Affinity Equine Behaviour North Wales

27/02/2026

Mouth calluses arent caused by the bit any more than the gun is responsible for shooting someone. Harsh hands cause mouth calluses, full stop. In the eyes of animal welfare its abuse, not a ‘normal’ part of horse owership.

12/02/2026

09/02/2026

“Animals don’t have human emotions”…

What people dont seem to understand is that humans ARE animals, and we now know that ALL mammals share the same 7 basic emotional circuits thanks to modern neuroscience. This means every social species including dogs, horses, and any other mammal we share our life with experience… Joy, Fear, Wanting, Grief, Lust/Love, Disappointment/Anger and the need to feel Cared for, just like we do.

So yes, animals DO experience ‘human’ emotions. They just don’t understand them, and can’t control them like we do, which means they likely experience them with even more intensity than us.

What they can’t do is seek revenge because of how they feel. They cannot ‘plan’ to behave a certain way. They just… feel… which manifests in behaviour.

When it comes to our relationship with them, all they know is that we caused them to feel what they feel. This means if we bring forth joy, we are considered the source of good feelings. If we are threatening, or rough, causing them to experience even a little bit of fear, we are considered the source of bad feelings. If the latter is a regular thing, we humans would choose to walk away from people like this, our ‘pets’ don’t have that luxury, but many would.

Just because they are simpler of mind, it doesn’t mean they don’t FEEL. No living being ever chooses to feel bad, its simply an uncontrollable response to PERCEIVED threat, hunger, thirst, pain, loss, or social rejection that happens within the mammalian nervous system, whether we are deemed intelligent or not.

The ability to have feelings isn’t measured by intelligence.

03/02/2026

Most horse owners dont provide these 5 basic needs. Its shameful. 😢

Find out how you can meet the species specific needs of your horse using the 5 domains of animal welfare

24/01/2026

❗️HORSE ABUSE: what to do if you see it
(Be a hero to the horse)
LONG & IMPORTANT Re: Horse Abuse
Don't miss the 'speaking into the field' part at the end.

Often, the conversations about abuse are about what punishment should happen to the person who did it.

Many of us wonder what we would have done if we were there witnessing the incident.

This blog is about what can be done IN THE MOMENT, when there may be a possibility to de-escalate or turn things around.

In this blog:

👉 When is it best to speak up
👉 When is it best to report
👉 How to report responsibly
👉 Speak up + Report
👉 'Speaking Into The Field' - a powerful technique

Full disclosure: I consulted ai to write this. The following is a result of my questions to ai, its answers and my further editing of it.

🟣 SILENCE ENABLES ABUSE.
- Speak up when you see mistreatment
- Calm, respectful confrontation can interrupt harm and plant doubt.
- Report abuse or neglect
- Use local animal welfare organizations or authorities when necessary.
- Advocate for welfare standards
- Support regulations that limit overwork, cruel equipment, and poor living conditions.
- Use your voice online responsibly
- Share information without shaming—shame hardens resistance.

🟣 WHEN SPEAKING UP IS USUALLY BEST

- Speaking up is most effective when education or stress reduction can alter the outcome.

🟢 Typical scenarios:
- A frustrated rider or handler is losing patience
- Poor technique rooted in tradition, not malice
- A one-off escalation
- You have a relationship or shared space (barn, lesson, school)

🟢 Why speaking up helps here:
- The person may not realize how it looks
- Stress impairs judgment
- A calm interruption can reset the situation

🟢 Goal:
- Interrupt
- Reduce harm
- Plant awareness
- Not to “win.”

🟣 WHEN REPORTING IS THE BETTER OPTION

Reporting is necessary when harm is serious, ongoing, or dangerous.

🟢 Clear reporting situations:
- Physical violence (hitting, whipping excessively, beating)
- Severe neglect (emaciation, lack of water, untreated wounds)
- Chronic abuse (repeated incidents over time)
- Situations where speaking up has failed or made things worse
- When the abuser holds power over you

🟢 Why reporting is sometimes the only ethical option:
- Speaking up may escalate abuse later, out of sight
- The horse cannot leave
- Patterns don’t change without outside intervention

👉 Important: Reporting Is Not “Overreacting”

This belief keeps abuse hidden.

