01 May 2004

Barn Rats

F. Emilie Glover

One of the most important skills required for scientific endeavors is also amongst the hardest to teach: the art of observation. Horse related observations can be a wonderful way to introduce children and young adults to this concept as well as many other aspects of different science disciplines. Since most horse related activities take place out of doors, they promote physical health and well-being which are equally important to learning. Working with horses can teach young scientists about cause and effect, consequences of human behavior and interactions with the observation subjects, and accepting both success and failures. Observing horses also helps young scientists practice using the scientific method, and expand their definition of science to include behavioral research and observations. Will Rogers was quoted as saying, "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man," and I believe this is true for young people as well.

There are a myriad of intangible benefits to the inclusion of horse related activities for young people, including the general observation that being outside and physically active does wonders for children’s self-esteem and well-being. I began riding in 1970, as an awkward girl child who had little physical or social confidence. The horses, because they didn’t care what I looked like or how I dressed, gave me an opportunity to learn how to use my body effectively, a better understanding of biomechanics, and a great deal of joy. Watching the horses interact with one another and with humans gave me great insight into non-verbal communication, as well as teaching me valuable lessons about predator and prey behavior. I also learned many stress reduction strategies, which have been applicable in many other areas of my life.

As an adult, I have taught horseback riding on and off for many years, in a wide variety of settings ranging from riding programs for individuals with special needs, ("hippotherapy") to competitive show barns. I’ve seen many benefits for my students in that time. Both children and adults can improve their physical condition, while reducing stress and learning about human behavior through watching horses. I believe that horses can be a valuable addition to any informal science curriculum, while encouraging personal growth and improving self-esteem.

Observing horses is an excellent way to teach data-gathering patience, primarily because horses are so varied in their behavior patterns that it is difficult to become bored. Their large size makes them ideal subjects for observing musculature and movement, and their social behavior is quite complex. These qualities, combined with their grace and beauty, encourage prolonged, careful observations. A wide range of interests can also be satisfied in the same setting. While one younger child may be satisfactorily challenged by watching the differences between the gaits of several horses, a more experienced observer may watch the same horses at the same time to learn about gender roles or non-verbal communication.

Watching an individual horse move shows the interplay of muscles and skeletal structures, as well as the shifts in balance that are made in turns or as stride adjustments occur. Since all mammals share a similar musculoskeletal model, this knowledge can be applied to other animal work in other settings. Each horse moves a little differently, based on his or her conformation. Careful observation of movement and conformation can be a good way to learn more about human biomechanics, as well as being a starting point for other animal research into orthopedics, biomechanics, physics, or paleontology. Comparing the differences between different horses, whether of different breeds or within the same breed, can clarify the influence of conformation on movement. Some of the same skills required to analyze horse movement can be applied to other sciences, because it is based largely on careful observation.

Many times animals’ intelligence is assessed based on correlation to human behavior. Careful observation of horses can show the fallacy of this standard. Horses are generally not listed as one of the more intelligent domesticated animals, but their behavior can show just how well their intelligence is suited to their experience of the world. Some specific examples of behaviors to observe in individual horses include postural changes in response to stimuli, vigilance to surroundings, or outward signs of mood. Head position can show a horse’s level of relaxation, with a raised head showing tension. When a horse raises his or her head, signs of tension are visible in the muscles and balance will shift towards the hindquarters. After encouraging careful observation, discussion with youngsters about why they think this happens can lead to a better understanding both of the evolutionary pressures on a prey species and the biomechanics of flight.

Additionally, careful and extended observation can show signs of adaptation to the world as it is today. I have watched horses being ridden by children force their heads down when startled, as a coping strategy to protect their child riders. The same horses may not do the same thing when ridden by adults. This is pretty remarkable behavior for an animal with a brain the size of an acorn, and shows the influence of social behavior amongst horses being applied to interactions between horses and humans. Additionally, careful observation of horses can help teach the pitfalls of anthropomorphism. It is not possible to watch horses carefully for any extended period of time and still apply human motivations to their behavior. Their behavior is too alien to human expectations, and a few hours watching them can illustrate those differences so plainly that the urge to attribute human characteristics to horse behavior is eliminated.

Watching groups of horses interact is also educational. Herd dynamics, gender roles, and sexual dimorphism in behavior are only a few of the potential subjects that can be illustrated by a group of horses. Because horses are herd animals, their behavior in a group is very different from their behavior when alone. For example, an individual horse is likely to become less vigilant when other horses are nearby, because the group as a whole will share the responsibility of watching out for potential predators. Another subject that bears observing is the role of color in herd dynamics. Racism is considered exclusive to humans, but careful observation of horses in groups often shows that horses of certain colors tend to group together and share similar rank in the hierarchical structure of the herd. Gender roles are fairly distinct in horse herd dynamics, as well, with mares more likely to have a higher rank than geldings (castrated males). Playful behavior also shows strong sexual dimorphism, with mares much less likely to accept playful overtures from lower ranking individuals. Comparing injury rates for geldings and mares when introduced into a new group can be very interesting, as it often reflects the same gender related phenomenon. Again, both the size of horses, which allows them to be observed from a safe distance while they interact, and the variety of their behaviors make them a particularly ideal choice for animal behavior observation, and children and young adults of a range of ages, abilities and interests can all benefit from watching the same group of horses in the same setting. Younger children might be interested in watching how different colored horses group together, while older observers contrast relative head position between horses of differing ranks during play. These sorts of observations are easy to make, cost little or nothing to obtain access to, and are generally enjoyable for most young people. This introduction to non-verbal communication and neutral observation can be applied to almost any study involving animals, including humans.

