Horse Sense and Cents

There’s been a recent barrage of messages lately through blogs, online forums, DVDs and other platforms that lambaste those who use tactics that ignore the horse’s needs. Of course, most of these directives are worded in a techie fashion that excludes the neediest novices from the conversation. It’s also interesting that some of the more vocal horse advocates are rude to the people who chime in with limited understanding and questions in an effort to learn. It kind of makes you wonder how they really handle a confused or green horse when no one is looking (and sometimes, even when they have an audience). When it comes to horses, though, anyone who professes a single right answer to a challenge may benefit from some basic observation and the associated horse sense it generates – provided they’re open to learning.

What’s a horse novice to do?

That’s the beauty of the uninitiated equine enthusiast – and the danger. They’re sponges for knowledge and easily influenced by messages that seem to offer easy answers, but may be designed with a profit motive in mind that doesn’t serve either the horse or handler. It’s sad that some who may have the knowledge and the willingness to share what they’ve learned over decades of kind approaches to horse interaction make their words so esoteric, the most eager learners flee feeling too ignorant to grasp the ideas being offered or fearful of being judged  if they join the conversation. Those who really want to help the horse should consider how their buzz words and platforms designed to impress their peers alienate those they claim to want to help.

Let horses teach you

Horses are great at communicating – if you know how to listen. It’s hard for anyone who hasn’t had a good deal of experience with a variety of horses to be able to read what a horse is trying to tell you. Often, it’s equally hard for someone who’s learned to reach horses in a subliminal fashion to express to others how they do it. Sometimes, it seems those who hide behind words and concepts too abstract for the most basic learners to understand do so intentionally to hide their failings.

Draw from the experience of those willing to speak your language

So, how can the novice begin to learn how to structure a plan to consider the horse? Spend time watching your horse and seeing how he reacts to what you do. Mix it up and carefully observe what he responds to with eager enthusiasm. Try to find people you trust who speak to you in terms that are clear with an approach that is flexible and responsive to your horse’s learning and performance preferences. Seek out those who are able to express ideas in simple terms, and willing to demonstrate, graphically, how certain actions influence the horse’s behavior. Ask people who are getting good results and building great relationships with their horses how they did it – and see if you can observe them in action. Use your head on what seems right and fair and where tactics designed to create a compliant horse may not make a happy horse.

The truly successful are humble

Some of the most successful human leaders in the world are humble, accessible and able to speak to anyone of any status or education as a respected and appreciated peer in a language that is easy for them to process and implement. The same holds true for those working with horses in a stand-out fashion. Those who use communications to dominate, impress, posture, separate and/or put others in a place below their status are suspect – both when it comes to human and horse communications. Learning should be fun for all involved and those who can make it easy for both the horse and human to understand, implement and embrace are special.  Sometimes they lurk in the most unexpected places. Finding someone with truly selfless motives where both you and your horse are concerned (and some of these people may charge for their knowledge – but it’s clear early on that it’s not about profit, but satisfaction in improving the experience for both you and your horse) is a joy. If you haven’t discovered such a resource yet, keep looking. They’re out there.

Friday’s Opinion

I’ve seen so much written lately about how critical it is to “be the boss” with your horse. Granted, I don’t have a degree in horse psychology, nor do I have the learned qualifications of some who have studied the horse brain and journals extensively, but I’ve sure had a chance to watch horses and herd dynamics for a good number of decades. I find it interesting to see how horses respond to a “boss.” They don’t like her (it’s almost always a mare).  Bosses in the herd are unnecessarily aggressive and often not trusted. Sure, she gets them to fear her, yield to her wishes and move away when she approaches, but that’s not who they follow when given an option.

Alpha boss or teacher?

I have two alpha mares in my herd right now (and one precocious three-year-old vying for the title).  “The boss” has won out in the pecking order, but she’s not who the herd follows. Most choose to avoid her throughout the day. If I want to move the herd, I grab the “teacher.” They trust, respect and like Midge because she’s fair, but firm when necessary. She’s not looking to dominate other horses, but instead, steps in to school a bad actor when they are disruptive.  It’s usually a quick schooling that only requires a single lesson, and leaves the student unharmed (except, for perhaps, his ego – I don’t care what they say – horses have one) and better equipped to deal with what life will require of him (yes, it’s usually one of the boys).

Respect or domination?

Interestingly, a lot of the horses that come in to Halcyon Acres® (we work primarily with young horses – either starting them under saddle or reaching horses that have been “broke” and quickly deemed dangerous to their riders and handlers) tend to be strong alpha types. Reaching one of these characters is incredibly rewarding. They also tend to be the biggest achievers after they leave the farm. Often, they’ve never found a horse or a person they could respect. So, they melt when they find a leader that is fair, steadfast and not intimidated by their bravado.  What I’ve found with these horses is the worst thing you can do is be combative. You must stand your ground and be prepared for some very long and often exhausting showdowns, but if you get aggressive or create a win-lose proposition, you’re toast. It takes a lot of courage and a good deal of talent to fix an alpha that has learned to have it their way all the time, but it’s not about being a dictator. Instead, the key is to customize an approach that allows you to reach to the horse on their terms and work up from there. Offering yourself as a confident leader that hears what they try to say and responds accordingly is a lot more effective than being the boss.

Bully or leader?

So, I’m not a big believer in the boss theory (nor any of the current popular stimuli intensive or dog training approaches that tend to rob the horse of their mind and heart)  if the goal is standout performers. There’s a big difference between being a leader that’s confident, clear and patient, albeit unflinching in your insistence on accepting a request and adopting a boss posture that expects your horse to submit to your demands. I guess it comes down to whether you seek a partnership or a puppet. Sure, you can win some of the battles with manipulation, but this can be costly if you lose the fire that makes your horse outstanding in the process. I’ve seen how the herd here reacts to bullies. I’d rather be a Midge, who rules quietly with understanding and rapport – even if it moves me down the hierarchy to number two (I always liked Spock better than Kirk anyway).

