Talking to Horses

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

Talking to Horses

Goatgirl · Advanced

Yes....

I'm constantly talking to my horses - telling them what I'd like and why...- and yes...they do seem to listen and 'get it' - Just as when you can feel whether or not a person is really 'listening' - I feel when my horse is 'listening' to my words....

I'm a firm believer that we don't give animals enough credit - - over and over science is catching up with what 'animal people' have seen, known, been aware of for years.

They understand far more than we think...so yes - this has happened to me over and over..

so short answer
yes.

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

I can't say I remember any instances in training specifically where a horse has specifically responded to an advanced verbal communication pattern, but I don't doubt that it's possible. Horses are very smart animals, and pick up on verbal cues easily. They have their own verbal cues that are much more complex than ours - ie different pitches in their neighing mean varying things, etc - so I think it's highly possible that they can start to somewhat learn our language and understand it.

As far as telepathy goes, I'm on the fence. The brain is a wonderful tool; if we think "go left, go left, go left", subconsciously our body moves in a manner that cues to go left. It's a fact. Do I think this rules out all telepathy entirely? No. It's a very interesting subject.

But to answer your question: Yes, I talk to all horses I'm around. Whether trying to get some complex point across, or just holding a conversation. I see horses as creatures superior to humans, frankly. Thus I don't really feel silly expecting a horse to "talk back" (through their own language of course).

Marlene · Advanced

I'll tell you a true story, not exactly about training but about horses understanding spoken language. My husband used to farm with horse power. One day he was working and training another fellow with the horse pulling the plough. All morning the horse worked nice straight rows up and down. Then they broke for lunch and while the horse ate nearby, they did too.The helper said to my husband, "You know that horse is not very smart." My husband knew differently, but asked the man why he thought that. He answered"Well this dumb animal just has to work hard all day, if he was smart, he wouldn't work so hard." When this man went back to work after lunch, hitched the horse up, the horse refused to move, and would not work for him again. The horse did continue to work for my husband however without problem. I would bet this would not surprise those who used to live by the work of their horses.

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

I was essentially forbidden to talk to horses while riding except for voice commands (walk, trot, canter, whoa, and slow and fast by tone) and I wonder if it came about because some bright horse showed a trainer that he understood much more than the trainer intended. Back when I started riding everything was based on the horse being DUMB.

Maybe we made them that way.

Learned helplessness? Maybe the horses try to show understanding of our speech and are punished for it because the rider has not given the aid yet and the horse has "anticipated" the formal aids?

If you do not talk to a child the child will not learn to talk. We don't talk (with words in sentences) to horses and then we call them dumb because they don't understand us the few times we try it?

I remember with Glow, after riding him over a year talking each ride, I was introducing a new movement, I described the aids, and what I wanted (making sure to keep still), and that wonderful horse would sometimes move each leg exactly like I said I wanted him to, all before my normal aids. So I'm sitting there, yes, he gave me what I want, he just didn't wait, was it anticipation with a lucky guess? Or was it that he understood all the theory I had been preaching to him the year before and had learned how to apply it to his movements?

Barbara F · Grand Prix

I am always talking to my horse. When I groom, when I lead him.
When I ride, I tell him "Goood Booyyy" and I know he understands my tone, as well as a few words.

I think they can be taught to understand a lot more, but I don't put enough effort into it. Maybe I'll experiment this week!

And, Marlene, I love your story. All I can say is HA on that guy! Serves him right!!!

Marlene · Advanced

I generally talk to my horse and dogs. But I also help people with dog training sometimes. I find that asking them for a time not to chit chat with their pet is more for the handler's training than the dog's. Many people rely on their spoken commands (and often give confusing commands), but are giving mixed body language signals. If they have to be silent, they get their right brain in gear, the one that communicates better through body language, and concentrate better on what they are actually doing with the dog. Then the dog gets a clearer signal as to what he's supposed to do, and when he's done it correctly. So untrained people will say "Stay", but their voice sounds uncertain, as if they think the dog will move, guess what happens? Or they say "Sit down". Dog is confused "Do I sit or down?". Or the dog is staying,looks like it might move, person says "No!". Dog thinks he isn't supposed to stay. If people knew what the heck they were doing, animals would have it so much easier. This is why I think animals are actually far smarter than most people realize, because often it's a wonder they manage to figure out what we want and seem pretty forgiving of our errors in communication.

spirithorse · Advanced

A brief example; I can tell horses that I have never met before to stand and they do it. This with out learning the word from their owners.

