horse behavior, connection to energy

bit · horse behavior, connection to energy

This is the stuff I think about, leaning against the round bale and sharing time with the herd. Something I've noticed, and I was wondering if anyone else noticed this too, left brained horses tend to be the herd leaders. They tend to keep the energy of the herd calmer.
I'll see Bit, very rb, alert to maybe some deer in the pasture, the lefty's head's shoot up in response, but then they determine everything is fine, and their heads go right back down to grazing. As a result, the rb's will relax and go back to grazing too. Lefty's bring that energy right on down to idle.
One horse will take the whole herd with them, energy wise. When I ride with Kelsey, her arabian tends to spook at air. Big spooks. Huge. Gunner, who is rb on the trail, will go right along with her. She spooks big, he spooks big. Not at what she's spooking at, the air

, but as a reaction to her energy.
Now Eclipes, my lbi herd leader, will rarely react to what a rb horse is freaking out about. Ok, the day the wild turkey attacked Hawk, she reacted. She got us the heck out of there. Her spook is always forward and smooth, so I just laughed and started talking to her, calmly. I said, "It's alright. Hey there goes Hawk. Hmmm. Where's Kelsey? We should turn around and go check on her." I could feel the tenseness of her body relax, and we did this nice arc around to head back towards where Kelsey was laying in the pasture. The minute Eclipse relaxed and started to head back, Hawk did an nice arc and headed back, too. It wasn't that he was following Eclipse's body, he was following her energy.
Rb horses tend to follow Eclipse's energy, which is calm, when out on the trail. That's why green horses do better with seasoned trail horses. It's all about energy.
That's why it's so important when you are riding, to keep your energy like a left brained horse. If you are nervous, your horse will pick up on your energy. If you are leary of the place the horse spooked at yesterday, he'll probably spook again. If you are wary because it's a windy day, your horse will be wary. It doesn't matter if you fake calm, your horse will know.
I'm thinking that a nice minute or two of meditation can go a long ways with setting the stage for a ride on your horse. Horses LOVE calm. It's the human that usually pushes their horses to fear, to being rb, to rushing back to their herd, home, comfort and safety. Horses pick up on the energy around them. They seek the good stuff, and flee (whether in their minds, their bodies, or both) the ugly stuff. That's why Gunner will go robot in an arena. He runs away in his mind, and quits thinking. Brent helped us with that at the clinic last summer. It was a "changing day in his liiiiiiiife."
The question, what kind of energy do you bring to the table? Are ya angry at your spouse, boss, barn manager? Are you bllissfully introspective because the sunset is so spectacular, you must be in heaven? Is your mind still in the sink, because that macaroni is never gonna come out of that pot? Are you anxious? Sad? In any way not balanced in your mind or body? Your horse will perfectly reflect your energy. Are YOU the ride you want to have? Take a moment and find balance, peace, and joy in the moment. Isn't that the kind of ride you want?
So many folks over train their horses, because they are not getting the ride they want. Sending your horse off AGAIN for another 30 days to a trainer is not going to change YOUR ride. It's your energy that determines the energy of your horse. Again, human. Are you listening? We are your mirror.

misstux

I just love this post. Thank you for reminding me of what I already knew. It's very timely for Strider and me.

PasoBaby_CarolU

Erin, good thread and idea. I haven't really thought about it before, but I think you're on to something, although I'm not sure it is RB vs LB, at least not around here. My Leader is an RBI and my Alpha is an RBE. No one listens to him, even though he bosses other horses around. My LBE horses are the ones who are in front checking things out, and my RBE will even herd them in front of him to see if it is safe or not.

In my best friend's herd, her leader was also an RBI mare. This mare died and another RBI mare (niece) took her place. She sold this mare and an older LBE gelding is now her leader horse. Interestingly the No. 2 spot in her herd is now a very LBE yearling filly out of her most timid mare.

I remember something I saw watching Cloud on Nature. The LB foals tended to feed the mountain lions while the RB foals stuck closer to their dams and survived. We don't have this dynamic in domestic herds and I think LB horses tend to be more sociable with people and popular, and so may be bred more. Just thinking here....might not be true at all. LBIs seem to be very popular with people.

Hute

I thought appellativo was Erin? Bit is Erin too? Is Erin not appellativo's name? Did I get them mixed up?

