BTB: Horses and personalities

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Horses and personalities Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:59 PM PDT Riley offers an opinion on Birthday cake icing I guess the average person doesn't really think horses have much personality. To so many folks, they're livestock. Horse people know better of course!  I do think some horses have had the spirit knocked out of them -- a breeder I met once referred to mistreated horses as having a shellshocked demeanor. If you read the books (and there are lots of them), experts create a classification system that makes sense for other horses -- social, fearful, aloof, mixed, etc. The classification systems are interesting, but do they have value? Do all horses fit into this system? I think not. Riley and Harv, of course, are far more complex than any four-category system could capture accurately :-). Riley: The Social/Clown/Goofballstubborn , with a little Crabby Baby thrown in. He's a clown in the pasture, he's a social butterfly, head always hanging out the dutch door. He's a crabby baby for the farrier, and stubborn about working that inside hind. Harvey: The Leader/Watchful/Funny/Sensitiveworrier horse.  He's confident in herds, he's sweet, easily offended, he's kind, and a worrier. Harv is constantly peering out his stall windows with a look of concern. It's as if he knows that somewhere out there... Someone could be late with his dinner. Something  might not be in its proper place. Something predator-like is approaching. Or, okay, maybe not a predator, maybe a cat or rabbit.  Still, one must be vigilant. How does your horse express his personality? RESOURCES Building Your Dream Horse: Charles Wilhelm's Ultimate Foundation Training by Charles Wilhelm, Allison Houston Ride the right horse: Understanding core equine personalities by Yvonne Barteau and Carol Lavell Personality of the horse by Brandt Aymar, Edward Sagarin Is your horse a rock star? Understanding our horse's personality by  Dessa Hockley Hit It Off with Your Horse!: Understanding and Influencing Character and Personality (DVD Horse personality types from Horsechannel.com Understanding horse personalities: Parts I-IV from Equisearch

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