🟢 Reporting is:

- A request for assessment
- A chance for intervention
- Often education before punishment

Most animal welfare agencies aim to correct, not immediately penalize.

🟢 HOW TO REPORT RESPONSIBLY (Without Making Things Worse)
1. Document, Don’t Confront
- Dates, times, locations
- Specific behaviors (avoid emotional language)
- Photos or videos only if safe and legal

2. Use Appropriate Channels
Depending on location:
- Animal control
- SPCA / humane society
- Equine welfare organizations
- Barn management or governing bodies (for sports)

3. Be Factual
Instead of: “They’re abusing their horse”
Say: “The horse appears underweight with visible ribs, no access to water observed over multiple days, and untreated leg wounds.”

Facts carry weight.

🟣 A Middle Option: “STRATEGIC SPEAKING UP”

Sometimes you do both.
Examples:
- Speak up in the moment to stop harm
- Report later if the pattern continues
- Speak to a supervisor or manager instead of the individual
- Ask a vet, trainer, or welfare officer to intervene

This spreads responsibility and reduces risk.

🔴 When NOT to Speak Up Directly
Do not speak up if:
- The person is volatile or aggressive
- You are a minor and the person is in authority
- You’re isolated or outnumbered
- The abuse is clearly intentional and severe

In these cases:
Silence in the moment + reporting later is not cowardice. It’s wisdom.

🤔 A SIMPLE DECISION GUIDE

Ask yourself:
- Is the harm immediate?
- Can I safely interrupt?
- Will this likely reduce harm?
- If not—who can intervene?

If the answer to #2 or #3 is “no” → report.

💕 REFRAME
You are not “getting someone in trouble.”
You are:
- Standing in for a voiceless being
- Asking society to uphold basic care standards
- Acting from responsibility, not judgment

That takes COURAGE.
___________________________________________

🟣 SPEAKING INTO THE FIELD, (not at a person).

The Three Possible Targets (and Why One Works Best)
1. Saying it “to yourself” (too quiet / internal)
❌ Too easy to miss
❌ Sounds like muttering if overheard
❌ Misses the social signal

This doesn’t reliably plant seeds.

2. Saying it directly to the trainer (too confrontational)
❌ Triggers hierarchy and ego
❌ Increases likelihood of escalation
❌ Trainer may double down because students are watching

This often backfires in warm-up rings.

🙋♀️ 3. Saying it into the shared space (this is the sweet spot)
✔ Audible to nearby students
✔ Non-confrontational
✔ Sounds reflective, not corrective
✔ Allows everyone to save face

This is the intended delivery.

🟢 What “INTO THE SPACE” Actually Looks Like
- Neutral body orientation (not squared to the trainer)
- Soft volume—clear, not loud
- Calm, reflective tone
- No direct eye contact with the trainer
- Slight pause afterward
- Then you move away or redirect your attention

It feels like a thoughtful observation, not an intervention.

🟢 Example in Practice

You’re standing near the rail. The trainer says something like:
“He’s being rude.”
You say calmly, looking toward the horse (not the trainer):
“That looks more like stress than misbehavior.”

Then:
👉 - You stop talking
👉 - You step back
👉 - You don’t explain
👉 - You don’t wait for a response

Students hear it.
The trainer hears it.
No one is directly challenged.

🟣 WHY THIS WORKS Psychologically
- Students are allowed to consider the idea because they weren’t instructed
- Trainers can ignore it without losing face
- The horse becomes the reference point
- The comment sounds like experience, not criticism

🟣 It subtly shifts the social narrative.

❗️ One Important SAFETY NOTE

If you are:
- A minor
- Alone
- In a tense or aggressive environment

Then default to:
- Speaking only to students later or
- Saying nothing and documenting/reporting

🙏 Wisdom includes self-protection.

🟣 The INNER ORIENTATION (This Changes Everything)

🟢 Before you speak, think:
“I’m modeling how to see the horse.”

Not:
“I need them to change.”

That intention comes through.