Sorry appellativo!!

bit

The lbi energy is appealing to me because I need a calm, steady, confident horse. I can't come off. Social? Eclipse is pretty aloof. (Gunner, lbi, very social) Even within the horenality, every horse is different. After a quick check for treats, she's outta there. The only loyalty she has is to the next door stallion. She doesn't buddy up with any of our herd. Why do they follow her? She will let them go without water, shelter or food, to keep company with this stallion. Terrible leader. Hawk is so much better. He drives the herd in for water, food, and shelter. You can feel his energy building. He's thirsty, Eclipse isn't moving, and it's like he stages a mutiny. That's it! Move your asses! Much snakey necking, nipping and driving on his part. Kelsey often has to go back out and get Eclipse. So why follow Eclipse?
Another whole different thought, why do they follow one human and not another? I hear consistancy, and ritual (even if it's not exactly kind) is comforting to a horse. Old cowboy shows up, same time, off they go, come back, dinner, and put away. Every day, same routine. No relationship, but more comforting than a needy, clingy human seeking love. One day they ride, five days they don't. That old cowboy maintains the same mood, same behavior, same level road, and that is a better road for the horse. Is that old cowboys consistant energy level feel better? When our energy spikes, goes up, down, all over the place, is this what sends a horse to the other end of the pasture? Away physically and mentally? Is it just a matter of consistancy? Is the quality of our energy, and the fact that it is at a consistant level, what makes for good company to horse and human, alike? Is that why, if we do need to bring our energy up, that we make sure we bring it right on down to idle? It's not just a release of rope, rein, whatever, they need the release of the mind?
Think I've got lots of questions, ya know?

PasoBaby_CarolU

Hute

lol I was like, just how many Erins are there? Great thread, interesting thoughts. Makes me think a bit more of why both Cricket and Beacon had a tendency to bolt once in a while during the circle game. It wasn't a very significant problem - I could (and maybe still can) get Cricket to circle me at liberty in a huge pasture without a problem. But it always mystified me when they did it. I wasn't releasing somewhere, maybe, when I should have. Or maybe I was doing the wrong task for the mood that we were in.

cokey

Not sure if you guys will be able to read this, but one of my friends who's really good at this sort of stuff posted this on FB the other day.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/ste...mental-leadership/192731180756170

Really made me think about it. My Olive, who's as RBI as they come, has ALWAYS been herd leader. She never fights. Never gets food first. Never asserts herself in any way. But she walks off and everyone else follows.. She's always hyper-alert and the others know that they're safe to relax when she's on guard as she's not going to miss anything!!

PasoBaby_CarolU

Chloe, I've tried several times now to open that link and Facebook says it is unavailable. It might be her security settings only allow friends to see it.

I am writing a chapter on this subject right now. I think of it as balancing energy with our horse.

I think a lot of people are attracted to LBIs because they are so laid back. If the person is also laid back, the combination can be barely moving. There is good and bad with each horsenality. The LBI's laid back attitude is next of kin to laziness. Deb, I think "horses like calm" is a generalization that doesn't apply to all horses. I have and know some very energetic horses and they prefer excitement. Bruiser is a good example. Nothing he loves more then a good run and buck and learning new things, preferably with energy. He gets bored easily and calm is the last thing he wants.

The LBE's energy is easier to motivate, but next of kin to too much energy ("hot") for many people.

There was an article in this month's The Horse on ulcers in horses associated with different sports. The lowest incidence of ulcers was found in schooling horses (probably, mostly LBI's), while the highest were in performance sports like racing, reining, and dressage.

bit

I understand, Carol. Hawk likes it "hot" when he's learning. You can't go quite fast enough for him. It's why I'm very excited to watch Kip work with him. He's lbe, all the way. I'm hoping to find him a great endurance rider for a forever home. I used to love riding these horses. Now I'm prefer lbi's, and both my riding horses are lbi's. Not lazy horses, so guess I'm lucky. They are both very willing movers.
None of my horses like a human that is fearful, anxious or angry. That's what I mean by "calm". Probably a poor choice of words. The human, with all my herd, must be centered and grounded. Better words? You can pick up your life, but not your temper. That can make a nice trail ride go bad, if the human is nervous, anxious or fearful. Different levels of the same thing, and where a lot of folks are in their mind when they ride.

PasoBaby_CarolU

Ah ha! You were talking about a calm person. Yes, I have to agree. I think it is a critical element to working well with horses, calm and deliberate.

I have seen some nice schooling and vaulting horses though that don't seem at all phased by a person's energy or fear, probably why they are good at what they do. A woman here went and took lessons on a vaulting horse just so it would keep a nice steady trot while she learned to sit and then to post a trot. Her own horse was way too hot/sensitive for her to relax on, so her seat was always braced and rigid.

I do know some high energy people who like high energy horses. The combination is fine, as long as it's what the person wants. When we ride with all Paso Finos, we break rides into three groups, one being the fast group just so these people and horses can go-go-go and have fun without getting the other horses wired.