Is it any wonder then, that horses are sceptical of their surroundings and are constantly on the look out for any changes, movement or new things in their environment. Have you ever been riding your horse in an arena, quite happily getting around in your familiar spot, but heaven forbid that you should try going to the other end of the same arena. It doesn’t make sense to us but it does make absolute sense to your horse. He never knows when something unsavoury might leap out and grab him.
In Australia and New Zealand, there are not many natural predators for horses to worry about. Unless you live in the Northern Territory where crocodiles can be a bother or in an area like us here in Queensland where foals need to be watched in case of Dingo’s, your horse generally has nothing more serious to watch out for than you. In the USA, danger is imminent. We have seen bears come out of the mountains and roam through the horse yards, fossicking in their feed bins. Wolves, mountain lions and coyote are a daily occurrence in some areas.
However, your horse doesn’t know where he lives. He only knows that Mother Nature - his instinct - has kept both he and his ancestors evolving successfully for 5 million years! 53 million if you trace right back to the time his first ancestors discovered plains grazing rather than forest living and developed a one-toed foot just right for running. 53 million years of instincts giving great advice; then we come along - a predator, and suggest that they do as we wish!
Being primarily a flight animal, a horse will be prone to flee in a heartbeat. As long as they are in a position to be able to run if they need to, most horses will generally be quite calm and comfortable. Start to take their flight options away however and the scenario changes dramatically.
As soon as a horse feels that his movement and chance of escape are restricted in anyway, either by something physical like being tied up for instance or even simply being confined in a small area, he can start to feel uncomfortable and unsafe very quickly. The amount of discomfort will vary depending on the horse’s personal space, flight distance and confidence levels. A horse with a large personal space and a long flight distance, like a wild horse, brumby or mustang, will try to climb or jump out of a small yard, especially if any pressure is put on it. All it may take is someone walking into its yard to trigger the flight response.
As you become more adept at your horsemanship skills, your horse’s confidence levels will increase, as will his trust in you as his leader and he will learn to overcome his fears. Plus, you will end up with a relaxed self-assured horse that you can take pretty well anywhere with ease!
The Road To Horsemanship Lesson Videos
Lesson 3, Chapter 4:
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- By Meredith Ransley, Quantum Savvy.