Latest Articles
Found in Translation
Vocalizations are part of communication, and we have a pretty good idea of what it means when we hear a horse squeal, or a dog growl. But these are generalizations. Even vocalizations that seem to have one specific meaning (because they are often associated with one context), may actually ...
The Complete Picture
A tail held high usually means a high emotional state of arousal or excitement, but that on its own does not tell you whether an animal is in a positive or negative emotional state.
High arousal can be appetitive, meaning the animal is interested and anticipating something good, or ...
More Articles
From the Horse’s Mouth
By Dr. Lisel O'Dwyer
Since I began clicker training, I have observed horse owners have a few misconceptions about clicker training, such as:
• Hand feeding is dangerous, making the horse mouthy
A Two-Way Conversation
By Kathie Gregory
What is often missing in the horse human relationship is “conversation.” In many instances, communication with a horse often involves telling him what to do. If he does not comply, he is ...
What’s in It for the Horse?
By Max Easey
The first thing to be aware of when considering how horses learn is that all animals – without exception – will choose to repeat any behavior that “works” for them. When we own an animal like a ...
Equine Social Structure
By Kathie Gregory
In studies that have not been subject to manipulation, I have yet to find reports of dominance hierarchy. Disagreements are low key, with horses being tolerant of each other...When there are ...
Performance Anxiety
By Kathie Gregory
People such as the vet and the farrier need to get the job done in a timely manner. They do not have a lot of time, and waiting for as long as it takes for a horse to respond is not always ...
The Equine Play System
By Kathie Gregory
Play enables an animal to practice and project emotional states in safety, without intent. We have all seen play get out of hand, and that would seem to be the result of play turning into ...
From the Horse’s Perspective
By Kathie Gregory
There is a general perception that using food in teaching will cause the horse to be rude, mug you, be “pushy,” or start nipping. People often dismiss the possibility of using food for these ...
Teaching Trailer Loading
By Kathie Gregory
Not all horses automatically enjoy the process of going into a trailer, yet in an emergency it may be essential for them to do so...Think of fun ways to teach these things. You may be ...