Figarocubed · Advanced

Anyone with enough authority in their voice and a masterful posture can make a horse mind MUCH better than a timid & fearful owner.

Marlene makes a very good point about how we confuse our animals. Keep It Simple!

Goatgirl · Advanced

I'm a firm believer that our human arogance - the denial to abandon the out-date notion that animals are here for human purposes that we are superior - more intelligent, more valuable...etc etc.. blinds many people to the incredible and rich experience of sharing time and space with non-human species....

I know when I tell my horses things while I'm brushing them .... I watch their eyes....and I can clearly see that they are not simply hearing
blah...blah blah blahhhh...the wheels in their heads are turning......

wasn't it Anna Sewell - who in her black-beauty book said that 'horses understand more than people think they do.' with regards to people speaking around horses.

I love the story about the horse who refused to work for the person who called him stupid ....

This isn't about language - but when my son was about 8, I used to bring him with me to the small private barn where I boarded my horse before we went to his riding lesson at the barn up the road from there - One day my son had gone to splash in the pond behind the paddocks. I had gone to place some things in the car and was coming back in a moment - Well - I thought my son was busy splashing at the edge of the pond and wouldn't notice that I'd gone. - So I was just closing the car door when I heard my son yelling 'mummmmmmm' - after he yelled I heard my mare neigh -- he called 'muuuuuum' the mare neighed again...when I got back to the paddock -- I saw my son standing next to the mare - both of them were looking anxiously at the path and towards me...

Another time I was riding my mare in the arena and my son said 'I'll bet I can run as fast as her." So I said okay don't get to close lets race to the end of the arena - so off we went - the mare cantering and my son trying to run...after three strides the mare collected her-self and slowed so that -- it was as if she was running with a young foal -- I felt coming from her - for lack of another word -- it felt as if she were laughing -- there was a softness -- she was watching my son ...It was most extraordinary....

my fav quote is the one that goes something like 'animals are not our underlings, nor are they our bretheren they are other nations --etc...'
It may sound odd - but I find animals easier to understand than people -- they just make more sense to me...they're honest...

Marlene · Advanced

spirithorse wrote:
A brief example; I can tell horses that I have never met before to stand and they do it. This with out learning the word from their owners.

I have a "German" Shepherd Dog of German and Czechoslovakian breeding lines. I jokingly asked the breeder (who trains police dogs for trackiing, protection etc.)which language my puppy speaks. Of course it doesn't matter at all what you say. I have seen a German-only speaking trainer take a dog, as a demonstration, who had never been trained in German, and the dog followed all his working commands in German instantly. This is how animals seem to read your mind, they are reading YOU.

The funniest (saddest) thing I have seen is when animal handlers raise their voice to their dog or horse, when the animal isn't following instructions (usually due again to mixed signals). As if they can't hear. Animals have exquisite hearing, if they aren't getting it, try whispering. People are astounded when they shout commands and their animal doesn't respond, and then I whisper the command and they do it!

-- Edited by Marlene on Thursday 5th of May 2011 10:56:03 AM

barnfrog · Advanced

Horses are creatures of sight and feel, and adding verbalization is only after the fact. I explain what I am doing through methodical prep (on the ground/ in saddle). And then methodically do it, and see how the horse responds and then redefine it. Imho they are 'telepathic' from what our bodies are doing (ie like holding the metal nut on a string and getting it to swing r/l or circle...that is the body muscles NOT telepathy).