In Summary
❌ Not muttering to yourself
❌ Not confronting the trainer
✅ Speaking calmly into the shared space
🎯 Aimed primarily at students and bystanders
🌱 Designed to plant a seed, not win a point

You’re doing this with care and integrity—and that matters more than you may realize.
__________________

💕 EMOTIONAL AFTERCARE (Often Overlooked)

Witnessing abuse can be upsetting.
- Talk to someone you trust
- Write down what you saw (helps process and remember)
- Remind yourself: “I did what I could without causing more harm.”

That matters.

_______________________________
I've written a couple other blogs on this subject. I'll put them in the comments for easy reference:
A Few Ways To Look At Horse Welfare - This blog looks at different ways to assess situations on a sliding scale
Smoke & Mirrors & Horse Welfare - This blog looks at the psychological reasons why it's so hard to speak out when we see things that

09/01/2026

How are people falling for this bull crap?

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DYLffx9Yc/?mibextid=wwXIfr

24/12/2025

Dominance is Dead. Dominance theory is so dead the original researcher who studied it has disowned it and wishes he never wrote about such a dramatic misunderstanding of animal social structure. See, studying a group of unrelated adult animals thrown together with species inappropriate lifestyle and inadequate resources is not going to show you how those animals coexist and socialize in a normal, healthy way. But rather, show you extreme social dysfunction.

We previously believed "Dominance" had to do with "Leadership", where there was a clear linear hierarchy in every social unit of leadership and decision making. Ethology has found, however, that "Dominance" is about "ownership" NOT Leadership! Dominance is a method social groups use to pre-determine WHO has priority access to which resources. This way, there is less in-fighting within a social unit, so as not to weaken the group against outside attack (predation or fighting).

So, when a resource is limited, let's say a bowl of food is dropped in the center of a herd of horses, there is a clear owner of the food. The other horses know they have already lost the fight before it needs to happen, the dominant horse will have priority access to it. However, if we change the resource, let's say shelter this time, a different horse may have priority access. Maybe the horse who is more sensitive to heat/cold puts more effort into defending their shelter space than they would a bowl of food. Maybe a horse with allergies to bugs will stand their ground for access to the shady spot, when they might not be so confident to fight for food or water. Dominance is about ownership, if a resource is limited, who owns it first?

In my herd of 3 Clydesdales, I put out new hay and queen Fable crashes in chasing away Dream, but she happily shares with her sister Wisp if there is enough. I need to spread out the hay to make sure Dream can get in on that action too. However, if it's just Dream and Wisp, Dream gets the hay first, but he usually shares with Wisp too, but he may push Wisp off for the first couple minutes while he is excited about it.

See how fluid it is? Ownership of a resource is only as valuable as the resource itself. If the resource is abundant, ownership doesn't really matter. If the 3 clydes were standing on acres of fresh grass, no one would care who got the hay first.

Dominance is as fluid as the resources, as the need of the individuals, and as the shape of the herd. A horse who is loved by their friends may get away with sharing a limited resource, when a horse who is not liked by their friends, may be pushed off even when the resources are plentiful. Maybe when 2 or 3 get together they can win out against the one who usually owns this hay pile? It changes based on need, cooperation, and social changes. It's NOT linear.

Dominance is about Priority Access to Resources, Ownership, NOT LEADERSHIP!

Of my 3 clydesdales, Fable is the queen, she shoves everyone off whatever resource she decides is her's right now. But you know what? No one likes her. Dream and Wisp hang out together away from her, only being friendly to her if she comes over nicely. They don't approach her, because she's kind of a jerk. When the 3 of them go out on an impromptu adventure around my neighborhood and I need to catch them and bring them home - if I catch Fable and bring her home first, the other two breath a sigh of relief and enjoy their time without her. If I bring Dream home first, Fable and Wispy go about their day without their annoying brother. But if I bring Wisp home, who is usually the lowest priority access to resources, the other 2 follow her. They love her. They both share their food with her even though they could chase her away easily, they both groom her, they both want to be with her. But she has no priority access to anything, she's never even tossed a hoof at any of them. She's sweet and often a little lame, and so kind. They don't follow the bully, they follow the horse that makes them feel safe and loved.

Dominance is about Ownership, not leadership. I keep saying this. What does dominance have to do with training? Not a gosh-darn thing!! It matter when we talk about managing our herds, we need to make sure our horses have adequate resources spread appropriately so that no one goes without, no resource becomes too prized, and the herd doesn't need to fight. However, it has nothing to do with training.

