| ...From an unusual and rather interesting email | | | | acceptable horse behaviour, what is safe to eat, |
| recently, asking for information on the innate vs | | | | what to be afraid of and mutual grooming. Biting |
| learned behaviour of a young horse. A great topic | | | | seems to be a learned behaviour. It is an |
| to investigate! | | | | extension of the suckling reflex. |
| After a dig around, this is what I have compiled | | | | Foals need other horses to teach them these |
| for you: | | | | behaviours, and there appears to be much |
| Innate behaviours are the things an animal can do | | | | anecdotal evidence that foals weaned too |
| or has the urge to do without being taught. | | | | abruptly or too young result in mal-adjusted |
| Behaviour that is hardwired in from birth. But you | | | | adults. Or in plain English, if a foal is traumatised by |
| knew that bit. In horses that means; suckling, | | | | being weaned to young it may be more likely to |
| standing, running, neighing and possibly 'mouth | | | | have bad habits. And if a foal is not taught by |
| clapping' (a strategy for appeasing older horses) | | | | other horses how it can be behave, it may grow |
| are all innate. Please note that although the drive | | | | up to be a thug! |
| to do these is innate, the actual behaviour is | | | | And so foals also need to be taught (in baby |
| perfected with practice. A foal cannot stand | | | | sized, regular lessons) how they may behave |
| perfectly first try! | | | | around humans. A foal's reaction to people is ALL |
| The fact that a foal has to learn how to do many | | | | learned. Whether mother taught the foal or we |
| innate behaviours well seems to cause a lot of | | | | did. They are a blank canvas for people at birth. |
| confusion as to what is innate and what is learned. | | | | The best strategy for teaching a foal is to |
| Beyond these it is all learning. Learning basically | | | | behave as it's mother would. Guide good |
| covers communication, discipline and safety. | | | | behaviour and discipline antisocial and dangerous |
| Horses learn to communicate with each other, to | | | | behaviour. And as a bonus tip, where you can, |
| interact as a member of the herd, to play to be | | | | mimic the way horses communicate and interact |
| social, to play dominance games, to read horse | | | | with each other. That's the real secret of the |
| body language, to avoid predators, what is | | | | 'horse whisperers'. |