Written by James Cooler

his month I would like to share with you the understanding that horses are prey animals, and that there are certain qualities that prey animals have that predators don’t. Prey animals, as most of us probably know, are animals that survive without hunting and eating other animals. They are the hunted. Predators (ex., humans) are the opposite. We mainly survive by hunting other animals, at least through the evolutionary times. Now, we hunt at the grocery store and Macdonald’s. It is important to understand that, because horses are prey animals, one of their first instincts is to view us as a predator.

This is why some people have a difficult time getting along with horses. By nature, they are programmed to think differently than we do, and to be afraid of us. This is sometimes a little difficult for people to accept in the beginning, because the vast majority of us would never do anything to hurt our horse, much less act like a predator who wants to eat him.

Next month, I will talk in more detail about how to bridge the gap between prey and predator, and how to become more of a partner and a leader. For now, I want to share with you some of the behavior and body language you can watch for from your horse to tell if he is reacting as a prey animal. Because horses are prey animals, and we are predators, it is often easy for us to view their fear of a situation as disrespect. Have you ever been on a trail ride where there is a little creek, and all of a sudden your horse stops and refuses to take even one step towards the creek? Have you ever seen a horse that will do anything in the world to avoid being saddled, groomed, clipped, trailered, or just plain old being caught? Have you ever felt that your horse is doing this to you just to see how frazzled he can make you? Well, what we need to understand is that horses are extreme prey animals, and by nature, they are programmed to run from anything they perceive as dangerous. If we take away their ability to run, then they have two choices: either fight or try to frustrate the heck out of the predator. Since most of the horses we work with are domesticated and have been handled for most of their lives, they usually don’t take the option of fighting back. This is why they are so good at frazzling our nerves. Mother Nature programmed them to be able to do so!

You must get good at being able to read your horse’s body language. Are his ears forward and perked, or flickering around like nervous little radar antennas? Is his tail relaxed, or is it tight and tense and looking like he’s ready for a parade? How about his head and neck? Is it soft and lowered to the ground, or tight and braced? Look at his entire body in general. Does it seem to be locked up and stiff, or loose and fluid? A good horseman is one who knows how to look at a horse and tell if he is experiencing negative emotions because of a given situation. They know this by being able to read their body language. Next, you just have to accept that your horse is a prey animal, and that he can’t help but be scared of things he doesn’t understand. The best thing you can do is to take your time, and allow your horse to think. Use a lot of approach and retreat, and allow the horse to work on building up his own confidence. The worst thing you can do is to try to force the situation.

Unfortunately, I can’t share everything about a horse’s body language is this short article, but what I can tell you is that it pays to educate yourself on how to understand what your horse is trying to tell you through their body language. If you find yourself with a particularly frightened horse, then you might want to consider getting some help from a more experienced horseman. Remember, nothing is worth you or your horse getting hurt. To learn more about understanding a horse’s body language, visit www.Coolerhorsemanship.com” for more information on clinics, seminars, and private sessions.

Thanks, and we’ll see you next time.