Horses, Words, and Emotions

I think it's interesting how often opinions or perspectives, whether it's within the horse world or outside of it, can be massive emotional triggers.

In equine-related training topics here are just a few leading to many heated discussions:

Using a Mounting block

Lunging

Round Penning

Bits

Equipment

Treats

R+

Using Sedatives

Trailer Loading

Shoeing

Often a person's interpretation of each of these is based on their experiences or perhaps something that they've watched. Much of the time I find that either justification or resistance is about the human's emotional reaction to whatever has historically happened related to the topic.

But rarely is the horse considered... And the truth is the horse is what is at the center of all of this.

So before we start explaining or justifying why it is that we do things, or have our beliefs, or use certain practices, what if we peeled back the layers and started by asking this simple question-

How does this practice affect the individual horse?

Scenarios that may be a confidence-building opportunity or learning experience, are completely relative to the individual horse and the human's intention behind it. They can quickly become a weaponized act causing the horse long-term defensiveness and fear in a very short time.

I've seen far too many training theories turn docile horses into aggressive, stressed creatures.

I've seen willing equines become overwhelmed because of their initial willingness and become shut down and avoidant.

It all comes back to considering the individual horse. If the "result" is leading to a tense, tight, mentally checked-out, reactive, or anticipative equine, we must ask ourselves, "What it is that we think we are accomplishing?"