To many handlers talk incessently (verbalize) and have not 'body imput' to their horses. So, if someone is doing 1234, they are doing it for themselves, and likely a little bit behind the reactions of the horse.

I use the brrrr (gargle) sound to quiet a horse/down transition, and wtc AFTER they understand the reactions to the whip (on the ground) but NOT ridden. And stroke a lot after good behaviors. The horses listen to my body language on the ground and in the saddle.

Barbara F · Grand Prix

Marlene,

I have to laugh because you reminded me of that cliche where someone is speaking to you in a foreign language and when you don't understand, they say it LOUDER!

I'm also reminded of one of my favorite Far Side cartoons where the man is yelling at the dog:

Okay, Ginger! I've had it! You stay out of the garbage! understand, Ginger? Stay out of the garbage, or else!

What Ginger hears:

blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah...

-- Edited by Barbara F on Saturday 7th of May 2011 10:15:54 PM

shaiarabs · Well Schooled

when I am working with a horse I talk very very little, the only words I want them to hear is praise and cues.

when I am not working with them and just being with them, then I will tell them the world

darkhorserunning · Well Schooled

when i am working with them just the cues, but out checking the mares or the yearling etc, i talk like crazy, when i am, on the ground walking and brushing etc i talk to them, i always tell my horse i am going behind i have since i was a kid even if it is a old horse or a young one i let them know where i am, the mare herd i have trained to move from pen to pasture or pasture to pen etc, so on and so forth by just standing and yelling out! everyone giggles but when i can stand with the gate to a pen wide open with 30 some mares out on a quarter of land and yell a couple times and they all come running and file into the pen or around me if i just want to do a head count, i rather have it that way then out chasing them all around, plus as they come running you can do a quick inpesection on each one.

Queenrider · Advanced

Voice is also an aid! A much underused aid for most horses. I talk to my horse a lot. The voice can be used to calm a nervous horse, encourage a fearful one, discourage a horse thinking bad thoughts and also to reward. Voice works best on sensitive horses. I have used my voice in dressage tests but very softly, so the judge can't hear me. Using your voice can help your horse focus on you and not on the scary thing. When I break a horse I always teach them the voice commands first and this makes the transition to using the other aids much easier for them.

MirandaofOldFriendsca · Yearling

I'm always talking away to my animals. :) I don't doubt that they are listening - horses (and dogs!) are very smart, sensitive, intuitive animals. I come from a family of intuitive/telepathic women.

deb · Well Schooled

Hi

I have taught many different animals to do many different things, but mostly I have worked with dogs and horses. Most animals (yes including dogs) don't know there own name. Tough to teach something to understand human speach if it does not even comprehend it's own name.

In answer to the question, yes I talk to my horses all the time, how do I know they understand quite complex ideas-- many ways. Example, I teach them that when the ground is dangerous/slippery etc. to be careful... after just a few times of explaining, staring at the ground as we walk, showing caution in my voice, and my body language, and talking, talking, talking... they then only have to be told, "Careful, Careful, go easy now, the ground is.....", no other body cues from me, and they watch their own footing... my big horse Che has been talked to like any other member of our 'human family' since we got him as a yearling. If he hears us discusing, no matter the words when we are going to stop jogging, than he will move over to the side of the track to come off, we have just talking to one another, not him... on the same hand if you tell him, no don't do that! he will throw a tempertantrum like a kid... he know small words, big words and whole sentances, you don't have to say any 'word cues', can skip them entirely, and he will figure out what you are saying... he also can read my husbands thoughts, same example... if Joe is thinking about comeing of the track, never said a word, and is driving another horse, (I am driving Che), only thinks it to himself... Che will pull over and leave the track, no matter what I have to say about it!!! At no other time does he do this, and if Joe hasn't thought it he does not do it, nor is he 'disobedeant' in any other way while joging.