Nanette Levin

Horses don’t speak our language, but they make it pretty easy to understand theirs. A good number even try hard to interpret messages that aren’t responsive to their style, but want to please so much, they figure out what you want and do it anyway. Being sensitive to simple to read horse cues and using human aids in a manner that is easier on the horse can make your equine interactions a lot more rewarding – and safer.

Watch the eyes
Forget 1000 words, your horse’s eye will tell you volumes more than any picture about what he is thinking. This can change quickly and it behooves you to be cognizant of the message when holding the horse for a vet or blacksmith, asking him to do something new, starting him under saddle or any handling or riding activity that may be cause for concern in the eyes of your equine buddy. If you spend a little bit of time focused on this body part, you’ll learn quickly how to read the eye of any horse. Notice what an eye looks like right before a horse blows, when he’s relaxed, when he’s scared, when he’s about to retaliate and any other time when it will help you and him to predict how he is reacting to what you are doing. Once you develop this skill, it can also tell you a great deal about the temperament and background of a horse you are to ride for the first time or one you are considering as a future purchase.

Pay attention to ears and head carriage
Of course, it’s obvious that ears flat back against the neck signify anger or the onset of aggressive behavior, but there’s a lot you can do to predict and avoid challenging situations when riding by keeping an eye on what’s going on in front of you. An attentive horse keeps his ears moving or tends to have one ear cocked back toward you. Ears straight forward rarely signals happiness – be ready for a spook or spin as this often indicates something ahead has the horse’s attention and concern. This is also the case if the horse suddenly raises his head slightly. By simply watching what your horse’s ears and neck are doing while aboard, it’s easy to change what you are doing to get his attention, calm him down or assure him all is O.K. Don’t stiffen, tighten and stop breathing if you see him ready to react, as this will only make him more concerned and you less secure in the saddle. Instead, relax, sit deep, talk to him, take a deep breath and try to see what may be bothering him. Most importantly, let him draw confidence and courage from you in your calm, assured and patient response to helping him concur his fears.

Yank and Kick doesn’t work very well with most horses
There’s a lot more to steering than hauling on the reins and far better ways to encourage a horse to move forward than ratcheting up your leg pressure. Want to get a horse to root, fling his head and neck around and learn to ignore your hand aids? Take a good hold of the reins and don’t let go when he responds. Want dead sides on your horse? Kick harder and harder when he doesn’t respond and make sure you keep doing it when he gives you a little bit of what you want. Sure, an old seasoned lesson horse will tolerate this and usually do what you want, but they’re not very happy about it. Try it with a young horse and you’ll have years of undoing to fix the problems that ensue. Instead, learn it’s the release that usually gets the reaction. Always take and give and stop the pressure the minute you get any response in the direction you seek. Learn to use your seat in a deep and relaxed fashion to slow or stop a horse and in a driving and slightly behind-the-vertical position to send him forward. The seat is so overlooked by many who ride, yet communicates more to the horse than any other aid. Be conscious of what you are doing with it.

We’ll expand on this a bit in a later blog post and explore body language and other tools you can use when working with a horse from the ground.

Chill time can be critical
Many Thoroughbreds (TBs) behave differently on the farm than they do at the racetrack. Still, if you’re looking for a good plan to begin on the best note, give your project a couple of months of turnout and gentle handling prior to hopping aboard. Recognize many TBs have not seen a paddock (at least not the grazing kind) for their entire racing career, so make sure you start with small spaces and, done best, a single, proven companion to help keep them calm, ease them through the socialization transition and stay safe. Know too (although steroids and other drugs that they actually test for are now becoming banned in many states) that there may be products in your horse’s bloodstream that impact his behavior and thinking process. Let them dissipate prior to throwing on tack and a rider.

Pulling on the bit often doesn’t mean stop for racehorses
Many TBs are taught to pull against the bit and this can also serve as a cue to go faster. Do not make the mistake of applying non-stop contact with the bit on a horse you are trying to convert to a riding horse. As in any discipline (in my opinion, anyway), it’s best to give and release if you want a horse to feel your request. Often, simply releasing the reins will cause your mount to slow down or stop.

Remember to relax
TBs are a hot-blooded breed, and the tenser you are, the more concerned and hotter they will get. If your horse is anxious, hyper, spooky or concerned, take a deep breath, let your seat sink deep into the saddle, stop gripping with your knees, shortening the reins, tipping forward with you upper body and simply sit up, stretch down and be a quiet and encouraging force with your horse vs. a impediment to his reaching a calm understanding.

Patience is key
It’s likely going to take you a while to understand how your OTT TB horse has been conditioned and trained to react. Don’t assume he’s misbehaving if he doesn’t do what you ask. Take your time and be ready to try different approaches to problems that aren’t getting resolved. Give him the opportunity to shine by watching and listening to what he’s trying to tell you and adjusting your approach to accommodate his needs and concerns.

Be ready to call it quits
Sometimes it’s best to admit you don’t have the horse and/or the skills to bring him to where you want him to go. There are tons of great OTT TBs who are eager and willing to consider a new career and prove to be safe and dependable mounts for their new riders and jobs. It’s easy to fall in love with a horse and be determined to ‘fix’ them, but some are just too far-gone and/or unsuitable for you due to your skill level or interests. Consider improving your quality of life (and in many cases, your horses) by being big enough to admit defeat and move on.