Why Are Horses So Cooperative?

Greeting between wild pony friends

This article is companion to my monthly zoom chat with Jec Aristotle Ballou on this topic. Why Are Horses So Cooperative?
Why are horses so cooperative? To answer this, we must distinguish between willing cooperation and resigned tolerance. A horse who is actively engaged by choice is a thinking partner who takes initiative, looks out for you, and forgives your mistakes. A tolerant horse might appear cooperative because he has given up hope that anyone will listen; he obeys orders to avoid unpleasant consequences. The difference is not just the horse's behavior; it is in his emotional state. A cooperative horse trusts that he is safe because someone is looking out for him. A tolerant horse has no such hope; he's just looking out for himself the best he can. Cooperation is horses' natural default. Wild (feral) bands are families who survive on cooperation, not competition. Foals are rarely weaned before 8 months, and young horses typically don't leave their natal bands for at least 2 years. Long term social bonds are the norm, and these require both cooperation and tolerance of other individuals' personalities. Leadership is a shared responsibility, and following is completely voluntary. Horses follow leaders they trust and with whom they have a social connection. No one has the authority to require anyone to follow them. In fact, dominant horses are least likely to be followed!

Obeying the commands of a dominant leader is an alien concept to horses, but cooperating with a trusted friend makes perfect sense.

A polite greeting says, "You can trust me."

We earn trust by helping horses feel safe, by being a Protector Leader. Clear expectations, fair limits, and most of all two-way communication. We watch their body language. When they show a negative emotion, such as anxiety, we provide support. It might mean removing him from a scary situation, showing him how to cope, or just reassuring him that you will get through it together. But it is important to respond supportively because negative feelings (FEAR, RAGE, PANIC/GRIEF) represent danger. Positive feelings are safety. We don't have to protect them from all bad feelings, but when a horse's life includes more positives than negatives, he develops a more optimistic view of the world. He is less likely to react defensively to anything, and is more resilient about recovering from negative situations. The more we are associated with positive events and positive feelings, the more trust we earn.

Bronzz helps me close a big, heavy gate

Horses naturally look out for their trusted friends. The more freedom of choice we give them, the more initiative they are likely to take. Often, they are looking out for people in ways that go unrecognized. Some examples are:
- Ignoring discomfort. As prey animals horses are stoic and inclined to work through pain. We need to watch for subtle signs of discomfort before they become serious problems.
- Anticipating wishes. This is a great compliment that says your horse is paying attention, understands what you want, and is trying to help you out. While it's discouraged in shows, it can be very useful in other settings. In the photo above, Bronzz helps me close a heavy gate that swings uphill because he knows what I want to accomplish.
- Covering for mistakes. A novice rider accidentally asks for the wrong lead at a show. Her horse takes the correct lead because previous experience tells him this is the right thing to do.
- Intelligent Disobedience. Your horse, noticing that the footing is treacherously slippery, refuses to canter, trusting you won't punish him for "disobedience."
- Protection. Your horses senses danger as your leading him, so he takes a step forward to assess it. This is what the herd protector does. Or he steps in front of you, body blocking you from the possible danger, as a mother would a foal. In the photo below, Brandy has stepped in front of her friend Noah to protect him from the Great Pyrenees, a strange looking dog she has never met before.

Brandy between Noah and "danger"

Brandy had probably never seen a dog who looks quite like Zeus, and when he danced toward Noah doing play bows, she started getting concerned.

Wild Assateague stallion and mare

Why are horses so cooperative? Special long-term relationships make perfect sense to them. When they trust us, they readily make allowances for our mistakes, anticipate our wishes, and offer us protection.