Bad Actors
The third in a three-part series by horse trainer Doris Eraldi
Although many of the problem horses that come in for training have good reasons - fear or pain - for their behavior, there are some horses who make a deliberate effort to intimidate people. They may just threaten and act sullen or they might actually kick, bite, or buck. These bad habits often start out as the natural equine instinct of herd supremacy order, but when a horse learns that he can bully people, he becomes dangerous.
Watch a herd of horses at feeding time and you will see a definite pecking order. The boss horse will lay back her ears, bare her teeth and threaten the lower horses who approach her feed. She thinks nothing of lambasting some interloper with both hind feet. Horses will also form a dominance order with the humans (and dogs, or other animals) in their "herd." If threatening behavior is successful with people, the horse learns that he gets to make the decisions.
The best way to deal with aggressive behavior is to never let it start. Make a point to teach young horses to regard humans as herd leaders. Seek help immediately if you are uncomfortable or unsure what to do - the horse will take advantage of your uncertainty. There are trainers, clinicians, videos and books which explain non-violent methods for gaining a horse's respect. Remember that the boss mare puts the younger horses in their place with her teeth. Respect is not learned through bribes or treats. Save the rewards for the horse that behaves. If corrected early on, most horses easily accept that people are above them on the pecking order and aggressive behavior doesn't develop.
What if your horse already is belligerent and unsafe? Retraining a confirmed bad actor can be risky for both the horse and rider and is a job for an experienced horseman. Some horses might threaten, but back down quickly when the trainer gets after them. Others actually go to battle. The rider needs to be physically and mentally prepared to deal with the horse's challenges. Keep in mind that the horse is not going to unlearn the bad habits completely. He may believe the behavior doesn't work anymore, or that it doesn't work with a particular person, but given the opportunity to exert dominance over someone and his bad behavior will be right back.
Dominance and pecking order are a natural part of all horse's lives. We must expect them to test out their standing in the herd, of which we humans are members. Recognizing and working with this natural instinct from the beginning can make the difference between a well-mannered, enjoyable horse and a bad actor that is too difficult to have around.
Read Part Two: "Fear Problems"
Doris Eraldi of Eraldi Training can be contacted at 707-743-1337, or e-mail: dyan@eraldi.net.
<< Back to Rainbow Ag Horse Home Page
|
|
|
