annonce

The good leader listens to his/her employees´ ideas and gives them freedom to act on them. That is often how the teamwork reaches new heights and the results improve. It is not very motivating to be lead by commands and pressure. It is far easier to grow and evolve when you are guided and supported.

Hores are highly led by instincts. If we recognize and make room for them, the teamwork improves.

By Bettina Stecher

To give the horse a voice is not the same as handing over control. But rather that we should show the horse that we listen to its signals, pay attention and recognize it. Share a dialogue with it. This is the opinion of Ute Lehmann, who on a daily basis helps horse owners to develop a harmonious and problem free teamwork with their horses.

Is it dangerous to give the horse a voice?

HARMONIOUS HORSE TRAINING 

We need to make ourselves relevant 

When we share time with our horse we should encourage it to interact and join us. The best way to do this is by making ourselves relevant. To show our horse that we see and recognize it. And that the collaboration is something that is of value for the horse as well.

”There has to be a dialogue when we share time with our horses. They really desire our company, but they need to feel that we are just as present as they are, and that we listen to them,” says Ute.

Horses are happy to coorporate 

Ute explains that horses generally are happy to coorporate. That is what the do in their herd.

”Horses are not preoccupied with being dominant or aggresive. That is not interesting for them. In a natural herd the horses coorporate to survive. It is rare that there is an escalation of pressure,” Ute explains.

Horses are naturally interested in social dynamics, friendships, interaction and communication. They spend a lot of time exploring and examining. Gathering information.

These are some of the reasons that Ute thinks that we should give the horses a voice. Because they have something relevant to say.

"Just because I don’t react, doesn’t mean I didn’t notice."

Gather information and impressions 

According to Ute, it is important not to rush when we spend time with our horses. Horses gather information and impressions all the time from their surroundings, and that may take some time.

”Horses gather information regarding their surroundings all the time and process it. It is not always visible to us what is going on, but that does not mean that nothing is going on,” says Ute.

Ute gives an example with her cat that stood by the door meowing because it wanted to go outside. When Ute opened the door, the cat did not move. At first, Ute got annoyed. The cat had given her the impression that it wanted to go outside. But when she took a closer look, she could tell that the cat was observing the surroundings outside before going out there. Quite clever to be honest!

The horses are no different. It is simply our job to pay attention and react accordingly. That way, we are able to achieve a harmonious relationship with our horses.

Management by fear is not motivating
INSTINCT RELATED BEHAVIOUR

- To examine
- To interact
- To coorporate
- So syncronize

The horse’s signals tell us about its mental condition 

If we do not see or respect the small signals that tell us that the horse is facing something that it cannot handle or understand, we might risk the horse getting dangerous or stressed.

In order to avoid entering the red zone it is useful to know your horse well, including the horse’s calming signals. Thus they are the start of a situation that might escalate. If you notice the signals and adjust the situation accordingly, you will be able to find the mental state where the horse is able to learn most effectively and is most relaxed.

Some of the calming signals are:

  • Blinks, looks away, closes eyes
  • Chews without anything to chew on
  • Yawns
  • Turns its head away
  • Shakes its neck or the entire body
  • Moves head and neck up and down
  • Consistant low neck posture
  • Bends in the body, walks in circles
  • Separates the herd
  • Turns away from you
  • Stress eats
  • Speeds up or slows down
Show consideration – slow down! 

An useful piece of advice from Ute to achieve a harmonious collaboration is something as simple as slowing down. Pause and let the horse use its natural instincts to observe, register and process information.

”It is very motivating for the horse if we make room for it and provide it with a voice in the relationship,” says Ute.

And who does not want to have a horse that actively chooses to be part of the collaboration? Simply because it wants to and thinks that it is exciting.

”To give the horse a voice is not the same as handing over control”
slow down

annonce

annonce

annonce

The good leader listens to his/her employees´ ideas and gives them freedom to act on them. That is often how the teamwork reaches new heights and the results improve. It is not very motivating to be lead by commands and pressure. It is far easier to grow and evolve when you are guided and supported.

