Flight vs. Fear

[Carl Russell]

As a result of several other threads, I have been hashing over the common assumption that flight=fear. Looking at many prey animals their primary adaptation is their ability for flight. In many situations they use it as a strength. When a horse is spooked in a field they will often jump and charge off a short distance, turn, blow, and look back to appraise the situation.

When they have the freedom of movement, then they use flight as a demonstration of prowess. It is when that movement is restricted that they can become afraid, but even then flight is their “fight”.

I think that we complicate our conception of the reaction with our own experience. We are naked apes with no ability to fight (no claws, dull teeth, tender hide), and no ability to run, or climb, or fly. We are very fearful creatures and tend to transfer that experience on to other animals.

I think that many behavior problem with horses are complicated by people trying to figure out what is scaring the horse, when in fact it is just the horse reacting naturally to an uncertain stimulus, and it is the human instinct saying “fear”.

Carl

[jen judkins]

Maybe fear is an entirely human attribute all together and an unuseful term in this context. It is not that horses become fearful naturally, but that they take to ‘flight’ so naturally in response to anything suspicious. I’ve actually been pondering my own thoughts about this as well and I agree that we as humans tend to invade reality with our own expectations, exeriences and …well, our own fear (which is a real human attribute).

I, for instance have most of my horse experience with Arabs and Thouroughbreds, and both are breeds that will go quite a long ways before they stop, blow and re-assess. In fact, I’ve been told that an arab will go 100 miles before looking back, lol. Thankfully my half arab will only go 25 or so:D. But the truth is, you have to go with these horses a fair ways, before you can expect them to respect your leadership. You can shut them down, sure, but you won’t win in the long run.

So when I work with Peanut and I feel his need to move and it feels urgent, my experience expects a long run, perhaps a wreck. But in truth, even that hidden expectation has not produced a single truly scarey or dangerous moment. In fact, I’m learning a tremendous amount about the variations between breeds and individuals. Peanuts flight response is quite easy
to adjust and dial down, even in the presence of my own expectations.

As usual, I think we have the best success when we adapt to the situation, the individual (horse in this case) and the problem at hand. It also helps to have a bunch of experience within the context you are working. Until then, its all education….well, it probably always education, but you get my drift.

Jennifer.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Carl and everyone, Just a quick reply to what you said about horses and fear. How many times in years past have I said ” I just can’t tell if this horse is afraid of something or if it just trying to be the boss”? I was trying to choose between two human responses. Really it was a horse response, and an individual response as Jennifer said. In reading Carl’s comments I realized I just don’t think that anymore. Now I worry less about putting the right label on the animals response to what ever is going on, and pay more attention to my response. It is my response that can create an opportunity for the horse to gain in trust and confidence. I think it can be a hard thing to teach and a slow thing to learn; but to be with horses, (working with, caring for, training, etc) and expect them to ‘be horses’ is the best we can do to make a successful partnership. Donn

[Author]

Posts