 |
| A young Joules and Tucker moving as one |
Carrying on from my previous post I’d like to discuss the importance of body language in training horses and how this relates to their intrinsic mechanism of synchrony.
Most of those who have worked with horses will know that body language is important. You may have even come to realise that it is very effective when it comes to training, but have you ever wondered why?
Though I am no expert I have started reading some research papers that explore synchrony and mirroring in horses and in people……we actually do it too! It is clear that both humans and horses use non verbal behaviour as part of their communication whether this is conscious or unconscious, however it is largely unknown as to which part of the brain these instinctual behaviours come from.
Social synchrony underlies the development of affiliative bonds. You may have heard of affiliative behaviours before! For example, soon after a foal is born, its mother will begin licking and grooming its fur. Later on, we may take part in these behaviours by giving our horse a scratch, where they may even groom us back.
These behaviours strengthen the social bond between both humans and horses and become particularly interesting when you begin training.
Legerete places a big emphasis on the importance of rhythm both in riding and in in-hand work. If you watch the Master Teachers closely, you will notice that they are almost always in step with the horse they are working with. This isn’t just because it looks good!
If you can find a rhythm with your horse and partake in synchronous movement, it is likely that if you begin to change what you are doing your horse will follow. This is much like a herd dynamic. Perhaps you have seen a group of horses or gazelles or even fish moving in perfect unison; the amazing thing is, we can simulate this!
Interestingly, these synchronous patterns in mammals are supported by the oxytocin system (a pleasure chemical released in the brain), suggesting that when we take part in synchrony with our horses it actually feels good for them.
Utilising affiliative behaviours and synchrony within our training programs for our horses allows us to create a social bond as well as more effective and seamless training.
Ruby Kesztler- Team Member, Blinkbonnie Equestrian Centre
You can use these links to see some research done about this subject:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4127029/
Comments
Post a Comment