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discovery
November 2009 
What's the greatest thing you learned this past week?
Posted on Oct 2nd, 2009
by 
jodi
jodi
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for October 02, 2009:
I learned so many things.
Yesterday, while reading my new horse behaviour book, I learned that horses are rarely agressive (this I knew). What interested me was that horses ignore agressive behaviour in other horses and in humans when they see no threat. This is important in understanding how horses' society works. How ranking works. The most interesting thing about this is that horses prefer feeling safe around other individuals. They only feel a need to bond if they associate the other horse or human with safety, non-violence and predictable behaviour.
I love this peaceful nature. If humans could just learn from this. Not only would our society function better but our relationship with our fellow animals would be so much better and stronger.
I also learned that I really want to spend more time studying our horses... and dogs. It brings me so much happiness.
Yesterday, while reading my new horse behaviour book, I learned that horses are rarely agressive (this I knew). What interested me was that horses ignore agressive behaviour in other horses and in humans when they see no threat. This is important in understanding how horses' society works. How ranking works. The most interesting thing about this is that horses prefer feeling safe around other individuals. They only feel a need to bond if they associate the other horse or human with safety, non-violence and predictable behaviour.
I love this peaceful nature. If humans could just learn from this. Not only would our society function better but our relationship with our fellow animals would be so much better and stronger.
I also learned that I really want to spend more time studying our horses... and dogs. It brings me so much happiness.
Access: Public
Thank you Jodi for this explanation, I always loved horses but never had a horse… It is so interesting :)
This is beautifully said Jodi. I had to come back and read it after I got my cranky self this morning out for a walk in the woods:)
I have noticed horses will also turn and outright walk away from someone who is annoying or swish their at a person/or another horse as if they were a fly. I have observed horses do this to aggressive people and when I read more about it I started cracking up. Once they give you their back it's like saying “I'm not talking to you right now”
Apparently it is against some code of equine polite society to be aggressive, especially when they are relaxed and happy:) LOL
I do not have a horse but I love all animals and have learned a lot from them. Hope you visit my blog…
Thanks for the picture. Lovely blue eyes:)
Liza
Hello Asteri and Liza!
Thanks for stopping by. Horses are wonderful animals. They truly teach you so much more than you could ever teach them. Just watching them is such a spiritual and meditative thing to do.
And, Liza, I have also noticed this 'back turning' and 'tail swatting'! It is so funny how they can completely ignore people and each other when they get annoyed. They 'say' so much by just a little gesture.
Thanks again, to both of you! Have a wonderful week. :)