Horse Behavior

Horses are prey animals with flight or fight instinct. Their first response to threat is to flee, although they are known to stand their ground and defend in cases where less capable horses would be left exposed, such as when a foal would be threatened. Horse people commonly say that inside every domestic horse is a wild horse. Through selective breeding, some horses have been made more docile, but most sport horse breeds are based on the principle of preserving the natural qualities of bravery, honesty, and athleticism that existed in horses that were taken from wild herds hundreds of years ago.

Horses are highly social and intelligent herd animals. Like many other herd animals, their society is derived, or has evolved from survival instincts. At the center of the herd is the alpha or dominant mare. The center of the herd is the safest because it is further away from predators than any other part. The edge of the herd is where the lowest on the social order are found. Punishment is delivered in the form of expulsion from the herd on a temporary or even permanent basis.

Herds are made up of mares, foals and immature horses of both sexes. Survival of the species dictates that females and foals are of primary importance, because they give and nurture life. Only a few males are needed--on a very temporary basis--to continue the species. The herd of twenty mares could produce twenty foals in one year. They only need one or more stallions to impregnate all of them.

When colts become mature stallions they leave to roam in small bachelor herds. They are no longer welcome in the herd. Some of these horses may battle for the privilege of the most dangerous position in the equine world: dominant stallion.

The dominant stallion lives in the most dangerous and tenuous position in the equine world. He lives on the periphery of the herd, exposed to predators and other bachelors who will fight him for that role. In stark contrast to the mythology of the stallion and his (ownership implied) harem, he has no value to the herd. He is totally dispensable since he is easily replaced. The male dominance hierarchy insures an immediate replacement by a strong and healthy successor at any time.

Horses graze in a field near London, EnglandThe ability of humans to work in cooperation with the horse is based on the strong social bonds that horses have with each other. Horses do not like to be separated from the herd, because to be alone is to be exposed to predators on all sides. Horse training principles are based upon having the horse accept a person as the dominant herd member, not through force, but by virtue of ability and confidence. It is those attributes that are highly valued because they point the way to survival. A horse that is afraid more than necessary will expend energy needlessly and may not be able to escape when the threat is real. In pastures, it is the rule that horses tend to gravitate around the most mature and confident members.

As with many animals that live in large groups, establishment of a stable hierarchy is important to smooth group functioning. Contention for dominance can be risky since one well placed kick to a leg could cripple another horse to such an extent that it would be defenseless, exposed, and possibly unable to get to water. Survival dictates that the herd members ultimately cooperate and stick together. The alpha or dominant mare exercises control over herd members to moderate aggressive behavior.

Horses and Humans
To a wild horse, humans are treated as an object of no consequence. However, they are innately curious and may investigate any creature that is interesting but not threatening. Any domesticated horse will have had some experience with humans and may act accordingly e.g. people bring food or possibly have treats.

People who train horses first have to educate horses that normal herd behavior is inappropriate for people. The biting and shadow boxing (rearing, striking) that is common among males in particular could be injurious or fatal to people. This is not aggressive behavior to a horse, but normal play. Even when trained, horses test boundaries and challenge dominance. They may nip or try other things that they have been trained not to do. Without consistent training most horses will revert back to their untrained ways. Horses are creatures of habit and have excellent memories, which make consistent training the most valuable component of the horse. Sport horse foals with top bloodlines can be bought relatively cheaply compared to one with training. Once started under saddle with some demonstrable rideability, the price easily triples.

These insights are based upon natural horsemanship principles. The first known instances of natural horsemanship were writtten by Xenophon in On Horsemanship Lost during the dark ages; natural horsemanship was reborn again during the Renaissance in the schools that trained horses for military cavalry. There is an unbroken line from these trainers and institutions to the Olympic Equestrian sport of Dressage. This discipline is still the foundation which other equestrian sports such as Eventing and Stadium Jumping build upon. One of the most revered institutions of the art of dressage is the Spanish Riding School of Vienna