Many people admit to liking animals better than humans, finding it easier to relate to their pets. If asked why, they would come up with reasons like "Animals don't judge you, " or "He's always pleased to see me", or "He accepts me for what I am, I can be me". Although these statements also apply to horses, on their own they are not enough. The difference between a horse and a dog for instance, is the latter relies on his owner completely for food, shelter, and companionship while horses never truly lose their wild heritage. Their need for safety and survival is so great, the instinct to return to the herd is overriding, even stronger than the desire for food.
A good relationship with your horse is determined by its health. Just like human relationships, not all are positive. Horses are individuals with a group mentality; it is easier to form a bond with some than others depending on character and previous conditioning. Sadly most horses have multiple owners throughout their life which inevitably means they will collect some baggage over time that not only affect their performance, but also their ability to relate positively to humans.
We all know a healthy relationship is based on trust. Trust has to be earned. It can’t be bought, forced or demanded. It is totally dependent on the horse feeling safe and secure. These feelings can change in an instant, they might be present one minute and gone the next as we all know. Horses only feel safe and secure while their survival isn’t under threat. Being absolutely consistent in riding and handling them with an aura of calm, assertive energy, giving them enough time to work out what we want them to do, allows trust to develop naturally. One of the best indicators of your horse’s trust levels is how happy he is to simply stand still without being constrained.
Since this might bring up more questions than answers, next time we will explore some simple techniques for relationship success.
