Now that I’ve started reading more riding and training books, I’m fascinated by the genre and am loving the opportunity to discuss with fellow equestrians (now via Zoom). I’ve just finished When Two Spines Align by Beth Baumert and Training Horses the Ingrid Klimke Way by (duh) Ingrid Klimke. Both were fantastic reads with lots of great pointers and perspectives I’m sure I’ll write about in greater detail later, but I’m going to hone in today on one section from Ingrid’s book.
At the beginning of her book, she spends a bit of time discussing the importance of building a good relationship with your horse and learning to empower their personality. She writes:
Each horse has an entirely individual personality, just as we humans do. One personality type appeals to me more, another less. After some years, I know as a rider which types of horses I prefer, and which less so. I look for those that are a good fit for me.
She goes on to say that while horses often have quirks and characteristics she may not prefer, she always tries to have a positive influence on her horses’ personalities. I’d like to linger a bit on the idea of a horse’s personality.
Initially, I thought about how I've been blessed over the years to ride some horses with very strong personalities, but then realized that the horses I thought of as having a strong personality were simply the ones I spent the most time with, slowly uncovering their nature. The horses I think of as having less personality are the ones I spent less time with.
Assessing Equine Personalities
As someone who exclusively rides other people’s horses, I’m often told what the horse’s personality is like. “He likes to test his riders” or “she’s quite reserved until she trusts you” are all good things to know as you’re getting ready to ride something new, but for me it doesn’t mean much until I experience it myself. One of the great joys of riding is the opportunity to peel away a horse’s personality and understand how it relates to your own.
Understanding a horse’s personality is also tricky, because it can easily walk the line of anthropomorphizing behavior, which is another issue for another day. In fact, understanding anyone’s personality can be tricky because personalities change over time and in different situations. However, the more self-aware you are, the easier it can be to assess your horse’s personality and to think about the nature you want in a horse. For Harry Potter fans who were excited by my headline, you might be a Ravenclaw (like me!), but do you prefer to train a Slytherin? Do you want a Gryffyndor on Gryffindor situation?
What equine personality fits your ideal? Thinking about it from a nature vs nurture perspective, what do you want nature to bring to the table? How well can you anticipate your horse’s behavior based on what you know about his personality? The more I thought about these questions, the more I was driven to measure pony personalities. A cursory Google search shows that one way of measuring (human) personality is through what psychologists call the Big Five:
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
Think about where you and your horse (or your dream horse) fall on these scales. Remember, personality is a spectrum, so you may be in the middle with some and feel more extreme with others. There’s also no right or wrong answer, mostly because this isn’t a test and also because feelings aren’t inherently good or bad (but, like anthropomorphism, that’s another issue for another day).
Openness
Openness is one where I fall right in the middle. I love routines in my daily life but also constantly drive to new towns and look for new adventures. This is an important one to consider for horses because, depending on what you do as a rider, you may ask your horse to often go new places and try new things. Ask yourself, does your horse typically thrive at a new show venue or does he shine at home in your favorite schooling ring? If you asked your dressage horse to go for a long trail ride, would he enjoy the change of scenery or feel nervous by the unexpected situation?
Conscientiousness
People who are conscientious are organized, disciplined, and have a strong sense of duty. Think of the stereotypical business person or a military leader. If you like to set and reach goals, you’re likely a strong conscientious personality (hi). And although horses don’t necessarily have a sense of duty (though it would be funny if they did), some do like to have a certain set of rules, boundaries, and routines. I’ve known horses who are cranky when ridden at a different time of day or are put in a different field than the one they’re used to, while others couldn’t care less. Does your horse thrive in a set routine or are they happy to go with the flow? If they’re fresh after time off, is it because of stored energy or discontent at a change in their routine? If you usually warm up in the ring and then ride in the field, what happens when you warm up in the field and then ride in the ring? There’s a myriad of reasons your horse might not like this, but his level of conscientiousness might be one of them.
Extroversion
Introversion and extroversion gets a lot of attention and it’s important to understand that introverts can enjoy spending time with others and that extroverts can enjoy a quiet night in. The difference is where you get energy. As an extrovert, I know I can get so energized by meeting new people that I have to remind myself to take slow, deep breaths and settle down so I don’t come off as a hyperactive nut to my new friends. My introverted husband, on the other hand, prioritizes having alone time to recharge after spending time with people before starting a new activity. Horses are herd animals and typically don’t like to be alone, but some are much more social than others and understanding how your horse fits into herd dynamics is a key component to understanding their personality. Some enjoy being stalled near the cross ties where they can see all the comings and goings and others are happier in a stall on the end, where it’s a little quieter. I’ve even known some horses who cannot tolerate being boarded at small facilities, while others are very overwhelmed by a busy training barn.
Agreeableness
Agreeableness is likely something you’ve already thought about in terms of your horse’s personality. Do they like to test you or are they likely to comply without much hesitation? You might find yourself being more or less agreeable depending on where you are and who you’re with (at work as opposed to in your friend group, for example) and it’s fun to think about your horse in the same way. Are they agreeable on the ground but not under saddle? Is that because of their personality or a training issue (or a saddle fit issue or a bit issue or a vet issue...the list goes on, which is the best/worst thing about this sport!)
Neuroticism
Neuroticism is my favorite of the Big Five because my high school psychology teacher once used me as an example of a highly neurotic personality type and made me feel special. She wasn’t wrong; I’m anxious, obsessive, and prone to dramatics. Like people, horses can be high or low on the neurotic scale, though it manifests differently. Does your horse have non-medically explained tics like pawing, licking, or pacing? Does he insist on being the first one in the trailer or the leader of a trail group? They may just be a little neurotic. Understanding what is usual neurotic behavior for your individual horse and what is not not only helps you work as a stronger team, but also helps you recognize signs of stress or discomfort.
Whether you’re horse shopping, trying to get to know your existing horse better, or looking to understand a gap in your horse’s abilities, taking the time to deeply and seriously assess their personality can be as useful as it is fun. Like your own personality, it will likely change over time, but getting to watch your partner’s nature evolve is part of the rewarding friendship we enter with our horses.