Prey Animals: Horse Edition
Horses are big and strong, for sure.
But they're prey animals.
Why, though? Why when they're so big?
They're herbivores, they come in big herds and they run away in fear. And these are just a few characteristics of horses that make them prey rather than predators.
Check-In
It was a tough work week, I'm not going to lie.
I love my job, and that motivates me to keep pushing through, but between studying and working a little overtime to get some things done at the clinic, I definitely did not get enough sleep this week.
I'm hoping to be more energetic next week.
I've been getting very good grades so far in my class (knock on wood). It's been an interesting course as well. It's helped me a lot with worse and vice versa.
My Thursday riding class went well, despite it being scalding hot outside. I got to ride Chance, and I'm always in a chipper mood when I ride my favorite pony.
We cantered a bit and did some ground pole work. And Chance was such a good boy through the entire lesson. (He only whinnied in my face once.)
I'm getting better at finding my seat in the canter every lesson!
How Horses Behave As Prey Animals
"Aren't horses scary?" is a question I get a lot when I tell people I ride.
The answer is yes and no. It can be scary and intimidating to be on top of such a large animal, but what has helped me with my confidence is understanding animal behavior.
We don't just ride a horse and expect it to do what we want it to do. We have to be able to understand them in order to work with them.
It's like any relationship in life — there's trust, there's respect and there's a mutual understanding in order for the relationship to thrive.
Despite their size and strength, horses are prey animals.
Some of their predators out in the wild may include bears, large cats, wolves and coyotes.
Horses have physical features to keep alert of predators such as flexible ears and eyes on the side of their head. The color of the horse can even be described as camouflage in certain settings.
Horses also choose the flight response in a fight or flight situation.
Notice how horses run away from you in an open pasture if they're spooked, or how they run off if they get spooked on a trail ride.
Horses will use actions such as nipping and kicking as a last line of defense. That's usually when that flight option is taken away — for example, if the horse is confined to its stall.
Horses will also use actions as a reaction to pain or fear, communicating that whatever was done was either painful or they're scared of something. For example, a horse might nip at you if they're sensitive in the belly area and you're tightening the girth.
Predators, on the other hand, might use fear tactics such as barking, biting, scratching and growling to ward off threats.
Horses are herd animals who work together with their herd in order to alert others of a nearby predator. They communicate with each other to defend a predator rather than taking on the predator alone.
They might give out subtle signals such as a foot stomp or a head shake to let the others know that a predator is approaching. Then, the entire herd will run to a safer place as a unit.
Because horses are prey animals, it takes more time to be able to form a genuine bond with one as a human.
Predator animals like dogs are inherently going to be our best friends. They look up to an alpha to obey, making them easier to train and communicate with.
Horses use the detection of subtle body language such as posture and inner emotions to feel out a potential bond with a human. They are looking for equality in a friendship.
A horse must be able to feel a sense of trust and confidence before accepting a human into their herd. And once that human is accepted into the herd, the horse will expect you to protect them like they protect you.
It's all about making the relationship equal where the protection is given and reciprocated.
So, in conclusion, when you think about how horses behave, they really aren't that scary.
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