In a million ways my horses listen and understand what we say, it takes a very short time for these used up, horses to 'get' it... (Che is the only young horse we have had in many years), some of these horses have never had a kind word spoken to them, never mind a conversation with anyone. We have short 'comand or cue' words for certain things, and the horses undertand this first... does not a child learn simple words and phrases first... so do my animals... then as we go on the complex sentances and so on... yes they understand by body language, they get small direct cue words, and yes they also get complex ideas from entire sentances... I think animals are just more evolved than we are as a species, they get telepathy beter than we do...

I can by body language alone, by presence, and by words communicate with my horses, do all the time... and they with me. I don't see them as 'less' than I am, in fact better than 'human', as they are more humane than most people... they have their moments, they have their muddy moments, their clear moments... don't we all?

Che can tell me with a look what he wants, and I mean complex wants... not by rote.. so often I think who is training whom here????

Many animals can learn speach, my g-pig Molly knew many words, if she heard someone in the house whisper 'lettuce', she would sqeek till someone got it for her, she knew who Mara my dog is, which rabbit was Cavan, and which was Bugs... she knew who her 'dad' was, Uncle Buck, and Ned my son was... you said the name, she would go to the person... we didn't set out to teach her this, we just always talked to her, using the name of the person whom we were refereing to... she 100 per cent of the time would go to the right person at about 8 months old... pretty good for something that weighed only ounces... not sure of the size of her brain... but pretty good considering it was about the size of my thumb!!!

deb

Yakkittyyak · Yearling

Very Good analogy Marlene!! Well said.

Yakkittyyak · Yearling

Marlene wrote:
spirithorse wrote:
A brief example; I can tell horses that I have never met before to stand and they do it. This with out learning the word from their owners.
I have a "German" Shepherd Dog of German and Czechoslovakian breeding lines. I jokingly asked the breeder (who trains police dogs for trackiing, protection etc.)which language my puppy speaks. Of course it doesn't matter at all what you say. I have seen a German-only speaking trainer take a dog, as a demonstration, who had never been trained in German, and the dog followed all his working commands in German instantly. This is how animals seem to read your mind, they are reading YOU.
The funniest (saddest) thing I have seen is when animal handlers raise their voice to their dog or horse, when the animal isn't following instructions (usually due again to mixed signals). As if they can't hear. Animals have exquisite hearing, if they aren't getting it, try whispering. People are astounded when they shout commands and their animal doesn't respond, and then I whisper the command and they do it!

-- Edited by Marlene on Thursday 5th of May 2011 10:56:03 AM

Good point, again...

Amazing how seldom the breakdown in communication actually has something to do with the animal being 'hard of hearing.' Imagine how a person would feel if they had trouble understanding something being explained to them, and the person doing the explaining reverted to YELLING exactly the same instructions...pretty distracting, eh??!!

Jennifer Lamm · Yearling

Yay, I got into the playground......

I talk to my horse yes.

He knows walk, walk out, trot, stop, back, nice, no, oliver, come here, good boy, shhhhhhhhh....

I have videos... but they are boring, but we do this all day long..... he is easier to move with words than anything.

I also got off on this whole submissive thing, learning about how submissives think and feel, and my horse responds to my take charge attitude when I talk to him.....

"oliver, I am going to be in charge now.... you are going to listen, we are going to do this, this and this and you are going to listen and let me do what I want.... do not fight it, surrender to it and you will enjoy yourself I promise."

it's wierd how he reacts..... my trainer said it's about communication, not domination........ my horse is an awful horse, trust me.... .. I took my role of dominator to a calm, cool and collected person, but constantly reminding him that he is not to think for himself.... how sad, but it works..... he needs it almost... like a submissive person would who needs a dominant.....

this is a wierd tangent I got on..... but it has worked for me and my horse is calmer and more submissive... I am unable to "dominate" him physically because he is big, strong and stubborn... but when I stick up for myself and tell him what I want, somehow we both feel better about who is in charge..... when he fails to do what I want I do nothing..... when he does what I want I respond with a positive reinforcement...

ugh.. oliver.... whatever will it take to get through to you....

-- Edited by Jennifer Lamm on Thursday 24th of January 2013 01:23:16 PM