read  Newsletter 1   June 2008

                           read  Newsletter 3  August 2008

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                  RIDE A BETTER HORSE ... YOURS

                                       by Worth Miller

 

 

RESTORING OR RE-ESTABLISHING THAT GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR HORSE

 

Yikes ... Predator or Prey???

One of the biggest problems we and horses have in communicating with each other is that they are prey - potentially someone's meal - and we are predators whom they instinctively see as someone who wants to eat them! If you walk straight at a horse looking at him as you approach, his instinct, even if he knows you well, is to turn away ... ready to run since your body language is saying that you want to catch (and eventually kill and eat) him.  So, your first goal with a horse is to communicate that even though you may look like a predator, you have no intention of harming him!

 

Who's The Boss?

What kind of relationship do you want with your horse? Probably similar to that of your
friend ...a give-and-take, partnership relationship, right? But, partnership doesn't mean you
are equal all the time.  In a relationship where there are decisions to be made, one of you will almost always be more qualified than the other. If it's a question  of which trail to take  to reach your destination, you're the one who knows, but if it's a question of where to put his feet to get over rocky ground, the horse has a better feeling for that. You each have to
respect the other's judgment and be willing to give up control when your partner is the expert.

 

That Ol' Herd Instinct!

But, now we run into another horse attribute: Horses are herd animals. In the wild, the lowest ranked member of the herd usually is the one who loses out ... whether it's getting the best
food or being pushed out to where a predator can get him.  It's what we know as  "survival of the fittest," and is one of the ways nature makes sure the best animals thrive and survive.

 

However, this also means in his relationships with other horses, a horse is constantly challenging ... trying to improve his rank among the herd.  Once he has decided that you aren't the predator but a friend, and therefore a member of his herd, he tries to make you a lower-ranked member than himself by constantly seeing if you are strong and worthy enough to hold the leadership role.

 

Consequently, before you can be partners, you have to gain the horse's respect so he will give you control when it's appropriate. Since most of the time you work in situations where you
know more about what's going on than he does, he needs to follow your lead. You have to be "lead mare," - the herd boss.

 

We see many trainers, riders, owners, etc.,  try to gain this respect solely be being bossy, aggressive, demanding, making the horse tow that line! (Remember,it's not a contest! I know
you read that before, but you can never hear it too often!) That's what the lead mare does.
But, there's an innate trust between horses in a herd that does not apply to our relationship with the horse because horses are prey and we are predator. The lead mare can be tough and bossy with the other horses and they will still love and trust her because she is "one of them." We have to create that love and trust first because in the beginning of our relationship, they don't view us as "one of their own." Then, when we ask for that respect as well, the horse won't see it as predatory or hostile.

 

We always have to build trust and we must show the horse that we respect his needs and feelings. (There are a number of ways to do this that we will discuss next time.) A horse who trusts and respects you will listen to you, and that's what you need to start with. When a horse trusts you, he gives up control to you, even in situations that are threatening. The horse who isn't willing to give up control is the one who spooks violently or bolts when something unusual or unexpected occurs. A horse who trusts you says, "Oh! What was that? Oh, you say it's okay? Fine ... then it's okay with me."

 

Therefore, if you are patient and sensible and work on building that trust, the rewards will
be well worth it!