Equine Behavior

Horses are highly social herd animal that prefer to live in a group. They will establish a "pecking order" for the purpose of determining which herd member directs the behavior of others, eats and drinks first, and so on. This behavior pattern also applies to their interrelationship with humans. A horse that respects the human as a "herd member" who is higher in the social order will behave in a more appropriate manner towards all humans than a horse that has been allowed to engage in dominant behavior over humans.

 

Horses are able to form companionship attachments not only to their own species, but with other animals, including humans. In fact, many domesticated horses will become anxious, flighty and hard to manage if they are isolated. A horse feel security in numbers. Horses kept in a closed stable where they cannot see other animals require stable companions to provide company and reduce stress. When anxiety over separation occurs while a horse is being handled by a human, the horse is described as "herd-bound".

How does the herd relate to social behavior

The basic herd has a high horse (lead), a low or bottom horse and horses in the middle. If you have two horses in a herd you have a one and two horse. If you have 10 horses in a herd, you have a one, two, three...... and ten horses. If two horses are close, lets say you know clearly who is one and who is two, but three and four seem to be equal? -- They are not, if you want to know who is three and who is four, pull them from the herd, put out a bucket of grain and the one that eats is three and the one who gets pushed off is four. You can do this with any horses to see who is higher and who is lower. This works with people too. If you cannot take the grain from a horse, he is higher and you are lower. This is key to remember in all contacts with horses. They either see you as higher or lower. If they push you, you are lower, if they pin their ears at you and try to push or intimidate you, you are lower, if they try and kick you, you are lower, if they try and bite you, you are lower, if they make you move out of their space, you are lower. If they make you flinch, you are lower, if they make you nervous and jumpy you are lower. This is very important in dealing with horses. The reverse is also true. If you move them, you are higher, if you push them, you are higher, if you make them move or stop moving, you are higher, if you correct or discipline them, you are higher. 

Ferrel and wild horse "herds" are usually made up of several separate, small "bands" which share a territory. Bands are harems, usually consisting of one adult male, several females, their foals and immature horses of both sexes, although it has been stated there may be one to five stallions. Each band is led by a dominant mare (sometimes called the "lead mare" or the "boss mare"). Bands are usually small, containing between 3 to 35 animals. The composition of bands changes as young animals are driven out of their natal band and join other bands, or as stallions challenge each other for dominance. In herds, there is usually a single "herd" or "lead" stallion, though occasionally a few less-dominant males may remain on the fringes of the group.

Fight or Flight
The fight or flight response involves nervous impulses which result in hormone secretions into the bloodstream. When a horse reacts to a threat, it may initially 'freeze' in preparation to take flight.

Humans are the greatest threat/predator to horse and it is very rare that wild animals (bobcats and/or wolves) attack horses.






Horse Talk
Neigh: Longer and louder than a nicker, normally calls to herd or buddy when separated. It is used to locate or call to each other at greater distances than a nicker.

Whinny: This is a gentler and sadder neigh. More upset and sad calling.

Nicker: This is normally a greeting, low sound used between two friends. Your horse will normally do this when you are feeding or giving bringing them food. Very affectionate and is normally a sign of friendship and even courtship between horses. A mare will nicker at her foal to get the foal to come or to call it away from danger.

Squeal: Normally make by the mare but gelding do it as well. It is defensive and is normally done when two horses are meeting or smelling each other. It could be an attempt to show dominance and not weakness or to try and establish that I am higher than you or don't mess with me.

Snort: This is a strong exhale or air that sounds loud and worried. It can be low if a horse is close to danger or something that is scary to the horse. The first time a horse is expose to a plastic tarp will normally get this sound. However, it will be a low sound. If a horse sees a threat at a greater distance, then the sound is much louder and more a warning to other horses and the threat. If a horse squares off on you and snorts, be very careful, he is about to go into attack mode if he cannot run or flee.

Blow: This is just a way to express a release of tension. By exhaling air, the horse releases tension. Could be just clearing out the air way.

When horses meet for the first time (or after separation) they will exchange exhalations through their nostrils. This is how horses say "hello", they will remember each other's breath like we recall names. After a few initial breaths, the intensity of the "huffing" will then increase or decrease depending on the information exchanged. Increased, harder breathing in the desire to work out dominance, and can lead to biting, squealing, striking or turning around to pummel with hard kicks from hind legs. For these reasons, its not a good idea to allow them to exchange breaths while riding them! Horses that have already exchanged breaths may just go about there business grassing, grooming or standing next to one another.

