Being Herd

Horses: What signals do horses give to get invited into a new herd, what does an invitation look like and how do they greet each other?

People: At this stage, we start to strengthen our true cooperative leadership skills, starting with the most important one: empathy. That means, first and foremost: allow your horse autonomy where possible. Be present, breathe, and give your horse the signal you’d like to become part of its herd. Learn, when and how we know, that we’re part of our horse’s herd. Who do we want to be in the relationship with our horse (and why this matters), once we’re part of the herd and how can we communicate this to our horse?

Horses: Let’s take a look at the herd routines and rules. Is there a specific daily routine? How often and when do social interactions occur, and how do horses ask for them? Here, you’ll learn all about the natural communication among individual horses, a language that your horse understands immediately without conditioning.

People: Now we translate this communication to the human-horse relationship and learn how to give clear and authentic signals. We dive deep into the different character types of horses (Fire, Wood, Earth, Metal, or Water type personality) to understand your horse’s true character and its specific needs. Authentic communication – an important leadership skill – often includes a deeper reflection on our own stories, patterns, and survival strategies – and a deep understanding of who we truly are… We also talk about concrete and peaceful problem-solving techniques for topics such as: how to ask for space, how to respond to a contact request, and how to help your nervous, reactive, insecure, sad, or frustrated horse to be happy again.

Horses: Now we learn about the communication among more than one horse within the herd, such as leading and directing during a location change, standing guard, education, and much more.

People: As an established herd member, we now start taking on certain tasks within the herd, e.g. standing guard, collaborating, guiding, and engaging in shared play at liberty. You’re now also allowed to educate – with positive reinforcement (we also talk about, why this is a very natural way of training). Leading our horse confidently is a very important leadership skill, therefore we will dive deep into this and discuss peaceful, but clear problem-solving approaches, addressing why the horse behaves in certain ways. We consider whether the behavior is natural and determine what concrete actions we can take when our horse pulls us to the grass, dawdles, stops, overtakes, or experiences nervousness or separation anxiety.

Horses: The herd stallion behaves like every other adult horse within the herd most of the time, but he also has special tasks: e.g. he gathers the herd and ensures safety. But is he also the lead stallion?

People: Now, we take on the tasks of the herd stallion. To do this, we have to step more and more into our true leadership qualities and abilities, such as resolving conflicts, assembling a harmonious herd, and also showing that we can protect the herd at any time. After proving to our horse’s herd that we’re competent, they will eventually offer us herd leadership, allowing us to take any horse out and lead or ride it, even in unfamiliar terrain. But before that happens, we often have to strengthen our own leadership skills further, like mediating conflicts, and showing our readiness to sacrifice ourselves for the benefit of the herd…