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Mark Rashid - articles |
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About Mark / Clinic dates & venues / Booking forms / Hants clinic / Wolverhampton clinic / Watford clinic / Articles Is it necessary that we become the "Head Horse"?
Now, having said that, I also believe we humans have the ability to emulate certain familiar horse behaviors which are relatively easy for horses to recognize and understand. It is the emulation of these behaviors which ultimately can help, or hinder us during the instruction of the horse. I think many of us would agree that most "herd" mammals are all set up pretty much the same way. The herd starts with the "alpha" or "boss" - the one with all the strength and power, and then moves progressively downward to the meekest or perhaps physically weakest member of the herd. However, in most herds, somewhere in the middle of the herd structure is what I refer to as passive leaders. These are members of the herd who, unlike the "alpha" who physically dominates the other members of the herd, simply try to get along with everybody in the herd. They aren't necessarily interested in moving up the "alpha" ladder, because they are content at their position within the herd. These passive leaders are usually very quiet, consistent and dependable in their day to day activities, and as a result, over time they begin to gain the confidence of the other members of the herd. The reason for this is horses are relatively passive and quiet by nature, and they are designed to use the least amount of energy throughout the day. This is so they save their energy for any unforeseen emergency that might happen to arise such as a predator attacking. If they are constantly being asked by another member of the herd to move unnecessarily all day long, they might not have the energy they'll need to run from a predator's attack should they need it. As a result, horses will naturally want to spend more time with the individuals in the herd that cause them the least amount of stress throughout the day. The passive leader is not necessarily a passive horse per se. However, unlike the "alpha" who might use force as a general rule to simply move members of the herd at random, the passive leader seldom if ever, uses force to get their way. On the contrary, they are calmly assertive in their behavior and seem to lead by example. As a result, where ever they go, the rest of the herd willingly follows. Looking at any herd of horses, it is usually pretty easy to see which horse in the herd is the "alpha". They are generally the ones standing off by themselves for the simple reason none of the other members of the herd want to be around them. The constant bullying, unpredictable behavior and often unprovoked attacks on the other members of the herd by the alpha causes the other members of the herd to naturally want to stay away from them. In contrast, the passive leader is usually the one horse the other members of the herd are usually gathered around and whom they choose to willingly follow. So the question is: how can we develop this same type of relationship with our horses; a relationship where our horses want to follow us and willingly perform the tasks that are being asked of them? I think the answer is simple: First, we need to find a way to be dependable for our horses. This is usually a problem for many folks because they seem to have the idea that horses need to be dominated in order to perform. This comes from the fact that the "alpha" in the herd uses dominance to accomplish its goals and many people believe that we need to emulate the actions of the "alpha" during our training. However, as I've mentioned, if you watch the horses within the herd, you will notice that while they definitely respond and appear to 'respect' the "alpha", they don't spend very much time in that horses company. In fact, the majority of the horses in the herd will go out of their way to avoid the "alpha". So, knowing that, one good way to start on our way to becoming a passive leader with our horse is to avoid using force. If our horse isn't performing the task we are asking, we need to help them through it instead of trying to force them through it. Give them time to think about what is being asked of them, and allow them time to try and figure it out. Usually, given this time to think, they will try to do the right thing. Second, we can simply take care of our horses. What I mean by that is not just making sure that the water tank is full, or that they have good feed, or that they get their shots on time.although those things are also important. but rather do what is best for them in all situations. Don't allow somebody to work with them or ride them, that you know (or feel) will be hard on them. By the same token, if somebody is working with them and doing something you don't feel comfortable with, stop them from doing it. In short, don't' be afraid to stand up for your horse! Third, and perhaps most important, we need to learn how to become quiet, consistent and dependable in our actions when we are with our horse. It is the calm assertiveness we use in our everyday relationship with the horse that most likely will win over their trust. These three things, while they may sound simple, are often the hardest things for us to actually do for our horses. It isn't usually in our nature to be quiet and consistent. Our nature is more to get things done right now regardless of how the horse feels about it. Horses, on the other hand, simply don't see things that way. Before they can perform properly for us, they need to first understand what is being asked of them, and that takes calm guidance on our part. In the end, I guess the way I look at it is that if our horse is trying as hard as they can to do the best they can for us, the least we can do is try and help them in a way that makes sense to them. When given the opportunity, they will be more than happy to choose to follow the guidance we provide. Mark Rashid |
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There is a lot of talk these days about how, if we are to become a productive teacher/leader for our horse, our horse must first see us as the "alpha" member of the herd. That is, the "boss" horse. Well, first of all, I think it's important to note that I am a firm believer horses probably don't, nor will they ever, see us as any member of their herd, much less the "alpha" member. I think they're probably smart enough to realize just by looking at us that we're not a horse of any kind.