The expression “horse sense” used to belong to folks like my grandparents – basically it simply meant “common sense” or “thoughtfulness“. It probably arose from the origin of Ray Hunt’s proposition for working with horses when he would tell his students to “THINK”.
People used to be regarded as being smarter than horses and more capable of thinking their way through a situation. In fact if one looks back at even the most recent history of how horses have been treated in equestrian sports it doesn’t take long to how little horse sense people have these days.
Perhaps it is mechanization that is largely to blame for us losing connection, and a basic understanding of the nature of the horse. Maybe that combined with time constraints – everyone is in a hurry, wanting to get everything right now.
I watched in shock as a couple tried introducing their two horses to each other for the first time, the horses were turned loose in the arena and chased around by one individual snapping a whip at them. Apparently to demonstrate to the horses who was going to be the “boss” – and it wasn’t going to be either of them.
This is the same person who has inspired several of my recent blogs – and one who, in my view, should not even be allowed to handle horses, much less own them, but it is a free world and the horse is very subordinate to people.
As the horses anxiety levels rose and they tried to look to each other, in fear, for some comfort, the whip would crack again preventing them from getting near each other, developing the exact opposite of the apparently intended goal. Meanwhile the other person, equally ignorant yet more submissive smiled and went along with the process.
Both blissfully unaware that they what they were actually doing was creating a very tense and fear filled first encounter, read my pervious blog called “First Impression” the whip cracker was the same ill tempered person handling the filly in that article.
The process of peacefully allowing horses to become acquainted is very simple, but apparently not intuitive – in this same arena – a neutral destination – throw a few flakes of hay on the ground at least 20 feet apart, let each of the horses loose near a different flake and get out of their way, just let them be.
When horses are in a herd, of any size, from two to a hundred horses they will determine the pecking order on their own and that is a process that cannot be well manufactured by the human. We recognize hierarchical behaviour in all types of human interactions much more easily than we do with animals.
When left to their own devices all horse herds find balance and almost all horses, perhaps with the exception of those that were raised in complete isolation, will have innately learned some herd behaviour. These lessons are initially received from the mother as part of the weaning process and often involves some discipline such as a light kick.
Unfortunately, as Ray would also say, “it’s easy to change the horse, but it is hard to change the human“. In determining pecking order there will inevitably be some pushing and shoving between horses and whether you set up a high stress environment or a peaceful one the horses will eventually figure it out themselves when turned out.
It’s not a soccer game, there are no red or yellow cards, not point deductions and whips or human dominance do nothing to expedite or ease the process. The upside of being around (not by choice) the character whose lack of horsemanship I am describing is that there are seemingly endless examples of what not to do when getting around horses.
My intention in writing these blogs is simply to discuss some of the common mistakes that are being made when handling equestrians and to raise awareness of how easily so many can be averted – we just need to return to some good old fashioned horse sense and “THINK” about what we are doing and how it will either help or inflame a situation.
In this case neither horse was physically harmed albeit perhaps a little psychologically scarred by the handlers’ behaviour.