Everything Horse UK Everything Horse Magazine, August 2018. | Page 24

in the ‘herd’ structure when owners leave the yard, or
the horses are often given individual turnout for ease,
but neither situation is ideal for our domesticated
horse’s feeling of stability and psychological, as well
as sometimes physical, wellbeing. Lack of social
stability and interactions can lead to some behavioural
issues including common issues such as aggression
and ‘bolshiness.’ Evidence has even shown that when
horses miss out on this social stability, it can also play
a part in the development of ‘nappy’ behaviours in
ridden horses and a reluctance to load and travel away
from home.
Ridden horses often display natural herd behaviours, for
example when a group of horses out hacking suddenly
‘spook’ at something such as a plastic bag and rush
together to escape. This is exactly the behaviour that
a feral herd would act out, so it’s very important we
avoid ‘punishing’ these sorts of natural behaviours in
our domesticated animals.
Submissive behaviours
With all horses, feral or domesticated, submissive
behaviours are much more subtle than the more obvious
‘aggressive’ behaviours, which means sometimes we
can overlook these important messages from our
horses.
Submissive behaviours are vital within a herd to
maintain relationships, but are equally as important for
us to be aware of when working with our own horses.
It is important however not to confuse acceptance with
eagerness for a particular situation, as many horses
will opt for submissive behaviour over aggression to
maintain stability, but this does not necessarily mean
that they are entirely comfortable with or are enjoying
what they’re being asked to do. You can sometimes
see this in many everyday activities, for example most
horses will learn to accept and tolerate being tacked
up or being clipped, but with some horses, if you look
carefully at their body language you may actually
notice they might not be entirely comfortable. In these
situations, it’s really important to respond with prompt
positive reinforcement by soft vocal praise, a treat, or
a pat.
Working with
behaviours
our
horses
natural
It is entirely possible to work with our horses’ natural
behaviours to our advantage and to create a happier
horse in many situations from how and where we feed
them, how we divide resources and how we organise
and ensure stable social groupings for turnout. For
example, riding a young horse with a calm older horse
will provide the young horse with security and provide
the rider with a safer ride than heading out alone.
Similarly, placing yearlings with older horses can help
teach them appropriate social interactions far more
effectively than we can as humans.
In summary, understanding natural herd behaviour is
vital for horse owners and those who work with them,
even for the most pampered and domesticated horses.
If we can understanding the origins of the behaviours
they show us, we can adapt our ways of working with
them to satisfy their needs and give them a sense of
safety and security. In doing so we will undoubtedly
reduce the frequency of ‘negative’ behaviours towards
us and their companions, resulting in a happier horse,
and a happier owner.
NEXT MONTH
In September’s magazine we take a look at horses to
pull back when tied up.
With many thanks to the RSPCA for article collaboration.
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EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018 • ISSUE 36