Horses will curl their upper lip and press it to the back of their nose, this is called flehmen. A horse does this when it detects an odor worthy of pressing into a sensitive olfactory discrimination area called the voneronasal organ, which is located in the horses nasal cavity. The flehmen response increases the flow of air through the nostrils, which brings the scent openings behind the incisors on the upper palette to the onerously organ. This is seem more in males than females, especially stallions.

Perfumes and lotions on human hands can cause horses to curl their upper lip. A stallion will make this face when he examines a mares urine to find out if she is in heat. The vomeronasal organ is orientated with the brain's sexual behavior center, and is used to decipher the pheromones a mare emits. 

Click here for an article on how horses use their ears to communicate.

BEHAVIOR & NATURE QUIZ

1. When a horse pulls back with no progress, what will his next move be? 

2. A horse cannot see directly in what direction? 

3. The horse can see anything behind him that is not narrower than his what? 

4. If a horse does not want to leave the barn, it is called what? 

5. What is a cribber? 

6. The horse’s first reaction to strange & frightening objects is to what? 

7. How do you read your horse’s intentions as you approach it? 

8. What does herdbound mean? 

9. Why should you never punish your horse when you’re angry? 

10. Why is it important when you have to punish a horse, that you do it at that instant? 

11. Describe head shy 

12. What prompts the horse’s immediate instinct to kick or run? 

13. What is the definition of a vice? 

14. What does it signify if a horse has its’ ears pinned back? 

15. What does is mean if a horse has its’ ears pricked forward? 

16. What does a nervous handler cause? 

17. Teasing a horse may cause it do what? 

18.At what distance must an object be from the front of the horse for it to see the object? 

19. What is the ability to see separate objects with each eye at the same time? 

20.When the dominant horse in a group makes a threat, less aggressive horses will do what? 

21. There are few vicious horses. What may cause a horse to become vicious? 

22. What practice may prevent a horse from becoming a “halter puller”? 

23.  Describe the stable vice called weaving 

24. Horses have a very strong desire for the company of what? 

25. Which sense of the horse is better – sight or hearing? 

26. To judge distance, the horse uses which type of vision? 

27. What must the horse do to see faraway objects? 

28. What must the horse do to see close objects? 

29.Under natural conditions, horses do not spend long periods of time in what type of area? 

30. When a horse kicks with a forward & sideward motion, it is called what? 

31. What term describes the habit horses have of eating too fast? 

32. How does a healthy foal normally sleep? 

33. What is the proper term for the “boss mare” or most dominant horse in a herd? 

34. What is the term for the type of vision where the horse sees the same scene with both eyes? 

35. What sound acts as a warning signal between horses? 

36. Name 2 vices that are quickly & often copied by other horses 

37. What behavior is often displayed when two strange horses stand nose to nose? 

ANSWER

1. To charge forward 

2.  Downward OR directly in front & directly behind 

3.  Body 

4.  Barn sour 

5.  A horse that chews on manger or other objects & frequently sucks air 

6.  Panic & run away 

7.  By watching its’ head & ears 

8.  A horse who refuses to leave a group of other horses 

9. Your punishment will be too severe 

10  He won’t understand why he’s being punished if you wait 

11. Horse that is sensitive about the head/jerks away when touched 

12.  Fear 

13.An acquired habit that is annoying or that may interfere with the usefulness of the horse (a bad habit) 

14. Anger (or fake anger)

15.  Interest or suspicion 

16.  A nervous, unsafe horse 

17.  Develop dangerous habits 

18.  Four feet 

19.  Monocular vision 

20.  Retreat if possible 

21.  Abuse 

22.  Untying the lead rope before taking the halter off 

23 Horse moves head & upper body from side to side (rocks side to side/back & forth) 

24.  Other horses 

25. Hearing 

26.  Binocular 

27.  Lower its’ head 

28.  Raise its’ head 

29.  Enclosed 

30.  Cow kick 

31.  Bolting their feed 

32.  On its side 

33.  Alpha 

34.  Binocular 

35. Snort 

36.  Cribbing, weaving, wood chewing 

37.  Striking, grunting, or squealing