Hores are highly led by instincts. If we recognize and make room for them, the teamwork improves.

Is it dangerous to give the horse a voice?

HARMONIOUS HORSE TRAINING 

By Bettina Stecher

To give the horse a voice is not the same as handing over control. But rather that we should show the horse that we listen to its signals, pay attention and recognize it. Share a dialogue with it. This is the opinion of Ute Lehmann, who on a daily basis helps horse owners to develop a harmonious and problem free teamwork with their horses.

We need to make ourselves relevant 

When we share time with our horse we should encourage it to interact and join us. The best way to do this is by making ourselves relevant. To show our horse that we see and recognize it. And that the collaboration is something that is of value for the horse as well.

”There has to be a dialogue when we share time with our horses. They really desire our company, but they need to feel that we are just as present as they are, and that we listen to them,” says Ute.

Horses are happy to coorporate 

Ute explains that horses generally are happy to coorporate. That is what the do in their herd.

”Horses are not preoccupied with being dominant or aggresive. That is not interesting for them. In a natural herd the horses coorporate to survive. It is rare that there is an escalation of pressure,” Ute explains.

Horses are naturally interested in social dynamics, friendships, interaction and communication. They spend a lot of time exploring and examining. Gathering information.

These are some of the reasons that Ute thinks that we should give the horses a voice. Because they have something relevant to say.

Gather information and impressions 

According to Ute, it is important not to rush when we spend time with our horses. Horses gather information and impressions all the time from their surroundings, and that may take some time.

”Horses gather information regarding their surroundings all the time and process it. It is not always visible to us what is going on, but that does not mean that nothing is going on,” says Ute.

Ute gives an example with her cat that stood by the door meowing because it wanted to go outside. When Ute opened the door, the cat did not move. At first, Ute got annoyed. The cat had given her the impression that it wanted to go outside. But when she took a closer look, she could tell that the cat was observing the surroundings outside before going out there. Quite clever to be honest!

The horses are no different. It is simply our job to pay attention and react accordingly. That way, we are able to achieve a harmonious relationship with our horses.

"Just because I don’t react, doesn’t mean I didn’t notice."

Management by fear is not motivating
INSTINCT RELATED BEHAVIOUR

- To examine
- To interact
- To coorporate
- So syncronize

The horse’s signals tell us about its mental condition 

If we do not see or respect the small signals that tell us that the horse is facing something that it cannot handle or understand, we might risk the horse getting dangerous or stressed.

In order to avoid entering the red zone it is useful to know your horse well, including the horse’s calming signals. Thus they are the start of a situation that might escalate. If you notice the signals and adjust the situation accordingly, you will be able to find the mental state where the horse is able to learn most effectively and is most relaxed.

Some of the calming signals are:

  • Blinks, looks away, closes eyes
  • Chews without anything to chew on
  • Yawns
  • Turns its head away
  • Shakes its neck or the entire body
  • Moves head and neck up and down
  • Consistant low neck posture
  • Bends in the body, walks in circles
  • Separates the herd
  • Turns away from you
  • Stress eats
  • Speeds up or slows down
Show consideration – slow down! 
”To give the horse a voice is not the same as handing over control”
slow down

An useful piece of advice from Ute to achieve a harmonious collaboration is something as simple as slowing down. Pause and let the horse use its natural instincts to observe, register and process information.

”It is very motivating for the horse if we make room for it and provide it with a voice in the relationship,” says Ute.

And who does not want to have a horse that actively chooses to be part of the collaboration? Simply because it wants to and thinks that it is exciting.

annonce

annonce

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

Malgré Tout Media´s digital magazine is Europe´s new digital bi-monthly equestrian magazine with 100 % FREE content. Here you will find exclusive articles with a wide range of topics for anyone with a passion for horses and the equestrian sport.
Fullscreen