A Horse Making A Decision 

I came here from a thread with a comment you made, that I saw as observant. Thank you for that.

👍👍 The best horsemen I've seen all have a similar gift; they are skilled and patient observers of their horses

Amen.

Interesting. Thanks!

Goodnight Alice.

My horse gets that same ears back and soft, dopey look on his face when he thinks toward me as well when I am beside or behind him. I don't know if horses can love the way we think of love or not but I always interpret it as he is loving on me by giving me his relaxed focus and softening like that, because I am not asking for anything when he does it, he just does it on his own when I am around. It's usually followed by him coming over and requesting interaction from me with his nose and mouth. I don't think their thought process is very deep and it isn't introspective but I do think when they are not in fight or flight mode they think very quickly and make decisions before they react. I think when they go into fight or flight mode their nervous system takes over and they stop making decisions and thinking things through. I believe that is why terrified or highly nervous horses do really stupid things and sometimes get killed in the process. I think it is also why when they are firmly in that mode we have to get them to come down before we can teach them anything. I call it staying below threshold which isn't probably the correct term but it was I was taught to call it when dealing with autistic children. Like horses they have threshold for when they are too overwhelmed to learn and in order to teach them anything and or get any meaningful kind of interaction going you have to stay below that threshold. As they learn their threshold increases. I find the same thing with horses.

Wow!

Interesting thanks

What a great video to study.......I will be looking at my horse when I go to his paddock with more thought about what are his primary and secondary thoughts and how they can change moment to moment while he decides to commit.

Excellent, I really love how you explained this, you are the first trainer I've seen yet who shows this so perfectly. I am always observing my horse and I have seen very similar thought processes happening as well. For sure, she is reacting to her environment, but she is thinking about what to do, and you can see it happening.

I'm a little late to this party :) Thanks for the great video, I enjoyed the breakdown very much. I find it amazing and frankly archaic that someone who studies animal behavior has not witnessed even the simplest decision-making skills of horses on a daily basis? The following will be greatly oversimplified, but here goes. All animals have cognitive capabilities unique to their species. Wild horses looking for water will assess every element of the environment before making a decision whether it is safe to approach, and although flight instinct may be necessary, it's actually the processing of information that leads to any action. Not only do they think individually, they also take each other into account. Domestic horses may be conditioned to try to "ignore" their thoughts for the sake of obedience and safety, but problems often occur because many humans don't WANT their horses to think, they just want them to do as they are told without question. A thinking horse brings up "problems", ethical dilemmas, the need for introspection, the willingness to be present for another being and the ability to really listen. This fear or disbelief of a cognitive horse also diminishes their value as a sentient being, which can lead to abuse and slaughter. It can jeopardize their safety in a domestic environment by selectively oppressing an integral part of the whole being, thereby causing a constant source of stress. A whole horse is a thinking horse. In addition to teaching and learning new things, a horse that is allowed the time to process information, to be curious, to ask questions, make decisions and "work through" problems is likely to be a highly willing and level-headed partner, and there's nothing better than the connection that comes from a thoughtful friendship.

Hi there from Derby, UK. Great video, food for thought! On a par with the difference (or nuance) between directing and driving. I normally "catch" my horse by waiting for her to decide to come to me. I find that we get off to a great start that way and it is a nice feeling to approach with a polite/respectful attitude on my part, even if the horse has only decided to come and see what's in my pocket 😄

Six is acting just like Little Bear when He stops and decides to come see me . Amazing how I watched Your Horse as if I was watching mine ! I saw all the same signs of His Thought process . I absolutely agree With you. We can see clearly a Horse thinking about their decision. 🤔💭💭💭 💜 🐴 💜 Laura and Bear

Ross: Thank you, am with my horse evey day. After watching this. It is very clear to me now,how well we are comercating.Now understanding this a lot more clearly.

Hope you make more videos

Thank you for sharing this! 🙏

Hi Ross, just found you recently. You have been invaluable with me helping the most severely abused horse I've met.

Haha! I would have loved to be a fly on the wall in that conversation! thanks for the video. I suspect that both you and the animal behaviorist have something in common in your understanding and approach and that perhaps your differences could be in the interpretation. Horses most definitely have thoughts as you mentioned. They are also highly reactionary creatures, responding to their surroundings. They display immediacy. Their decision making might not always be slow and considered like Six’, because if it was, they’d be dead. It depends on the context of the decision making that accompanies the thought. In any one moment, a horse is most likely weighing up a number of things- what is that noise behind me? Is this human worth the effort for me to walk over there? How hungry am I? Etc. We humans are the same. In any moment, we are making heaps of decisions, the majority of which we are not even aware of, as they are happening at a subconscious and unconscious level, to keep us alive and in a state of equilibrium. Perhaps the Animal Behaviorist thought you were overly anthropomorphising, which I know you aren’t (as I have trained with you for a number of years now and have observed). Maybe there is another word for “Thought”? Perhaps “motivating response” Just some rambling thoughts for a Friday morning. Thanks Ross.

Excellent !!!

Love you video snd observations regarding the decisions of your Six Ross. Clear as can be. All sorts of aspects affect horses and people but none so clear as a horse who is given the opportunity to act on their thinking. Goodnight Ross from me, Alice of Galston xox

Tristans video is called Bonita first day in outside arena.

I agree that horses have thought processes, they only activate reactions rather than choices when their instincts activate such as the instinct to kick when you spook or threaten them or the instinct to run away from danger, but if a horse is calm they certainly will rely more on their limited intelligence which in this case is far more useful

Loved that video. Can I ask, what was that lovely relaxing music that was playing?

Always a wonderful explanation! It’s sad how so called horse experts don’t want to learn from others in there own field ( pun 🤣😆😂) so as not wanting to grow in their understand of new ideas! Be like a stubborn horse 🐎😂😆🤣( an other pun ) ! It’s nice to have a new look things in different ways! And have a open mind and heart as well!

Hi Ross Another horseman choose to train with horses enabled by having space to decide their response. Tristan Tucker has posted a video yesterday describing the horse making choices. Have a look because he allows time and space in the session enabling the horses choice in response. You probably know Tristan already.

Anyone who has watched a horse move another horse from beginning to end knows that horses THINK!!!!!

Very clear 1 question. Can you reveal who Alice is? Btw I visited Harry W last year thanx to you showing the way Greets Maarten D Holland