The round-pen training technique, popular among proponents of “natural horsemanship” is said to be effective and ethical because it uses equine ethology to induce desired behaviours. This review looks at what we know about ethology and illustrates the ways this technique is aversive to horses, and how it is based on a flawed understanding of horse behaviour.

You may have seen viral videos circulating online of a horse picking up brushes to groom another horse, or another using a broom to “sweep” the floor. They are nor just incredibly amusing, these videos herald a breakthrough in equine science.

Research in the past few years has demonstrated that horses are really good at recognising and responding to human moods and emotions, through voice, body language and facial expressions. But do you know how to apply this to your relationship?

Grey has food-related aggression towards people providing him food and has had this issue since purchase, and maybe prior. This behaviour has slightly decreased in intensity since purchase, however, behaviours such as bite threats, kick threats, kicking, lunging at the handler and ears held stiffly backwards persist even after the client’s interventions. The aim of this case was to reduce aggressive responses at feeding time following the Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive and the Humane Hierarchy principles.