Submissive or Equals?

Question

Do you regard your horse as your submissive or equal? Why? Do you believe this helps in your relationship, and would in others? Does it improve training methods and manners in general? Should your relationship with your horse be a one way or two way conversation?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I used to have a problem with my horses ground manners, not anymore. ;D She got that I was boss after a coupletimes. But until she acts up she is equal

Answer 2

Thankfully we are passed all of the training b.s. & the problems we have are basically like dealing with a child with a temper tantrum.

I think that our relationships with our horses is a two way street at this point.  We communicate easily without either of us becomming frustrated.  I believe this is because we have had them long enough for each of us (human & equine) to know each other & what is expected, that only comes with time.  We do not buy horses & then trade them in for a different model when we either get tired of them or because we have over bought & cannot handle them.  I also believe we have a mutual respect for each other.  They know their boudaries & what is unacceptable but will still push the limits & see what they can get away with, but at this point, a sharp KNOCK IT OFF will normally stop the bahavior.

I do believe that there needs to be respect on both sides, with us ALWAYS remembering that dicipline should be used as needed to keep the respect & let the horses know that yes, we do love them, but there are behaviors that will NOT be allowed or tolerated.

It's like a child.  Let them run wild & get away with everything because we don't know or want to do anything about it & you end up with a spoiled rotten brat, that treats you like you don't matter.  In a horses case, it can be a DANGEROUS spoiled rotten brat.  But, if we set limits, teach them manners & let them know what is expected while still allowing them to be themselves & I think you have a much better relationship & fewer problems.  

Answer 3

Not submissive and not equal. I know it doesn't make sense. But for me its like working in an office when you train a new person for a similar position. You have seniority but you are not the real boss. They have to listen to you, but if you want to truley learn, you listen to them too. I don't know who else to explain it.

Edit- TB I think spell check FAAAARTED OUT on all of us. Man if it wernt fer that spell check thingy, I probably wouldn't have gotten as mannnnnny beste asweres that I du.

Answer 4

Both. initially, i want a horse to be submissive, and understand that i am the lead mare and that i get to make the decisions. they need to be respectful and aware of my space at all times in the beginning; this is a safety issue. if you dont know the horse, they shouldnt be trusted in your personal space uninvited. but, as the relastionship grows, the horse is seen as more of an equal. they can come into my space uninvited, granted that they are still respectful, and make some desicions. i love my horses with all my heart, and respect comes before trust, so it is crucial to lay the foundation by teaching the horse manners and how to submit. horses are equals, but only after they have proved themselves that they are in fact worthy to be trusted.

Answer 5

I see my horse as needing to respect me, I am the herd leader.  I believe that it improves my relationship with him because he respects me and knows i am in charge, with a animal that is much larger than you, you want to be in charge.  The equal relationship works with certain horses that will not try to be the alpha horse but most horses will look to see who is in charge.

Hope I helped!

Great Question!

Answer 6

i wear the pants in this relationship and he wears the hard iron shoes, so guess i'm the one who is submissive.

Answer 7

I think my horses should be respectful of my space and what I ask of them, it's kind of in between. I think when I feel crowded and position my body and move in ways to tell my horse so he should move away in a submissive manner. I am the 'lead mare' in the herd and they need to act accordingly. When they are being good and gentle I let them get away with some movement into my space and such. They are big animals and when aggressive require force to keep respect of me as a tiny fragile human.

Answer 8

Well, the way i see it, my horse MUST listen to me.  There is rarely and excuse for him to not.. but i do stop and "listen" to him if something isn't working.  

For example, a while back he wouldn't collect and bend to the left, but to the right he was gorgeous.  After about 20 min of working on it, seeing if he would respond to how i was asking i stopped and though about it "was i asking the same way in both directions?" "am i expecting too much?" "is it due to his arthritis?"  In this case, he was being thouroughly stubbern not wanting to use his body (hes comming back into work after hock injections and time off for his hips)  but i first asked him to do what I wanted, and thought about other reasons for why.

So to truly answer your question..

We are not equal, but he isn't submissive really.  I am the "leader" and he has to listen to me, but i take in his suggestions lol.

Because submission produces a scared horse who won't work correctly, being the leader gives him confidance and produces a horse who still has the freedom to "play" while at work.

Of course it helps, if i beat my horse untill he listened he wouldnt WANT to be working, and in that case, why bother?  He wouldn't be happy with his job, he wouldn't be as willing, and he would only be working to avoid a whip, not to challange himself and work together.  I HATE people who beat there horses, or all about shows or whatever, the goal of riding is to make challenging things look easy through a partnership between 1000 lbs animal and 150 lbs human.

Yes, it helps training greatly because my horse is willing to do anything for me, he knows that i never have led him wrong, so he trusts me.  If i say "you should work collected to protect your joints" (but not really..)  then he is willing to try it..  He also LOVES his job.  His favortie thing isn't food or turnout time, but getting collected and trotting and cantering with all his power through a dressage test, or galloping through a jumper course or cross country.. He loves his job and loves using his body,  if i had beat him into getting the results, then he wouldn't love it.

So, all in all, a two way conversation.. but what i say goes.  I listen and take in what hes telling me, but if hes capable of doing what i want him to, then he is going to.. no doubt about it.  I do listen when he says "its too hard" and in that case we go back to basics and work our way up and again, you must always keep a horses confidance up if you expect him to try.  

-btw, spell check farted out on me so i dunno whats up with my spelling!

GREAT question, by the way.  

Answer 9

I am the boss of all my equines.

We are not equal; there is never a situation in which they get to decide what we will do.  If I say we're going for a ride, we're going for a ride.  If I say I want to hold that foot off the ground, that foot is coming up.  It's not a discussion, it's not an equal partnership in which we weigh up the implications of a handful of options: what I say goes.