We humans, we already own everything. We make every decision. We decide when they eat, what they eat, how much they eat, where they eat, what they wear, where they go, who their friends are, when they get to be with their friends, when, where, and how they get to move. We make every single decision. We own everything. We are already queens of the farm. We don't need to further exercise this power over our horses. In fact, we need to do the opposite. We need to readily hand over the reins (pun intended) to our horses themselves. Allow them to make decisions when and where appropriate. So much is beyond their control, we need to give some autonomy and self-advocacy back to our horses. To build their confidence, to empower them.

If dominance has nothing to do with training, then why does dominance based training methods work? Because a consistent, predictable, reliable use of gentle R- and punishment works! It doesn't need to be romanticized as language or as some fantasy story about how horses socialize. R- is behavior modification and it works. It works to teach them what behaviors we want and don't want and when to do them and that we control their behavioral choices.

But so does R+. R+ is just as effective as R-, because they are equal learning quadrants, neither is better. Both equally modify behavior. Both can be done with tact, kindness and consistency that empowers the horse. Both could be used callously and coercively to manipulate and control the horse. But R+ can extend an extra degree of choice, consent, control, and autonomy that R- alone can't do. When done well, R+ can open doors we never had with R- alone. We no longer have to be trapped within an outdated fantasy story about how horses communicate, modern ethology has cleared that up for us. Thank you ethologists!

If you want to learn more about this here are additional resources.

https://www.susanlfriedmanphd.com/blog-archive/equine-behavior-and-training/

https://aaep.org/horsehealth/equine-behavior

https://equitationscience.com/position-statements

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/training/why-alpha-dog-training-is-outdated/

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/dominance-debunked

https://cbtdogbehaviour.com/alpha-dominance-theory-fact-or-fiction

https://positively.com/dog-training/article/ethology-the-truth-about-dominance

https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/dominance-when-an-outdated-theory-wont-go-away

“Social Organization in the Horse (Equus caballus): A Review” Sue McDonnell (2003), Applied Animal Behaviour Science

“Dominance in Horses — Myths and Realities” Sarah L. King (2011), International Society for Equitation Science Conference Proceedings

“Stability of Social Relationships among Przewalski’s Horses (Equus ferus przewalskii)” Feh & Munkhtuya (2008), Animal Behaviour

Social Bonds and Friendships in Horses” Cameron, Setsaas & Linklater (2009), Proceedings of the Royal Society B

14/12/2025

Inspired by a post that did on dogs because the same concept is incredibly applicable to horses, especially considering their threshold of tolerance as a prey animal tends to be more easily impacted by environmental triggers and novel stimuli than predatory animals might be.

Horses (and all mammals, that matter) learn most efficiently when they feel SAFE.

Being calm and at a baseline state of relaxation where they do not feel like they are in active danger means that their brain can be more focused on the task at hand instead of in fight or flight mode, seeking means of evading danger.

High stress impacts learning and memory retention.

Yet, many horse trainers utilize incredibly high stress methods that are reliant on inducing high amounts of discomfort and, in many cases, pain, to create a response from the horse.

Every video we see of an explosive horse, actively bucking, rearing, bolting or otherwise trying to free themselves from a stressor is a depiction of a horse that is over threshold.

In this headspace, their focus is on trying to achieve safety and create distance from what is stressing them.

They are not in a head space to make the most of training and will not retain information in the same way as a horse who is calm, focused and feels safe.

Humans can relate to this, too!

When we are in a high state of anxiety, it impacts our ability to retain information compared to how we learn at baseline.

So, not only is training more ethical when we are not regularly inducing fear, stress and/or pain, it is also more effective.

The information that is taught is more likely to be retained by the horse AND they’re far less likely to have a negative association created with the act of training or the person who is training them.

Calm training is ethical and effective training.

06/12/2025

Just more evidence of welfare concerns for the kings guard.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1HCiwEsTon/?mibextid=wwXIfr

28/10/2025

The difficult to load horse…

Witholding hay for a few hours in the morning whilst other horses are eating around them, to make sure they go in to the trailer to get their food isnt clever, it’s just callous.