Among the animals of equal or greater strength, the horse is the most useful to man because of its superior nervous development
Among the animals of equal or greater strength, the horse is the most useful to man because of its superior nervous development. In fact, it has almost perfect control of its muscles and bones.
This perfect control gives horses instant response to any outside stimulus. For example, if you strike a horse with a whip you get an immediate action of some kind, which depends on the breed of horse.
It is because of this highly developed nervous organization that the horse has displaced all other animals who are able to carry heavy loads among civilized people.
But here’s a common problem:
The horse is often given credit for more intelligence than he deserves. Many would even place him on a level of reason with the man. Perhaps this is because of the demeanor of most horses, but it is a fallacy.
Now don’t get me wrong. Horses aren’t Stupid, but THE HORSE CANNOT REASON. It may be able to act on how you touch it, or speak to it, but this is a learned response after you spend many hours with your horse. If you notice at first, these interactions do not have the desired response with your horse, and it is only with firm interaction that they learn the meaning you intend.
I make this statement, not merely as a theory, but as a fact based upon more than twenty years of close observation and contact with many thousands of horses.
In the area of intelligence and reason, there is a vast gulf between man and horse – a gulf so wide that no horse will most likely ever cross it. You need to understand that horses look smart, but need time to learn what we are intending, and take that into account if you want to be effective in training your animal!
Since the horse cannot talk and does not understand what you say, you will have to make your wants known to him in the first place through the sense of touch. Later this method of communication will be merged into that of voice and motions. As for instance, a touch of the whip will mean at first “Go on”; later a motion of the whip will have the same effect, and at last the word “Get-up” will mean the same thing.
When you talk to the horse through the sense of touch, take into consideration the nervous organization. To some horses a sharp stroke of the whip may be very cruel, because of the extreme sensitiveness of their nerves, or being thin skinned as many term it, when to another horse the same stroke would only attract attention.
Watch your horse closely so that you may know and act accordingly. You cannot train a horse and put only half your attention to your work. Be alert and keen, ready to take advantage of any sign of submission or wilfulness.
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