 turnout after training, 170, 170 tushes (canine teeth), 100, 103 two-year-old stage, 93, 94, 97, 102-3

Ultrasound, 26,27 uncertainty and stereotypies, 82 unfriendly body language, 109,109,

114, 114 urinating, 68, 68

Vices/bad habits, 82-89, 83, 84-89 vision, 18-25 ,18-25, 37, 46, 79 vital signs, 54 vocal language, horse, 122,122 voice commands, 30, 30, 124-26,

125 volume and hearing, 26-28, 27-28,

126 vomeronasal organ, 32

W alk -down method, catching horse, 142

warm-up, 162-64,163-64, 165 water, 8, 8-9, 33, 33-34, 67, 79 weanling stage, 92, 92-93, 96, 102-3 weaving, 84-85 weight-carrying capacity, 50-53, 52 whiskers, 36-37,48, 48, 80 wild vs. domestic horses, 5,5, 6 wind, horses uneasy in, 29,29 win-win partnership, 2-3, 3, 152 withdrawal reflex, 42 wolf teeth, 100,101,103 wood chewing, 84-85 wrongful punishment, 142

Yearling stage, 93, 93-94, 97, 102-3 young horse training, 159

I N D E X 181

Other Storey Titles You Might Enjoy Among Wild Horses, by Lynne Pomeranz. An extraordinary photographic journal o f three years in the lives of the Pryor Mountain Mustangs o f Montana and Wyoming. 144 pages. Hardcover with jacket. ISBN 978-1-58017-633-0.

Cherry Hill’s Horsekeeping Almanac. The essential month-by-month guide to establishing good routines and following natural cycles to be the best horsekeeper you can be. 576 pages. Paper. ISBN 978-1-58017-684-2.

The Horse Behavior Problem Solver, by Jessica Jahiel. A friendly, question-and-answer sourcebook to teach readers how to interpret problems and develop workable solutions. 352 pages. Paper. ISBN 978-1-58017-524-1.

The Horse Training Problem Solver, by Jessica Jahiel. Basic training theory and effective solutions and strategies in a handy question-and-answer format — the third book in a popular series. 416 pages. Paper. ISBN 978-1-58017-686-6.

Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage, by Cherry Hill. A thoroughly updated, full-color edition o f the authors best-selling classic about how to have efficient operations and healthy horses. 320 pages. Paper. ISBN 978-1-58017-535-7.

Ride the Right Horse, by Yvonne Barteau. The key to learning the personality of your horse and working with his strengths. 312 pages. Hardcover with jacket. ISBN 978-1-58017-662-0.

What Every Horse Should Know, by Cherry Hill. A guide to teaching the skills every horse needs to learn to bring out the full potential o f the horse-human partnership. 192 pages. Paper. ISBN 978-1-60342-713-5. Hardcover. ISBN 978-1-60342-716-6.

Zen Mind, Zen Horse, by Allen J. Hamilton, MD. Spiritual principles and practical applications o f a chi- based approach to horse-human communication. 320 pages. Paper. ISBN 978-1-60342-565-0.

These and other books from Storey Publishing are available wherever quality books are sold or by calling 1-800-441-5700.

Visit us at www.storey.com.

Why Do Horses Do That?

E q u i n e b e h a v i o r m a k e s p e r f e c t s e n se when you understand a

horses physical traits, survival instincts, and ingrained behavior patterns. And

building a solid relationship with an equine companion is a pleasure when you are

able to observe your horse and recognize what makes him feel calm and confident.

Noted horsewoman Cherry Hill has spent decades studying and interpreting

equine behavior. In How to Think Like a Horse, she provides the insight you need to

become fluent in horse-speak.

“Nothing short of a lifetime of observing horses firsthand compares to the education of horse behavior in this book. It is pure gold.”

— The Gaited Horse

“Any horse owner, from beginner to advanced, will find information of value in this book. The author’s tone is authoritative without being condescending, and the layout makes it easy to grasp nuggets of knowledge even at a glance.” — Horse & Rider

“I f more of us read this book, there might be a lot less whip-cracking, bolting, and biting in our daily lives. BOTTOM LINE: Your horse suggests you pick this one up.” — Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar

Cherry Hill is the best-selling

author of Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage, What Every Horse Should Know, and many more titles, with

more than one million copies of her

books sold. She is an internation­

ally known instructor and trainer

and has been a judge for several

national breed organizations.

Ь W Storey.com

v is it o u r blog. M eet o u r authors.

ISBN 9 7 8 - 1 - 5 8 0 1 7 - 8 3 5 - 8

5 19 9 5

781580

HORSES

178358

$19.95 US Also Available