How they think/learn, please discuss

[Jessey]

I know a trainer who says horses don't have personalities, and they all learn the same way no matter what, but I cannot believe that.

What made me think about it this morning was Monkey not being the right side of the fence as it had somehow fallen down (or been helped!), but Jess being right there where she was left. Monkey when called came back and merrily stepped over the downed fence (not on) back into the correct paddock. In 20 years of having her, Jess will not step over electric fence tape/rope, loose, led or otherwise, and she knows the difference between that and any other rope which she happily walks over. They have different perspectives on it, Jess knows that stuff bites and simply won't go near it. Monkey does not, he thinks a clicking noise or crack is what bites, not the fence so will merrily play with it/walk over it but if I flick dirt out from under a finger nail he will likely leap 6ft in the air because that noise might bite!

I am often tempted to use the word stupid with Monkey, but I know he isn't, he's as sharp as a tack, just doesn't have the same logic and sees things very differently. I'm also inclined to believe its a mare/gelding thing, as the little boys are much the same!

 

[carthorse]

How on earth can a trainer with any experience think that? You don't have to spend much time watchimg them to see different personalities and ways of learning, I think they're as individual as we are and likewise have their own ways of learning. That's a trainer I'd avoid like the plague!

Going with your electric fencing example. Jim got a hefty crack of it when he was young and for the rest of his life treated it as though it would kill him given half the chance, and anything that looked or sounded like it was treated with equal distrust. If we had to go through an electric fence gate there was a very set way of dealing with it and any deviation from that pattern meant I'd be trying to catch him, possibly having picked myself up off the floor first. Little Un was the eternal optimist who would regularly check electric fencing to see if it was live - watching him walk a line touching it every few feet ith his nose made me unsure whether to laugh of cry! If Luka's happy where he is he pays it no more attention than any other fencing, if he isn't then he'll listen to it and get under it, I've only known him go through it in a panic or once when he misjudged his stopping distance in the wet.

Jim had a mind like a steel trap, he'd grab an idea and if he approved that was how it was for evermore. If something went wrong he wouldn't forget or forgive, I learned very quickly never to try to do something, I either did it with the certainty I could or I left it until I was sure because any doubt would allow him to take control. He was bright and focused almost to a fault, and his willingness to please had to be handled right too because if you inadvertantly praised the wrong act you'd get a lot more of it. Boy did he teacch me a lot!

Little Un I never did quite fathom, sometimes he'd seem clever then other times I'd stand shaking my head not quite believing the stupiity. Maybe he was the dumb blonde who was actually very bright but found playing dumb made for an easier life? He was certainly very clever at manipulating other horses to get what he wanted and status.

Luka is another who I'd say is very bright, but he's much more flexible than Jim - I can make mistakes, say sorry and start again. He's mpre of a butterfly brain too, he doesn't get extremely focused on things and also doesn't have the longest attention span. In some ways he's probably the easiest of the three but you do have to allow for his extreme sensitivity, he's not a horse to be around if you don't have a lot of se;f-control and awareness.

I cannot imagine any one approach that would have worked with all three of them.

 

[Trewsers]

I definitely think they all learn differently, just like different situations will provoke different reactions in individual horses and ponies. I've been lucky enough to have five different horses over the years and all of them have needed slightly different approaches. I think that is what makes horse keeping so fascinating and all absorbing, the variety and the fact that as owners / riders / sharers we all get to bring something different to the pot and get different things out of it. To date Fuzzy is the most stolid, steady doable ridden pony I've known. Not a lot seems to bother her. However, two of my cats having a fight on the yard with plenty of hissing and spitting sent her into a spin this morning! Best avoid those in future then Zi and Storm didn't even look over.

 

[Trewsers]

I know a trainer who says horses don't have personalities, and they all learn the same way no matter what, but I cannot believe that.

What made me think about it this morning was Monkey not being the right side of the fence as it had somehow fallen down (or been helped!), but Jess being right there where she was left. Monkey when called came back and merrily stepped over the downed fence (not on) back into the correct paddock. In 20 years of having her, Jess will not step over electric fence tape/rope, loose, led or otherwise, and she knows the difference between that and any other rope which she happily walks over. They have different perspectives on it, Jess knows that stuff bites and simply won't go near it. Monkey does not, he thinks a clicking noise or crack is what bites, not the fence so will merrily play with it/walk over it but if I flick dirt out from under a finger nail he will likely leap 6ft in the air because that noise might bite!

