I have been accused of placing Human feelings and interpretations onto Horses. Perhaps occasionally I do, but not usually. Actually, hardly ever. We are both mammals and therefore share many needs, emotions, attitudes, and attributes. My observation is that if you do not see your Horse as a sentient and equal Being, most likely you will not agree with my perspective and you may believe your Horse is deliberately being unpleasant, dangerous, stupid, or disrespectful.
Even if you don’t believe in the Soul of the Horse, a fair examination of this behavior is to be called on. If you believe yourself to be mentally and emotionally superior to the Horse, examination is even more important here. When we know better, we should do better.
Recently I was speaking with a Horse person, and he was telling me about the challenges with his Horse, and how he believed the Horse to be messing with him intentionally and he believed the Horse must be corrected for this. Most of us have experienced other Humans doing this with us. But a Horse? If this is indeed the case, then a long look in the mirror is due.
This opens a whole new conversation on the perspectives of Horses and Humans. So, do Horses deliberately ‘mess with us’? Anthropomorphizing? Again, this is most likely determined by your philosophy and Soul experience with Horses. If you do not subscribe to the idea that Horses are Soul beings then most likely you will not subscribe to them having cognitive and complex emotions, desires, or insight. Yet, to believe that a Horse would ‘mess with us’, is to acknowledge that they share reasoning with Humans.
For those of us that do believe in the sentient Soulful being, we will not perceive that the Horse is ‘messing with us’, but will instead take a step back and observe the situation. I am a person that believes deeply that Horses are sentient and Soulful beings and yet, sometimes it still takes me a while to understand what is trying to be communicated. Even then, it may take a while to arrive at a fair and applicable solution, but for me, accepting this as one of the challenges between species is more fitting than thinking my Horse is ‘messing with me’. If indeed my Horse is ‘messing’ with me, it’s because I am not listening and they are trying to get my attention.
When humans assume that the horse is acting out of revenge is this anthropomorphizing? If a horse refuses a jump, refuses on the trail or bullies another horse, they are often called jerks, is this anthropomorphizing? If you believe your Horse to ‘mess with you’ is that anthropomorphizing?
As Human we want to be understood and not labeled, Horses want this as well. If a Human ‘hates’ being corrected, most likely there is a reason in their past that has created this situation, it is the same with our Horse, no Horse was born ‘hating or loving’ anything, they first must experience something. Fair and sincere attention to how we approach the intention of asking for a change in behavior with such things is key to whether they will change or not.
To project our thoughts or reactions out onto our Horse might be to anthropomorphize, but to respectfully interpret behaviors or emotions is to acknowledge and honor the Horse.