That doesn't mean I don't treat my horses and ponies with respect.  I believe we have a mutual respect and it should always be a two way conversation in that I listen to what is being said; I am not dominant in a forceful way, but it is crucial to a working relationship and a useful, happy horse that I am respected and followed as the boss.

The bottom line is they are not people and we cannot have conversations about it.  They are horses - working animals, not best buddies - and proper guidance is essential.

Answer 10

You can have a horse as your partner, but horses don't understand equal. You or the horse is dominate. It can't be the horse if you want to work with it. Horses live in a life of pecking orders. You have to be at the top. All horses establish this. You can think of equal but a horse won't. It is only one way with a horse.

Answer 11

My relationship with my horses is based on respect. I am herd leader and have become rather accomplished in "horse speak" This may sound funny to some, but this is how horses communicate. Watch their body language. I can squeal and stomp with the best of them!

It works for me and my horses.

Edit to Redial - My horses may wear the iron shoes, but my pants are leather and I'm the one with the whip.

Answer 12

i wouldn't call it submissive or equal,to me it is more of mutual respect,my horses and i rely on each other to be safe and work together in order to solve problems encountered in ranching and working livestock.i don't own a quad and the pickup truck gets stuck in the deep sand washes that i have on the ranch so i rely on my horses to get me and my fellow ranchers livestock moved from pasture to pasture and gathered for loading.

Answer 13

I agree with AM Boss Tom Cat :)

Answer 14

Submissive.  I think it's funny that people say their horse isn't submissive but they are the leader.  That's what submission is...doing what someone else directs them to do!

If I ask my horse to do something, it does it or it gets reprimanded.  Period.  Horses are not our equals and if you try to let them be, that's when you get hurt.  That's not to say there is no respect involved, or that the dominant one (me) is harsh, it's just to say that I am in charge of things.  It's nice to think that we are a team when we are trying to get something accomplished, but in all reality, he's still doing what I want.  If I want him to cross the river, he might find the best place to do it, but he's still crossing it.  I would bet money that if I weren't on his back asking him to do it he wouldn't even be considering crossing the river.

I think that's a mistake that too many people make, treating their horse as an equal.  That's why there are so many poorly behaved horses out there.  Kind of like dogs.  And kids, now that you mention it...LOL.

EDIT:  Just because people ask/tell their horses does not mean they beat them into doing it.  For those of you that think that's what it mean, you need some more education on working with horses.  Unless your horse runs you over or kicks you first because you didn't show him who is boss.

Answer 15

There can only be one lead mare. If its not you, your horse will look to fill the top position. You must insure that your horses accept and respect you as lead horse before you can expect any improvements in behavior or training.

You can have a two way conversation, but the final answer you get always needs to be 'yes'. For example, you tell your horse to get over in the stall. She pins her ears (her way of saying NO or make me), You then say 'YES, you will' and then take steps to see that she does.

Remember every time you handle or interact with your horse, you are teaching them something.

Answer 16

duh my horse is my equal he is my partner and my friend and buddy not a machine I expect to do everything its made to. those people here that think there horses are not equal to them are cruel people. how would you like for them to control your every move and make you do things you didnt want to? what if you were sick and forced to do work? you do that to your horses and dont care dont you though? there are some sick, sick people on here.....

Answer 17

I would think it as an equal, Because thats just how i would see my best friend and my companion. it does help EMENSLY in training and in relationships and they seem to treat you as an equal also and also respect you mopre to since you respect them The relation ship with your horse should be coming from you AND your horse and it needs to go to each other, But i just would see my horse as my buddy or best friend nothing more nothing less i would see my horse as one of my family more or less zone out with the horse and us two become one.

Answer 18

My horses/ponies where always my best friends. I respected them as they respected me. It is always a two way conversation. You can't make an animal do what you want, maybe for a little while if you choose to beat them but sooner or later they will make you stop. The saddest story of abuse was this really sweet horse who's owner had more money than sense. He was beautiful and sweet. His owner hated him, why I don't know. She never showed him an ounce of love. So one day he literally laid down and died. I think he died of a broken heart. Medically he died of a twisted intestine.

Every animal I own gets asked what they want to do. I may persuade when need be, but never beat into submission.

Answer 19

My horses are submissive, as any horse must be in order to be handled safely.  We work in partnership, but I am the senior partner with all of the controlling interest.

ADD...submissive means that you submit to the will of another.

When a horse responds to a cue, walks nicely on a lead, or lets you ride it, the horse is not doing what it wants to do....it is submitting to your will.

Answer 20

Horses in their own herd environment have a pecking order. Nobody is equal. Horses have to either dominate, or be dominated.

My horse is submissive to me, he has to be for any kind of relationship to work and to accomplish what we need to.... Whether it be a simple trial ride, a cross-country course or reining maneuvers my horse has to listen to my commands for us to have a safe and productive experience.

Anyone who's spent enough time around horses knows what kind of horse you get if you let them dominate you; Disrespectful and sometimes dangerous.

Although I would like to consider my horse my equal because we communicate and have a partnership... I am still the one giving the orders. I have a great deal of respect for my horses. I never force things from my horse... If i did, we would barely get through a simple trial ride together. I set things up to were my horse wants to perform for me. That's what a good leader does.

**Edit**

Lmao 1crossmare, that's a good one!!

Answer 21

I am the alpha mare.

The best reason I can give for it is this:

The judge presiding over my divorce 15 years ago, upon seeing the amicable visitation/support arrangements we'd made, asked me why we did not have joint custody.

I smiled and said, "Because somebody has to be in charge, and I want it to be me."