10 Characteristics of Horses

When playing with horses, it's important to know what you are dealing with. When you know why a horse spooks at a shadow, it's simply not logical to get mad at him! Here are ten characteristics about horses that we learned about, and had to keep in mind, and still have to keep in mind while learning and growing with these wonderful animals:

#1 The horse runs when frightened
Do horses have horns? No. Do horses have razor like teeth? No. What they do have is a body built for running, with the needed muscular and cardio system needed to save them from danger. When a horse gets frightened, they turn off the brain, run away, and then stop to see what it was that scared them.

#2 The horse is highly perceptive
Since the horse has no physical defenses to fight, they have developed keen senses that allow them to know right away when there is danger.

Their hearing has a broader range, because the pinnae of the horse moves, allowing them to locate the source of a sound, and to simply hear things we don't hear.

Their sense of smell is greatly heightened compared to ours, partly because they have an olfactory organ that we don't. This is called the vomeronasal organ, or the organ of Jacobsen, and it is located in the mouth, and connects directly with the nasal cavity. To enhance their sense of smell, they also have what is called the flehmen response, which is that funny face horses make when they lift their upper lip. Who knew that they actually did that in order to get a better whif of something?!

Horses also have a wonderful sense of touch. They are so sensitive, that they can feel pressure on their hair- that's why their skin shakes when flies land on them. This is also why highly trained horses can respond to the slightest movement or pressure, and why our position and focus while riding them is so important.

The eyesight of horses is kind of interesting. They see colors as pastels, but can actually see quite well at night- things like cougars hunt at night. The position of their eyes is lateral, leaving a blind spot directly in front of them, and directly behind them, but with a slight movement of the head, they are able to see into those spots. Because they have to move their head so much in order to see, their eyes focus instantly, but going from a light to a dark place, the adjustment time is actually a bit longer. Horses have very poor depth perception, which is why they get spooked of shadows- as far as they know, it could be a giant hole!

#3 The horse reacts quickly
The quick reaction time of horses has been a major factor in ensuring their survival, because fighting is not a viable option.

#4 The horse learns quickly
Horses are some of the fastest learning animals in the world, and of the domesticated animals, they are the fastest. This means they learn bad habits quickly, which is why it is so important to know when to release pressure. If you release it too soon, they will learn the wrong lesson. For example, if you want your horse to turn a certain direction, and you take off that pressure when they pull the opposite direction, they will actually learn that when you ask them to turn, they should turn the opposite way. 3 seems to be the magic number, and if you have them do something the right way three times, with the proper release of pressure, they will never forget it.

#5 The horse has an excellent memory
Horses store their memories in two categories, which has kept them alive for thousand of years. These categories are: 1. Run away from, and 2. Don't run away from. Sometime harmless things get stored in category 2, so we will try to help teach them that they do not need to run away.

#6 The horse craves company
Horses are herd animals, and they feel safest when around other horses, because the chance of noticing danger is much greater. Out goal is to have the horse want to be with us, for them to feel safe and comfortable around us.

#7 The horse communicates with body language
Horses don't respond to vocalizations as well as their own body language. We kind mimic it to a degree, but it's especially important to recognize his signs of submission. The lowering of the head, and the licking and chewing of lips is a sign that they trust you, because they are putting themselves in a vulnerable position- the back of their head is exposed, and they can't use their senses as well. This is also a sign that they are learning, and have understood something.

#8 The horse must know who's boss
Going along with horses being herd animals, they are looking for a leader, and it's so important for us to be the leader, and this is done by being dominant. A good leader can create movement and stop movement. The Alpha mare will lead the herd to safety, and they will only stop when she stops. We want maximum respect, and minimum fear!

#9 The horse can be rapidly desensitized
When a horse realizes that something is harmless, they will not be bothered by it anymore. Sometimes they have a bad experience with something that is actually quite harmless, so as a good leader, it's important to introduce that thing into the friendly game, and they will be able to build more confidence.

#10 The horse is a precocial species
When born, horses are fully developed- their body, senses, and their ability to learn. Older horses just have more experiences. This means that foals can be played with from birth, and that it's important to use proper horsemanship principles from day one.