22/11/2022
Herd dynamics, it’s amazing to watch.
By watching our horses in a herd setting we can see who our horses are.
We see how they naturally move, how they communicate with others, what they prefer in grasses, friendships and places. Everything we learn from watching can be implemented into our training. If we notice a horse doesn’t like a certain area of their pasture, there is always a reason, and we can find it and work on it (maybe it’s something scary). We can see where their favorite itchy spot is, to give them the best reward after an amazing ride. We can watch how they communicate, if they a leader or a follower, which can help understand who the horse is themselves, and it can even fall into a certain discipline.
And best of all we can watch our horses learn to be their best self by learning from other horses, by learning their own balance, by learning how to communicate, by being interested in something without our influence.
I will never tire of watching a herd.
What have you noticed about your own herd?
With my own, Tony respects mares, he also loves to be playful which can get him into trouble with his herd, but he also is a bit of a loner, off doing his own thing of rolling in the arena, or finding something yummy to snack on. Red is more relaxed, she likes to hang out in areas she finds comfortable that day, which is typically in the sun or in the barn, but she also likes to boss Tony around. As the more time these two spend with each other I could say they are a married couple who love each other, just don’t care to spend every waking moment together.