Both spirit and impulsion can be innate characteristics; impulsion can also be man-made. That is, a rider who is nervous and worried and constantly hanging onto the horse expecting something to happen, can make a naturally short horse, long and impulsive. The fear will transfer to the horse and give him the need to flee. The same is true of someone who frequently rides in straight lines at speed, especially toward home or up a hill. It doesn’t take long for the horse to learn these patterns.
Alternately, a long horse can be made short, by someone who does too much shortening, i.e., circles and patterns until the horse lacks forward.
So, a high-spirited horse is not necessarily long. He may just be a show-off who would rather prance in place than run too far. A low-spirited horse may be genuinely quiet. He may also be a dominant horse whose triggers are laying dormant. Many horses that seem to be quiet are in fact more dominant horses that would rather just do nothing. Whilst they are not expected to do too much, they will happily go along with the plan….as long as it is their idea also. With some of these horses, when you begin to ask more of them and for them to put more effort in, you may find you get ‘no’ for an answer.
Once again, watching your horse in the paddock when he is playing with his mates is probably the best way to determine his spirit. Is he the one that stirs up all the others at the drop of a hat? Does he run and play or does he stand and watch the others and wonder what all the fuss is about?
Read More Road To Horsemanship articles.
- By Meredith Ransley, Quantum Savvy.