I am often tempted to use the word stupid with Monkey, but I know he isn't, he's as sharp as a tack, just doesn't have the same logic and sees things very differently. I'm also inclined to believe its a mare/gelding thing, as the little boys are much the same!

Storm will not walk over electric tape either - she is very mindful of it. I don't have it on now, haven't done for years. She respects it totally. Fuzzy does not. She will walk over it, through it, wear it as an accessory...................

 

[Jessey]

Little Un I never did quite fathom, sometimes he'd seem clever then other times I'd stand shaking my head not quite believing the stupiity. Maybe he was the dumb blonde who was actually very bright but found playing dumb made for an easier life? He was certainly very clever at manipulating other horses to get what he wanted and status.

^^^ This is Monkey when his anxiety hasn't taken over and made him hyper focus on one problem so much that he trips over the bigger problem!

How on earth can a trainer with any experience think that? You don't have to spend much time watchimg them to see different personalities and ways of learning, I think they're as individual as we are and likewise have their own ways of learning. That's a trainer I'd avoid like the plague!

The thing is, he's actually a very gentle trainer, and incredibly effective. He gets an amazing tune out of any kind of horse. He is a bit of a conspiracy theorist, so perhaps he just says it for a reaction!

Storm will not walk over electric tape either - she is very mindful of it. I don't have it on now, haven't done for years. She respects it totally. Fuzzy does not. She will walk over it, through it, wear it as an accessory...................

LOL Fuzzy Jewelry!!!

 

[Jessey]

Monkey will do anything for a treat, I swear he’d walk through fire to please (and get the reward!). And kind words go a long way too, telling him how well he’s doing, or if something is particularly special.

Hank likes a treat, but a fuss is just as good if not better in his eyes and there’s not much he won’t do for it. Telling him no doesn’t get you far as he sees any attention as a positive, a result of his neglected past I assume.

Dan is a bit of an anomaly, he’s not the rescue but I could swear he’s had a rough time at some point, if you look at him wrong he won’t come near you for a week (he’s better than he used to be but it’s still there). He doesn’t like any extremes of anything, but if you ask gently, and wait patiently for him to agree, he’ll do most things.

Jess is a foodie, but i have to watch her with food, because she will take it by force if she feels it’s owed. I have to show her what is in it for her, and it has to be a 2 way conversation. It’s not always as simple as a treat or scratch, like schooling it was how it felt better for her to work more correctly, and how trying harder meant shorter sessions! And long hacks meant going new places which she enjoyed most.

 

[Khaliquesons]

When we talk about how horses think and learn, it is important to remember that they understand the world very differently from humans. Horses learn mainly through repetition, consistency, and gentle pressure-and-release cues. They do not learn through force; instead, they respond to calm guidance, clear signals, and positive experiences. Horses are prey animals, so their brains are wired to notice small movements, sounds, and changes around them. This means they learn best when they feel safe, relaxed, and free from stress.


Their learning is based on association. If something feels safe, they trust it. If something feels uncomfortable, they avoid it. This is why equipment comfort is extremely important. Even Horse Sheets Manufacturers keep this in mind when creating horse sheets, focusing on softness, fit, and breathable materials so the horse can stay calm and comfortable and continue learning without distraction.


Understanding how horses think helps riders train them with patience and kindness, building a stronger and more positive partnership. If training is done with clarity and comfort, horses learn quickly and trust deeply.

 

[newforest]

No they don't learn the same way. Humans don't so why would they.
They are captive bred for the most part and us humans being in their life will influence behaviours and thinking.

I think there might be something in the mare verses gelding thing. Mine is very fresh and hormonal today and that instinct takes over any other brain cell she might have! It means if that tape so much as bends slightly, it's pinged over or pushed through. She won't go near it at any other time. But try moving the ruddy thing today and she was grease lightening for any opportune moment to ping.

She doesn't do water and nothing bad has happened to her. I think humans tend to think that a horse has had something bad happen to it if they do xyz, but I think it's either lack of training on our part, or the overall character of the horse.
I found an advert for a horse with no manners that could only be led in a chifney or it buggers off and you ski. The advert went on to say don't try and fix this, accept it or don't view.
Mine can on occasion do just that, lack of training, manners, or her mindset.