If it Looks Like a Duck...

 Something that I always have to keep in mind when I work with my horses is the fact that there is a major fundamental difference between me and them.  This particular difference doesn’t exist between me and the dogs I have worked with.  The difference I’m referring to is the difference between a predator and a prey animal, and this difference is hard to overestimate in significance. 

Prey animals have an almost entirely different view of the world around them than predators do.  They have to.  In order for them to survive they have to assume the whole world is out to get them.  We’ve probably all seen the nature programs featuring weary zebras gathered at a watering hole when a harmless looking log comes floating by.  The one zebra that assumes it is safe when all the others run away is the one who gets eaten by the crocodile that appeared to be a log. 

Predators on the other hand have to view the world around them as one big opportunity.  They never know when or where their next meal will be, so they don’t get to be picky about things.  I once read a quote from a natural horseman stating that he knows for a fact that horses are smarter than dogs.  His reasoning was that he had seen dogs be hurt by something only to return and be hurt again.  He said a horse would learn the first time and never be hurt by something twice.  I have to disagree with his theory.  This has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with the nature of predator and prey.  A predator has to be persistent and tenacious.  If a lioness gets hurt by a cape buffalo and refuses to ever hunt again, she’s going to starve to death.  On the other hand, if a prey animal lets itself be hurt by anything, it can’t run away and defend itself and has therefore been issued a death sentence.  Prey animals also don’t have to be as persistent or tenacious because their food stand still and waits for them. 

Now that I’ve discussed the main differences between a predator and a prey animal, I will discuss why it is relevant to this blog.  Horses (i.e. prey animals) view things much differently than we do (i.e. predators).  This means that many of the things we can get away with when working with people, dogs, or cats will not fly with horses.  Horses know that if it looks like a predator, smells like a predator, and acts like a predator; it’s a predator. 

So what does this mean for us?  Think about this.  The first thing a horse does when encountering something new (i.e. you) is assess its risk level.  If this thing is judged to be a predator, then it isn’t in the horse’s best interest to hang around.  Now, think about this.  The first thing you do when working with a horse is come walking in on two legs with your eyes both on the front of your head instead of on the side (If it looks like a predator…).  Then, although you’re not aware of it, you smell like all kinds of predator stuff like meat and dead cow skin (If it smells like a predator…).  Finally, you sneak up to the horse with a halter in your hand hoping he won’t see you as a threat and run away (If it acts like a predator…).  Guess what you have just become in the horses eyes.  A predator! 

So often when we work with horses we act like predators and don’t even know it.  It’s easy to do.  After all, we are predators.  We don’t often think like horses do.  We think like people.  Because of this, when we work with horses we constantly send them in and out of prey mode, not knowing whether they should be comfortable with us or afraid of us. 

One thing that we predators frequently to do that a fellow prey animal would seldom do is to focus on one thing we want to do to our horses.  This instantly sends up a huge warning flag to your horse.  For an example, think about something simple like trying to touch your horse on a certain part of his body.  Maybe you’re trying to apply medicine to that particular spot.  You focus on that spot.  You may start slowly and work your way up to it, but your horse can tell what your intentions are.  He can sense you single minded determination to get to that one particular spot.  Now, how many times has he ever felt another horse do this to him?  Horses touch each other with no particular regard for where they are touching.  They touch and rub and scratch without a real care as to where they are.  Now referring back to the nature program, how many times have you seen a lioness attack a zebra and focus on getting to its jugular vein?  That’s all that lioness seems to think about.  They seem to have a single minded determination to get to that one spot.  Sound familiar?

It’s important when we work with our horses to always keep in mind how our behavior might look to our horses.  Something you do might be completely innocent yet send up warning flags for your horse.  We do it all the time.  I could offer more examples than you want to sit here and read.  After reading this, you might ask, “How do I ever catch my horse if I can’t focus on one particular goal?  I’ll seem like a predator.”  Obviously, sometimes we have to focus on one particular thing with or horse.  It’s unavoidable.  I could never catch a horse without him knowing that I was trying to do something in particular to him.  The advice I give is to at least try to approach him like another horse would.  Don’t show signs of that single minded determination to get to his head and put something on it. 

Since I’m on the subject of predator-like  behavior, let me say something about the most predator like behavior of all.  There is one thing you can do that will tell your horse with absolute certainty that you are indeed a predator.  The worst thing you can do is attack your horse.  Keep in mind, there is a HUGE difference between disciplining your horse and attacking him.  Mother horses discipline their babies.  Dominant horses discipline the other horses in a herd.  Only predators attack them.  To state simply the difference between discipline and an attack:  discipline is an immediate, straight forward response to something your horse does wrong; an attack is malicious and ongoing.  If your horse bites you and you respond with an almost immediate swat, or better yet, several seconds of hard work, you have disciplined your horse similarly to how another horse would have.  If your horse bites you and you begin to chase him around whipping him or hitting him in the head, you are attacking him like a predator would.  It might all seem the same to you but there is a big difference to your horse.  When you attack, you become a predator and instantly send your horse's mind from learning mode to scared self-preservation mode.

I hope my perspective on this issue can help you in some way.  I have learned for myself the completely different ways I and my horse can view my actions.  In the past, I have unknowingly acted like a predator and I found out that I was never happy with the results.  You don’t always have to act like your horse’s best friend, but you never want to act like his predator.