We all have a circle of trust—an invisible boundary that contains our loved ones, those we can depend on through good times and bad. Sometimes, the only person in our circle of trust is ourselves. Horses also have a circle of trust. At birth, this circle includes just two individuals: the foal and its mother.
In an ideal world, the young horse’s circle of trust enlarges to embrace other horses, barnyard animals, and humans. By trial and error, the horse learns the social rules of those in his circle of trust, understanding where he fits and feeling secure.
Usually, though, there is a break in the circle of trust. It may start during the weaning process, causing the colt to exclude the humans who separated him from his mother from his circle of trust. Another breach may occur when the young horse is sold. Everyone the horse has ever known disappears, leaving him in a world of strangers with different rules and routines.
If the horse finds himself in a home where he is welcomed with empathy, encouragement, and support, he will become relaxed, self-confident, and confident in those around him. He will be able to include new people in his circle of trust.
Unfortunately, some horses end up in homes where they are constantly punished and live in fear, no matter how hard they try to do the right thing. They may be forced to run in circles, have their heads yanked in every direction, be kicked and poked, or have metal shoved in their mouths, forcing them to hold uncomfortable positions for long periods. Many are confined, unable to make friends with anyone. Some horses learn to dislike certain humans; others give up on humans altogether. These unhappy horses may find themselves alone in their circle of trust. Some become broken and dispirited, while others become resistant, aggressive, or rebellious. Unhappy horses often break down not only behaviorally but physically as well.
If horse owners want their horses to be happy and healthy, it is helpful for them to contemplate who is in their horse’s circle of trust. If the owner is not in that circle, they must discover why. Perhaps the owner has begun to objectify the horse and needs to reawaken to the horse’s individual majesty and dignity. Maybe the training philosophy needs to change from one based on fear to one based on praise. Sometimes the riding discipline may be over-taxing, or the owner’s riding style, lack of balance, habit of pulling on the reins, or constant kicking may be the issue.
To re-establish the horse’s confidence in humans, the owner must learn to read the horse’s face and body language to understand what the horse is feeling. They must break the communication barrier and interact with the horse in ways that are kind, clear, simple, and easily understood. The horse must feel calm at all times, and any tactics that use force or create fear must be discontinued. Rather than resorting to power and control to make a horse do something, a reward system should be put in place to encourage the horse to relax and enjoy learning.
Horses are resilient creatures. Most will learn to trust again if given the chance. Be in your horse’s circle of trust. Be the one person your horse can rely on.
By Chris Forté
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