Relationship Building Between Horse and Human

Prey Animal versus Predator: How we overcome misunderstandings and transition from predator to trusted movement partner. An insight by Dr. phil. Ulrike Thiel.

Prey Animal versus Predator I: Humans and horses are so fundamentally different in their core structures that daily misunderstandings are almost inevitable. How to nevertheless build a trusting relationship and make the transition from predator to movement-game partner is explained by author, psychologist, equitherapeute, dressage judge, and instructor Dr. phil. Ulrike Thiel.

Why are there so many misunderstandings in handling horses?

The greatest misunderstandings between us and the horse stem from the fact that both species differ fundamentally in their evolutionary development, instincts, and physiological functions. The horse is designed as a prey animal – whereas humans are predators.

We humans often make the mistake of viewing the horse and its reactions from our own perspective and interpreting its behavior through a human lens. Signals from the horse that we do not understand are quickly labeled as intentional attempts to harm us or test boundaries. We tend to anthropomorphize our horses and attribute human motives to them, while horses in truth want only one thing: to function as harmoniously as possible within their social context.

For example?

We expect a horse to try hard for us and be “grateful” that we provide it with a dry stall and feed. We hold it against the horse when it spooks at a harmless piece of paper, or we are disappointed when it does not perform at the push of a button at a competition. Naturally, we would secretly love for our horse to be proud of a ribbon or love being ridden – but these are purely human projections. Horses have entirely different core needs: undisturbed social contact with peers, species-appropriate housing, and natural feeding management.

Why do they cooperate with us so well despite this?

Horses possess a deep-seated need for harmony. Moreover, we must not forget that humans are highly inventive in developing training aids and gadgets to make a horse compliant (with auxiliary reins being just one example among many).

However, one can also work with a horse on a positive, egalitarian basis. Because horses are social beings, they experience interaction as pleasant when they have positive experiences with humans. They recognize us as a non-species, yet interesting partner in movement games and social interaction. If we additionally succeed in assuming the biological role of a confident lead figure, we relieve the horse of permanent flight decisions and offer it security.

 

What makes a good trusted person?

Trust and devotion never depend on physical strength. Even the highest-ranking lead horse in a herd is rarely the largest or strongest animal, but rather excels through personality, clarity, and reliability. Still, we must be realistic: no matter how much we love our horse – we can never replace the herd and contact with peers. We are not the “best friend” in the equine sense, but we can be a reliable partner in movement games and a secure leader.

Horses mirror their riders & primal instincts in the saddle

Horses possess the subtle ability to decode our physical and mental signals – even when these do not match our words. They feel fear, uncertainty, or hidden pressure immediately. For example, if a horse refuses a jump, it is often simply because the rider deeply prefers not to jump in their heart of hearts. Equestrian sports are therefore always a matter of self-awareness.

Biologically speaking, it means certain death for a prey animal in the wild when a predator jumps onto its back. To overcome this primal instinct, patient, trust-based training (“primal trust”) is required so that the rider is no longer experienced as a threat, but as a secure partner in the shared movement game.

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