Why is it that some horses seem to be afraid of their own shadow, overreacting to our movements, while other horses seem to be pushy, nipping at us, or ignoring our requests?
The explanation for much of equine behavior is where they fall I the natural pecking order, and knowing this is a real help to the training process. Horses operate within a hierarchy. In a herd there is a "boss" mare that is the law enforcer and decision-maker. No one comes within her personal space. Geldings, who are on the same rung of the social ladder, will mutually groom, chew on each other’s necks and spar with each other. "Underdogs" are always on the lookout for a warning face from dominant herd members and would be quick to retreat.
How personality affects training - Not all horses can be trained in exactly the same way. I must observe a horse to understand what makes him tick and thinking like a horse, communicating with a system he understands. I must be the dominant herd member, initiator, and decision-maker. A naturally assertive horse wants to dominate me. She may pin her ears or shake her head at me when I ask her to accelerate on the longe line. She may resist my leg aid when I’m riding by stopping or even kicking out. She’s inclined to drag em around while I lead her, oblivious to my presence.
A submissive horse, however, seems to have an overactive conscience. He startles when I move too quickly, and frets over my leg aids. He is often a horse that anticipates and worries. I modify my training system to accommodate the horse of either extreme.
The aggressive horse - Right from the start I make it very clear to the dominant hose that just like the alpha horse in the herd, he must not come in my personal space. I don’t permit him to rub on me, lean on me, or touch me. Doing so would send the message that I am his social equal and inviting him to spar with me. How often I have seen exasperated horse owners fending off horses that nip at them, push at them and chew on everything in sight!
If a horse where to make an aggressive action toward me and I were to back off; I would send the signal that I am subordinate to him. An example of this is horses that buck, stop or rear in response to their riders’ leg aids. They succeed by causing the unsettled rider’s leg to come off; they win a victory, which usually snowballs into a contest of the will.
Establishing obedience from the ground up is the first step in breaking this cycle. Using exercises described in previous articles, I teach the horse to walk and stop by my side, being mindful of me at all times.
I make any requests of a horse starting on a scale from one to ten. With an aggressive horse, I will tend to use the two opposite end of the scale – asking clearly and calmly first, then backing it up quickly with a demand if ignored. It is important never to let your temper get in the way – as soon as the horse responds you must reward him, and give him the benefit of the doubt by beginning quietly with your next request.
The sensitive horse - Fear causes a horse to stop thinking and try to flee. With a timid horse, I use the same one to ten scales, but escalate the intensity of my cue carefully as if I am slowly turning up the volume on a radio. With every horse, reward is very important, but with a sensitive horse, saying "yes" to the proper response by softening your body and hands is crucial to gaining its trust.
Many riders make the mistake of "tip toeing" around a nervous horse, using aids that are unclear, riding a light sided horse, for instance without any leg at all rather than teaching him to accept the leg. This can make a horse even more nervous.
Desensitizing a horse to the thing that he’s anxious about should be a gradual process, providing the horse with a series of good experiences while trying not to let a bad experience happen that could set back his training. Horses that I have in training are often ponied, or led from the back of another horse, rubbed with plastic bags or longed with grain sacs containing "jingly" object safely attached to the saddle.
Handled properly horses at either end of the spectrum can become a pleasure to own. Understanding their character before you begin is one of the keys to success!
Lindsay Grice