The final category of observation is the horse-human dynamic. Horses are prey animals, and are hardwired by evolution to react as such. Humans, on the other hand, are built like predators. Our eyes are on the front of our heads, allowing us binocular vision and greater depth perception than most prey species. The social behavior of horses has allowed them to accept us as non-threatening, for the most part, but there are many times when human instinct is in direct conflict with horse instinct. A careful observation for this sort of dynamic can teach valuable lessons about interactions of all sorts, with any animal, and are easily applied to human-human interactions. Watching horse-human interactions has one added benefit over observing horse-horse interactions, namely that the human involved can tell the observers what he or she is doing, and why. A good demonstrator might, for example, show the difference between walking straight towards a horse while maintaining eye contact, versus walking in a winding line towards the horse’s shoulder while looking slightly away. Another good exercise might be for a human to adjust his or her body in relation to the horse, while the observers note the horse’s reaction to those adjustments. This would improve observation techniques, and provide a real challenge to many young people, who may never have considered body language as a communications medium before. Again, this sort of exercise improves observational skills, which increases the likeliness of success in any scientific endeavor.

Direct interaction with horses builds on the principles outlined above. After watching the non-verbal communication styles of horses with other horses and with humans, participants may be interested in testing their ability to predict the response of an individual horse to certain postures or behaviors. While horses will not excuse bad behavior in young people the way adult humans might, they are generally pretty tolerant of young humans. (Observing both mares and geldings with unrelated foals shows that most horses do make some allowances for youth and immaturity, which they are generously willing to extend to our own species as well.) It is only prudent to have an experienced trainer involved in any direct interaction between horses and inexperienced young people, but horses are generally safe for children, despite their large size. On the other hand, carelessness and thoughtlessness around horses are likely to result in natural and inevitable consequences. This is not necessarily a bad thing, because it does teach something about cause and effect.

The physical requirements of interacting with horses will benefit both boys and girls. Boys do not necessarily benefit from their greater natural strength, and are likely to learn to move a little more deliberately around horses. Girls, on the other hand, will be rewarded for their natural tendency to speak and move a little more deliberately and thoughtfully, with the horse’s reaction likely to reinforce this behavior. Working in a group, and observing others interacting with horses, both boys and girls can learn a lot about behavioral sexual dimorphism in humans, just by watching the different initial approaches of boys and girls to interactions with horses. Young women in particular can improve their physical self confidence by interacting with horses, because the horse’s reactions will tend to reinforce the idea that physical strength is not necessary for success, and that finesse is often more successful than force. Boys can learn the same lesson, which can improve their ability to see value in alternative approaches.

One of the difficulties in teaching young people is the natural human desire to see them succeed in all of their endeavors. While this is a natural and generous impulse in adults, it also tends to lead to an acceptance of incomplete efforts on the part of the young people involved. It also reduces the sense of pride, which comes from a successful outcome. Horses, on the other hand, provide an immediate and natural reward for success, through their behavior in response to patient, consistent and respectful behavior. This factor should not be dismissed in considering the value of horse related activities in an informal science education program. When young people know that they will be successful no matter what actually occurs, they do not gain confidence nor increased self-esteem from their efforts. Allowing horses to teach lessons of cause and effect and provide direct feedback is much more beneficial than setting up foreordained success for a child or young adult.

The inclusion of horse related activities for young people, especially the ability to be outside and physically active, does wonders for children’s self-esteem and well-being. The artificial environment of the classroom can be very intimidating for many young people, and the sedentary nature of the classroom can be detrimental to their physical well-being. Getting outside, into the open air and sunshine, can lift moods, and increase the pleasure young people feel while engaging in scientific exploration. Many people find horses to be both beautiful and intriguing, and time spent observing and interacting with them is generally considered to be a pleasant activity. This pleasure usually results in a greater effort being made, which correlates strongly with a successful outcome. The social nature of a horse, combined with their natural curiosity and responsiveness, also adds to both the pleasure felt by participants and the likelihood of success. All of these factors do contribute to the growth of achievement-based self-esteem.

Another factor that horses bring to activities with young people is directly related to self-knowledge. Successful horsemanship requires a working knowledge of biological systems and responses, including stress reduction strategies. Because horses are social, prey animals, they respond strongly to physical signs of stress and anxiety. Learning to reduce the outward signs of stress not only improves nonverbal communication skills and self-confidence, it also tends to reduce anxiety in the first place. This lesson is invaluable for anyone, and is easily applied to other physically stressful situations from those involving physical strain to such psychologically stressful situations such as speaking in front of a group. The social nature of a horse provides direct feedback and reinforcement of these skills, in a much less threatening manner than many human-human interactions can offer.

Observation and interaction with horses can offer many benefits to young people interested in science. Young scientists can learn about everything from the dangers of anthropomorphism to basic concepts of biomechanics, all while enjoying time spent outdoors in the company of complex, beautiful creatures entirely unlike themselves. Informal science education involving horses will help improve skills needed for successful scientific observation and experimentation, while improving the physical well-being and self esteem of those young people involved.